The sixth annual Awesome Con by LeftField Media, the Mid-Atlantic’s premier pop culture convention, will unite 80,000 fans of comics, technology and science, television and film, custom art, over-the-top cosplay, and more at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from Friday, March 30 through Sunday, April 1, 2018. The convention floor and panel rooms will buzz with hundreds of hours’ worth of programs including: celebrities and experts hosting panels and exclusive reveals; cosplay fashion shows; gaming tournaments; iconic film memorabilia exhibits; and a diverse array of activities for families on Easter weekend.
Family-friendly pavilion Awesome Con Jr returns with even more playful events planned to educate and entertain kids of all ages and parents alike, with special promotions in place to engage Awesome Con’s youngest fans throughout the show. Future Con, Awesome Con’s science pavilion, will dive into the latest developments in science and science fiction sure to delight even the most curious minds. Back for the second year is Pride Alley presented in partnership with Geeks OUT, shining a spotlight on LGBTQ creators and fans in an even more robust section of Artist Alley.
With Awesome Con 2018 hosting more energetic programs, more globally recognized special guests, and presenting more exclusive previews and announcements to attendees than ever before, it continues growing into a standout annual destination as an unbridled celebration of pop culture and pure fun.
WHEN: Friday, March 30; exhibit hall hours 12pm – 8pm, programming until 10pm
Saturday, March 31; exhibit hall hours 10am – 8pm, programming until 10pm
Sunday, April 1; exhibit hall hours 10am – 5pm
WHERE: Walter E. Washington Convention Center
SPECIAL GUESTS:
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Cast: Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer), Michael Rooker (Yondu), Pom Klementieff (Mantis), Sean Gunn (Kraglin)
Screen Stars:
- Stephen Amell (Arrow, New Girl, Private Practice)
- John Barrowman (Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, Torchwood, Doctor Who)
- Cress Williams (Black Lightning, Prison Break, Hart of Dixie)
- Tom Welling (Smallville, Lucifer)
- Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville, Guardians of the Guardians Vol. 2, IMPASTOR)
- Joonas Suotamo (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Solo: A Star Wars Story)
- Joe Keery (Stranger Things, Molly’s Game, Slice)
- Ben Savage (Boy Meets World, Girls Meet World, Chuck, Dear John, Little Monsters, Without a Trace)
- Will Friedle (Boy Meets World, Girls Meets World, Batman Beyond, Kim Possible, Guardians of the Galaxy animated series)
- Rider Strong (Boy Meets World, Girl Meets World, Cabin Fever)
- Charisma Carpenter (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel)
- Phil LaMarr (Futurama, Samurai Jack, Pulp Fiction, Justice League Unlimited, Mad TV, Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
Comic Guests:
- J. Scott Campbell (Gen¹³, Danger Girl, Spider-Man)
- Fabian Nicieza (Deadpool co-creator, X-Men, Thunderbolts, Action Comics)
- Jim Starlin (Captain Marvel, Iron Man, Infinity Gauntlet, Batman; co-creator of Drax, Gamora, and Thanos)
- Greg Capullo (Batman, Reborn, X-Force, Quasar, The Creech)
- Scott Snyder (American Vampire, Batman, Swamp Thing, Voodoo Heart)
- Tom King (Batman, The Sheriff of Babylon, The Vision)
- Colleen Doran (A Distant Soil, Wonder Woman, Amazing Spider-Man)
- Sean Gordon Murphy (Batman: White Knight, Hellblazer: City of Demons, Punk Rock Jesus, Shaun of the Dead, Teen Titans, The Wake, Tokyo Ghost)
- James Tynion IV (Detective Comics, Batman)
- Sorah Sungh (Iron Man, Princeless)
TICKETS: Daily and full weekend passes available
- Friday or Sunday Only Admission: $35
- Saturday Only Admission: $50
- 3-Day Weekend Pass: $75
- 3-Day ‘Geekend VIP’ Pass: $150
- Kids 10 and under: free with coupon code AWESOMEJR
- VIP passes & experiences range from the VIP Geekend ($150) to the premium, limited quantity Club Awesome Reserve Membership ($999) and offer access to various celebrity appearances and special events.
WEBSITE: www.awesomecon.com is updated regularly with new guests, exciting exhibitors, and special programming.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
- Facebook: facebook.com/AwesomeConDc
- Twitter: @AwesomeCon
- Instagram: @awesomecons
- Tumblr: awesomecons.tumblr.com
The Union Market District is kicking off Spring and celebrating the diverse collection of businesses, both old and new, with a daylong street fest featuring food and activities from district neighbors and partners including Trader Joe’s, Politics and Prose, Cotton & Reed, Masseria, Pluma, A. Litteri, Blue Bottle, DC United and more.
The free, family-friendly day will take place Saturday, April 7 from 9am to 4pm. Bordered by New York Avenue, Florida Avenue and 6th Street NE, the festival will be spread across the entire Union Market District, including venues 4th x Neal, Angelika, Dock 5, 4th x Morse Street and the Market itself.
From all-day live music at Neal Place to a pop-up bookshop by Politics & Prose and a bevy of food trucks lining Neal Place NE, the entire district, long known for attracting innovative retail as well as launching and scaling businesses, will be activated for a day of creativity and community.
World class chefs will be on hand for cooking tips while DC United players lead a youth workshop. Michelin-starred chef Nick Stefanelli will be selling breakfast sandwiches on Masseria’s patio and Instagram influencers Tamon George and Gary Williams of Creative Theory will take portrait photos in the historic alley of 4th x Neal. Meet under the Yoko Ono mural on 6th Street for spoken word poetry and dance off the winter blues with DC’s favorite DJ’s and live music.
The full schedule, including signature events, will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information about the Union Market district street fair, please visit www.unionmarketdc.com.
- Bite-size fare from some of the District’s hottest eateries including The Red Hen, Compass Rose, Hazel and Ice Cream Jubilee
- Live music by musician Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
- “The Playground”, an outdoor-themed bar space featuring a rosé garden and mixology stations
- A chance to participate in an intimate speed tasting with Chef Kwame Onwuachi
- Washington Post Food and Dining editor Joe Yonan will be selling and signing copies of his newly released “America The Great Cookbook”, with sales benefiting No Kid Hungry
Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign invites Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia residents to sip and sample the area’s most celebrated culinary creations to help kids in need at this year’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry on Monday, April 9, 2018. Hosted at the National Building Museum, the annual tasting event will feature gourmet cuisine and libations crafted by the city’s top chefs, sommeliers and mixologists as they unite to raise funds to ensure all children in America have access to the healthy food they need, every day. One-hundred-percent of proceeds from the event benefit No Kid Hungry’s work to end childhood hunger in America.
Led by Chef Chair Mike Friedman (Red Hen, All-Purpose), Dessert Chair Tiffany MacIsaac (Buttercream Bakeshop), Mixology Chair Gina Chersevani (Buffalo and Bergen, Suburbia), and Sommelier Chair Nadine Brown (formerly Charlie Palmer Steak), D.C.’s culinary tastemakers will provide guests with scrumptious bite-size fare, craft cocktails and delectable desserts. Guests will also enjoy the beginnings of spring at “The Playground”, an outdoor-themed bar space featuring a rosé garden and mixology stations, and a chance to participate in an intimate speed tasting with Chef Kwame Onwuachi. James Beard Award-winning Washington Post Food and Dining editor Joe Yonan will be selling and signing copies of his newly released “America The Great Cookbook”, with sales benefiting No Kid Hungry.
Notable Washington, D.C. area culinary talent and eateries participating include:
Agora Restaurant | Al Dente | All-Purpose | Alta Strada | Art & Soul | B&O American Brasserie | Bar Elena | Barrel | Belga Cafe | Best Buns Bread Company | Beuchert’s Saloon | BLT Steak | Brabo Restaurant | Buffalo and Bergen | Buttercream Bakeshop | Captain Cookie and the Milkman | Carlyle | Cava Mezze | Centrolina | Charlie Palmer Steak DC | Charm City Cakes | Choolaah Indian BBQ | Compass Rose | Cork Wine Bar | DBGB DC | Dino’s Grotto | Dirty Habit DC | District Doughnut | DNV Rooftop | Dolcezza | El Techo | Espita Mezcaleria | Farmers & Distillers | Firefly | Georgetown Cupcake | Hank’s Oyster Bar | Hazel | Homestead | Ice Cream Jubilee | Jack Rose Dining Saloon | Kith And Kin | Matchbox Vintage Pizza Bistro | McClellan’s Retreat | Medium Rare | Mon Ami Gabi | Oceanaire Seafood Room | Osteria Morini | Ottoman Taverna | Oyamel | POV / W Hotel | Preserve | Quarter + Glory | Radiator | Rappahannock Oyster Company | RASA | Royal | RPM Italian DC | Shake Shack | Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar | Stable| Succotash National Harbor | Taco Bamba | The Eleanor | The Pub & the People | The Red Hen | The Source by Wolfgang Puck | The Sweet Lobby | Tico DC | Toki Underground | Trummer’s On Main | Truxton Inn | Urbana Dining & Drinks | Vida Taco Bar | Whisked! | Wit & Wisdom, A Tavern by Michael Mina
One in six children in America struggles with hunger, including nearly 27,000 kids in the District of Columbia. No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger nationwide by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast and families learn the skills they need to shop and cook on a budget. Since the campaign’s launch, No Kid Hungry and its partners have connected kids struggling with hunger to more than 775 million meals.
In 2017, D.C.’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry raised enough to connect hungry kids in need with up to 1.1 million healthy meals. Local beneficiaries include Capital Area Food Bank, DC Hunger Solutions, and Mary’s Center.
D.C.’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry is supported by national co-presenting sponsors Citi and Sysco®, national media sponsor Food Network, and national sponsor OpenTable. The event is also made possible by the following local sponsors: Belle de Brillet, Buffalo Trace, Caledonia Spirits, Catoctin Creek, Founding Spirits, Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Impossible Foods, Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Co., New Columbia Distillers, Prosciutto di Parma, Remy Martin/Cointreau and Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry tickets start at $100. For additional information and to purchase tickets, please visit: www.nokidhungry.org/washingtondc.
- GETTING FIGGY WITH IT, combining Magnus’ Navy Strength Gin with a house hibiscus-fig tonic, and house smoked lemon bitters.
- BIG TROUBLE, LITTLE DISTRICT, made with Magnus’ District Dry Gin, Calisaya(an Italian herbal liqueur infused with cinchona bark and other botanicals), dry curacao, and lemon, topped with a Capitoline Tiber foam.
The St. Regis, Washington D.C. is pleased to welcome back one of Washington’s most beloved institutions to town – Sambonn Lek. The hospitality veteran recently joined the fabulous St. Regis team as bartender to District insiders, journalists, politicians, members of the diplomatic corps, visiting financiers, and well-heeled tourists. He’ll now be serving up his signature “Sam I Am” cocktail and magic tricks at the hotel’s bar. Lek returns after several years at his home in Cambodia, overseeing Sam Relief, Inc., an organization he founded in 1999 that has helped build schools, water wells, and donated rice for local hospitals, and funded local university scholarships.
WHEN: Wednesday, April 11
5:30pm – 7:30pm
WHERE: The Bar at The St. Regis, Washington D.C.
923 16th St NW
Washington, DC 20006
To celebrate Sam’s return to Washington, D.C. the St. Regis Bar will offer specially priced cocktails from 5:30pm – 7:30pm including Backstory Cabernet Sauvignon @ $10, Hayes Vineyards Chardonnay @ $10, “Sam I Am” Cocktail @ $8, and Stella Artois @ $5.
About The St. Regis Washington, D.C.
Revered as one of the Capital’s finest addresses, The St. Regis Washington D.C.’s luxurious Italianate exterior, dramatic public spaces, richly designed guest rooms and impeccable service create a luxurious, residential environment that have long made this iconic hotel the destination for royalty, statesmen, business magnates, politicians and celebrities since its opening in 1926. With 172 sumptuous guest rooms and suites, The St. Regis Washington, D.C. is ideally located in the heart of the capital, just two blocks from the White House and steps from the city’s finest shopping, restaurants and museums. Additionally, the hotel offers St. Regis’ legendary Butler Service, world-class dining including the hotel’s signature restaurant and the hotel’s iconic St. Regis Bar.
“Chef Jess” Jessica Swift and Karen Hoefener of Nomad Dumplings will be among the women entrepreneurs giving talks and tastings at the Junior League of Washington’s (JLW) Toast of the Tour cocktail reception at Mess Hall, a business incubator and event space in Northeast Washington, on Thursday, April 12.
JLW is proud to partner with leading female chefs and entrepreneurs for this event. Chef Jess is a registered dietician and classically trained chef whose meal delivery business caters to her clients’ individual needs. Hoefener’s Nomad Dumplings are regionally inspired, colorful dumplings with all-natural ingredients recently featured in Washington City Paper.
The evening reception will also feature tastings from other Mess Hall members and alumni businesses, including Prescription Chicken and Farm to Feast. Barefoot Wine and Bubbly will provide wine, and attendees will be able to enter a drawing for prizes including an overnight stay at the Jefferson Hotel, reservations at Rose’s Luxury, two free hours of cleaning from Maids in Black, and gift cards to restaurants and bars including Founding Farmers, Mission, Iron Gate, Momofuku, Boqueria, and more.
This event benefits the Junior League of Washington, an educational, charitable organization committed to developing exceptionally qualified female civic leaders who are prepared to address the ever-evolving needs of the Washington, DC, community through volunteer service, meaningful programs and initiatives, and innovative solutions.
Toast of the Tour is the kickoff event for JLW’s 7th annual Kitchen Tour, a walking tour that will spotlight nearby Brookland’s unique homes and food scene on Saturday, April 21. Tickets for Toast of the Tour and Kitchen Tour are available at JLW.org/KTtickets. For Toast of the Tour, general admission tickets are $55, and VIP tickets, which include specialty cocktail tastings and a souvenir oven mitt, are $65.
What: Toast of the Tour, a cocktail reception and kickoff event for Kitchen Tour
When: Thursday, April 12 from 6-9 p.m.
Where: Mess Hall, 703 Edgewood Street NE, Washington, DC
About the Junior League of Washington:
The Junior League of Washington (www.jlw.org) is a nonprofit organization of more than 2,300 women who annually donate thousands of dollars and volunteer hours to the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. JLW is committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. JLW focuses its financial and volunteer resources on the issues of literacy – adult, child, and cultural – and works with a diverse group of community partners. Since 1912, JLW has donated more than five million hours of direct volunteer service and more than $5.8 million to the Washington, DC, community.
The Washington City Paper invites you to join in to salute the best of the best in DC at its 10th annual Best of D.C. Celebration at the Organization of the American States Headquarters and Art Museum of the Americas beginning at 6pm. More than 50 restaurants, mixologists, local breweries distilleries, entertainment, rare art exhibitions, and many more surprises will leave guests
mesmerized.
The event will benefit one of our city’s hidden gems, the beautiful OAS Art Museum of the Americas.
What: Washington City Paper’s 10 th Annual Best of D.C. Celebration
Date: Thursday, April 12, 2017
Times: VIP 6:00pm; General Admission 7-10pm
Location: The Organization of the American States Headquarters and the Art Museum of the Americas (Constitution and 17 th St. NW and 201 18 th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20006)
Price: VIP – $110; General Admission – $70
Tickets: http://www.xorbia.com/events/wcp/10th-annual- best-of- dc-celebration-
Artisanal Food, Bars & Restaurants: District Doughnut, ANXO, Cuba Libre Restaurant; Rum
Bar, Spark at Engine Company 12, Pow Pow, Blue 44, and many more to be announced
soon.
Brews & Spirits: Right Proper Brewing Company, Port City Brewing Company, 3 Stars
Brewing Company, Edrington Group, Belle Isle Craft Spirits, Virginia Distillery Company,
Catoctin Creek, One Eight Distilling, KO Distilling, Jos. A. Magnus & Co. and many more to be
announced soon.
VIP tickets include a swag bag, plus access to the VIP hour with tastings from specialty
bottles, signature cocktails, and savory bites from some of D.C.’s hottest restaurants.
Information about this year’s beneficiary: OAS Art Museum of the Americas (AMA)
The Art Museum of the Americas (AMA) (museum.oas.org) was the first museum of
modern and contemporary Latin American and Caribbean art in the United States. It is the
center of cultural diplomacy of the Organization of American States (OAS), a multilateral
diplomatic forum for the Western Hemisphere whose aim is to promote democracy, peace,
justice and prosperity (www.oas.org).
AMA’s origins are in the Visual Arts program of the Pan-American Union which pre-dates
the founding of the OAS in 1948. This early commitment to promoting the art of Latin
America and the Caribbean helped to launch the international careers of artists who are
now regarded as masters of mid-20 th century artistic trends of new figuration, geometric
and lyrical abstraction, and conceptual, optical and kinetic art. Today, this valuable collection has more than two thousand works of art, including from Canada and the United
States, and is renowned as a premier collection within the international art community.
This year, the OAS will celebrate its 70 th anniversary with a variety of initiatives to tell its
story of diplomacy in the Americas. In service to the OAS and its mission, the Art Museum
of the Americas is gathering support to upgrade the preservation and presentation of it art
collection, bring in new exhibits and promote new artists, bring art to a broader
community through digital media and educational outreach, improve access to the art
galleries for peoples with disabilities and, in general, use this cultural diplomacy asset to
promote more rights for more people in the Americas.
The Art Museum of the Americas welcomes on-going patrons and new audiences to join us
in the celebration of the arts and diplomacy.
Presented by Whisky Advocate magazine, WhiskyFest, the leading whisky festival in North America, returns to Washington D.C. for the third year in a row! Celebrating its 21st anniversary, WhiskyFest, which made its D.C. debut in 2016 following events held in New York, Chicago and San Francisco, offers the opportunity to sample nearly 300 whiskies from around the world—including single malt and blended Scotch, Irish, bourbon, rye, Tennessee, Japanese, Canadian, and craft-distilled whiskies, plus high-end rum, cognac, and other spirits—and learn firsthand from the experts.
Who: Whisky Advocate Executive Editor Jeffrey Lindenmuth and the rest of the publication’s editorial team welcome guests to meet an array of master blenders and other notable whisky experts presenting rare whiskies from around the world. Distillery representatives will be on hand at their pouring booths, while educational seminars, featuring their own tastings, run throughout the evening.
Where: Washington, DC Marriott Marquis, 901 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, D.C.
When: Tuesday, April 17
- VIP Entrance: 5:30 PM
- Grand Tasting: 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM
- Seminars: 7:00 PM, 7:45 PM, 8:30 PM
Tickets: Regular admission tickets are available at Early Bird prices for $275 and can be purchased online. Tickets include a one-year subscription to Whisky Advocate magazine, a commemorative crystal glass, an event program and pen, the latest copy of Whisky Advocatemagazine, a gift bag, entrance to all seminars on a first come first served basis, a gourmet buffet throughout the evening and nearly 300 whiskies from around the world to sample.
Purchase your ticket today to secure your spot at FGIDC’s next workshop, Impact of Advertising. Set up your brand for success with the newest, most impactful advertising tools.
Panelists:
Kerri Larkin, Director of Marketing at Saks Fifth Avenue
Stephanie David, Founder of POPNOD
Moderator: Jen Walawender, Media Buyer/Planner at JRA Advertising Agency
Date: April 17, 2018
Time: 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Location: Canvas
1203 19th Street NW, 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20036
FGIDC Members – $15
Non-Members – $25
At the Door – $30
Wine Spectator’s Grand Tour Washington D.C. is an unforgettable wine tasting experience that features more than 200 of the world’s finest wineries pouring their best bottles. Sample exceptional wines and discover new favorites—all while in the nation’s capital.
Who:
Meet and mingle with top winemakers and estate owners from the world’s best wine-growing regions.
Where:
Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW
When:
Friday, April 20, 2018, from 7-10 PM; VIP ticketholders admitted at 6 PM
Program Highlights:
- All wines have been rated 90 points or higher by Wine Spectator.
- Enjoy a delicious buffet to complement your wine.
- All attendees will receive a souvenir RiedelTM tasting glass.
Cost:
General admission tickets are $225, while VIP tickets are $325. Purchase here.
A portion of net proceeds from the event benefits the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation, which supports scholarships and grants to students pursuing careers in the wine industry.
