Hey everyone! This week’s BEST WEEKEND BETS are, as always, hand selected from BYT ALL CITY and carefully calibrated for maximum fun and minimum stress, and will be punctuated with inspirational images of STICK IT, the semi-seminal gymnastics movie that was brought to us by the people that brought us BRING IT ON. What better way to get into the spirit of Olympics week than leotards and an exasperated Jeff Bridges?

A COUPLE OF PSAs before we start:

• WE NOW PUBLISH NYC BEST WEEKEND BETS TOO-tell all your New York friends to subscribe to it + follow us over there on twitter @BYTNYC

AND- we have some AMAZING BYT events coming your way soon:

• + we JUST announced our August 4th POOL PARTY. RAVE CAMP II. Details + tickets here + first 100 people to pre-purchase tickets get a free burger. So-yay!

OK, ready for the weekend now?

THURSDAY

• Starts things off with some drinking in a cultural setting: The Textile Museum brings back PM @ THE TM which this time around features a screening of THE HOST and more.
• just down the street and with less monsters, Hillyer hosts the SOAPBOX and with Phillips Collection open late on Thursdays you can stop by and check out the Jasper Johns and Anthony Gormley shows as well. Your very own Dupont Gallery hop.
• planning a date for the weekend/dreading the heat? Check out our “Top 5 Air-Conditioned Spots for Dates” post. Add your suggestions.
• later on:
• this is the LAST WEEKEND TO CATCH SOME CAPITAL FRINGE SHOWS, so … catch them while you can.
• SHOWS WISE:
• A Place to Bury Strangers are @ RNR Hotel
• Alvin Risk is @ U Hall
• Alex Winston and MS MR are playing The Gibson Guitar Showroom (#veryrecommended)
• L’enfant hosts their very first Seersucker Social, champagne toast at midnight included
• and there is a Legend of Zelda with live music accompaniment extravaganza @ Wolf Trap
• + ALL SORTS OF other stuff

FRIDAY

• HAPPY OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY DAY! We’ve been getting into the spirit of things all week: a MAGICAL SPORTS MOVIE MARATHON line-up is here, POP CULTURE OLYMPICS are here, check back in for our “WHAT’S YOUR SPIRIT FACE” video of the week and here is a handy guide to “WHERE TO WATCH THE OLYMPICS IN DC”. There is also talk of live blogging the opening ceremony, like we did before.
• Aside from that, other stuff is happening too, we promise:
• all our interns will be at the IDENTITY festival @ Jiffy Lube. It is not their fault-they can’t help it.
• In the mood for a new place to grab a drink? Stop by the freshly opened Hank’s in Capitol Hill feat. cocktails by Gina Chersevani and delicious, delicious oysters. We have a full first look here.
• a pop/dance explosion of sorts goes off at 930 club where All Things Gold celebrates the 1 year anniversary of the concert series with RAC, The Knocks, Pop ETC and more. You can enter to win tickets to it here.
• BIKE PROM at Black Cat!
• Regular shows wise: KISHI BASHI! ROYAL BANGS! PANTS VELOUR! EMPRESARIOS!
• and Will Eastman’s BLISSPOP returns to Black Cat for a special edition of the long running dance party: LOST AND SOUND-stolen identity edition
• + ALL SORTS OF other stuff

SATURDAY

• DAYTIME ACTIVITIES!
• Have yourself an AI WEIWEI day-the documentary on the revolutionary artist (NEVER SORRY) opens exclusively this weekend @ Landmark E Street Cinema (full review coming tomorrow) and then swing by Hirshhorn and sit around his Zodiac Heads Installation
• Capital Groove fest is going down @ The Fairgrounds by the Nationals Stadium
• there is a pretty awesome sounding beer festival going on: DRINK THE DISTRICT
• get yourself some art for $5 out of a vending machine @ Smithsonian American Art Museum
• for food fans-stopping by HOWARD Theatre to see Marcus Samuelsson talk about his new book “YES, CHEF” (and then eat some of his food) IS A MUST.
• later on:
• DC theatre fans should be curious to check out the return of Mike Daisey to the Woolly Mammoth stage, post-scandal. Read our redux review here.
• Artisphere is doing a screening of WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (always fun) or if you’re in the mood to creep yourself out with a movie instead-head to AFI Silver Spring for a screening of “MANHUNTER”
• a tribute to Stevie Wonder @ Fillmore
• also happening: TILTED TORCH’s PLAY DATE variety show, this time for a good cause as well.
• and for your dance needs:
• join  the AXEL F crew for their monthly summer jam @ LIV with all the usual Jheri Curl funk and overlooked ’80s goodies, as well as Yacht Rock, Blue Eyed Soul, and… The Good Life.
• ON & ON is on.
• + 1 year anniversary of TNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNT is @ Haydee’s.
• + ALL SORTS OF other stuff

SUNDAY

• matine up the last showing of Addams Family @ Kennedy Center.
• then-watch some Olympics/On-Demand/movies, like you’re supposed to on Sundays.
• and then at night…
• you guys-CHARLI XCX @ U Hall. That’s all.
• + ALL SORTS OF other stuff

AND REMEMBER: THERE ARE A BAJILLION OTHER THINGS TO DO LISTED IN BYT ALL CITY, so use it (to both post your events and search for them) and if you think we may have missed something, comment away–you know you want to.

And, one for the road…