Events/Things To Do

On Saturday, August 24 from 6 – 10 p.m., Washington, D.C. will host the sixth annual Le Dîner en Blanc. The yearly extravaganza, where guests don all white, promises another evening of dining and excitement, as it acquires a secret public location, revealed only minutes prior to the commence of the event. 

Over the course of the evening, 5,000 guests will once again dine and celebrate the sixth anniversary of Le Dîner en Blanc – Washington amid live music, entertainment and dancing. Each year, guests bring their all-white tables, chairs and table settings, and the truly ambitious create their own French picnics with extravagant, inventive tablescapes.  For those looking for a more convenient option, attendees can rent a table and chairs from Rentals to Remember.

Registration for the unique experience happens in three stages beginning later next month: Phase 1 is for members who attended the previous year; Phase 2 is for new members who have been sponsored by Phase 1 attendees; and Phase 3 is for guests who signed up on the waiting list. Those interested can sign up at washington.dinerenblanc.com/register.

About Le Dîner en Blanc – Washington Hosts

Le Dîner en Blanc – Washington, D.C. is produced by The Davis Group, LLC, a full-service event design and production company based in the Washington, DC area. Linda Davis, along with daughters Bryer and Kaitlin have brought together nearly 15,000 people to celebrate Dîner en Blanc in Washington.

On Friday, August 30, the award-winning Hay-Adams, located steps from the White House at 800 16th Street, NW, 20006, will host its next Author Series luncheon honoring Barbara Kingsolver to discuss her latest work, Unsheltered. The Hay-Adams’ Author Series, where literary crowds honor literary masters, is an on-going event, which hosts outstanding writers in a historic setting.  One will enjoy exceptional food, drink and lively conversation in the elegant Hay-Adams Room, one of Washington, D.C.’s signature stately event venues. Tickets are priced at $90 per person (all inclusive), which includes a three-course, prix fixe menu with wine pairings: https://www.hayadams.com/author-series/events.  The menu, themed around the book, will be created by Vice President & General Manager Hans Bruland working closely with Executive Chef Nicolas Legret.

Additionally, Kramerbooks (http://kramers.com) will be on hand so guests will have the opportunity to purchase a copy of Unsheltered, which published October 16, 2018, as well as other notable works by the author. Kingsolver will be available to sign and personalize after the luncheon.  Tickets go on sale August 2 and will be available online at: http://www.hayadams.com/author-series/washington-dc-author-events. For information guests can email Kathleen Newman at KNewman@hayadams.comor call (202) 638-6000.  Tickets must be purchased by August 23 and will not be available at the door.

WHO:             Barbara Kingsolver, is The New York Times bestselling author of Flight Behavior, The Lacuna, and The Poisonwood Bible and recipient of numerous literary awards—including the National Humanities Medal, our country’s highest honor for service through the arts. Critical acclaim for her books includes the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, the Orange Prize andmultiple awards from the American Booksellers Association and the American Library Association. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle won numerous prizes including the James Beard award. She was named one of the most important writers of the 20^thcentury by Writer’s Digest.

Her newest book, Unsheltered, is a timely novel that interweaves past and present to explore the human capacity for resiliency and compassion in times of great upheaval. It is the compulsively readable story of two families, in two centuries, who live at the corner of Sixth and Plum in Vineland, New Jersey, navigating what seems to be the end of the world as they know it. With history as their tantalizing canvas, these characters paint a startlingly relevant portrait of life in precarious times when the foundations of the past have failed to prepare us for the future. A New York Times bestseller, the novel is the recipient of many accolades including being named an O, The Oprah Magazine’s Best Book of 2018, and both an NPR and Newsweek’s pick for Best Books of The Year.

Barbara Kingsolver was born and grew up in rural Kentucky. She earned degrees in biology from DePauw University and the University of Arizona and has worked as a freelance writer and author since 1985. She has two daughters, Camille and Lily. Her husband, Steven Hopp, teaches environmental studies. At various times in her adult life, she has lived in England, France, and the Canary Islands, and has worked in Europe, Africa, Asia, Mexico, and South America. Kingsolver spent two decades in Tucson, Arizona, before moving to southwestern Virginia. She currently resides on a farm in southern Appalachia, where she and her family raise an extensive vegetable garden and Icelandic sheep.

WHEN:          The luncheon will be held in The Hay-Adams Room on Friday, August 30, 2019, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. (doors open at 11:30 a.m.).

City Tap Penn Quarter will offer a ticketed all-you-can-eat Louisiana style crawfish boil including crawfish, clams, shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes. The first Abita Beer Strawberry Lager with a complimentary koozie is on the house for ticketed patrons. Stick around for the live music and patio games with $5 Abita brews and $10 adult capris suns until 5pm

City Tap Dupont is excited to throw a day at the beach, luau themed open bar event on Labor Day. Come for brunch and stay to enjoy Hawaiian themed food specials such as pineapple burgers and pulled pork tacos starting at 1pm, and a $45 ticketed open bar from 2pm to 5pm including select draft beers, house wines by the glass and rail mixed drinks.

La Cosecha, EDENS’ upcoming contemporary Latin market (1270 4th Street NE) in the Union Market District, will celebrate its opening preview celebration with a festive block party and special concert, presented by title partner Events DC and headlined by Grammy-winning Latin fusion band Ozomatli on Saturday, September 7 from 11am-7pm.

Local pop singer-dancer Jason Cerda will also perform during the free, open-to-the-public event, which will serve as a Hispanic Heritage Month kickoff event and is being curated in collaboration with local music production group All Things Go. Additional musical acts include Salt Cathedral, Mario + Jose, Jonathan Acosta, DJ Bembona, DJ Renzo, DJ Nicolas Losada and Batalá.

The Calle Latina block party’s family-friendly activities include a special Latin-inspired face painting menu created by Colombia-born local muralist MasPaz, Con Sabor kids’ dance classes, chef demos and a flash mob led by Cerda.

Guests will also get a sneak peek at all of the La Cosecha partners: El Cielo, NOVA BOSSA, Amparo, Ali Pacha, Grand Cata, Serenata, Café Unido, Filos Bakery, Zona E Home, La Casita and Peruvian Brothers.
In partnership with sponsors the D.C. Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment, Carlos Rosario School, and Bacardi, the block party will feature additional pop ups by New Latin Wave, Se Habla Español, The Future is Latina, Andeana Hats, Adelante Shoes, Arcay Chocolates, Piña & Coco, Wonder for People and Politics & Prose, Arepa Zone, Ilegal Mezcal and Bacardi.

“After considerable time spent planning and curating La Cosecha, we’re excited and proud to invite all to our preview block party, Calle Latina, where we’ll be celebrating the colors, textures and sounds of Latin America. The ongoing insights and assistance from Latin embassy partners and the city’s cultural tastemakers have been invaluable in the creation of this new marketplace,” says EDENS CEO Jodie W. McLean. “Inclusivity and cultural appreciation are the foundation of any strong community and seem more important now than ever. We hope that by showcasing these dynamic cultures, we can spark conversations and relationships across diverse cultures.”

Ozomatli, known as much for their music as their activism, are two-time Grammy winners with a one-of-a-kind sound that encompasses a wide array of musical styles, including salsa, jazz, funk, reggae, rap and more. Since their inception in 1995, Ozomatli has performed all over the world in places like China, Tunisia, Jordan and Burma, serving both as cultural ambassadors and advocates for farm workers’ rights and immigration reform.

D.C.-area native Cerda is a double-threat singer and dancer, boasting Billboard-charting singles Al Lado Mio, Color Favorito and Un Poco Mas, as well as a 3,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art dance studio in northern Virginia.

La Cosecha’s partnerships with Latin embassies, cultural and diplomatic leaders and strategic stakeholders from the Latin community will solidify the new marketplace as a national platform for Latin culture and cuisine. Cultural opportunities for the larger community will include art exhibits, film screenings, live performances, media lab space and outdoor activations throughout the year.

To RSVP for La Cosecha’s Calle Latina block party, please visit www.lacosechadc.com/callelatina.

Gelato Festival America is coming to Washington D.C., September 7^th and 8^th to City Market at O. Join Washington’s Italian community and come out to celebrate authentic Italian gelato. Along our journey to find the best gelato in America, international gelato artisans will gather in the capitol to prepare original flavors fresh in the world’s largest frozen dessert laboratory on wheels. Guests enjoy all-you-can-eat gelato while participating in the Eating Contest, Carpigiani Gelato University, Kids Jury and other activities for the whole family then vote for their favorite flavors to win the Gelato Festival Gold Medal.

Gelato Festival America is coming to Washington D.C., September 7^th and 8^th to City Market at O. Join Washington’s Italian community and come out to celebrate authentic Italian gelato. Along our journey to find the best gelato in America, international gelato artisans will gather in the capitol to prepare original flavors fresh in the world’s largest frozen dessert laboratory on wheels. Guests enjoy all-you-can-eat gelato while participating in the Eating Contest, Carpigiani Gelato University, Kids Jury and other activities for the whole family then vote for their favorite flavors to win the Gelato Festival Gold Medal.

Event: Capital Book Fest

Where: Woodrow Wilson Plaza (1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20004)

When: September 12 & October 24, from 10am-6pm

Description: Visit our downtown DC pop-up book sale on Wilson Plaza! Browse over 12,000 gently used books, CDs, and DVDs, all on sale for under $6. Books are provided by Carpe Librum, a used, donation-based bookstore benefiting the DC nonprofit Turning the Page. There’s something for everyone at this sale: children’s books, teen reads, brand-new bestsellers in amazing condition, classic vintage hardbacks and more!

Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/capital-book-fest-tickets-69211919715