Entertainment
Schedule

Happenings at ESL.

We’re proud to have some of the best artists in music across multiple genres perform at ESL, if you have specific questions about performances or events you can email - events@eighteenthstreetlounge.com

SOUNDBOX: Open DJ Decks Night
Aug
20

SOUNDBOX: Open DJ Decks Night

Welcome to SOUNDBOX, our new series dedicated to nurturing and uniting the electronic music community in DC! If you're a passionate amateur DJ with a love for underground electronic beats and a desire to share your sound, this event is crafted specifically for you. Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone, get yourself heard, and embark on your musical journey within a vibrant and supportive community? This is your opportunity!

The weekly open decks series provides a platform to showcase music and share creative journeys at ESL

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Schism [drag + burlesque show']
Aug
23

Schism [drag + burlesque show']

Saturday nights in DC just got more exciting! Join us once a month in the Red Room at ESL Shaw for a night of drag and burlesque performances full of flips, splits, sizzle and sparkle! After the show, stick around for a FREE DJ dance party. Get a table or VIP table with friends and enjoy free drinks and front row seats!

Tickets

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SOUNDBOX: Open DJ Decks Night
Aug
27

SOUNDBOX: Open DJ Decks Night

Welcome to SOUNDBOX, our new series dedicated to nurturing and uniting the electronic music community in DC! If you're a passionate amateur DJ with a love for underground electronic beats and a desire to share your sound, this event is crafted specifically for you. Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone, get yourself heard, and embark on your musical journey within a vibrant and supportive community? This is your opportunity!

The weekly open decks series provides a platform to showcase music and share creative journeys at ESL

View Event →
SOUNDBOX: Open DJ Decks Night
Sep
3

SOUNDBOX: Open DJ Decks Night

Welcome to SOUNDBOX, our new series dedicated to nurturing and uniting the electronic music community in DC! If you're a passionate amateur DJ with a love for underground electronic beats and a desire to share your sound, this event is crafted specifically for you. Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone, get yourself heard, and embark on your musical journey within a vibrant and supportive community? This is your opportunity!

The weekly open decks series provides a platform to showcase music and share creative journeys at ESL

View Event →
Pure/Honey
Sep
4

Pure/Honey

PURE / HONEY

$5.00

Virgin Vogue class with Aquarius Moon and Miguel Louboutin. Learn foundational moves, evolve your freestyle, and unlock your performance confidence in a welcoming, judgment-free space.

After class, stay for a live DJ set and open session where dancers, movers, and music lovers come together to practice, vibe, and connect. Whether you’re here to train, to watch, or to feel the beat, this is your chance to immerse yourself in the culture and community of ballroom.

Come for the class, stay for the session – and leave feeling inspired.

Date: September 4th

Location: 18th Street Lounge

Time: 8-9 PM / DJ set starts @ 9 PM

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Nutritious
Sep
19

Nutritious

🎶 Wednesday, September 19 | 10PM–Close
Nutritious returns to ESL 🌀
Free | 21+

Step into the sonic world of Nutritious — cultural alchemist, creative visionary, and master of genre-blurring sound. Known for his electrifying performances at The Whitney, Rodarte, Ultra Music Festival, and right here at ESL, Nutritious brings a sound that's both soulful and cutting-edge.

Expect a dancefloor journey through house, nu-disco, indie dance, funk, and deep edits — layered, live-mixed, and completely immersive. His sets are more than music — they’re moments of connection, elevation, and release.

From his work with DoubleBlind Magazine and Liquid Culture to collaborations with artists like DJ Logic and Mark Farina, Nutritious is a force — bridging creativity, wellness, and cultural transformation.

Come ready to move. Come ready to feel.
This is a one-night-only experience you don’t want to miss.

✨ RSVP not required. Entry is free.
🍸 Drink specials all night.
🌙 Doors at 9PM | Music starts at 10PM
📍 Eighteenth Street Lounge, 1230 9th St NW

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The Cheeky Martini
Sep
24

The Cheeky Martini

Spring is in the air, and Cheeky Martini is back with a fresh, flirty twist! Join us for a night of live jazz, dazzling burlesque, and signature cocktails at DC’s most enchanting speakeasy.

Expect sultry performances, swinging tunes, and a touch of springtime mischief as we celebrate the season of new beginnings. Dress to impress, sip something cheeky, and let the good times bloom!

Doors at 6:00 PM | Show at 8 PM

Spots are limited—secure your seat now! #CheekyMartiniDC

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SOUNDBOX: Open DJ Decks Night
Aug
13

SOUNDBOX: Open DJ Decks Night

Welcome to SOUNDBOX, our new series dedicated to nurturing and uniting the electronic music community in DC! If you're a passionate amateur DJ with a love for underground electronic beats and a desire to share your sound, this event is crafted specifically for you. Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone, get yourself heard, and embark on your musical journey within a vibrant and supportive community? This is your opportunity!

The weekly open decks series provides a platform to showcase music and share creative journeys at ESL

View Event →
SOUNDBOX: Open DJ Decks Night
Aug
6

SOUNDBOX: Open DJ Decks Night

Welcome to SOUNDBOX, our new series dedicated to nurturing and uniting the electronic music community in DC! If you're a passionate amateur DJ with a love for underground electronic beats and a desire to share your sound, this event is crafted specifically for you. Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone, get yourself heard, and embark on your musical journey within a vibrant and supportive community? This is your opportunity!

The weekly open decks series provides a platform to showcase music and share creative journeys at ESL

View Event →
Pure / Honey [dance class + dance party!]
Jul
31

Pure / Honey [dance class + dance party!]

💋 PURE/HONEY

Thursday, July 31st | Eighteenth Street Lounge
🎓 8–9PM: Vogue Class Reserve your spot in the dance class now
🎉 9PM–Midnight: Dance Party with DJ Gabz
💄 Featuring Two Drag Performances
FREE | 21+

Step into your power and strut the night away at PURE/HONEY — a one-night-only celebration of movement, music, and the divine feminine.

✨ The night begins with a 1-hour vogue class, open to all levels and bodies — a space to move, learn, and express.
🎧 Then DJ Gabz takes the floor from 9PM to midnight, spinning a euphoric mix of Beyoncé’s Renaissance era hits, deep cuts, and ballroom-inspired house that’ll keep the room buzzing.
👑 Featuring two fierce drag performances to ignite the night and keep the energy sky-high.

Whether you’re walking, whirling, or just letting go, PURE/HONEY is where you show up, show out, and celebrate you.

No cover. All love. BYOF.
📍 Eighteenth Street Lounge
1230 9th St NW, Washington, D.C.

Reserve your spot in the dance class now

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SOUNDBOX: Open DJ Decks Night
Jul
30

SOUNDBOX: Open DJ Decks Night

Welcome to SOUNDBOX, our new series dedicated to nurturing and uniting the electronic music community in DC! If you're a passionate amateur DJ with a love for underground electronic beats and a desire to share your sound, this event is crafted specifically for you. Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone, get yourself heard, and embark on your musical journey within a vibrant and supportive community? This is your opportunity!

The weekly open decks series provides a platform to showcase music and share creative journeys at ESL

View Event →
Live R&B and Soul Music
Jul
29

Live R&B and Soul Music

Tuesday Nights at ESL: R&B, Soul & Smooth Sips 🎶🍷✨

Ease into the week with live R&B and soul music that hits just right. Every Tuesday from 9PM to midnight, we bring you a rotating lineup of incredible artists delivering silky vocals, deep grooves, and timeless classics—all in the cozy, intimate setting of ESL.

Enjoy happy hour from 8-10PM and keep the vibes flowing with half-off bottles of wine and bubbles all night long—because Tuesdays deserve a little extra sparkle. 💫

Free entry | 21+ | Come for the music, stay for the magic.

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Splashy [9pm-close]
Jul
27

Splashy [9pm-close]

Join us for the official Hot Girl Summer after party!

Join us on July 27th for the official Splashy! After Dark Party at the iconic ESL's Red Room.

A continuation of our Hot Girl Summer Edition following our Pool Party, featuring DC’s fiercest female DJs:
- BEHTARIN
- KAYLASOUL
- VYNX

Plus, we're celebrating BEHTARIN (Tarina's) birthday!

This exclusive event is complimentary with your Splashy! band.
We look forward to seeing you on the dance floor!

Eventbrite - http://splashyaftersesl.eventbrite.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/share/14F3A7PjZVq/

Instagram - www.instagram.com/splashysundaysdc

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Juicy Bitz [10pm-close]
Jul
20

Juicy Bitz [10pm-close]

Juicy Bitz – Sunday, July 20 | 10PM–Close | Free | 21+

Close out your holiday weekend with Juicy Bitz, a late-night house music session serving up deep cuts, soulful rhythms, and undeniable energy.

Dance floor stays hot, drinks keep flowing, and the music doesn’t let up.

🪩 Free entry | 21+ | House music all night
Let’s end the weekend the only way we know how — together on the dance floor.
#JuicyBitz #ESLDC #HouseMusicDC #FreeTheDancefloor

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Nights Like This w/ Jerome Baker III + Jahsonic [10PM - 3AM]
Jul
18

Nights Like This w/ Jerome Baker III + Jahsonic [10PM - 3AM]

Washington, DC native Jahsonic has been a staple of the local music scene, renowned for his electrifying sets at The Main Ingredient at Marvin since 2007 and starting his DJ journey with neighborhood parties at just 11 years old. With residencies at prominent venues and a role as a founding host on WPFW’s ‘Decipher’ hip-hop show, he also shone as a finalist in the 2011 Red Bull “ThreeStyle” DJ competition. Beyond the decks, Jahsonic spearheads the “Nights Like This" parties, known for their exuberant blend of soul, funk, disco, and innovative music selections.

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Live R&B and Soul Music
Jul
15

Live R&B and Soul Music

Tuesday Nights at ESL: R&B, Soul & Smooth Sips 🎶🍷✨

Ease into the week with live R&B and soul music that hits just right. Every Tuesday from 9PM to midnight, we bring you a rotating lineup of incredible artists delivering silky vocals, deep grooves, and timeless classics—all in the cozy, intimate setting of ESL.

Enjoy happy hour from 8-10PM and keep the vibes flowing with half-off bottles of wine and bubbles all night long—because Tuesdays deserve a little extra sparkle. 💫

Free entry | 21+ | Come for the music, stay for the magic.

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Soundroom + Nightcap [6pm-close]
Jul
13

Soundroom + Nightcap [6pm-close]

Sunday is for House Heads! 🏠🎶✨

Close out the weekend with deep grooves and endless vibes at ESL!

🔥 Soundroom w/ Maximiliano | 6-10PM – Get lost in the rhythm as we kick off the evening with hypnotic house beats.
🌙 Nightcap w/ Enzo & Ramos | 10PM-Close – Keep the party going into the early hours with a set that won’t quit.

Free | 21+ | Happy Hour 6-8PM 🍸💃

Come early, stay late, and let the bass guide you home. 🚀

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