Celebrate the holiday weekend with dates and picnics. Start your Fourth of July weekend with virtual speed dating, then join a Black Lives Matter protest and round out your weekend at a picnic outside the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden.

Friday

Speed date with young professionals

Pour yourself a glass of your favorite wine, wear your best clothes and get ready to mingle again. The event organizers will ensure every participant will get to chat with all the other participants who are of their preferred sex for at least a few minutes before moving on to the next individual. Although the event is advertised for professionals with college degrees, anyone is welcome to join.

8 p.m. EDT. Free. Register here.

Saturday

Continue protesting for social justice

For many this year, the Fourth of July isn’t about celebrating independence but rather voicing demands for social justice. Join hundreds at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Saturday for speeches from leaders of the District’s Black Lives Matter chapter, then walk to the Ellipse where you can join in on a protest. Remember that D.C. summers are hot and humid, so make sure to bring plenty of water and snacks.

Starting at 10 a.m. EDT. Find more information here.

Sunday

Host a picnic at the Sculpture Garden

Phase Two of reopening means museums and exhibits can now open with social distancing measures, allowing the National Gallery of Art to open its Sculpture Garden to visitors. Grab a couple of your friends and head to the garden for a picnic. A limited number of people are allowed inside at any given time, so make sure to show up early or you may have to wait in line.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT. Free. Find more information here.