Welcome to City Paper’s 2024 Fall Arts Guide. This year’s roundup of recommended events began the usual way, but it ended up very different. 

As we grow more accustomed to being an online-only publication, we’ve learned to do away with (some) print traditions. We no longer put out a weekly issue, so why contain an entire guide to an entire season in one massive delivery? Instead, this year’s guide will roll out over the course of the next four weeks.

During that time, you’ll get our typical critics’ picks, albeit in a new format—film critic Alan Zilberman will share the big screen events he’s most excited for this fall; art critic Stephanie Rudig will shed some light on the exhibits she can’t wait to see. We’ll look at what plays are making our theater critics buzz. You can expect several concert roundups from a dozen music writers—the first one is out today. And, of course, as arts editor I couldn’t run an arts guide without highlighting some of the events on my fall calendar, too. (You can see those here.)

But all this planning, plotting, and scouring event pages and press releases got me thinking: We know what we’re excited for, but what are D.C.’s artists and musicians looking forward to? What shows are on photographer Soomin Ham’s calendar? What does concert booker and Bad Moves member David Combs already have tickets to? What’s former Rare Essence keyboardist Darrin X Frazier psyched for? And what is GALA Hispanic Theatre’s Rebecca Medrano going to see? So that’s what we did—we asked more than a dozen local creators to share their fall arts recommendations, not just with us, but with all of you, too.

So dig in, bookmark, and come back tomorrow and the next day—we have plenty of answers for the inevitable question: What are you doing this fall?

Follow our monthlong coverage here:

The Arts Editor’s Picks: City Paper Arts Editor Sarah Marloff offers a look at the must-see and do events on her fall calendar.

Q&As With Local Creators:

All D.C.’s a Stage: Director KenYatta Rogers is looking forward to new work by Mosaic, D.C. native Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ latest play at Woolly, and one of his own productions in Baltimore

Poetry for the People: Literary Event Recs From Local Poet, Folger’s Poetry Program Manager Teri Ellen Cross Davis

What To Listen To: Local Book, and Member of Bad Moves, David Combs Recommends Raging Post-Punk, Emo-Tinged Indie Pop, and More

What a Laugh: Cartoonist Adam Griffiths Is Exhibiting Work from New Yorker Comic Dana Jeri Maier, but He’s Also Looking Forward to the Small Press Expo and a Flying V production This Fall

What To Look At: Local Photographer Soomin Ham Is Visiting Three Exhibits This Fall

Roundups:

Music: Forty Shows To See This Fall: Recommendations From City Paper’s Music Critics

Music: Don’t Sleep on the DMV: National and Local Hip-Hop Acts to See This Fall From Amari Newman

Music: The Best World, Roots, and Jazz Music To See Live This Fall From Steve Kiviat

Music: Six Shows for District Metal Fans This Fall From Matt Siblo

Visual Art: Feast Your Eyes: WCP Art Critic Stephanie Rudig Can’t Wait for These Art Exhibits

Dance: These Events Showcase the Range of the District’s Dance Scene: City Paper’s resident dance aficionado shares recommendations from contemporary ballet to social dance and step

Books/Visual Art/Comedy: Emma Copley Eisenberg, John Early, and William Gropper Top Our Arts Writers’ Fall Must-See Calendars

September Theater Reviews:

Studio Theatre’s Oh My Heart, Oh My Home, 4.5 out 5 stars

Mosaic Theater Company’s Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, 3.5 out 5 stars

Editor’s note: This post has been updated as DJ Supa Dan was able to complete an interview .