Events/Things To Do

City Tap Penn Quarter will offer a ticketed all-you-can-eat Louisiana style crawfish boil including crawfish, clams, shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes. The first Abita Beer Strawberry Lager with a complimentary koozie is on the house for ticketed patrons. Stick around for the live music and patio games with $5 Abita brews and $10 adult capris suns until 5pm

City Tap Dupont is excited to throw a day at the beach, luau themed open bar event on Labor Day. Come for brunch and stay to enjoy Hawaiian themed food specials such as pineapple burgers and pulled pork tacos starting at 1pm, and a $45 ticketed open bar from 2pm to 5pm including select draft beers, house wines by the glass and rail mixed drinks.

 District Hemp Botanicals announces  its Grand Opening Happy Hour and Wellness Pop-Up to celebrate its third location at 1323 Connecticut Avenue (2nd Floor) on Friday, September 6, 2019 from 6-8 pm. 

“We are thrilled to have a new location of District Hemp Botanicals in the heart of DC’s vibrant Dupont Circle neighborhood and we are looking forward to bringing the highest quality CBD products, wellness workshops, and events to the surrounding community,” said owner Barbara Biddle. “Our grand opening celebration will showcase a variety of our favorite wellness brands and we invite the whole community to join in the fun.”

The grand opening will feature music, product demos, giveaways, free CBD massages, CBD-infused mocktails, swag bags, samples, tastings, and food from HipCityVeg. As part of the evening’s grand opening festivities, District Hemp will host a wellness pop-up in the adjacent Epic Yoga space featuring:

• District Herbs 
• Georgetown Massage & Bodywork
• Aethera Beauty
• Rose Glow Tea Room
• Hemp Kettle Tea
• Kazooted Chocolates
• Extreme Terpz
• i and i Botanicals
• National Holistic Healing Center
• Klean by Kerensa
• And more!

The first 30 customers will receive a free 250 mg CBD tincture with RSVP and purchase.

La Cosecha, EDENS’ upcoming contemporary Latin market (1270 4th Street NE) in the Union Market District, will celebrate its opening preview celebration with a festive block party and special concert, presented by title partner Events DC and headlined by Grammy-winning Latin fusion band Ozomatli on Saturday, September 7 from 11am-7pm.

Local pop singer-dancer Jason Cerda will also perform during the free, open-to-the-public event, which will serve as a Hispanic Heritage Month kickoff event and is being curated in collaboration with local music production group All Things Go. Additional musical acts include Salt Cathedral, Mario + Jose, Jonathan Acosta, DJ Bembona, DJ Renzo, DJ Nicolas Losada and Batalá.

The Calle Latina block party’s family-friendly activities include a special Latin-inspired face painting menu created by Colombia-born local muralist MasPaz, Con Sabor kids’ dance classes, chef demos and a flash mob led by Cerda.

Guests will also get a sneak peek at all of the La Cosecha partners: El Cielo, NOVA BOSSA, Amparo, Ali Pacha, Grand Cata, Serenata, Café Unido, Filos Bakery, Zona E Home, La Casita and Peruvian Brothers.
In partnership with sponsors the D.C. Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment, Carlos Rosario School, and Bacardi, the block party will feature additional pop ups by New Latin Wave, Se Habla Español, The Future is Latina, Andeana Hats, Adelante Shoes, Arcay Chocolates, Piña & Coco, Wonder for People and Politics & Prose, Arepa Zone, Ilegal Mezcal and Bacardi.

“After considerable time spent planning and curating La Cosecha, we’re excited and proud to invite all to our preview block party, Calle Latina, where we’ll be celebrating the colors, textures and sounds of Latin America. The ongoing insights and assistance from Latin embassy partners and the city’s cultural tastemakers have been invaluable in the creation of this new marketplace,” says EDENS CEO Jodie W. McLean. “Inclusivity and cultural appreciation are the foundation of any strong community and seem more important now than ever. We hope that by showcasing these dynamic cultures, we can spark conversations and relationships across diverse cultures.”

Ozomatli, known as much for their music as their activism, are two-time Grammy winners with a one-of-a-kind sound that encompasses a wide array of musical styles, including salsa, jazz, funk, reggae, rap and more. Since their inception in 1995, Ozomatli has performed all over the world in places like China, Tunisia, Jordan and Burma, serving both as cultural ambassadors and advocates for farm workers’ rights and immigration reform.

D.C.-area native Cerda is a double-threat singer and dancer, boasting Billboard-charting singles Al Lado Mio, Color Favorito and Un Poco Mas, as well as a 3,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art dance studio in northern Virginia.

La Cosecha’s partnerships with Latin embassies, cultural and diplomatic leaders and strategic stakeholders from the Latin community will solidify the new marketplace as a national platform for Latin culture and cuisine. Cultural opportunities for the larger community will include art exhibits, film screenings, live performances, media lab space and outdoor activations throughout the year.

To RSVP for La Cosecha’s Calle Latina block party, please visit www.lacosechadc.com/callelatina.

Gelato Festival America is coming to Washington D.C., September 7^th and 8^th to City Market at O. Join Washington’s Italian community and come out to celebrate authentic Italian gelato. Along our journey to find the best gelato in America, international gelato artisans will gather in the capitol to prepare original flavors fresh in the world’s largest frozen dessert laboratory on wheels. Guests enjoy all-you-can-eat gelato while participating in the Eating Contest, Carpigiani Gelato University, Kids Jury and other activities for the whole family then vote for their favorite flavors to win the Gelato Festival Gold Medal.

Gelato Festival America is coming to Washington D.C., September 7^th and 8^th to City Market at O. Join Washington’s Italian community and come out to celebrate authentic Italian gelato. Along our journey to find the best gelato in America, international gelato artisans will gather in the capitol to prepare original flavors fresh in the world’s largest frozen dessert laboratory on wheels. Guests enjoy all-you-can-eat gelato while participating in the Eating Contest, Carpigiani Gelato University, Kids Jury and other activities for the whole family then vote for their favorite flavors to win the Gelato Festival Gold Medal.

Bring the whole family—including pets!—to support Smithsonian conservation efforts all over the world at The Fast & the Fierce 5K, sponsored by Aegis Project Controls. Friends of the National Zoo will host its second annual race for wildlife at Freedom Plaza in downtown Washington, D.C., Saturday, Sept. 14.

Like the inaugural run, the event focuses on a Conservation Nation rhino project. This year, the race will raise funds for black rhinos in South Africa, where researchers hope to learn critical information about how the species’ diet impacts its immune system and ability to reproduce as its numbers dwindle in the wild.

Costumes are encouraged, but not required, and the 5K will be followed by a short afterparty featuring an award ceremony honoring winners in all categories, including top runners by age group, stand-out pups and stellar outfits.

“Run or walk, fundraise, wear a fun costume or just cheer on fellow conservationists from the sidelines—support wildlife conservation however you can. Your pet can even register for their own fundraising page,” said Lynn Mento, Executive Director of Friends of the National Zoo.

Though race day might be months away, conservationists don’t have to wait to make a difference for animals. Participants can create their own page now atwww.fonz.org/5k to fundraise for Conservation Nation, a Friends of the National Zoo initiative that supports global wildlife projects to save endangered animals.

In addition to creating their own pages, supporters can set goals and win prizes for reaching milestones. Those who can’t attend can still sign up for free as a virtual runner, fundraising and helping to save rhinos from the comfort of their own couch.

Registration closes at noon on Friday, Sept. 13. Fundraising proceeds will directly benefit rhinos and Conservation Nation projects across the globe, including those that focus on marine mammals in Peru, tapirs in Paraguay, Meadowlarks in North America and elephants in Myanmar.

Go to www.fonz.org/5k for more information or to register.

Fairmont Washington, D.C. Georgetown is adding a Paella Fest to its renowned Paella Night Wednesdays with some of DC’s most renowned and talented chefs to benefit Horton’s Kids.

On Wednesday, September 18^th from 5 pm to 7 pm, Fairmont’s Executive Chef Jordi Gallardo welcomes Chefs Cinthia Bonilla from Mola Restaurant and Carlos Gomez Segovia from Taberna del Alabardero to join him in preparing and serving their own version of Spanish Paella.

            Guests will love tasting delicioso varieties of Paella in the hotel’s courtyard:

Chef Cinthia Bonilla – Paella de Mariscos

Chef Jordi Gallardo – Mediterranean Paella, O Paella Mixta

Chef Carlos Gomez Segovia – Black Paella

While sipping sangria guests will be entertained in Spanish style with a live Flamenco guitarist.

Lush landscaping, cozy fire pits and ample seating creates the perfect venue for Chefs Gallardo, Bonilla and Segovia’s live paella stations.  Using their own recipes they will prepare and serve their own authentic Paella made authentic ingredients including shrimp, chicken, mussels and secret ingredients in their giant pans.

 An array of gazpacho, pan con tomate, anchego cheese, serrano ham, tortilla de patatas, olives, anchovies and flan de caramel will accompany the chefs Paella.

Specially priced glasses of red and white sangria will be available along with the regular happy hour cocktail menu.  Flamenco music will entertain guests in Spanish style. A percentage of the proceeds will go directly to Horton’s Kids   Horton’s Kids empowers children growing up in one of Washington, DC’s most under-resourced communities so that they graduate from high school ready for success in college, career, and life.  https://www.hortonskids.org/

Fairmont’s Paella Fest is $15 per person, reservations are available on Eventbrite at: https://fairmontwashingtonpaellafest.eventbrite.com

On September 23, 2019, Tzedek DC, a DC legal services organization will hold Eat Well, Do Justice: Celebrity Chef Knish Knockout!.  The event raises funds for Tzedek DC (“Sedek DC”), a non-profit organization headquartered at the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law with the mission of safeguarding the rights of low-income DC residents facing often unjust debt collection lawsuits and other predatory consumer crises. www.tzedekdc.org

The event will be held at the University of the District of Columbia Student Center. Five acclaimed DC area chefs will create their own take on the knish, the traditional Jewish staple. Attendees will sample each creation and, along with a panel of judges, vote to determine the winner.

The five local Chefs who will be featured at the event are:

·      Cathy Barrow, Cookbook author and Washington Post Food columnist

·      Ian Boden, Chef, The Shack

·      Todd Gray, Chef-owner Equinox

·      Johanna Hellrigl, Partner, Fat Baby Restaurant Group, Executive Chef of Doi Moi

·      Keshaun Winston, Instructor at Cookology and former personal chef for President Obama

Guest Judges who will determine the celebrity chef winner (along with event attendees) are:

·      Renée McDonald Hutchins, Dean, UDC David A. Clarke School of Law

·      Dahlia Lithwick, Legal writer, Slate

·     The Hon. Jamie Raskin, U.S. House of Representatives

·      Ed Scarpone, 2018 Eat Well Do Justice! winner and Schlow Restaurant Executive

Bonnie Benwick, Former Deputy Food Editor for The Washington Post, will serve as the Honorary Chair of the event.  Co-chairs for the event are Courtney Weiner, June Kress, Laura Kumin, and Nina Simon.

“Tzedek DC’s focus is fundamentally on a civil rights issue, serving the communities where predatory abuses in lending and lawsuits have been most prevalent,” says Ariel Levinson-Waldman, Founding President and Director-Counsel for Tzedek DC. “This event is an entertaining way to raise funds for this important work, in which we are inspired by the ancient command from the Book of Deuteronomy: “Tzedek, Tzedek tirdof,” or “justice, justice you shall pursue.”