Events/Things To Do

Concert Celebrating the Garifuna Language with James Lovell 

Saturday, Feb. 25, 2 p.m. 

Visit the National Museum of the American Indian and enjoy a concert by James Lovell, a passionate Garifuna artist whose mission is to preserve the Garifuna culture, language and arts through music. He composes and translates songs that uplift and encourage younger generations to stay connected to the endangered Garifuna language, an Arawakan language spoken mainly in Honduras, Belize, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

Film Screening: Night Raiders

Sunday, Feb. 26, 2–5 p.m.  

The National Museum of the American Indian presents Night Raiders as part of the Mother Tongue Festival, which returns in person to the National Mall in 2023. 

(Canada/New Zealand, 2021, 97 mins.) Director: Danis Goulet (Cree/Métis)    

English, Cree with English subtitles  

In a dystopian future in 2043, a military occupation controls disenfranchised cities in post-war North America. Children are considered property of the regime, which trains them to fight. A desperate Cree woman (Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers) joins an underground band of vigilantes to infiltrate a state children’s academy and get her daughter back. A parable about the experience of Indigenous peoples, Night Raiders is a female-driven sci-fi drama about resilience, courage, and love.  

The Mother Tongue Film Festival is a public program of Recovering Voices, a collaboration between the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of the American Indian, the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, and the Asian Pacific American Center. Learn more about the 2023 festival and past programs at mothertongue.si.edu.

Indigenous Women Weavers of Chiapas 

Saturday, March 11, 12–4 p.m.

Master weavers and embroiderers Maria López Ruíz, Maria de La Luz Gómez Martínez, Anita Ara Pérez and Juana López Díaz of Los Altos de Chiapas, Mexico, will demonstrate the backstrap weaving technique and discuss their community-based work and experience improving the ethical production and trade of weaving products by Indigenous women’s cooperatives. Presented in collaboration with the Inter-American Foundation and NGOImpacto.

Film Screening: Prey

Saturday, March 18, 2 p.m.

(USA, 2022, 100 mins.)

Director: Dan Trachtenberg, (Rated: R)

Naru, a skilled warrior of the Comanche Nation, fights to protect her tribe against one of the first highly evolved Predators to land on Earth. Guest Speakers: Amber Midthunder (Fort Peck Assiniboine) and Jhane Myers (Comanche/Blackfeet)

Live audiovisual event
Past, present, and future of the space exploration with the timeless soundtrack of Chopin’s music

Raising awareness and funds for establishing the Center of Excellence for Polish and Ukrainian specialists for Polytrauma in Poland

Tickets on sale are available at www.thespaceconcert.com

This spring, The National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center known as the home to the Space Shuttle Discovery (among other incredible exhibits), will witness an unforgettable event – “Chopin. The Space Concert”. Chopin’s timeless music, the unique NASA Space footage taken during the 2010 STS-130 space mission, and the fascinating panel discussion, at the venue that embodies the past, the present, and the future of space exploration – a match made in… Space.

Chopin. The Space Concert features the music of Frédéric Chopin that reached Space thanks to an American astronaut of Polish origin – Col. George D. Zamka who was the commander of the STS-130 mission. In February 2010 he took a CD with the music of the great Polish composer on board of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Chopin’s compositions were played during the installation of the seven-window dome, from which the astronauts had a view into Space for the first time. The observation dome, called the Cupola, is a seven-window observation portal making it the largest space window launched into orbit! And it has been a real game-changer. The footage of Chopin. The Space Concert is so breathtaking, thanks to the very existence of that Cupola.

Amid a celebratory 25th-anniversary MainStage season, MET’s resident comedy troupe that started it all, Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) is thrilled to announce the glorious return of MET’s treasured annual fundraiser and the best party of the year, Retro Prom.

Retro Prom will feature the musical stylings of DJ Genius of Benefactor Events to dance the night away to, delicious food by The Savory Spoon, a gift card tree raffle, a silent auction, fun prom photos, a cash bar and a late night pizza party. This sell out event for guests 21 years and older will be held on Saturday, March 18th from 7:00PM – 11:00PM at the William Talley Recreation Center (121 N. Bentz St. Frederick, MD 21701) in Baker Park.

The roaring ‘20s is this year’s Retro Prom theme. Though it is not a requirement that party guests wear a themed outfit it is encouraged that guests dance the night away dressed for prom, all decades of attire welcomed. New to Retro Prom this year is online bidding, which will allow guests to bid from wherever they are on silent auction items, receive outbid notifications, and seamlessly check out at the end of the night. Raffle ticket purchases and donations may also be completed online.

Tickets or tables may be purchased online at www.marylandensemble.org, by phone at (301) 694-4744, or in person at the MET Box Office. Individual tickets are $50 each. Tables are available for guaranteed seating for 4, 8, 10, or 12 attendees. Costs for tables range from $240 – $720 with advanced registration. Tables include a sign with the party’s name, guaranteed seating, and a bottle of champagne on ice. There will also be standing high-top tables and limited non-table seating for those purchasing individual tickets only.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) who for over 25 years have been producing thought-provoking theatre, fun family entertainment, artist residency programs for public schools, challenging classes and side-splitting comedy. MET is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Pink isn’t just a color, it’s a vibe. Celebrate the arrival of cherry blossom season at Long Bridge Park in National Landing for a two-part, pink-themed Saturday festival with morning activities for families and evening events for adults. Pump up the pink at Pink in the Park, presented by Amazon and produced by the National Landing Business Improvement District.

• Pink in the Pool: Jump into a splash of pink at the Long Bridge Park Aquatics and Fitness Center. From 9 a.m. to noon, families are invited to take a free swim and toss around pink beach balls. After a dip in the pool, continue the family fun with kite and origami making, face painting, giveaways, sweet treats from Kona Ice, and tons of pink.

• Pink in the Park: The fun continues from 3 to 7 p.m. in the lot at Long Bridge Park for unforgettable music and entertainment with special guest and celebrity host Orlando Jones, and performances by DJ Chan Don, Crush Funk Brass, Umami House, Footwerk, Reesa Renee, and headliner Black Alley. Enjoy a beer and wine garden, food trucks, immersive art installations, Instagrammable moments, and much more. Performance lineup includes: 

  • 3:00 p.m.: DJ Chan Don

  • 3:30 p.m.: Crush Funk Brass

  • 4:00 p.m.: Umami House

  • 4:30 p.m. Footwerk

  • 5:00 p.m.: Reesa Renee

  • 5:45 p.m.: Black Alley 

Adult beverages, including beer and wine, will be provided by Crystal City Wine Shop, DC Brau, Drunk Fruit, Lost Boy Cider and more. Guests can also sample flavors of National Landing restaurants and food trucks including: 

• Peruvian Brothers 

• Pho Wheels 

• The Grease Wagon 

• Health Pub

• Beauty Champagne Bar

• Kona Ice

• King of Pops

• Nasim & Co

“With Pink in the Park, we are excited to bring all the pink energy and celebratory spirit of the National Cherry Blossom Festival across the river to National Landing in Arlington, Virginia,” said Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, President and Executive Director of the National Landing BID. “We’re proud to be highlighting the festival in our neighborhood’s signature park in collaboration with our sponsors and vibrant National Landing businesses and look forward to being part of our region’s storied cherry blossom celebration.”

“Amazon is thrilled to partner with the National Landing BID and the National Cherry Blossom Festival to bring the joy of the cherry blossoms to National Landing,” said Patrick Phillippi, Senior Manager of Community Engagement for Amazon. “Pink in the Park will be one of the largest National Cherry Blossom Festival events ever in Virginia and we are excited to celebrate spring with our community.”

WHEN: Saturday, April 1

• Pink in the Pool from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

• Pink in the Park from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Long Bridge Park Aquatics and Fitness Center; 333 Long Bridge Drive, Arlington, Virginia

HOW: FREE festival tickets and pool passes are available at NationalLanding.org/Pink. Tickets are required.

Eastern Market’s North Hall is located at 225 7^th Street SE, Washington, DC, 20003.  North Hall is accessed from the south via the indoor food stalls or from the north at North Carolina Avenue SE.  Eastern Market is located a block from Metro.

Co-located, Offsite Art Book Fair Programming
Saturday, April 1 Art Book Fair Programs at CHAW
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop | 545 7th Street SE, Washington DC, 20003 (Three blocks south from Eastern Market)

• 2023 Capital Art Book Fair Exhibitor Panel Discussion | Presented by Paper Cuts | Saturday, April 1 from 11am-12pm
• Capitol Hill Art League Exhibition Open Juried Exhibition Reception| Saturday, April 1 from 5:30-7pm

Sunday, April 2 Art Book Fair Programs at Hill Center (Three blocks east from Eastern Market)
921 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington DC, 20003

• Free Workshop | Children’s Painting with Buck Herring|Sunday, April 2 from 3-5pm
• Exhibition: Hill Center DC Regional Exhibition Juried by Nehemiah Dixon III | See works from over 105 Artists from DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia | Sunday, April 2 from 10am-5pm

Eastern Market’s North Hall is located at 225 7^th Street SE, Washington, DC, 20003.  North Hall is accessed from the south via the indoor food stalls or from the north at North Carolina Avenue SE.  Eastern Market is located a block from Metro.

Co-located, Offsite Art Book Fair Programming

Sunday, April 2 Art Book Fair Programs at Hill Center (Three blocks east from Eastern Market)
921 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington DC, 20003

• Free Workshop | Children’s Painting with Buck Herring|Sunday, April 2 from 3-5pm
• Exhibition: Hill Center DC Regional Exhibition Juried by Nehemiah Dixon III | See works from over 105 Artists from DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia | Sunday, April 2 from 10am-5pm

Sunday, April 2, 2023

Oxon Run Pinknic & Kite Fly

Oxon Run Park

12:00 – 3:00 p.m.

https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/event/oxon-run-pinknic-kite-fly/

The annual Oxon Run Pinknic & Kite Fly celebrates the Ward 8 community with free food, kite kits, art, music, and fun kid activities as the Festival continues beyond the Tidal Basin.

Visual and Interview Opportunities:

• Families participating in Oxon Run Pinknic and kite flying activities.
• Performances by Elyscia and The JoGo Project.

Featured parks in all eight wards, Maryland, and Virginia, will also offer free activities and kites for local residents. For a full list of regional parks participating, click here.