This weekend, watch cinematic clips at a District festival of short films, then devour artisanal gelato at an all-access tasting. Explore Adams Morgan as it is packed with vendors during an annual neighborhood festival.

Friday

D.C. Shorts Film Festival

Calling all cinematic enthusiasts: the 15th annual D.C. Shorts Film Festival kicks off this weekend and will continue through Sept. 16. The festival, with its coinciding annual screenplay competition, is the largest short film event on the East Coast. Attendees can check out more than 130 live action and animated films hailing from 30 different countries. Notable features this Friday include several workshops sharing industry tips on screenwriting at noon, sound at 2 p.m. and directing at 4 p.m., but you must RSVP online to attend. In the evening, attendees can watch as many as four showcases, each packed with five or more short films, followed by Q&A’s from each short’s filmmakers.

E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Tickets for showcases are $16.75.

Saturday

Gelato Festival

Dig into a summer dessert to break the September heat at the Gelato Festival. The festival is one of 24 being held around the United States to find the best gelato chefs, so visitors will taste and vote for their favorite gourmet flavors. A final competition will take place in 2021 with 36 winners from around the world going head to head in Italy. Some flavors were specifically made for the festival. Wristbands let you in on the secrets of creating high-quality gelato from the Carpigiani Gelato University and secure you samples of each flavor, and extra-hungry attendees can try gelato stacking and eating contests.

City Market at O, 800 P St. NW. Noon to 7 p.m. Tickets $25 to $30.

Sunday

Adams Morgan Day

End your weekend at the longest-running neighborhood festival in D.C. and visit a bustling Adams Morgan. Offering food, live music, art and shopping, the neighborhood is putting on a packed program with performances from local go-go band Trouble Funk, 100 street vendors and an interactive historical exhibit. Aside from the festival, you can also stop in to some of the local businesses and restaurants in the neighborhood, like Roofer’s Union and Songbyrd Cafe, where specials and events are going on throughout the day.

18th Street and Columbia Road NW. Noon to 6 p.m. Free.