Friday, Aug. 15: Since the mid-'90s, DJ Doug Smith has held down every other Saturday night at the underground club Red, spinning jazzy funk, soulful house and classic garage-style beats for a crowd that doesn't stop dancing until 5 a.m. -- if then. As the production team 95 North, Smith and partner Rich Payton have dropped some of the finest dance music to come out of Washington in the last decade. Look up the thumping groove of "Sunday Shoutin'" for one example; it's so infectious it was used in a Smirnoff Ice ad in the U.K. Smith is heading off to law school, so he's forsaking DJ gigs for the immediate future. Give him a big sendoff -- and birthday wishes -- while you get down tonight at the DC Sanctuary, where he's sharing the turntables with Master Kev from Yellorange.

Thursday, Aug. 14
If you're looking for hip-hop tonight, you need to check out DJ Roctakon at Five. From the Turntable Lab in New York to the Kool Mixx DJ battles in Washington, he throws down weighty new beats, old-school classics and whatever else he feels like. Admission is $10, but it's free before midnight if you get on the list through outofbreath.com.

The Georgetown Film Festival kicks off in about a month, and tonight the festival's organizers are holding the latest in a series of fundraisers at Strike Bethesda. For $7, you get one game of bowling, rental shoes and a free Skyy Vodka cocktail. While you bowl, previous Filmfest winners are shown on eight-foot screens above the lanes.

Friday, Aug. 15
Since the mid-'90s, DJ Doug Smith has held down every other Saturday night at the underground club Red, spinning jazzy funk, soulful house and classic garage-style beats for a crowd that doesn't stop dancing until 5 a.m. -- if then. As the production team 95 North, Smith and partner Rich Payton have dropped some of the finest dance music to come out of Washington in the last decade. Look up the thumping groove of "Sunday Shoutin'" for one example; it's so infectious it was used in a Smirnoff Ice ad in the U.K. Smith is heading off to law school, so he's forsaking DJ gigs for the immediate future. Give him a big sendoff -- and birthday wishes -- while you get down tonight at the DC Sanctuary, where he's sharing the turntables with Master Kev from Yellorange.

News flash: You can do more at the club than drink, flirt and dance. The Greater Washington Urban League sponsors a young professionals group called the Thursday Network, which engages in community service programs, including mentoring and working with the homeless. Tonight at Dream, the Urban League teams with promoters the Usual Suspectz for the "Say Yes Happy Hour," which allows African American professionals to network and trade business cards while they enjoy the nightlife. The evening starts with an open bar and dinner buffet at 6, followed by a performance by the hot neo-soul duo Floetry. Sign up at http://www.usualsuspectz.com to get a free pass.

Saturday, Aug. 16
Every weekend, you'll find a few big-name DJs in Washington area clubs. Tonight at Nation, at least 13 of the top DJs in the country will be in the house for the DMC / Technics U.S. DJ Championships. After a few months of regional competitions, 10 contestants -- including DJ Enferno (Eric Jao) of Springfield, Va. -- are ready to challenge defending champion Perseus and book a place at next month's World DJ Championship in London. It's a night of cutting, scratching and mixing like you've never seen. Hosted by DJ Jazzy Jeff, the event features several special guests and a tribute to the late Jam Master Jay. Buy your tickets in advance -- they cost an extra $5 at the door.

From noon to 8 today, Magic 102.3-FM and WKYS 93.9-FM are sponsoring the annual Stone Soul Picnic in RFK Stadium's expansive Lot 7. Games, food vendors and speakers are all part of the day, and in recent years, performers at the free festival have included the Gap Band, Al Green and Chuck Brown.

If you're curious about Virginia wines, there's no better place to explore than the annual Virginia Wine Festival. At least 50 wineries are scheduled to show off about 350 different blends this weekend at the Great Meadow in The Plains, and live music and gourmet snacks are also on the program. Problem is, it's in The Plains, which is a looooong drive from the Beltway. Besides, you really shouldn't be driving after sampling all that delicious wine. Leave it to the D.C. Wine Brats to solve the problem -- the group has chartered a bus to run from the Rosslyn and Vienna Metro stations to the festival and back. The $36 ticket includes admission to the festival, round-trip transportation and water and soda on the bus. Visit dc.winebrats.org for more info.

The name smacks of ironic indie rock, but Arthur Loves Plastic is actually a one-woman electronica machine named Bev Stanton. (The Arthur in question is her cat.) She's released a prodigious number of CDs in recent years and picked up numerous awards and remix credits in the process. (Who else on the scene has reworked Emmit Swimming and had a track on a CD with Fela Kuti and Sun Ra and his Arkestra?) A lot of her work has been on the downtempo and ambient end, but that's about to change. Tonight at her release party at Cafe Japone, ALP debuts tracks from the "Higher Fruit" album, and it features some dubby house tunes that will have folks dancing next to the sushi bar. (The first single, "Feel the Love," is a knockout.) Arthur Loves Plastic is on at midnight.

Sunday, Aug. 17
The D.C. Idol talent contest is down to the semifinals tonight, as local R&B singers and groups vie for $5,000 and a contract with Roc Music, the new R&B subsidiary of Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records. You can preview videos of the contestants at www.eviplist.com and then root for your favorites at Platinum.

Tuesday, Aug. 19
Can't get a date? Buy one. This may sound a little harsh, but it's for a good cause. Tonight at Whitlow's on Wilson, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is raising money for its Team in Training Program with a bachelor and bachelorette auction. And there's no pressure to be creative -- your winning bid includes a gift certificate good for dinner and entertainment on your date, from concerts to sporting events. Not a winner? Drink specials and raffles are happening all night. Doors open at 6, and the $5 cover goes to the charity.

Wednesday, Aug. 20
Mothertounge is the Black Cat's long-running monthly poetry series run for and by women. It's as powerful an evening of spoken word as you'll find in this area, and it's happening tonight on the back stage at 8.

Upcoming Events
On Aug. 21, the Young Professionals of FONZ are hosting another happy hour at the zoo. The groan-inducing name is "Won't you take me to ... Monkeytown?" The theme is disco dancing and demonstrations by the primate keepers. Food and a cash bar are provided. Purchase tickets in advance for a discount.

Chuck Brown, E.U. and Suttle Thoughts are good to go-go at the Postitive Black Men Coalition's Fifth Annual Old School Reunion on Aug. 23. at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City. Tickets cost $30 and are available from Ticketmaster; partial proceeds benefit D.C. Village. For more information, call 301-809-6094.

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