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).
The Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (www.goldentriangledc.com) will host Chef Kazuhiro “Kaz” Okochi, the head chef at the award-winning KAZ Sushi Bistro at 1915 I Street NW, for an outdoor cooking demonstration, Fri., Sept. 16, from Noon–2 p.m., during Farragut Fridays at Farragut Square Park (at the intersection of K St. and Connecticut Ave. NW). Attendees will learn from Chef Kaz as he prepares a twist on okonomiyaki – a popular Japanese dish, sometimes referred to as “Japanese pizza.”
Okonomiyaki, which is more like a crepe than a pizza, is made from a rich savory cabbage pancake in an egg and flour batter with pork belly, red ginger, smoky dried bonito flakes, Japanese mayonnaise, and a special sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. Samples will be available on a first come, first served basis.
The chef demonstration is part of Farragut Fridays, a weekly outdoor activation of one of the city’s most well-known national parks, which draws more than 39,000 visitors over the summer. Throughout the day, the Golden Triangle BID invites people to use the free Wi-Fi at Outdoor Office and enjoy a variety of pop-up events including adoptable puppies, scavenger hunts and music during lunch. The programming serves as an additional amenity for workers and tourists, as it’s occurring a block from the White House. The complete schedule of activities can be found at goldentriangledc.com/farragutfridays.
“Just one month before the release of Washington, D.C.’s first Michelin Guide, the city’s attention is sure to be on the food scene. These chef demonstrations will give everyone a taste of the creativity and vibrancy of our neighborhood and the more than 32 restaurants here,” says Leona Agouridis, executive director, Golden Triangle BID. “The fact that Michelin decided to bring on of the new guides here doesn’t surprise me. With the diversity and stature of our region, Washington offers unique dining options for workers, tourists, and residents.”
Just in time for this fall’s political cycle, piano-playing political satirist Mark Russell returns to Ford’s Theatre (511 Tenth Street NW) for one night only, Monday, September 19, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. With impeccable timing, twinkling eyes and shock-of-recognition insights into American politics, Russell draws from material ripped from daily headlines. Russell’s unique brand of comedy earned him the Mark Twain Award for political comedy and made him a popular favorite on PBS.
Tickets for An Evening with Mark Russell: I’m So Mad I Could Sing! range $18 to $67, and are available atwww.fords.org. This performance is recommended for ages 16 and older.
MARK RUSSELL
Long before Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, Mark Russell dared to joke and sing about the often-absurd political process. Though he actually knew little about politics when he began performing, his ability to find humor in anything made him an immediate hit. After serving in the Marines, Russell began playing at a piano bar on Capitol Hill before he earned a 20-year stint at the Shoreham Hotel. Russell’s television credits include nearly 30 years on public television on the eponymous Mark Russell Comedy Specials. His composing credits include two children’s musicals for the Kennedy Center: Teddy Roosevelt and the Ghostly Mistletoe (premiered December 2009) and Teddy Roosevelt and the Treasure of Ursa Major (2006).
Reading three or four newspapers a day allows him to constantly update his material. The result is that no two shows are ever identical. “I thrive on newspapers,” he frequently states. “And it looks like I’ll be thriving longer than them.” Russell performs annually at colleges, conventions and theatres, including frequent visits to Ford’s Theatre. He and his wife live in Washington. Russell is the father of three and the grandfather of seven.
Ford’s Theatre Society
One of the most visited sites in the nation’s capital, Ford’s Theatre reopened its doors in 1968, more than a hundred years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Operated through a partnership between Ford’s Theatre Society and the National Park Service, Ford’s Theatre is the premier destination in the nation’s capital to explore and celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s ideals and leadership principles: courage, integrity, tolerance, equality and creative expression.
The Ford’s Theatre Society was founded under the guidance of executive producer Frankie Hewitt, who, during her 35-year tenure, established Ford’s as a living, working theatre producing performances that highlighted the diversity of the American experience. Since the arrival of Paul R. Tetreault as Director, critics and the theatregoing public have recognized Ford’s for the superior quality of its artistic programming. With works from the nationally acclaimed “Big River” to the world premieres of “Meet John Doe,” “The Heavens Are Hung In Black,” “Liberty Smith,” “Necessary Sacrifices,” “The Widow Lincoln” and “The Guard,” Ford’s Theatre is making its mark on the American theatre landscape. In the last decade, the mission of Ford’s Theatre Society expanded to include education as a central pillar. This expansion led to the creation and construction of the Center for Education and Leadership, which opened in February 2012. Currently, under the leadership of Board of Trustees Chairman Eric A. Spiegel, the Society is building Ford’s Theatre into a national destination for exploring Lincoln’s ideas and leadership principles and finding new ways to bring Lincoln’s legacy to life for the 21st-century learner.
Washington National Opera (WNO) celebrates the return of free opera simulcasts to Nationals Park with title sponsor Mars, Incorporated with the M&M’S Opera in the Outfield performance of Mozart’s classic romantic comedy The Marriage of Figaro on Saturday, September 24, 2016. Gates open at 5 p.m. for “pregame” activities, and the opera will be broadcast live from the Kennedy Center Opera House to the high-definition NatsHD scoreboard at the ballpark at 7 p.m. Free seating will be available in the stands, while access to the outfield grass will be limited on a first-come, first-served basis when gates open at 5 p.m.
The Marriage of Figaro tells an upstairs/downstairs story of love, lust, seduction, infidelity, and ultimately, forgiveness, all set to some of the most sublime and memorable music ever written. The vibrant production, adapted from The Glimmerglass Festival, is directed by Peter Kazaras, whose La bohème was a hit of WNO’s 2014–2015 season. The opera is performed in Italian with English captions, making it easy to follow along with the story and music.
M&M’S Opera in the Outfield will take place rain or shine—in case of inclement weather, some covered seating is available. Regular concessions will be available throughout the ballpark.
More information about the free M&M’S Opera in the Outfield simulcast of The Marriage of Figaro at Nationals Park is available atOperaintheOutfield.org. A full press release is attached.
Play ball! Or Play Mozart!
The Columbia Heights Initiative will host its first annual Columbia Heights Night on Friday, December 2nd 2016 from 7pm to Midnight. The inaugural event will celebrate the neighborhood’s diverse businesses and residents, as well as raise money for initiatives that greater enhance and promote commerce within Columbia Heights.
Highlights throughout Columbia Heights Night include ‘A Taste of Columbia Heights’, which will feature a bevy of popular cuisines from some of the corridor’s most beloved restaurants and food vendors. Seasonal cocktails will flow and the dancing will commence with live entertainment and music featuring The Harry Bells. A silent auction loaded with tailored gifts, spa treatments, dining destinations, and more will also be held during the evening. The annual Columbia Heights Tree Lighting Extravaganza will be held the following day, Saturday, December 3rd, 2016 at 6:30pm in the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza.
Tickets for the evening are $75 and are 100% tax deductible. A ticket gains access to the event, four (4) drink tickets, an amazing dinner buffet served up by some of Columbia Heights’ best restaurants, silent auction access, and a swag bag full of goodies.
Ticket link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/columbia-heights-night-tickets-28345969558
The Columbia Heights/Mount Pleasant Main Street will join eleven other DC Main Streets programs that have been accredited through DC Main Streets and the National Main Street Center, Inc. As a DC Main Street designee, Columbia Heights Initiative will implement programs and services to support the growth and development of neighborhood businesses and the revitalization of the commercial corridors of Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant.
When: December 2, 2016
7pm-Midnight
Where: All Souls Unitarian Church, Pierce Hall
1500 Harvard Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
What: Official Main Streets Award Announcement, a “Taste of Columbia Heights,” Silent Auction, Live Entertainment.
Who: One Eight Distilling, El Buho Mezcal. Acre 121, Lou’s City Bar, Maple, &Pizza, El Tio, El Chucho. Kangaroo Boxing Club, The Heights, Chick Fil-A, Chipotle, The Coup, The Harry Bells, Columbia Heights Initiative
The Columbia Heights Initiative will host its first annual Columbia Heights Night on Friday, December 2nd 2016 from 7pm to Midnight. The inaugural event will celebrate the neighborhood’s diverse businesses and residents, as well as raise money for initiatives that greater enhance and promote commerce within Columbia Heights. Expect a festive evening of food, dancing, live music and entertainment for one of DC’s oldest and most popular neighborhoods.
Columbia Heights Night follows the decade-long success of The Columbia Heights Initiative’s signature event: Columbia Heights Day. Columbia Heights Day draws tens of thousands of DMV residents to the community, while shining a light on local businesses and services. Much like Columbia Heights Day, Columbia Heights Night invites the entire region to explore the best of the neighborhood in one venue, on one evening.
“We’re here to celebrate our incredible partners, residents, businesses, board members, and the many volunteers who help make it all possible. We’ll be raising a glass to some of this past year’s achievements, which include implementing community clean-ups, monthly networking events, and growing the overall support and voice of our local businesses.” Says Brianne Dornbush, Executive Director of the Columbia Heights Initiative. “With the success of Columbia Heights Day, our goal is to use Columbia Heights Night as an opportunity to once again brings our neighborhood together to join us as we cast a vision for the future of our organization and the neighborhood of Columbia Heights.”
Highlights throughout Columbia Heights Night include ‘A Taste of Columbia Heights’, which will feature a bevy of popular cuisines from some of the corridor’s most beloved restaurants and food vendors. Cocktails will flow and the dancing will commence with live entertainment and music featuring The Harry Bells. A silent auction loaded with tailored gifts, spa treatments, dining destinations, and more will also be held during the evening. The annual Columbia Heights Tree Lighting Extravaganza will be held the following day, Saturday, December 3rd, 2016 at 6:30pm in the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza.
Tickets for the evening are $75 and are 100% tax deductible. A ticket gains access to the event, four (4) drink tickets, an amazing dinner buffet served up by some of Columbia Heights’ best restaurants, silent auction access, and a swag bag full of goodies.
Guests can register and purchase tickets for Columbia Heights Night via https://www.eventbrite.com/e/
WHAT: Little Chefs’ Pizza Making Class
WHO: James Beard Award-Winning Chef, Jeff Michaud and his daughter, Gaia
WHEN: December 4th @ 2:00pm
WHERE: Pizzeria Vetri D.C.
HOW: Call (202) 794-9057 or visit the website to reserve seats; tickets are $50/ guardian and child, additional attendees are $25
Saturday, February 4, 2017, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Celebrate La Chandeleur, also known as Crêpe Day, in festive French fashion. Enjoy crêpes, storytelling, art projects and more amidst Hillwood’s spectacular gardens, magnificent mansion, and exquisite French treasures.
$18, $15 senior, $12 Hillwood member, $10 student, $5 child (ages 3-18), free for children under 3
4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008
