Oct
3
Sat
Cap City Brewing’s 16th Annual Oktoberfest @ Shirlington Village
Oct 3 @ 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Prost! Capitol City Brewing Company will host its sixteenth annual Oktoberfest beer festival celebration on Saturday October 3 from noon to 7 p.m. at The Village at Shirlington. Ticket sales begin at 11:00 a.m. and beer taps close at 6:00 p.m. Entrance is free for children and non-drinkers.

Enjoy a “familiennachmittag” or “family afternoon” like the Germans do in Munich. Capitol City invites beer-drinkers and festival-goers alike to dress in traditional German garb and enjoy the tastes of authentic Bavarian brews, bratwurst and pretzel –or brezlen as the Germans call it. More than 65 regional breweries will set up taps and share ale and lager samples with the thousands of anticipated guests from the national capital region.  Several participating local, regional and national breweries include Starr Hill, Mad Fox, Fair Winds, Hellbender, Ocelot, Ballast Point, Firestone Walker, Blue Mountain, Green Flash, Parkway, Schlafly, St. George, Terrapin, New District, Adroit Theory, Avery and Hardywood. For a full list of participating breweries, please visit http://capcitybrew.com/oktoberfest15.php.

Capitol City will feature three signature Oktoberfest beers — the Dr. Punkinstein, Smoketoberfest and the popular Oktoberfest Lager (full beer descriptions below). Beer lovers can dance to live Alpine folk music as they taste select handcrafted beers and snack on authentic German cuisine from numerous food tents and a variety of Shirlington Village eateries. Capitol City Brewing Company will also serve traditional German favorites including bratwurst, sauerkraut and the signature fresh soft pretzels.

Capitol City’s three featured Oktoberfest beers include:

Dr. Punkinstein – Pumpkin Porter brewed with chocolate, honey, and crystal malts and flaked oats for a smooth finish. Brown sugar, cinnamon, clover, ginger, nutmeg and allspice are all in the boil in addition to 150 lbs. of “gourd-y” goodness.

Smoketoberfest – A hearty spin on a traditional Marzen, this copper beer is packed with six kinds of malt and noble hops. Capitol City Brewing Company uses Apple/Cherrywood smoked barley that is grown in the northern Neck of Virginia and floor malted by Copper Fox Distillery. This brew blend produces a pleasant, smoky character that is ideal with brats, bacon and grilled meats.

Oktoberfest Lager – An easy- drinking fall lager, brewed with Munich, Abbey, and Carahell malt, then moderately hopped with noble German hops.  Full and complex malt profile, lovely copper hue; perfect for the festival season!

The $30 admission ticket for beer drinkers includes an official Oktoberfest wristband, a Capitol City branded tasting glass and 10 drink tickets. Additional drink tickets are available for purchase for $1 each with a five-ticket minimum. Admission is free for non-drinkers. Beer-drinkers must be 21+ to purchase a ticket.

For more information on Capitol City Brewing Company, please visit: www.capcitybrew.com. Find Capitol City Brewing Company on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CapCityBrew and on Twitter: @CapCityBrewers.

 

WHO:             Capitol City Brewing Company

More Than 65 Area Breweries, Local Restaurants and Vendors

 

WHAT:           16th Annual Mid-Atlantic Oktoberfest

                        #CapCityOFest

Featuring Fall Seasonal Brews               

Live Authentic Alpine Music and Dancing

Traditional German Fare including Pretzels and Bratwurst

 

WHEN:           Saturday, October 3, 2015

Noon – 7 p.m.

All Beer Taps Close at 6 p.m.

*Oktoberfest 2015 will be held rain or shine*

 

WHERE:         The Village at Shirlington

4001 Campbell Avenue                     

Outdoor Streetscape

                        Arlington, VA 22206

                           (703) 578-3888

 

COST:             $30 includes: wristband, tasting glass and 10 drink tickets

                        Additional drink tickets $1 each with a five-ticket minimum

Ticket sales start at 11 a.m.

                        Free for non-drinkers      

Dec
5
Sat
Smithsonian Holiday Festival @ National Mall
Dec 5 @ 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
The Smithsonian will host a free, two-day festival Saturday, Dec. 5, and Sunday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the National Mall to kick off the holiday season. A wide selection of festive events, activities and seasonal décor will be available at participating museums and galleries. The festival will also feature performances by Members of the Singing Sergeants with Combo and the U.S. Air Force Max Impact Band, and free screenings of Frank Sinatra’s film Pal Joey.
Other highlights include Family Day activities at the National Air and Space Museum where aspiring pilots can build a biplane ornament, make a comet to take home and sample astronaut food like freeze-dried ice cream at the museum store. At the National Museum of American History, visitors can learn how Moravian Stars are made, sample chocolate during a demonstration by American Heritage Chocolate and visit C-3PO, who is temporarily back on display. The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery will feature a hands-on activity where visitors can make their own Sōtatsu-inspired fans in the ImaginAsia classroom.
To see the full list of family-friendly activities, gift-wrapping, trunk shows, performances and book signings, visit www.si.edu/events/holiday.
Participating museums include the National Museum of American History, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Museum of the American Indian, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, National Museum of African Art, National Postal Museum and the Smithsonian Castle.
Dec
6
Sun
Smithsonian Holiday Festival @ National Mall
Dec 6 @ 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
The Smithsonian will host a free, two-day festival Saturday, Dec. 5, and Sunday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the National Mall to kick off the holiday season. A wide selection of festive events, activities and seasonal décor will be available at participating museums and galleries. The festival will also feature performances by Members of the Singing Sergeants with Combo and the U.S. Air Force Max Impact Band, and free screenings of Frank Sinatra’s film Pal Joey.
Other highlights include Family Day activities at the National Air and Space Museum where aspiring pilots can build a biplane ornament, make a comet to take home and sample astronaut food like freeze-dried ice cream at the museum store. At the National Museum of American History, visitors can learn how Moravian Stars are made, sample chocolate during a demonstration by American Heritage Chocolate and visit C-3PO, who is temporarily back on display. The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery will feature a hands-on activity where visitors can make their own Sōtatsu-inspired fans in the ImaginAsia classroom.
To see the full list of family-friendly activities, gift-wrapping, trunk shows, performances and book signings, visit www.si.edu/events/holiday.
Participating museums include the National Museum of American History, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Museum of the American Indian, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, National Museum of African Art, National Postal Museum and the Smithsonian Castle.
Dec
9
Wed
Winternational – 4th Annual Embassy Showcase @ Ronald Reagan Building Atrium
Dec 9 @ 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

December 9, 2015

11:00am – 2:00pm
Atrium

Join us for Winternational – 4th Annual Embassy Showcase. This year there will be many opportunities for 1:1 interviews with diplomats, embassy exhibitors, sponsors and attendees. This festival has the atmosphere of an international bazaar with displays of visual arts, handcrafts, travel and tourism information as well as samples of national specialties, coffees and teas. Guests have the opportunity to travel the world and do some holiday shopping — all during the lunch hour!

Participating embassies include: African Union, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Botswana, Costa Rica, Egypt, El Salvador, European Union Delegation, Fiji, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, Latvia, League of Arab States, Macedonia, Mauritius, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and more to come!

To register for this free event, please visit: http://itcdc.com/Upcoming-Events/Winternational

 

Feb
6
Sat
Chinese New Year @Pierce School Lofts @ Pierce School Lofts
Feb 6 @ 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
CHINESE NEW YEAR
@PIERCE SCHOOL LOFTS
Saturday, February 6th at 7pm
$99 per person
1375 Maryland Avenue NE (Penthouse)
Washington, DC 20002

YEAR OF THE MONKEY
ALL-INCLUSIVE FOOD AND DRINKS
CHEFS ERIK BRUNER-YANG + JAMES WOZNIUK
GINA CHERSEVANI, DEREK BROWN, TODD THRASHER, COLIN SUGALSKI
ART SHOW
CHINESE DRAGON DANCERS

Proceeds go to benefit Maketto’s employee exchange program in collaboration with
Caring for Cambodia.
BUY TICKETS HERE
Feb
11
Thu
Chinese New Year at The Source @ The Source
Feb 11 @ 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

The Source will ring in Chinese New Year with a one-night-only special event that will include a festive prix-fixe menu honoring the Year of the Monkey by executive chef, Scott Drewno, on February 11, 2016, along with a spectacular lion dance taking place at 6:30 p.m.

Drewno created a three-course menu that begins with a Whole Jumbo Head-on Prawn, which represents family togetherness, along with smoked Chinese bacon and garlic-scallion sauce. The second course, which represents the five blessings of the New Year including longevity, riches, peace, wisdom, and virtue, includes Cumin-Soy Marinated Wagyu NY Strip with a five vegetable stir-fry. The final course includes Monkey Bread Sticky Cake with tangerine ice cream, which was chosen because the pronunciation of the word“tangerine” sounds much like the pronunciation of the word “monkey” in Mandarin.

Prior to dinner, guests will also have the opportunity to indulge in five live-action stations with food from guest Chef Erik Bruner-Yang of Toki Underground and Maketto and Chef Danny Lee of Mandu. Expect delicacies such as Whole Suckling Pig; Chinese New Year Dumplings; Chinese Hot Pot with Claims; Dduk Guk; and Steamed Rice Pouches. The entire evening is priced at $85 per person with an additional $35 per guest for an optional wine pairing.

From February 8th to the 19th, the restaurant will offer a special Chinese New Year tasting menu in lieu of regular tasting menus. Highlights include Chinese New Year Dumplings with Cauliflower, Pork, and Lobster; Scallion Flower Rolls with Fermented Black Bean & Mushroom Chutney; and Whole Roasted Chicken with Satsuma-Pepper Sauce and Crispy Garlic. This menu is priced at $110 per guest, with an additional $45 for a wine pairing. Regular a la carte items will also be available.

Rounding out the holiday, chef Drewno will host guest chef Peter Chang who together will collaborate on a special menu that will be available in the lounge on February 17. The cocktail reception-style dinner begins at 7PM and is priced at $75 per person for unlimited food and beverage.

For more information about The Source’s Chinese New Year celebrations or to make reservations, visit www.wolfgangpuck.com or call202-637-6100.

Feb
24
Wed
U.S. v UK Friendly Touch Rugby Game @ Cooper Field at Georgetown University
Feb 24 @ 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM

The British Embassy and the U.S. Department of State are celebrating the launch of “Try Rugby USA,” a campaign to grow international community outreach and youth development around Rugby in the U.S., with a friendly rugby match.

 

WHAT:          U.S. v UK Friendly Touch Rugby Game

WHEN:          12:30-2:00pm Wednesday 24 February 2016

WHERE:        Cooper Field at Georgetown University

3700 O St NW Washington DC 20007

 

Playing on the UK team is Ken Harvey, a former Washington Redskins player, to help highlight the affinity for sports on both sides of the Atlantic and the NFL international series in London. Other members of the UK team consist of British Embassy staff and British Defence staff. Tosh Askew, who has coached England U19s for 5 years and won Grand Slam in 2004, Nic Rouse, rugby union player for London Irish in the Aviva Premiership, and Caryl Thomas, head coach of the University of Bath Women’s rugby team and has played for Wales Women in the Six Nations Championship and in two World Cups (2010, 2014), will coach the UK team.

 

Playing on the US team includes Whitney Stowell, President of Washington Irish RFC, and Chris Howard, a Tiger Rugby coach. Other players will include U.S. Department of State staff. James Walker, founder of Tiger Rugby, will coach and play on the US team.

 

The event is open to the public and media and free to attend. Parking is extremely limited, public transportation is recommended.

 

 

Rugby Facts:

  • Rugby is the fastest growing sport in the US.
  • The UK hosted the Rugby World Cup in 2015.
  • Rugby will be part of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, having last been an Olympic sport in 1924. The US won gold that year, so have been the gold medal holders for more than 90 years.
  • Famous rugby players include Sean Connery, Daniel Craig, John F Kennedy, JRR Tolkien, Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Russell Crowe, Chris Farley, Meat Loaf and Ernesto “Che” Guevara.

 

History of Rugby:

Rugby lore has the game originating in 1823, when a pupil at Rugby School, William Webb Ellis, picked up the ball during a football match and ran with it. This new game slowly spread around public schools and universities, with the first formal rules inked in 1845. A Rugby Football Union (RFU) followed in 1871, with an inaugural international – England versus Scotland – played that same year. 1883 then witnessed Britain’s Home Nations Championship, the first international rugby competition. By 1908, with the sport having long spread into many former British colonies, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa had all sent touring teams to compete.

 

Despite continued growth, rugby union didn’t turn professional until the International Rugby Board (later the IRFB, now World Rugby) removed player-payment restrictions in 1995. Continental club competitions soon followed, including Europe’s much-vaunted Heineken Cup and Super Rugby in the southern hemisphere. Today, World Rugby boasts 117 member countries.

 

For the first time, Premiership Rugby will host a game in the US. The London Irish v Saracens game will be played at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey on 12 March 2016.

 

Try Rugby USA

Hosted by British Council USA, Friends of the British Council USA, and USA Rugby geographical unions and state based rugby organizations, the coaches from the Aviva Premiership Rugby Clubs will be joined on the road by coaches from US based Tiger Rugby. Together they will deliver a range of coach education sessions, coaching clinics for schools, universities, clubs, youth programs as well as linking with existing rugby based social projects like Play Rugby USA. They hope to build a sustainable network of coaches, clubs and players designed to bring together, develop the skills of and inspire the US rugby community to build pathways to introduce the sports and its values to youth.

 

Activities will take place in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, DC, and Texas in the coming months.

 

For more details: http://www.britishcouncil.us/programmes/society/try-rugby-usa

Mar
12
Sat
Gala 1941 @ Mayflower Hotel
Mar 12 @ 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM

On Saturday, March 12, DC arts supporters will come together to celebrate the Cathedral Choral Society and its mission of inspiring the community through the joy of choral singing with Gala 1941 at The Mayflower Renaissance Hotel.  This gala is the Cathedral Choral Society’s most significant annual fundraising event, and supports the organization’s artistic and community engagement initiatives.

In celebration of the Cathedral Choral Society’s founding year, attendees will enjoy a ritzy evening of 1940s fun with big band swing, guest performers, dancing, and a silent auction. This gala will be “reception style,” with an open bar, food stations, and passed hors d’oeuvres. The sixteen-piece Brooks Tegler Band performs.

“Our spring gala is our most important annual fundraising event,” said Ernie Abbott, President of the Cathedral Choral Society’s Board of Trustees. “On the eve of our 75th anniversary season, this gala is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the artistic programming and community engagement initiatives of this organization. Support from our gala attendees will help ensure artistic vibrancy in our 75th season and beyond.”

 

Mar
18
Fri
La Grande Fete @ La Maison Francaise
Mar 18 @ 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

WHAT:  SMITHSONIAN at 8 and Francophonie DC present “La Grande Fête.” Closing celebration of the 2016 DC Francophonie Cultural Festival.

 

WHEN: Friday, March 18, 7 to 11 p.m.

 

WHERE: La Maison Francaise, 4101 Reservoir Road, Washington, DC

 

Get ready for a spectacular #SMITHSONIANat8 party with a French accent. The annual Francophonie Cultural Festival spotlights the music, art, literature, film, cuisine and customs of French-speaking countries and regions from across the globe, and its closing celebration is always magnifique.

 

Beginning at 7 p.m., guests launch into a world tour of francophone cultures. They’ll sample food and drink from more than 30 embassies as they explore each nation’s unique attractions and traditions. (Watch for a full list of participating countries.) There will be plenty of giveaways for guests to take home as souvenirs.

 

See a special performance by the “King of Cajun Blue Zydeco” accordionist-guitarist Major Handy. His music is a delicious mix of rousing Cajun blues and modern riffs that will make audiences “jump like shrimp frying in the pan.”

 

The dance party starts at 9:30 p.m. when DJ Princess Slaya spins music from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and plenty of destinations in between. Guests will experience the best of the French-speaking world—all without leaving home. #NoPassportNeeded

 

Participating organizations and embassies include but are not limited to: Alliance Francais, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, France, Gabon, Georgia, Guinea, Haiti, Lebanon, Mali, Monaco, Niger, Quebec, Republic of Congo, Republique de Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Romania, Senegal, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, and Uruguay

 

General admission $40 (includes admission and food and drink samples from 7 to 9 p.m.)

All ticket sales are final. No refunds or exchanges.

Tickets must be purchased in advance (no sales at the door).

IDs will be checked at the door. Those under 21 will not be served alcohol.

A cash/credit bar provided by Tortoise & Hare Bar and Grille is open throughout the night.

La Maison Francaise does not offer on-site parking. Limited street parking is available on Reservoir Road; public garages are available at Georgetown University Hospital nearby. Metrobus D5 and D6 routes have stops near the event’s location.

 

For tickets and further information the public may call 202-633-3030 or visit www.SMITHSONIANat8.com

Smithsonian at 8: La Grande Fete @ La Maison Francaise
Mar 18 @ 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

WHAT:  SMITHSONIAN at 8 and Francophonie DC present “La Grande Fête.” Closing celebration of the 2016 DC Francophonie Cultural Festival.

WHEN: Friday, March 18, 7 to 11 p.m.

 

WHERE: La Maison Francaise, 4101 Reservoir Road, Washington, DC

Get ready for a spectacular #SMITHSONIANat8 party with a French accent. The annual Francophonie Cultural Festival spotlights the music, art, literature, film, cuisine and customs of French-speaking countries and regions from across the globe, and its closing celebration is always magnifique.

Beginning at 7 p.m., guests launch into a world tour of francophone cultures. They’ll sample food and drink from more than 30 embassies as they explore each nation’s unique attractions and traditions. (Watch for a full list of participating countries.) There will be plenty of giveaways for guests to take home as souvenirs.

The dance party starts at 9 p.m. when DJ Princess Slaya spins music from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and plenty of destinations in between. Guests will experience the best of the French-speaking world—all without leaving home. #NoPassportNeeded

Participating organizations and embassies include but are not limited to: Belgium, Democratic Republic of Congo, Georgia, Mali, Republique de Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), and Slovenia.

General admission $40 (includes admission and food and drink samples from 7 to 9 p.m.)

All ticket sales are final. No refunds or exchanges.

Tickets must be purchased in advance (no sales at the door).

IDs will be checked at the door. Those under 21 will not be served alcohol.

A cash/credit bar provided by Tortoise & Hare Bar and Grille is open throughout the night.

La Maison Francaise does not offer on-site parking. Limited street parking is available on Reservoir Road; public garages are available at Georgetown University Hospital nearby. Metrobus D5 and D6 routes have stops near the event’s location.

 

For tickets and further information the public may call 202-633-3030 or visit www.SMITHSONIANat8.com