Rico Nasty, Ginger Root, Indigo De Souza, Saul Williams, Tarwa N-Tiniri, and Flock of Dimes are just some of the acts playing D.C. this fall.

TV, radio, 4-5,000 spectators, and competitors from Munster, Ulster, the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy will crowd around that same start line from the first bowl on Friday until the big prizes are ...