Washington Performing Arts hosts its 2019 annual Gala & Auction on March 30, 2019 at the National Building Museum (401 F St. NW). Tickets begin at $750; Young Sponsor tickets (for guests 40 and under) start at $200. Tables start at $15,000.
This year’s Gala, “Sizzle & Swing,” is a grand celebration of the art of jazz, from the classic big-band era to today’s up-to-the-minute expressions, fitting perfectly with Washington Performing Arts’ stellar spring lineup of jazz programming from Chucho Valdés and Cécile McLorin Salvant to an all-star tribute to Glenn Miller.
Gala performers include:
- Vocalists Veronica Swift (familiar to Washington Performing Arts audiences through her work with Chris Botti and Wynton Marsalis) and Stephen Scott Wormley (an alumnus of the Washington Performing Arts Children of the Gospel Choir, recently seen in the D.C. area as one of the stars of Signature Theatre’s The Scottsboro Boys);
- Mars Urban Arts Initiative Ensemble-in-Residence DuPont Brass;
- The Washington Performing Arts Children of the Gospel Choir under the direction of Michele Fowlin; and
- The Sizzle & Swing Band
Gala guests will also be treated to a special preview of a newly commissioned transcription of a big band chart by Hazel Scott, the luminary American pianist, cultural icon, and civil rights advocate. This premiere anticipates Washington Performing Arts’ commemoration of Scott’s 100th birthday in 2020.
The Gala kicks off at 6:30 pm with cocktails and the Silent Auction, sponsored by Urban Winery, with the dinner and performance program starting at 8:00 pm. Stage, television, and film actress Tamara Tunie serves as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening. The Afterparty Speakeasy with DJ Dimmy is co-sponsored by Daimler and the Washington Performing Arts Junior Board.
“Washington Performing Arts has a long legacy of presenting both emerging and leading jazz musicians and amplifying jazz as a vital American art form,” said Washington Performing Arts President and CEO Jenny Bilfield. “Whether it is through our Capital Jazz program in partnership with D.C. Public Schools, master classes with artists like Cécile McLorin Salvant, or commissions by Wynton Marsalis and now this new arrangement of a Hazel Scott chart, Washington Performing Arts remains committed to spotlighting this vibrant genre in every dimension of our programs, onstage and off.”
All proceeds raised at the Annual Gala and Auction will support Washington Performing Arts’ arts education initiatives. These include Capital Arts Partnerships and the Embassy Adoption Program (both in partnership with the DC Public Schools); In-School Artist Residencies; the Washington Performing Arts Men, Women, and Children of the Gospel Choirs; master classes and lectures; and stipends for professional development teachers and Washington Performing Arts teaching artists.
The 2019 Gala Co-Chairs are Lyn & Barry Chasen and Tom Gallagher & Barbara Myers. The Junior Board Gala Chairs are Rebecca Allen, Cassidy Grunninger, and Wesley Thomas. The Washington Performing Arts Women’s Committee Gala Chair is Denise Rollins, and the Women’s Committee Silent Auction Chair is Njambi. The Gala Committee comprises Paul Ashe, C. Wallace DeWitt, Adam Farra, Jay and Robin Hammer, Susan Hepner, Jordan Hepner and Nina Damato, Margaret Hurwitz, Angela C.Y. King, Grace Lin, Christina Co Mather and Gary Mather, Haley Morrison, Michelle Nelson, Ami Scott and Lucius Outlaw, Jan and Marike Paulsson, Kerrien Suarez, Ebony Thomas, Lindsey Woody, and The Washington Performing Arts Women’s Committee.
For more information about Washington Performing Arts and the Annual Gala and Auction, visit www.washingtonperformingarts.
On Sunday, March 31 at 1pm, the Rock-It Grill will be hosting an event to celebrate its 30-year anniversary and also to raise money for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing guide dogs to the blind and visually impaired.
“We are excited to be hosting this event, not only to celebrate 30 years as an Old Town staple, but also to give back to the community,” said Laura Seiss, owner of the Rock-It. “Additionally, we wouldn’t be here without the tremendous support from our patrons. We’re thrilled to celebrate them the way they have celebrated us for the last 30 years.”
The event will include:
- 50/50 raffle
- Gift basket raffle
- Karaoke for kids
- Photo ops with Guiding Eyes pups in training (small donation suggested)
Visitors are welcome to stop in for food and drinks, socialize with Guiding Eyes pups and their puppy raisers, and participate in karaoke, which will begin at 1pm and will run throughout the afternoon into the regularly scheduled karaoke time, ending around 1:30am.
About Rock-It Grill (www.rockit-grill.com):
The Rock-It Grill, located on King St. in Old Town Alexandria, has been a neighborhood fixture since 1989. The bar was founded by Gary Wayne Miller, originally as GW’s, and became the Rock-It Grill in 1997. They are best known for their diverse food and drink menu, relaxed environment and karaoke 7 nights a week. The Rock-It has supported its local community with events like Karaoke with Cops every summer, raising funds for our police and K9 units. Rock-It is located at 1319 King St. and is a short walk from the King Street Metro with ample street parking.
About Guiding Eyes for the Blind (www.guidingeyes.org):
In 1954, Guiding Eyes for the Blind was founded to enrich the lives of blind and visually impaired men and women. Since that time, Guiding Eyes has become one of the foremost guide dog schools in the world, graduating more than 7,000 guide dog teams. Guiding Eyes for the Blind is a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization. It provides professionally trained Guiding Eyes dogs, training and lifetime support services to students free of charge with funds raised solely through the generosity of individuals, corporations, foundations and civic organizations. Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s Headquarters and Training Center is located in Yorktown Heights, New York and its Canine Development Center is located in Patterson, New York.
Washington’s only playwrights’ collective devoted exclusively to developing and producing new plays—will host its annual fundraiser, The Joint–on Sunday, March 31, at Rhizome DC.
The Joint will take over the rooms of the Rhizome art space, familiar to some as the setting of the 2017 environmental hit Hello, My Name Is… by Deb Sivigny. Throughout the house, installations, intimate performances, and interactive projects will delight attendees as they rewind to remember the past and fast forward to the future.
There will be opportunities to celebrate the current generation of the Welders as they offer the in-process work by the last two playwrights in the second round of Welders leadership. At the end of 2019, the current roster of Producing Playwrights will be turning the company over to a new group of artists: The Welders 3.0.
The soon-to-be-announced third generation of The Welders will be in attendance at The Joint along with the past and present generations. The evening will be a fun opportunity for theater fans to engage with the generative artists taking the production of their work into their own hands.
Don’t miss this spectacular art-house-party filled with connection, sneak peeks, and a celebration of three generations “passing it on.” Plus, the event will feature a fire pit, silent auction, tasty food, and punch from Drink Company, home to the 2017 Spirited Award winning “Best American Cocktail Bar” Columbia Room.
Tickets are available at: https://thejoint2019.
The 6th Annual Best Buddies PROM – two parties with one purpose – is a dynamic twist on the DC gala that features both student and adult receptions. It will be held Friday, April 5 at The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. This joyous night of music, friendship, fundraising, and making memories for young people with and without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) will be the highlight of DC’s spring event season. PROM2019 will treat students of all abilities to a spectacular evening which is also a fundraising event for adults who believe in the mission of inclusion. Best Buddies was founded 30 years ago by Anthony Kennedy Shriver at Georgetown University. Tickets are on sale now at www.BestBuddiesProm.org.
“This year’s PROM will push us to surpass one million dollars in monies raised since we began PROM in DC in 2013… enabling us to open 64 friendship chapters in Virginia and Washington DC schools, support 25 (adult) Jobs participants at integrated workplaces, and facilitate leadership development opportunities for nearly 200 individuals with IDD,” said Karen Glasser, Regional Director of Best Buddies Capital Region. “We can’t wait to celebrate this $1M milestone with our Best Buddies family!”
The lively evening will be hosted by Tommy McFly, Best Buddies Capital Region Advisory Board Chairman and host of The Tommy Show. Music and Entertainment will be provided by crowd favorite, DJ Neekola, and performers from the Pelonkey Agency. The Reagan Building’s beauty will be on display with decor by Design Foundry elevating the PROM goers’ experience.
Students are the stars of the evening. Adults will also enjoy their own celebration, including a complimentary open bar, delicious passed hors d’oeuvres by Reagan Building Executive, Chef Xavier Deshayes, and an exciting live and silent auction. In addition, some of the region’s most celebrated chefs will lend their time and culinary creations to an exclusive VIP reception prior to the event. PROM is the perfect place to witness Best Buddies’ mission of social inclusion first-hand.
Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign invites Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia residents to sip and sample creations from area’s most celebrated restaurants to help kids in need at this year’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry on Monday, April 8, 2019. Hosted at the National Building Museum, the annual tasting event will feature gourmet cuisine and libations crafted by the city’s hottest chefs, sommeliers and mixologists, uniting to raise funds to ensure all children in America have access to the healthy food they need, every day. One-hundred-percent of proceeds from the event benefit No Kid Hungry’s work to end childhood hunger in America.
Led by Chef Chair Mike Friedman (The Red Hen, All-Purpose), Pastry Chair Tiffany MacIsaac (Buttercream Bakeshop), Mixology Chair Gina Chersevani (Buffalo and Bergen, Suburbia), and Sommelier Chair Nadine Brown (Society Fair), D.C.’s culinary tastemakers will provide guests with scrumptious bite-size fare, craft cocktails and delectable desserts. Guests will also have a chance to participate in an intimate tasting with Chef Kwame Onwuachi (Kith and Kin, Philly Wing Fry) and Chef Tae Strain (Momofuku CCDC), and score hot items at the silent auction and “Giving Tree”.
Notable participating Washington, D.C. area culinary talent and eateries include:
All-Purpose | Al Dente | Art & Soul | Barrel | Beuchert’s Saloon | Buffalo and Bergen | Bombay Street Food | Buttercream Bakeshop | Captain Cookie and the Milkman | Cava Mezze | Coconut Club | Colada Shop | Compass Rose | Espita Mezcaleria | Estadio | Farmers & Distillers | Firefly | Georgetown Cupcake | The Green Zone | Hank’s Oyster Bar | I’m Eddie Cano | Jack Rose Dining Saloon | Junction Bakery & Bistro | Kith and Kin | Kuya Ja’s | McClellan’s Retreat | Matchbox Vintage Pizza Bistro | Mi Vida | Milkbar | Momo Yakitori | Momofuku CCDC| Nama Sushi | Osteria Morini | Ottoman Taverna | Oyamel | Pisco y Nasca Ceviche Gastrobar | Radiator | Rappahannock Oyster Bar | RARE Steakhouse | RASA | Royal | Shake Shack | Society Fair Spoken English | Stellina Pizzeria | Succotash Penn Quarter | Sweet Lobby | The Delegate | The Pub and the People | The Source | Tico | Truxton Inn
One in six children in America struggles with hunger, including nearly 27,000 kids in the District of Columbia. No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger nationwide by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast and families learn the skills they need to shop and cook on a budget. Since the campaign’s launch, No Kid Hungry and its partners have connected kids struggling with hunger to more than one billion meals.
In 2018, D.C.’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry raised enough to connect hungry kids in need with up to 2.5 million healthy meals. Local beneficiaries include Capital Area Food Bank, DC Hunger Solutions, and Mary’s Center.
D.C.’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry is supported by national co-presenting sponsors Citi and Sysco®, national media sponsor Food Network, and national sponsor OpenTable. Whole Foods Market is the Official Grocer Sponsor of D.C.’s 2019 Taste of the Nation and will be providing samples alongside their local vendors. This event is also made possible by the following local sponsors: Caledonia Spirits, Catoctin Creek, Chrysler Pacifica, Ecolab, Flying Dog Brewery, MacRostie Winery and Vineyards, Rémy Cointreau and Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry tickets start at $100, with prices increasing a month prior to the event on March 8, 2019. For additional information and to purchase tickets, please visit: https://www.nokidhungry.org/tastedc.
VIDA Fitness is teaming up with DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to clean up the District while breaking a sweat for Earth Day. D.C residents are invited to join in the second annual Plogging event, picking up trash while jogging, as they run a preset two mile course beginning at Raymond Recreation Center.
Ploggers will be provided with trash bags and gloves to use as they run and pick up litter. VIDA Fitness and DPR will ensure appropriate disposal of all trash collected during the plogging event. This event is free and open to the public.
After plogging VIDA Fitness will provide snacks and drinks for all participants. Sign up is requested to ensure enough supplies are on hand for all ploggers.
WHEN: Saturday, April 20, 2019 at 10 a.m.
WHERE: Starting at Raymond Recreation Center VIDA Fitness and DPR will lead joggers on a designated two mile route through Northwest DC.
WHY: To clean up the trash and litter in the District in honor of Earth Day
HOW: Sign up at https://vidafitness.com/
With the rise of cat celebs like Grumpy Cat and Moshow the Rapper, combined with cat videos in every corner of the internet — it’s about time Washingtonians have an outlet to share their feline fervor with their neighbors. That’s why DC’s animal welfare organization, Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA), is hosting the 1st Annual Meow DC this coming spring.
This event is designed for everyone from the devoted cat lover to the fly-by feline fan. Kitty aficionados from all over the metro area can don their cat ears and themed outfits, purchase kitty-themed goods from the many local vendors, attend talks about everything from community cats to confusing kitty behavior, and even meet internet sensation Sunglass Cat! There also will be adorable kittens and sassy adult cats alike on hand for cuddles and adoption throughout the day. Plus, it doesn’t end there. Keep your cat ears on and attend the Meow DC After Party at The Pub & The People from 5-8pm where a percentage of sales will benefit HRA, as well as $1 from every Tito’s beverage. Oh, and did we mention there will be awesome giveaways!
And if that weren’t enough, the real attraction (the catnip, if you will) is that all proceeds benefit the amazing work HRA does year round for local DC cats, both indoor and outdoor. Each month, HRA helps nearly 400 local homeless animals get adopted and 565 animals get spayed or neutered. HRA field officers respond to 1,600 calls monthly, and HRA volunteers donate 2,400 hours every month. While HRA does incredible work for the vulnerable animals in our community, they still rely on the generosity of individuals and organizations throughout the DC metro area.
This event is generously sponsored by Nardi Media, LLC and Design Foundry. A full list of participating booth vendors is available on the event website.
Tickets are $40 and on sale now at www.meowdc.org. Meet & Greet Tickets for Sunglass Cat are $15 and available at www.meowdc.org.
- WHO: In-studio interviews are available with HRA representatives to discuss the importance of supporting our local furry friends through events like Meow DC. Adoptable animals can be available in-studio upon request.
- WHERE: Dock 5 at Union Market – 1309 5th Street NE, Washington DC 20002
- WHEN: Saturday April 27, 2019 from 10:00AM EST until 5:00PM EST
- AFTER PARTY: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM (The Pub & The People; 1648 North Capitol St NW, Washington, DC 20001)
Refugees International will honor former special representative of the United Nations Secretary General for International Migration and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and senior counsel at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP Louise Arbour with its highest humanitarian honor, the McCall-Pierpaoli Award, for her lifetime of work in the pursuit of justice and human rights at its 40thAnniversary Dinner on Tuesday, April 30, 2019. The award will also be presented to former president of Portugal H.E. Jorge Branco de Sampaio and President of the Carnegie Corporation Dr. Vartan Gregorian in recognition of their joint efforts to support Syrian students to pursue their higher education with the Global Platform for Syrian Students and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
“This year’s awardees have demonstrated incredible willingness to take on the most difficult challenges and push the international community to do better in pursuit of justice and human rights,” said Refugees International President Eric Schwartz. “We are humbled to be able to present them with this honor.”
Refugees International will also honor Taller Salud, a humanitarian aid group in Puerto Rico, with its Richard C. Holbrooke Award for providing critical services and unwavering support to the people of Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and María. U.S. Representative Will Hurd of Texas will receive Refugees International’s 2019 Congressional Leadership Award for his commitment to public service and recognition that humanitarian principles must inform policymaking toward those who have been forced to flee their homes. And Mayor Wilmot Collins of Helena, Montana will receive Refugees International’s Exceptional Service Award for his extraordinary advocacy on behalf of refugees not only in Helena but throughout the United States.
This year’s Anniversary Dinner Benefit Committee Chairs are Vali and Darya Nasr. Ambassador to the United States from Costa Rica Dr. Fernando Llorca Castro and Mrs. Evelyn Cermeño will serve as the evening’s Honorary Committee Chairs. Sarah Bovim, Vice President Government Relations at the Whirlpool Corporation, and Jodi Bond, Executive Vice President of Global Government & Industry Affairs at Chubb, will chair the Global Partnership Initiative.
Refugees International’s Anniversary Dinner is its largest fundraising event of the year. The celebration honors individuals and organizations that demonstrate extraordinary leadership and commitment to humanitarian action, changing the lives of refugees and displaced people around the world. Past honorees include Founder and CEO of Chobani Hamdi Ulukaya, Syria’s White Helmets, Sir Richard Branson, Rohingya human rights activist Tun Khin, journalist Maureen Orth, among many others. Attendees of the Anniversary Dinner include Members of Congress, diplomats, representatives of corporations, foundations, and nongovernmental organizations, and individuals whose generous support enables Refugees International to serve as a powerful voice for displaced people around the world.
This year’s event has made possible by corporate sponsorships from Chubb, Gilead Sciences, and
Repsol Oil & Gas, LLC and through generous gifts from our 40th Anniversary Celebratory Circle sponsors Eileen Shields-West and Robin West; our Lifesaving Circle sponsors Maureen White and Steven Rattner and Elizabeth and Michael Galvin; our Humanitarian Circle sponsors Jan Weil and Amos Avgar; our Changemaker sponsors Nina and Dino Saglimbeni and the Kathwari Family Foundation; and our Visionary sponsors George and Frederica Valanos, among others.
Party with a cause and come support one of the District’s newest non-profits, the DMP, and their mission to provide affordable music education to adults! Come as you are or dressed to the nines, but be ready for a night of all things ’80s! Themed drinks and snacks, karaoke, live music, ’80s games, and a costume contest are all on deck, plus you’ll be treated to a very special performance by the District Music Project Chorus!
WHEN: Saturday, May 4, 8-11 pm (7 pm VIP access)
WHERE: The Airedale, 3605 14th Street NW
WHY: Benefit for The District Music Project, a local non-profit supporting affordable adult education
COST: $40 advance/$45 door/$60 VIP (includes a private concert and prosecco before the party gets going!)
WHO: Open to the public and press is welcome
All proceeds benefit the District Music Project and help us continue to provide music education to adults in the District.
Date: Wednesday, May 8th
· Time: 6:00pm to 9:00pm
· Location: The Capital Hilton – 1001 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20036
· Ticket Price: $250
· Ticket Sales Link: bit.ly/18th-hope-awards
Join Calvary Women’s Services for a fun and inspirational evening as we celebrate women who are achieving their goals and making lasting changes in their lives. Enjoy a delicious cocktail reception while mingling with community leaders, bid on incredible items and unique packages during the exciting live and silent auctions, and hear uplifting stories about Calvary’s impact and the women we serve.
We’ll come together to honor leaders who inspire and empower women, and celebrate the successes of women at Calvary who are ending their homelessness for good.
Calvary Women’s Services empowers homeless women in Washington, DC to transform their lives through housing, health, education, and employment programs.
