The Union Market District is kicking off Spring and celebrating the diverse collection of businesses, both old and new, with a daylong street fest featuring food and activities from district neighbors and partners including Trader Joe’s, Politics and Prose, Cotton & Reed, Masseria, Pluma, A. Litteri, Blue Bottle, DC United and more.

The free, family-friendly day will take place Saturday, April 7 from 9am to 4pm. Bordered by New York Avenue, Florida Avenue and 6th Street NE, the festival will be spread across the entire Union Market District, including venues 4th x Neal, Angelika, Dock 5, 4th x Morse Street and the Market itself.

From all-day live music at Neal Place to a pop-up bookshop by Politics & Prose and a bevy of food trucks lining Neal Place NE, the entire district, long known for attracting innovative retail as well as launching and scaling businesses, will be activated for a day of creativity and community.

World class chefs will be on hand for cooking tips while DC United players lead a youth workshop. Michelin-starred chef Nick Stefanelli will be selling breakfast sandwiches on Masseria’s patio and Instagram influencers Tamon George and Gary Williams of Creative Theory will take portrait photos in the historic alley of 4th x Neal. Meet under the Yoko Ono mural on 6th Street for spoken word poetry and dance off the winter blues with DC’s favorite DJ’s and live music.

The full schedule, including signature events, will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information about the Union Market district street fair, please visit www.unionmarketdc.com.

Purchase your ticket today to secure your spot at FGIDC’s next workshop, Impact of Advertising. Set up your brand for success with the newest, most impactful advertising tools.

Get an early start to patio season with Barley Mac’s second annual Oysterfest on April 21. Owner Mike Cordero is serving up classic summertime favorites – oysters, chilled white wine, cocktails, beer and whiskey. Guests are invited to taste samples of the restaurant’s locally caught oysters and down drinks from the bar from 1 to 5 p.m. Afternoon highlights include an oyster eating contest, shucking instruction stations and cigar rolling demonstrations. Oyster shooters will be made to order.

Live music from local favorites The Wing-Its, an oyster buffet and open bar will be set up on the patio between 1 and 5 p.m. Guests (ages 21+) will be given a stemless Barley Mac wine glass to sip from and bring home.  Shirts will also be for sale.

            Barley Mac’s oyster menu features raw oysters harvested from Northern Virginia. Continuing the all you can eat tradition, Barley Mac is serving Raw Oysters, Oyster Rockefellers, Grilled Oysters, Fried Po-Boys, Oyster Stew, Fried Buffalo Batter Oysters and Oyster Ceviche.

            The Oyster & Wine Festival is open to all age groups (21+ will be given wristbands and two drink tickets). Tickets are $49 a person, or $59 a person at the door and can be purchased prior to the event here. Event sponsors include Sam Adams, Balvenie and Hendricks. The event will be held weather permitting.

WHO: Barley Mac & Mike Cordero

WHAT: 2^nd Annual Oyster Festival

               Oyster Eating Contest

               Oyster Shucking Instruction Station

               Cigar Rolling Station

 Purchase tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-  barley-mac-oyster-fest-tickets-44815028958

WHEN: Saturday, April 21

              1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

WHERE: Barley Mac

                1600 Wilson Blvd

                Arlington, VA 22209

About Barley Mac

Barley Mac is an American restaurant offering gourmet comfort foods and an extensive whiskey menu. Located just a few blocks from the Rosslyn Metro Station, Barley Mac brings a love of delicious food, whiskeys and bourbons to Northern Virginia. The innovative twists of American comfort foods will please the taste buds, while the specialty liquor menu is sure to excite even the fiercest cocktail enthusiasts. With an industrial chic interior, plentiful seating and large bar area, Barley Mac is an ideal drinking and dining choice for groups of all sizes.

20 local artists in a variety of disciplines will be exhibiting over 100 pieces all priced under $750 at “Real Art on a Shoestring” at SR/A La Collection in downtown Bethesda. This notable event aims to show the average consumer that owning original art is not out of their budget.

The opening reception will occur on April 26 from 6:00 – 8:30pm. “Real Art on a Shoestring” will be on display through summer 2018.

SR/A La Collection is the retail gallery arm of SR/A Interior Design, a boutique commercial interior design firm. SR/A showcases a revolving collection of artists and antiques in the 3500 SF gallery space that fronts their office-space in downtown Bethesda. Unlike typical art galleries, SR/A believes art shows best as it would in a person’s home – surrounded by furniture, accessories and antique treasures. As original art has a reputation for being too expensive, for this show SR/A has partnered with 20 local artists to bring the public affordable, yet exquisite pieces – all for $750 or below.

This event plays on the well-known phrase, “on a shoestring,” to prove that creative pieces can be found on a smaller budget. The list of participating artists includes local favorites such as Linda Cafritz, Mark Schwenk, Fabiano Amin, Stefanie Stark, and more!

“I think this show is a great way for people to buy affordable, real works of art from local artists. There are so many different styles, mediums, and artists participating in this show; it’s a great opportunity to see, admire, and add art to your life” – Fabiano Amin, Participating Local Artist

You can catch these remarkable artists and their creations, as well as complimentary food and drinks, on April 26^th, 2018 at SR/A La Collection (7020 Wisconsin Ave.)

Crystal City’s summertime happy hour is back, opening a month early and announcing a new partnership with The Stand  bringing food and beverage from local restaurants and an exciting live music lineup. Starting on May 4, each Friday from 5-9 pm, attendees can listen to live music from a variety of bands while enjoying local bites and drink.

Crystal City’s summertime happy hour is back, opening a month early and announcing a new partnership with The Stand  bringing food and beverage from local restaurants and an exciting live music lineup. Starting on May 4, each Friday from 5-9 pm, attendees can listen to live music from a variety of bands while enjoying local bites and drink.

On Saturday, May 12, the award-winning Hay-Adams, located steps from the White House at 800 16th Street, NW, 20006, will launch its Stylish Entertaining Series, at the legendary Top of The Hay, a historic setting directly overlooking the White House. Participants will enjoy a seasonal selection of pastries from Pastry Chef Elizabeth Weinberg and indulge in Domaine La Rocalière Tavel Rosé and Scharffenberger Brut while learning about emerging trends in floral design and composing a spring arrangement to take home. Tickets are priced at $65 per person (all inclusive), which includes flowers, vase and afternoon tea. Reservations may be made here: https://www.hayadams.com/meetings-events/stylish-entertaining-series

This quarterly series of events will feature industry experts sharing ever-evolving insights about entertaining with ease, in a way that reflects each host’s personal style and creativity, in order to make guests feel treasured whatever the occasion. Next up is a Champagne tasting class in September, details may be found at www.hayadams.com in the coming months.

WHO:            Sidra Foreman (www.sidraforman.com) is a florist, chef and gardener who plans, sources and arranges flowers for weddings and other events large and small. Her work has been featured in Martha Stewart Weddings and Foreman was named one of the top floral designers in the United States by this national publication as well. As a former restaurant chef, she approaches arrangements the same way she cooks: by seeking out the best sources, gathering ingredients and pairing seasonal and organic items, that she either grows or has supplied by local producers, most of whom she has known for decades.

WHEN:          The afternoon tea will be held on Top of The Hay on Saturday, May 12, 2018, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.(doors open at 12:45)

WHERE:       The Hay-Adams is located at 800 16th Street, NW, Washington DC, 20006, across Lafayette Square from the White House. The historic Hay-Adams offers guests Washington’s most prestigious address with views overlooking the White House, Lafayette Square and St. John’s Church, the “Church of the Presidents.”  Ranked the No. 1 Top Hotel in Washington, DC and the No. 5 Best Hotel in the United States by Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards in 2017, the hotel is just minutes from the Smithsonian, the Museums, the Washington Monument, the National Mall, as well as convenient to Metro stations and the convention center.  For reservations or more information call (202) 638-6600 or visit their website at www.hayadams.com.