Community festivals take over H Street NE, Columbia Heights and Hyattsville; DC Theatre Week begins; and Rock Creek Park celebrates its 135th anniversary.

Pump up the weekend with Downtown Getdown, Friday Night Lights, an Evening of Music and Dance and Pat Puckett at Blue Tavern.

The new season also marks the debut of longtime BPO collaborator Ron Spigelman, the orchestra's new principal pops conductor. He will lead "Showstopping Pops" at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 2 ...