Dec
1
Tue
Fairmont Tree Lighting @ Fairmont Hotel
Dec 1 @ 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

Fairmont’s  12th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

5:30 – 7:00 pm.

Fairmont Hotel – 2401 M Street, NW

Family photos with Santa & Rudolph

Refreshments,

Entertainment by Georgetown Visitation Madrigals

holiday crafts

U.S. Marine Corps Presentation of Colors

Free and open to the public

Guests are asked to bring a toy for Toys for Tots

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

 

Mt. Vernon Triangle FREE Santa Celebration @ 5th & K Streets NW, Washington, DC
Dec 9 @ 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

The Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District (MVT CID) is pleased to present its annual Santa Celebration on the plaza at 5th & K Streets, NW in Washington, DC from 4:30 to 6:30 pm on Wednesday, December 9th.

The Santa Celebration is free and open to the public and will feature:

  • FREE photo opportunity with Santa for kids, dogs, and adults
  • Hot chocolate with fun, seasonal toppings provided by the MVT CID and Le Pain Quotidien
  • Fresh, hot popcorn courtesy of 5th Street Ace Hardware
  • Brazilian Cheesecake bites courtesy Texas de Brazil
  • Holiday cookies courtesy of the City Vista Safeway
  • House-made dog treats courtesy of A Baked Joint

The event will also serve as a collection point for new, unwrapped toys for Central Union Mission’s Operation Christmas Miracle. More information about toy donations available at: http://www.missiondc.org/christmas/

 

Dec
10
Thu
Rosslyn 3rd Annual Holiday Market @ Gateway Park
Dec 10 @ 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

The 3rd Annual Holiday Market will return to Rosslyn from 10 am to 6 pm on Thursday, Dec. 10 and 10 am to 8 pm on Friday, Dec. 11. The Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID) will host the third annual neighborhood holiday market and celebration in Gateway Park, which will feature a host of unique and local vendors.

This year’s event will kickoff on Dec. 10 with a number of family friendly activities including winter-themed crafts and games, along with photos with Santa from 4:00 to 6 pm. There will be live jazz music and an assortment of food, including from local food truck, Killer Tomato Pies, onsite from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., as well as Rosslyn restaurant Bistro 360, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Thursday’s activities will also include a special Pop-Up Boot Camp at noon designed to help attendees start the holiday season guilt-free. A professional trainer will lead participants through High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – an exciting and intense cardio workout designed to burn as many as 1,000 calories per class. Registration for the event is free and the first 45 registrants will receive a free Rosslyn BID water bottle and a voucher for $3 off beer or wine at the Holiday Market. For more information and to register, visit: http://www.rosslynva.org/holidaybootcamp

On Dec. 11, the Holiday Market will continue with a live jazz performance and fares from local food trucks Fusion Confusion and Killer Tomato Pies from 11:00am to 2:00pm. More adult-oriented festivities will continue that evening, with a live performance from popular local cover band Jeff From Accounting, complete with beer and wine sales from Washington Wine Academy from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. New to this year’s event, Friday’s celebration will conclude with a bonfire and D.J. in Gateway Park West from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., with hot food, wine and beer available for purchase.

In the spirit of the holidays, Rosslyn BID will also be overseeing its annual clothing drive, which will run through Dec. 11.  Gift-wrapped donation boxes will be placed in the lobbies of buildings throughout the neighborhood, and all clothing collected will be donated to Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network (A-SPAN), a non-profit group that seeks to meet the needs of local homeless people. A-SPAN will have a booth at the market to raise awareness surrounding the initiative.

“You bring the chestnuts and we’ll bring the open fire,” said Mary-Claire Burick, president of the Rosslyn BID. “Having the largest park in Arlington available to host the Holiday Market lets us do some fun and creative things you don’t always see at other holiday markets.”

The Holiday Market showcases high quality items from a variety of vendors and holiday shoppers are able to browse everything from innovative jewelry and sweet treats to handmade clothing.

Additional Holiday Market vendors include Baby Hats Shoes and More, Switchwood, The Board Bus, Courtney Gillian, Popcorn Queens, Black Pug Smokehouse, Peruvian Trends, Pezzi Unici, Stella & Dot, Jinsei Juice, Was Paper and more!

A full list of vendors and details on the Rosslyn Holiday Market can be found at http://www.rosslynva.org/HolidayReady

##

Feb
6
Sat
Crafty Bastards Cabin Fever @ Hecht Warehouse at Ivy City
Feb 6 @ 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Why wait for the fall to get Crafty? Washington City Paper is expanding its popular Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair with a second installment this winter. The inaugural Crafty Bastards Cabin Fever will take place on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hecht Warehouse at Ivy City (1401 New York Ave. NE) in Washington, D.C.

The one-day indoor winter fair will feature handmade products and wares by 100+ select artists and crafters from around the country, including several first-time Crafty Bastards like:

–       Hell Razor for Men of Washington, DC (www.etsy.com/shop/hellrazorformen)

–       Harper Macaw from Washington, DC (https://harpermacaw.com)

–       Raisa Antonia from Hancock, NH (http://www.raisaantonia.com)

–       North End Bag Company from Virginia Beach, VA (http://www.northendbagco.com)

–       Lewis and Pine from Brooklyn, NY (www.lewisandpine.com)

–       West Oak Design from Wyndmoor, PA (www.westoakdesign.com)

In order to make your Cabin Fever shopping experience enjoyable, entry times will be staggered based on ticket type. Tickets can be purchased in advance online via the Washington City Paper website. 

VIP Tickets – $25: Gain exclusive access to Crafty Bastards Cabin Fever for an extra hour of shopping and no lines before the Crafty-loving masses arrive. VIP ticket also includes one bagel, a mimosa, and a Crafty Bastards Cabin Fever tote bag. VIP Entry begins at 10 a.m.

Savvy Shopper Tickets – $15: Enjoy shorter lines and a complimentary Crafty Bastards tote bag with entry starting at 11 a.m.

Early General Admission – $10: Gain access to all vendors beginning at 1 p.m.

Late General Admission – $5: Gain access to all vendors starting at 3 p.m.

Last Call General Admission – $5: Gain access to all vendors starting at 5 p.m.

Kids 12 and under are free. Visit www.washingtoncitypaper.com/craftybastards for advanced tickets, a complete gallery of all Crafty Bastard Cabin Fever vendors, and more, including details about complimentary shuttle service from the NoMA metro stop provided by the Hecht Warehouse.

About Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair

Over the past 12 years, hundreds of Crafty Bastards have sold countless pieces of handmade “craftiness” at the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair. The fair has been selected as one of Washington’s Top 100 Events by BizBash and was voted by Washington City Paper readers as the Best Arts Festival in its annual Best of D.C. poll. For more information about the annual Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair, please visit www.washingtoncitypaper.com/craftybastards/.

 

#CraftyBastardsCabinFever

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