Busboys and Poets

10/16/2026

Your Sunday dinner plans just made themselves. 🍝

Every Sunday after 4 PM, pasta is HALF PRICE at Busboys and Poets.

Bring your appetite, bring your people, and maybe don’t tell them how much you saved. 👀

10/15/2026

How does colorism shape our everyday lives, relationships, and opportunities?

Join Dr. Sarah L. Webb and Marita Golden for a vital conversation about COLORISM: The Politics of Skin Tone and How We Get Free, an essential guide to recognizing and dismantling skin tone bias.

Monday, October 19 · 6 PM
Doors open at 5:30 PM
Busboys and Poets Brookland
625 Monroe St NE, Washington, DC

Free and open to all. The program includes an audience Q&A, followed by a book signing with Dr. Webb. This event is in person and will not be livestreamed.

Details and RSVP: https://www.busboysandpoets.com/events/colorism-the-politics-of-skin-tone-a-busboys-and-poets-books-presentation/

10/15/2026

10/15/2026

A big thank you to Dr. for joining us at Busboys and Poets this past Monday! 🙌🏽✨

We were honored to host you for this special conversation with . Thank you for spending time with our Tribe! ❤️🎥

10/13/2026

What does survival look like behind prison walls?

John Kiriakou joins us for a conversation about Doing Time Like a Spy: How the CIA Taught Me to Survive and Thrive in Prison. Hear his account of life in federal prison and the lessons about resilience, observation, and navigating unfamiliar circumstances that shape his memoir.

Monday, October 19 · 6 PM
Busboys and Poets 450K
450 K St NW

Free and open to all, with audience Q&A and a book signing. Join us for the discussion.

Details: https://www.busboysandpoets.com/events/john-kiriakou-doing-time-like-a-spy-how-the-cia-taught-me-to-survive-and-thrive-in-prison/

10/13/2026

We Stand with Ilhan

10/12/2026

Does your sweet potato pie deserve the spotlight? 🥧

Bring your best pie to the 2026 Sweet Potato Pie Contest for a chance to win a $1,000 Busboys and Poets gift card. Gather with us in Anacostia to celebrate a fall favorite and the bakers who make it their own.

Sunday, October 25 · 2 PM
Busboys and Poets Anacostia
2004 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE, Washington, DC

Bring your baking talents and a little friendly competition.

Details & RSVP: https://www.busboysandpoets.com/events/2026-sweet-potato-pie-contest/

10/12/2026

Today, we honor Indigenous peoples—their histories, cultures, resilience, and continuing contributions to our communities.

At Busboys and Poets, we celebrate Native voices, stories, and creativity, and recognize the enduring connections between Indigenous peoples and the land.

Let today be an invitation to listen, learn, and support Indigenous writers, artists, and communities—today and every day.

10/08/2026

He was on his way to Busboys and Poets to speak about art as resistance. He never made it.

Award-winning Kashmiri filmmaker Arfat Sheikh was detained by ICE at Dulles Airport while traveling to Washington, D.C. for an Art as Resistance conversation at Busboys and Poets.

We’re joining the call for answers, due process, and his release.

10/08/2026

Estamos Aquí. We Are Here.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with an evening of poetry, music, and storytelling honoring the voices and cultures of the Latinx community. Hosted by poet and teaching artist Tatiana Figueroa Ramirez.

Saturday, October 10 · 6 PM
Busboys and Poets 450K
450 K St NW, Washington, DC

Tickets: $5 online (plus taxes and fees) or $8 at the door.

Bring your voice, your story, your rhythm—or come ready to listen and celebrate with us.

Event details and tickets: https://www.busboysandpoets.com/events/estamos-aqui-hispanic-heritage-month-open-mic/