WHAT: SMITHSONIAN at 8 presents “PostSecret Revealed: A Party at the Postal Museum”
WHEN: Friday, July 29, 8 to 11 p.m. (7 to 11 p.m. for VIP ticket-holders)
WHERE: National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Nothing spices up a party better than spilling a few secrets—and Frank Warren knows more than a million of them. That’s how many postcards from around the world have filled his mailbox since he started the wildly popular PostSecret project in 2004. The anonymous confessions—silly, moving, surprising, provocative, and sometimes disturbing—have already provided the material for six books. The Postal Museum’s exhibition PostSecret: The Power of a Postcard is the perfect reason for a party.
Guests can join Warren for an inside look at the PostSecret phenomenon, as he speaks exclusively with VIP ticket-holders from 7 to 8 p.m. The celebration continues with opportunities for guests to try their hand at crafting their own mail art, and post or tweet a secret they’ve been wanting to tell. They’ll also enjoy music by DJ Alkimist, cocktails, and more as they wander through some of the museum’s fascinating exhibits after hours.
PostSecret: The Power of a Postcard includes hundreds of thousands of postcards sent to Frank Warren. The exhibition tells a contemporary story of mail and the postal service, highlighting the aesthetics of the artfully decorated cards and the contrast between their anonymity and the shared experiences Warren creates with them. It also demonstrates the timeless yet modern quality of postcards and reflects the overlap amongst personal communication, digital technology, and social media at the heart of the PostSecret phenomenon.
Who knows what secrets might be revealed—or created—during the evening?
Copies of Warren’s six PostSecret books are available for sale and signing.
SPECIAL FEATURES FOR VIP TICKET-HOLDERS: Enjoy an exclusive conversation with Frank Warren from 7 to 8 p.m.
General admission $25
VIP admission $30
All ticket sales are final. No refunds or exchanges.
Must be 21 years old with valid photo ID to attend.
For tickets and further information the public may call 202-633-3030 or visit www.SMITHSONIANat8.com
Environmental Film Festival Presents Not Without Us
What: Special Year-round Festival Screening of Not Without Us (USA, 2016, 90
min.), followed by discussion with filmmaker Mark Decena
When: Thursday, August 18, 7:00 p.m.
Where: E Street Cinema, 555 11 th St., NW
Who: Presented by the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital
How: Tickets, $10. Reservations required. Purchase at http://notwithoutus.bpt.me/
Film Description: Not Without Us immerses us in the moving, personal journeys of
seven grassroots activists from around the world as they prepare and head to Paris
to challenge the 21st session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference
(COP21) that took place in Paris last December. Building on the momentum of the
2014 People’s Climate March in New York, the Paris mobilizations were slated to be
civil societies’ largest and most urgent show of force yet. The deal made there was
acclaimed as a historic success, but the film examines the type of agreement that
was adopted and the questions that still remain: Can the COP21 Agreement stop
climate change? If it can’t, is it up to us? In English and French with English subtitles.
Directed by Mark Decena.
7 a.m., 8 a.m. Lattes with Lincoln
Get caffeinated with the 16th commander-in-chief and learn how legislation signed by Abraham
Lincoln during the Civil War is considered by many to be the birth of the National Park System!
Meet the park ranger at the kiosk at 10 Henry Bacon Drive (north of the memorial).
9 a.m. – 11 a.m. Living National Park Service Emblem
Be a part of the world’s largest National Park Service emblem created on the grounds of the
Washington Monument on our 100th birthday! More than 1,000 participants will be assembled
into a living Arrowhead using brown, green and white umbrellas; once the Arrowhead is formed,
an aerial photograph will be taken and shared with participants on the National Mall and
Memorial Parks website and social media pages. The first 1,000 participants to check-in will
receive a t-shirt commemorating their participation in this historic event, as well as get to keep
their umbrella. Assemble at 9 a.m. on the west side of the Washington Monument grounds.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Rangerpalooza
The green and gray uniform and ranger’s “flat hat” are among the most recognized features of
the National Park Service. Celebrate 100 years of the National Park Service by learning about
the men and women who care for the national parks. Children of all ages can try on National
Park Service uniforms, see how the uniform has evolved through the years, earn a junior ranger
badge, and learn about the many jobs in National Park Service that protect America’s scenic
wonders and historic sites. Lincoln Memorial
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. America’s Front Yard Family Festival
Featuring live music, storytelling and other activities, this festival looks forward to the next
century of the National Park Service, highlighting today’s youth as the future stewards of our
national parks. Grammy-nominated rock band for kids Milkshake headlines an entertainment
lineup that also includes acoustic guitar and vocals by Ellis Woodward; Uncle Devon; lively
children’s sing-alongs with Yosi & the Superdads, the Great American Indian Dancers;
magic, music and juggling with the Wes Holly Balloon Magic Show; vocalist Erica Wheeler,
and YAP, who delivers national park themes through hip-hop music and culture. Constitution
Gardens
The festival also includes face painting, juggling, a corn maze and lots of other fun activities for
kids of all ages. Exhibits by more than 20 National Park Service partners will include Lego
models of national parks, virtual reality park tours, 3-D printing of National Mall monuments
and memorials, natural flora and fauna found in urban parks, and much more!
Arena Stage Season Kick Off Carnival
WHEN: Sunday, August 28, from noon to 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater (1101 Sixth St., SW – Waterfront Metro)
WHY:
Arena Stage is celebrating the new 2016/17 season with a full day of FREE family-friendly activities inspired by two of this season’s most anticipated productions — Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel (10/28-12/24) and Lookingglass Theatre Company’s Moby Dick (11/18-12/24).
Guests of all ages can try their luck on the midway with classic fair games run by Arena Stage’s finest barkers, marvel as aerialists from Gwynne with Wings Aerial Entertainment perform death-defying feats overhead and enjoy carnival inspired food and drink as they stroll down the lobby promenade. Plus kids will love the giant “Carousel” bounce house and petting zoo. Throughout the day there will be special season discounts, prizes and so much more!
Please see the illustrations attached for Carousel (by Nigel Buchanan) and an image from our upcoming production of Moby Dick (featuring the cast of the Lookingglass Theatre Company’s production of Moby Dick. Photo by Liz Lauren).
