Saturday, July 9, 2016, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Indulge your inner Francophile with 18th-century French amusements in celebration of Bastille Day and Marjorie Merriweather Post’s French decorative arts collection.
$18, $15 seniors, $12 Hillwood and Alliance Française members, $10 college students, $5 children 6-18, free for children under 6.
Note: French Festival is presented in partnership with Alliance Française de Washington.
www.HillwoodMuseum.org
4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008
Belgian Restaurant Week, in partnership with Stella Artois, will host the Mussel Throw Down on Saturday, July 16 at Storey Park, where the best chefs in Washington will attempt to mussel their way to the top to find out who makes the city’s best moules! They’ll whip up their hottest mussel recipes for the crowd and judges alike as everyone sips Stella Artois, Belgium’s iconic, refreshing brew. Mussel lovers will also enjoy classic Belgium-inspired snacks, including frites and waffles w
EVENT DETAILS
Tanabata: Japanese Star Festival
Saturday, July 23, 2016, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Explore the Japanese-style garden; admire the special exhibition, Deco Japan: Shaping Art and Culture, 1920-1945; enjoy fascinating tales; listen to delightful music; and write poems and special wishes on colorful strips of paper, called tanzaku, to hang on bamboo, following the traditional Japanese custom.
$18, $15 senior, $12 Hillwood and JASWDC members, $10 student, $5 children ages 6-18, free for children under 6.
Note: Tanabata is presented in partnership with the Japan-America Society of Washington DC.
4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008
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
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!
