This Memorial Day weekend there’s plenty to do in the Washington, DC area besides going to the National Mall. Check out some of these DMV events this weekend.
Sometimes the best way to unwind after a long week is to discover or revisit a good movie. On Friday, The Alden Theatre of McLean Community Center is presenting E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial during their free Family Movie Night. This 1982 sci-fi film, directed by Steven Spielberg, is about a young boy named Elliott who finds a stranded extraterrestrial. Through trials and tribulations, he must find the courage to defy the authorities to help the alien return to its home planet. Watch the E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial trailer!
Friday, 7:30pm
Cost: Free
The Alden Theatre McLean Community Center 1234 Ingleside Ave. McLean, VA 22101
The school year is coming to an end and that means white sandy beaches and palm trees are on everyone’s mind. Just in time for summer vacation and in honor of Asian Pacific Heritage Month, the National Museum of the American Indian will be holding Eia Hawai’i: Celebrating Native Hawaiian Culture this Saturday and Sunday. This year, visitors can celebrate wayfinding, or navigation, and the Polynesian seafarers who discovered the Hawaiian Islands by watching and learning about hula, taking in a cooking demonstration, watching films and presentations, and meeting and greeting Hawaiian guests. There will also be a concert at 5pm on Saturday in the Welcome Plaza, featuring Amy Hanaiali’I Gilliom with opening act The Aloha Boys. Watch a preview of Amy Hanaiali'l Gilliom perform!
Saturday and Sunday, 10:30am to 5pm
Cost: Free
National Museum of the American Indian 4th Street and Independence Ave. SW Washington, DC 20013
Led by its iconic host and founder Garrison Keillor, A Prairie Home Companion has influenced popular culture since its first live radio broadcast in 1974. The program, listened to by millions each week, is performing live this weekend from Wolf Trap’s Filene Center in Vienna, Virginia. Special guests include harmonica player Howard Levy, singer Aoife O’Donovan, and folk music group The Milk Carton Kids. Discover the program’s signature brand of humor and storytelling through iconic segments like “The News from Lake Wobegon,” read by Keillor himself.
This weekend, May 10 - 12, the Washington, DC area is bursting with a variety of spring-time activities for the whole family. Whether you're looking for a trip down memory lane, great live music, a celebration of history, or a cultural journey, there's something for everyone on the calendar. Read on for WETA Around Town's event highlights for this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Innocent & The E Street Shuffleat The Hamilton Live. This tribute concert celebrates the to two of the most loved albums in rock and roll history: Van Morrisons’ 1970 ‘Moondance’ and Bruce Springsteen's 1973 'The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle’. The Hamilton is the newest member of the Clyde's Restaurant Group following tradition with top of the line food and live music. So if you're looking for an all-in-one musical adventure, this is the ticket! Featuring performances by: Justin Jones, Brian Simms, Luke Brindley, Owen Danoff, Billy Coulter, Daryl Jr. Cline, Tommy Lepson, Jon Carroll, Tony Denikos, Kirk Philips, Margot MacDonald & more.
In a city like Washington, DC where transportation is essential, do you ever stop to
think what life would be like without cars, buses or trains? This Saturday you will have the opportunity to show your appreciation by celebratingNational Train Day 2013 because this year’s theme is “trains matter”. Each spring, this nation-wide festivity brings communities together to honor the history of trains and how they have helped transform America. Enjoy a variety of free activities such as educational stations, arts and crafts, Amtrak K-9 unit demonstrations, train car walkthroughs and more. So if you’re in the mood for some rich history, “choo choo” choose to partake in National Train Day.
Saturday, 11am – 4pm
Cost: Free. Amtrak rides $5 per person; children 12 and under ride free.
Union Station 40 Massachusetts Avenue NE Washington, DC
All through the month of May, the Library of Congress Packard Campus will commemorate Memorial
Day with free film screenings and a live concert! On Friday, The Quebe Sisters Band from Texas will perform western swing, vintage country, bluegrass, jazz and swing standards, and Texas-style fiddling in the campus theater. On Saturday, LoC will screen “Memphis Bell”, a true story of the 25th and last mission of the American B-17 bomber, starring Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz, and Tate Donovan. Come out and celebrate history and culture with these free events this weekend!
The Quebe Sisters Band
Friday at 7:30pm
Cost: Free
“Memphis Bell”
Saturday at 7:30pm
Cost: Free
Library of Congress Packard Campus 19053 Mount Pony Road Culpeper, VA 22701
Spice up your weekend with an eclectic array of dance performances! This Saturday and Sunday, join El Teatro de Danza Contemporanea/DC Contemporary Dance Theatre as they present “Sin Decir Palabres”/”Unspoken Words,” DC’s 3rd Latin American Concert Dance Festival at the Gonda Theatre at Georgetown University’s Davis Performing Arts Center. This annual festival has a variety of dance styles, including classical, indigenous, and contemporary, and includes works from some of DC’s most outstanding dance talent, internationally recognized Latino choreographers, and world renowned performing artists! On Saturday only, American icon choreographer, Kevin Iega Jeff, will kick of the premiere of his work, Juntos, as a special guest speaker. You won’t want to miss these fantastic performances!
This weekend, get in touch with different cultures visually, musically, and locally. Travel to Maryland's Eastern shore for a home and garden tour, visit over 40 embassies for free, and enjoy Grammy award winning indigenous Mexican music by Lila Downs.
If April showers bring May flowers, then it’s time to enjoy the beautiful outdoors with a daytrip! Established in 1666, the Lower Eastern Shore area has played a key role in Maryland history, and is currently home to properties from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage is hosting a tour of eight historic and modern homes in Somerset and Worcester Counties on Saturday from 10am to 5pm. Highlights of the day include visits to “Beverly” in Pocomoke City and Watkins Point Farm outside of Crisfield. All proceeds from the tour will go back into the communities through The Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council.
Saturday, 10am to 5pm
Cost: $30 in advance and $35 on the day of the tour.
Lunch ($15) will be offered at the Teackle Mansion in Princess Anne with advance reservations.
Located at historical sites of Somerset and Worcester Counties.
Have you ever wanted to travel the world but you just don’t have the time or the money? Well we have the solution to that problem! In honor of international culture in Washington DC, Passport DC will host the Around the World Embassy Tour. This onetime event allows visitors the chance to see over 40 embassies representing six continents throughout the world. Patrons will also have the opportunity to see nine new embassies this year such as Barbados, Chile, Malaysia, Nicaragua and several others. Participants will be treated to a variety of cultural and festive activities such as food tasting, dancing, musical performances and artwork while exploring these remarkable buildings. So come on out for an experience that will truly broaden your cultural horizon.
What better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than with fantastic music? This Sunday, the Hylton Performing Arts Center welcomes Lila Downs to the stage for a performance of indigenous Mexican music and her original compositions that infuse soul, jazz, blues, and African sounds. Considered a “dazzling” and “stunning” artist, Downs has combined her passion for music and ancient culture to create powerful, edgy music with international flair as she explores topics of immigration, transformation, and social and political justice. Downs has won numerous awards, such as the 2013 Grammy award for “Best Regional Mexican Album,” and has performed at major festivals and venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall! A free pre-performance discussion for ticket holders will be held 45 minutes prior to the performance. Be sure to grab your tickets for this sensational performance!
Celebrate Arbor Day this weekend or enjoy a musical experience unlike any you've ever had. Read on for the WETA Around Town Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia event highlights for this weekend, April 26 - 28.
Arbor Day (Arbor is a Latin word meaning tree) is a holiday created in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton, in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees. To celebrate these important plants within our community, the Anacostia Community Museum is holding a free event this Friday for all ages. Activities include a series of demonstrations, plantings, workshops, and hands-on activities with experts from Groundwork DC, Smithsonian Gardens and Casey Trees.
Since it opened in 1923, the Avalon Theatre has long since been a landmark for filmgoers andtheater buffs in the Washington, DC area. Not only is the Avalon known for its film festivals, documentaries, and special programs but it also remains to be the oldest operating movie house in the DC area. This Saturday, the theater will host a gala in celebration of the historic theater's 90th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of the theater’s awakening as a nonprofit.
A feature screening of actor Keanu Reaves latest production, Tribeca Films’ Side By Side: The Science, Art and Impact of Digital Cinematography and a post-screening discussion led by Washington Post film critic, Ann Hornaday will take place on Saturday. Guest appearances from directors such as James Cameron, Christopher Nolan, and Martin Scorsese too! Proceeds from the event will go to the theatre’s conversion to digital cinema projection, which is scheduled to take place in May.
Saturday: Reception starts at 5:00pm / Screening & discussion start at 6:30
Imagine a world without any music. How would you rebuild sound from the ground up, piece by piece, determining music’s most important elements? This Sunday at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center, the United States Marine Band turns off the music as it presents an educational and interactive young people’s concert called “Sound Off!”. After kicking off the performance with the familiar “Superman” theme, the music will disappear and the band and audience will rebuild music from the bottom up. Family participation is essential since the band depends on the audience’s spontaneous artwork and improvised skits for its live soundtrack. After the concert, everyone is invited to the lobby for an instrumental “petting zoo.” Though 5-12 year olds are the key demographic, all ages are guaranteed to have a good time!
Looking for something to do this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia? Check out our selection of the culinary, the classical, and more in your own backyard!
Looking for an experience that will make you feel like
you’re in the comfort of your own home, at the movies and at a restaurant all at once? There’s a solution for your hankering. The Workhouse Arts Center will be hosting Dinner and a Movie Night Friday evening, a special event that blends food and film. Watch the classic Alfred Hitchcock movie, REAR WINDOW, and select from a buffet style menu that includes sliced marinated steak, sliced chicken in marsala sauce, mashed Yukon potatoes, mixed green salad, and more.
This Saturday, award-winning guitarist Orlando Roman will be performing the works of Albéniz, Turina, Ponce, Barrios, Mertz, and Brouwer in a concert sponsored by the Washington Conservatory of Music. Come and let this accomplished performer serenade you with the wonders of his classical guitar.
The Asphalt Orchestra is no ordinary marching band. Instead of fight songs, shrill renditions of Sousa, and militaristic uniforms and dance routines, this group’s music and choreography is unpredictable and even jazzy! Join the 12-piece group as they fire up the Alden Theatre with music by Frank Zappa, David Byrne, Björk, and many more. Don’t miss out on this innovative evening!
And if you’re in the mood for a day at the museums, visit Color, Line, Light: French Drawings, Watercolors, and Pastels from Delacroix to Signac at the National Gallery of Art. Check out what our critics have to say about it! Watch the video here!
In this crime drama directed by Derek Cianfrance, a motorcycle stunt driver, played by Ryan Gosling, begins robbing banks to provide for his lover and newborn child.
Cannes comes to Washington with the U.S. open of Italian director Matteo Garrone's drama this weekend. REALITY, starring Aniello Arena, follows a fishmonger who becomes obsessed with appearing on a reality TV show.
Looking for something to do this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia? Check out our selection of memorable movie music, mind-bending acrobatics, and more in your own backyard!
Often, the music from your favorite film can be just as memorable as the visuals. Take your ears on a trip through Hollywood this Friday, as Chuck Redd plays tunes from popular movies like ANATOMY OF A MURDER, THE WIZARD OF OZ, and Woody Allen's recent MIDNIGHT IN PARIS. Redd’s jazz renditions on the vibraphone will be enough to see Dorothy’s ruby red slippers, even without them projected on a screen.
Venture into a landscape of disappearing dreams, distorted visions, and jumbled memories! This Friday and Saturday at George Mason’s Center for the Arts, indulge in Les 7 Doigts de la Main’s acrobatic and theatrical experience, PSY. This prominent Canadian troupe’s most recent creation juxtaposes dark issues, from insomnia to amnesia, with circus arts like the German wheel, teeterboard, and aerial rope. PSY portrays the beauty and commonality of neuroses while celebrating the endurance of the individual to prevail against ailments and self-imposed limitations. Don’t miss out on this “mind-bending journey into the human ego”!
Friday, 8pm
Saturday, 2pm & 8pm
Cost: $24-$48; youth through grade 12 half price when accompanied by an adult
Before the rise of the Digital Age, billboards, storefronts, murals and even street signs were all painted by hand. But this art has not been completely lost. With many business owners seeking an ‘old school’ look, renewed interest in traditional sign painting has recently revived the craft.
Filmmakers Faye Levine and Sam Macon captured the stories of over two dozen sign painters in their new film, fittingly titled SIGN PAINTERS. Levine and Macon traveled from coast to coast and created the first anecdotal history of sign painting. Join Levine and Macon for the film’s world premiere, followed by a Q&A session and a signing of the companion book.
What if all 142 of your children filed a lawsuit against you at the same time? That’s the news Patrick Huard’s character must face in Ken Scott’s comedy, which is finally seeing its U.S. premiere.
This German crime thriller, starring Ulrick Thomsen and Claudia Michelsen and directed by Baran bo Odar, brings us to the summer 23 years after the disappearance of a 13-year-old girls occurred.
Spring has sprung in Washington and that means one thing for locals and tourists alike; lots of pink. Thousands flock into the city each year to see the blooming trees during the National Cherry Blossom Festival, but don’t let the fluffy flowers obscure your view of the rest of the cultural events happening around DC. We’ve compiled a list of the top Cherry Blossom Festival happenings around town, so be sure to check out some art and performances along with this year’s dose of pink.
The tradition of visiting the Cherry Blossoms each year is something passed down from old to young. Whether in the 1st or 4th generation, make these events are apart of this year’s family outing.
Some of the most impressive works of craftsmanship come from Japan. During this year’s Cherry Blossom Festival, try your hand at creating some of the most iconic Japanese style art.
What to do in this wonderful spring weather?! This weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia check out a jazzy birthday bash, a Japanese drum performance, a major environmental film festival, and more! Here's the details on our featured weekend events!
If you could celebrate your birthday anyway you wanted, how would you celebrate it? For Grammy Award-winning drummer Jack DeJohnette, celebrating with class and style is always on the agenda. DeJohnette is most widely recognized for joining Miles Davis’s band and helping to change the face of jazz with their album, Bitches Brew. He is also known for his association with artists such as John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Herbie Hancock. In celebration of his 70th birthday, DeJohnette wants to do nothing more than jazz things up at the Terrace Theatre. Currently on an international tour with pianist Geogre Colligan, saxophonist Tim Ries and bassist Jerome Harris, the NEA Jazz Master will play a little music with his friends, ranging from cool jazz rhythms to bittersweet memories.
And beats with energy that will make you want to see them again! This Saturday, join Kodo, a traditional Japanese drum troupe, as they take over the DAR Constitution Hall. Kodo uses ancient and modern compositions to achieve physical and musical versatility that surpasses language barriers. Kodo is known for its performers not only playing the drums, but also using their bodies to tell a story. Experience how the power of sound can create emotions ranging from laughter to aggression to even fear. This show will be an unforgettable experience for all of your senses!
Spring is finally in the air! If you don’t see enough green outside, catch it on the big screen. Celebrate the outdoors with the first weekend of the Environmental Film Festival in the nation’s capital, running March 12 through 24 at museums, embassies, universities, libraries and local theaters. The theme of this year’s festival is the role of rivers and watersheds in the global environment. 190 documentary, narrative, animated, archival, experimental and children’s films were selected to highlight this and many other ecological issues. The festival will feature 110 Washington, D.C. area premieres, including this weekend’s Amazon Gold, on Friday at the National Geographic Society, Cinderella Moon, on Saturday and Sunday at the National Gallery of Art, and More Than Honey on Sunday at AFI Silver Theater. Discover the wonders of the world and the perils that endanger them this weekend through next.
This Romanian film directed by Cristian Mungiu follows the friendship of two young women (Cosmina Stratan and Cristina Flutur) who were raised in the same orphanage as children.
India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) becomes infatuated with her Uncle Charlie (Matthew Good) when he comes to live with her and her unstable mother (Nicole Stoker) following the death of her father. This film directed by Chan-wook Park is largely drama with plenty of mystery and thriller in the mix as India learns more and more about her disturbed family.
Looking for something to do this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia? Check out our selection of free dancing lessons, silent film fun, and more in your own backyard!
Dancing in Bethesda
Put on those dancing shoes because this weekend is Dance Bethesda! The two-day event starts Friday night with free dance lessons and parties, hosted by studios in downtown Bethesda. Try your foot at rumba, social dancing, ballroom, hip-hop, tap, folklore, salsa, swing, tango, and jazz or watch demonstrations throughout the night. Then on Saturday, a group of seven dance companies will perform at Round House Theatre for the 9th annual Dance Bethesda Concert. (They’ve been being selected from a group of 50 local contestants.) With a variety of dance genres, like contemporary from the Christopher K. Morgan & Artists, Central Asian from the Silk Road Dance Company and ballet from The Washington School of Ballet, this event will provide a well-rounded selection of the most talented dancers in the Washington, D.C. area.
Open Studio Night- Friday, 8-10:30pm
Cost: Free
Studios hosting open houses include: Dance Bethesda Dance Studio, Dansez! Dansez!, Du-Shor Dance Studio, Joy of Motion Dance Center (6:30-9:45pm), and The Mindfulness Center.
Bethesda Dance Concert
Saturday, 8pm
Cost: $20 for adults, $10 for children 12 and under
This Saturday, indulge your senses with lavish costumes and drama with the Freer Gallery’s presentation of “Intolerance: Silent Film with Live Musical Accompaniment.” Intolerance, one of the masterpieces of the Silent Era, looks at Man’s persistent “intolerance” throughout the ages and connects stories from four very different time periods: the American “modern” melodrama of 1914, the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572, the fall of Babylon at the hands of the Persians in 539 BCE, and the death of Jesus Christ. This film program is presented in conjunction with the Sackler Gallery’s exhibition of the Cyrus Cylinder, which will be featured in an upcoming segment of WETA Around Town!
Saturday, 3pm
Cost: Free
Freer Gallery 1200 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20013
A Family Adventure in Time Travel
If you could go back in time, what period would you travel to? Would you go back in time to the Medieval Age or to the days at Woodstock? What about the Civil War Era? Well, if you said the Civil War, you are in luck. As a tie-in with “The Civil War and American Art” exhibition, the Smithsonian American Art Museum will be hosting Civil War Family Day. Kids and families will have the opportunity to learn about the men, women and children of the mid-1800s by participating in an afternoon full of Civil War related activities, such as craft making, photography, music, scavenger hunts and more. So join them this Saturday for a fun-filled day in the past at the Kogod Courtyard.
Psst! After the Civil War Family Day festivities have wrapped up, take the kids to the accompanying exhibition, “The Civil War and American Art.” Here’s what our critics have to say about it.
Australian director Cate Shortland’s second feature is a WWII thriller that tracks the 900 km journey of five siblings (including Saskia Rosendahl, Kai Malina, Nele Trebs, and Ursina Lardi) as they make their way to their grandmother’s house near Hamburg, Germany after Allied Forces arrest their Nazi parents.
This post-WWII drama by British director Peter Webber (GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING and HANNIBAL RISING) traces an American general’s (Tommy Lee Jones) investigation of Japanese Emperor Hirohito’s (Takatarô Kataoka) role in the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Looking for something to do this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia? Check out our selection of cinematic spectacles, marching band talent, eclectic jazz, and more in your own backyard!
Begin the weekend with a night of culture and cuisine! The Workhouse Arts Center is celebrating India by hosting a dinner and movie! The Arts Center, a converted prison, will be presenting the film Saawariywa, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. This Bollywood drama centers on a man and woman who meet in a small town and the past circumstances that prevent them from being together. Aroma Indian Restaurant will be catering the event with authentic Tandoori-style meats and vegetarian options.
Have you ever wondered what happens to the band members after football season is over? Well, sports might be seasonal but the music must go on. The Music Center at Strathmore brings visitors a unique musical performance in honor of the black marching band tradition. A group of 30 marching band members from a variety of Historically Black Colleges and Universities come together to deliver a performance that embraces Motown, hip hop, pop and several other genres. Known for their explosive drum beats and cool rhythm, Drumline Live will certainly get your heart pumping and your feet moving. So if you’re in the mood for fun dance moves and customary band music, don’t miss HBCU’s “fifth quarter” performance.
Want another Friday night option? Start off on the right beat! Strathmore presents “Friday Night Eclectic: An Evening of Jazz with THIEFS.” THIEFS is a “grammatically incoherent” jazz group that intertwines aspects of modern composition and improvisation into a “boundary-less foundation” of beats. Led by drummer and vocalist Guillermo E. Brown, bassist Keith Witty, and saxophonist Christophe Panzani, THIEFS seamlessly shifts from fully electronic to acoustic with their sometimes mellow, other times harsher, grooves. During intermission, enjoy an original jazz dance performance inspired by Satomi Shirai’s photography.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art is hosting a free Family Day Extravaganza, which is jam-packed with music-themed activities throughout the gallery. Get ready to groove by creating and wearing a button with your own band name and logo, complimented by music-themed face paint. Next, get down with some breakdancers from The Lab DC, learn how to scratch records like a DJ with DJ Scratch Academy, or make and play your own clay whistle. Leave your mark with a cause-worthy poster and original graffiti on a DIY tee. Afterwards, be sure to take a tour of the gallery, including their new “Pump Me Up: D.C. Subculture of the 1980s” exhibition. (We’ll be airing our critics’ discussion of the exhibition later this month!) At the end of the day, march off in a send-off by percussionists Eddie Eatmon and Rivum Brigade.
Folger Theatre’s Henry V was originally supposed to close this weekend, but due to popular demand, they’ve extended the production’s run. If you can’t see it this weekend, see it next weekend. After that, you’re out of luck! Here’s what our critics have to say about the
Millions of Americans experience hunger every year. This documentary, directed by Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush and starring the likes of Jeff Bridges and Tom Colicchio, not only explores causes of the problem, but also proposes solutions.
Based on the UK television show, this British film directed by Nick Love tells the story of a jaded detective (Ray Winstone) in the Flying Squad of London’s Metropolitan police.
On Friday, The Alden Theatre of McLean Community Center is presenting E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial during their free Family Movie Night. This 1982 sci-fi film, directed by Steven Spielberg, is about a young boy named Elliott who finds a stranded extraterrestrial. Through trials and tribulations, he must find the courage to defy the authorities to help the alien return to its home planet. 
Heritage Month, the National Museum of the American Indian will be holding Eia Hawai’i: Celebrating Native Hawaiian Culture this Saturday and Sunday. This year, visitors can celebrate wayfinding, or navigation, and the Polynesian seafarers who discovered the Hawaiian Islands by watching and learning about hula, taking in a cooking demonstration, watching films and presentations, and meeting and greeting Hawaiian guests. There will also be a concert at 5pm on Saturday in the Welcome Plaza, featuring Amy Hanaiali’I Gilliom with opening act The Aloha Boys. 
think what life would be like without cars, buses or trains? This Saturday you will have the opportunity to show your appreciation by celebrating 
Day
present 
history, and is currently home to properties from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage is hosting a tour of eight historic and modern homes in Somerset and Worcester Counties on Saturday from 10am to 5pm. Highlights of the day include visits to “Beverly” in Pocomoke City and Watkins Point Farm outside of Crisfield. All proceeds from the tour will go back into the communities through The Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council. 
DC, Passport DC will host the Around the World Embassy Tour. This onetime event allows visitors the chance to see over 40 embassies representing six continents throughout the world. Patrons will also have the opportunity to see nine new embassies this year such as Barbados, Chile, Malaysia, Nicaragua and several others. Participants will be treated to a variety of cultural and festive activities such as food tasting, dancing, musical performances and artwork while exploring these remarkable buildings. So come on out for an experience that will truly broaden your cultural horizon. 
African sounds. Considered a “dazzling” and “stunning” artist, Downs has combined her passion for music and ancient culture to create powerful, edgy music with international flair as she explores topics of immigration, transformation, and social and political justice. Downs has won numerous awards, such as the 2013 Grammy award for “Best Regional Mexican Album,” and has performed at major festivals and venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall! A free pre-performance discussion for ticket holders will be held 45 minutes prior to the performance. Be sure to grab your tickets for this sensational performance! 
theater buffs in the Washington, DC area. Not only is the Avalon known for its film festivals, documentaries, and special programs but it also remains to be the oldest operating movie house in the DC area. This Saturday, the theater will host a gala in celebration of the historic theater's 90th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of the theater’s awakening as a nonprofit. 
piece by piece, determining music’s most important elements? This Sunday at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center, the United States Marine Band turns off the music as it presents an educational and interactive young people’s concert called “Sound Off!”. After kicking off the performance with the familiar “Superman” theme, the music will disappear and the band and audience will rebuild music from the bottom up. Family participation is essential since the band depends on the audience’s spontaneous artwork and improvised skits for its live soundtrack. After the concert, everyone is invited to the lobby for an instrumental “petting zoo.” Though 5-12 year olds are the key demographic, all ages are guaranteed to have a good time! 
Sousa, and militaristic uniforms and dance routines, this group’s music and choreography is unpredictable and even jazzy! Join the 12-piece group as they fire up the Alden Theatre with music by Frank Zappa, David Byrne, Björk, and many more. Don’t miss out on this innovative evening! 
This Friday and Saturday at George Mason’s Center for the Arts, indulge in Les 7 Doigts de la Main’s acrobatic and theatrical experience, PSY. This prominent Canadian troupe’s most recent creation juxtaposes dark issues, from insomnia to amnesia, with circus arts like the German wheel, teeterboard, and aerial rope. PSY portrays the beauty and commonality of neuroses while celebrating the endurance of the individual to prevail against ailments and self-imposed limitations. Don’t miss out on this “mind-bending journey into the human ego”! 
seeking an ‘old school’ look, renewed interest in traditional sign painting has recently revived the craft. 
Cherry Blossom Festival, but don’t let the fluffy flowers obscure your view of the rest of the cultural events happening around DC. We’ve compiled a list of the top Cherry Blossom Festival happenings around town, so be sure to check out some art and performances along with this year’s dose of pink. 
a traditional Japanese drum troupe, as they take over the DAR Constitution Hall. Kodo uses ancient and modern compositions to achieve physical and musical versatility that surpasses language barriers. Kodo is known for its performers not only playing the drums, but also using their bodies to tell a story. Experience how the power of sound can create emotions ranging from laughter to aggression to even fear. This show will be an unforgettable experience for all of your senses! 
Celebrate the outdoors with the first weekend of the Environmental Film Festival in the nation’s capital, running March 12 through 24 at museums, embassies, universities, libraries and local theaters. The theme of this year’s festival is the role of rivers and watersheds in the global environment. 190 documentary, narrative, animated, archival, experimental and children’s films were selected to highlight this and many other ecological issues. The festival will feature 110 Washington, D.C. area premieres, including this weekend’s Amazon Gold, on Friday at the National Geographic Society, Cinderella Moon, on Saturday and Sunday at the National Gallery of Art, and More Than Honey on Sunday at AFI Silver Theater. Discover the wonders of the world and the perils that endanger them this weekend through next.
starts Friday night with free dance lessons and parties, hosted by studios in downtown Bethesda. Try your foot at rumba, social dancing, ballroom, hip-hop, tap, folklore, salsa, swing, tango, and jazz or watch demonstrations throughout the night. Then on Saturday, a group of seven dance companies will perform at Round House Theatre for the 9th annual Dance Bethesda Concert. (They’ve been being selected from a group of 50 local contestants.) With a variety of dance genres, like contemporary from the Christopher K. Morgan & Artists, Central Asian from the Silk Road Dance Company and ballet from The Washington School of Ballet, this event will provide a well-rounded selection of the most talented dancers in the Washington, D.C. area. 
you said the Civil War, you are in luck. As a tie-in with “The Civil War and American Art” exhibition, the Smithsonian American Art Museum will be hosting Civil War Family Day. Kids and families will have the opportunity to learn about the men, women and children of the mid-1800s by participating in an afternoon full of Civil War related activities, such as craft making, photography, music, scavenger hunts and more. So join them this Saturday for a fun-filled day in the past at the Kogod Courtyard.
performance in honor of the black marching band tradition. A group of 30 marching band members from a variety of Historically Black Colleges and Universities come together to deliver a performance that embraces Motown, hip hop, pop and several other genres. Known for their explosive drum beats and cool rhythm, Drumline Live will certainly get your heart pumping and your feet moving. So if you’re in the mood for fun dance moves and customary band music, don’t miss HBCU’s “fifth quarter” performance. 
with music-themed activities throughout the gallery. Get ready to groove by creating and wearing a button with your own band name and logo, complimented by music-themed face paint. Next, get down with some breakdancers from The Lab DC, learn how to scratch records like a DJ with DJ Scratch Academy, or make and play your own clay whistle. Leave your mark with a cause-worthy poster and original graffiti on a DIY tee. Afterwards, be sure to take a tour of the gallery, including their new “Pump Me Up: D.C. Subculture of the 1980s” exhibition. (We’ll be airing our critics’ discussion of the exhibition later this month!) At the end of the day, march off in a send-off by percussionists Eddie Eatmon and Rivum Brigade.