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 week, WETA presents inspiring documentaries about creative forces. Tonight we learn about the soldiers who created fake war props in The Ghost Army and on Friday we join ukulele artist Jake Shimabukuro on a nine month tour across the US.
Whenever we go to the movies, we know that much of what we see on the screen isn’t real. We imagine talented prop makers on film sets in Hollywood, working to create the imagined world of the next big blockbuster. But what if those props were used to alter history? The documentary The Ghost Army tells the true tale of American G.I.s who tricked the enemy with rubber tanks, sound effects, and carefully crafted illusions during the Second World War. The soldiers, many of whom were artists, carried out top-secret missions in France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, working to save lives and alter the outcome of the War. Watch the trailer!
The Ghost Army airs Wednesday, May 21 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD.
In an era of talented social media users rising to fame, Jake Shimabukuro is the perfect poster child. After playing the ukulele since age four, Jake uploaded a video of himself performing George Garrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” on YouTube, which became a viral hit with over 11 million views. The documentary Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings follows Jake on a nine month tour throughout the US and Japan, featuring performances and intimate conversations with the artist. Join us Friday and get to know the big talent behind this small instruments. Watch the trailer!
Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings airs Friday, May 24 at 9:30pm on WETA TV26 & HD.
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!
In the mood for a little history this week? Television host, Peter Sagal travels the country on his Harley Davidson in hopes of finding out as much as possible about the United States Constitution and how it functions in American society. From New York to Texas, Sagal uncovers everyday Constitution issues that are frequently topics of debates throughout the United States such as same-sex marriage, firearm regulations, and freedom of speech. Tune in Tuesdays at 9:00pm for the four part series,Constitution USA with Peter Sagal beginning tonight, May 7.Watch the trailer!
In part 1 of this 4 part series, Sagal hits the road to investigate the conflict between the law of the land and state law. Known for being one of the most radical features of the Constitution, Sagal takes an in-depth look at federalism and how it has changed the United States of America. Through a series of interviews with people around the country, we meet a Montana native who feels that he is being robbed of his constitutional rights due to firearms regulations. Next, we travel to Oakland where a man who legally owns a medical marijuana dispensary according to California law is also subject to the death penalty according to federal law. We also turn things around and check out the good that the central government does for this country by building dams, providing clean water and the development of interstate highways. Airs May 7 at 9:00pm.
In a changing day and age, Americans are taking more time to stop and think about one of the greatest contributions to this country, the Bill of Rights. In this one hour episode, Peter Sagal investigates the Bill of Rights and how it affects the United Sates today. In a country where people are extremely passionate about their rights and freedoms, new technology has people raising their hands. Has the evolution of cameras and internet challenged our basic right to privacy? And what other challenges will Americans face? Airs May 14 at 9:00pm.
It took a while but in 1868, equality became a constitutional right. In part three of this series, Sagal takes a look at the rights of the people when it comes be treated equal and how far we really have come. From equal protection to personal liberty, the Fourteenth Amendment deeply impacted the relationship between the states and the federal government. Sagal is on the road again where in Tyler, Texas, he meets a group of siblings who fought a law prohibiting children of illegal aliens from attending public school. Also, we meet two women in Berkley, California who bring their case all the way to the United States Supreme Court after they challenge the state of California for the right to marry one another. Airs May 21 at 9:00pm.
Can you believe there have only been 27 amendments in 225 years? Some might argue this is not enough but others would be happy to dispute the fact that these 27 are all the Constitution needs to be superior. Take a step back in time as Sagal uncovers the failure of the Equal Rights Amendment and how court decisions became the factor when it came to issues such as sexual discrimination. Did you know that after Iceland’s economy collapsed, a new constitution was created through the collaboration of leaders who became inspired by the United States Constitution? But why has our Constitution really lasted for as long as it has? Airs May 28 at 9:00pm.
Whether in our own backyard or across the plains of Africa, four-legged creatures have learned to co-exist with humans or migrate to safer pastures. In the new episodes of PBS’ Naturethis month, we will explore The Private Life of Deeron Wednesday the 8th and The Great Zebra Exodus on Wednesday the 15th.
The Washington, D.C. area is home to many Whitetailed deer, which enjoy eating our gardens, hopping into oncoming traffic, and slipping into the woods of our local parks. In the past century, the deer population has increased from less than a million to almost 30 million as of today. In an effort to document this ever increasing species, footage was acquired in unique ways throughout the country. In one segment, residents of Cayuga Heights, NY were given video equipment to document populations in their area, while in another segment; small cameras were strapped to the backs to wild deer. The footage acquired provides unprecedented insight into the lives of our furry neighbors. Watch the trailer!
Nature: The Private Life of Deer airs Wednesday, May 8 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD. Also Airs Thursday, May 9 at 2:00pm.
Traveling with family can be complicated, especially when it seems like everyone’s moving in a different direction. But can you imagine voyaging with 20,000 of your closest kin? Follow the story of one zebra family, a stallion, his three mares and their offspring, traveling with the herd in Southern Africa’s biggest animal migration. Taking place every year across the Kalahari’s Makgadikgadi Pans, this trek to grass and water tests the social bonds that hold zebra families together. Watch the trailer!
Nature: The Great Zebra Exodus airs Wednesday, May 15 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD. Also Airs Thursday, May 16 at 2:00pm.
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!
Grab the popcorn or set your DVRs, because the documentaries featured this Saturday night on WETA TV26 & HD are guaranteed to open your eyes to lands near and far. First we delve into American culture with POV to discover a female role model in comic books and the way modern food is produced. Next, we head overseas with Independent Lens to learn about a city filled with trash and the feuding land of Kashmir. Tune in to WETA TV26 & HD this Saturday for these inspirational movies beginning at 11:30pm.
Meet Wonder Woman, a Superheroine who has been featured in comic books since the 1940s. Learn about the history of super power and the inspiration she’s been for generations of women. Watch the trailer!
POV’s Food, Inc. investigates how mass production of livestock and genetically modified crops are putting independent farmers out of business. Be sure to tune in for this food-film if you believe in the saying, “you are what you eat”. Watch the trailer!
Cairo, the largest city in the Middle East and Africa, has no sanitation service and its trash piles up in outlying towns. Here we meet three teenage boys in Zaballeen, whose lives depend on collecting other people’s waste. Watch the trailer!
Project Kashmir was made by two filmmakers, one Hindu and one Muslim, who snuck their cameras into Kashmir. Join us for a unique look at the land plagued by religious tension and war for over 50 years. Watch the trailer!
In Performance at the White House: Memphis Soul airs on WETA tonight at 8:00pm! This show honors the soul-infused music from the mid-to late-1960s that came from Memphis, Tennessee and renowned labels such as Stax-Volt Records, which featured artists like Al Green, Ben Harper, Alabama Shakes, Mavis Stables, and more. This exciting evening in the White
House’s East Room pays tribute to Memphis. Though Memphis was a segregated city in the 1960s, blacks and whites came together to make soulful music with a mix of gospel and rhythmic grooves, which is known today as “Memphis Soul.”
In Performance at the White House: Memphis Soul is the tenth In Performance at the White House program during President Barack Obama’s administration. This edition features a wide array of classic songs performed by impressive artists: “I’ll Take You There” performed by Mavis Staples, “Soul Man” performed by Sam Moore and Joshua Ledet, “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay” performed by Justin Timberlake and Steve Cropper, “Knock on Wood” performed by Eddie Floyd, “Born Under a Bad Sign” performed by Alabama Shakes, Steve Cropper, and Booker T, “You Don’t Miss Your Water” performed by William Bell, “I Can’t Stand the Rain” performed by Queen Latifah, “I’m In I’m Out And I’m Gone” performed by Charlie Musselwhite and Ben Harper, “Try A Little Tenderness” performed by Cyndi Lauper and Charlie Musselwhite, and “In the Midnight Hour” performed by the full cast.
In Performance at the White House: Memphis Soul airs on WETA Tuesday, April 16 at 8:00pm, Wednesday at 4:00pm, Thursdays at 1:00pm, and Friday at 9:00pm. Don’t miss out on these fantastic, soulful performances!
Join WETA for Central Park Five, the latest production by Ken Burns, co-directed with his daughter Sarah Burns. In 1989, five black and Hispanic teenagers were wrongly convicted of raping a white woman jogging through Central Park at night. In 2002, after the five had served their sentences, a man named Mathias Reyes, who was already serving life in prison for an unrelated crime, confessed to the attack. The courts cleared the five’s records, yet the damage was already done, with injured reputations and years of their lives lost. This new documentary highlights the media frenzy and injustice against the accused by presenting a different side to the case that rocked New York City with its racial and social implications.
We’re taking summer vacation a little early with a trip to the ocean deep, the red hills, and the hot sun of Australia! We invite you to join us on this educational and breathtaking journey to the land where the formation of Earth itself began in the four part mini-series from NOVA: Australia: First 4 Billion Years. Scientists share some of the earliest life that inhabited the planet from giant kangaroos to deadly reptiles, and prehistoric crustaceans. See you Wednesdays at 9:00pm on WETA!
Australia is most recognized for its unusual creatures and outback terrain but it is also home to some of the oldest remains of early life known to Earth. Awakening, part one, starts in Western Australia where scientists take a look at how the planet was transformed. NOVA and host Richard Smith take us on a journey through the Land Down Under where we get acquainted with a bacterial slime that inhabited the continent and could be one of the earliest life forms known to the planet.
In this episode of Australia’s First 4 Billion Years, host Richard Smith uncovers how creatures traveled from the ocean floor to dry land. Ancient fossils unveil how these prehistoric animals took over a once lifeless land and brought it alive. Armor-plated fish and invading arthropods were just a few of the unusual ocean dwellers that journeyed to the shorelines in order to help change the face of the Earth. But not all creatures can live peacefully together. Watch NOVA: Australia’s First 4 Billion Years: Life Explodes airs April 17 at 9:00pm & April 18 at 3:00pm.
Over 250 million years ago, Australia was a host for some of the largest and most perilous creatures to roam the planet. In episode three, Monsters, Richard Smith brings viewers up-close and personal with some of these prehistoric creatures in order to reveal why they were considered the monsters of their time. Kronosaurus was an aquatic creature that received its name from the greek god Kronos and had a skull twice as long as the Tyrannosaurus Rex, making it a top predator. Scientists also reveal that these ancient reptiles were in fact not alone; mammals such as the duckbilled platypus shared the land as well.
In the final episode of this series, NOVA and host Richard Smith uncover the true ancestors of Australia. Smith reveals the last 65 million years that formed the Land Down Under into the lone but wildlife filled continent it is today. Before humans and the formation of the Great Barrier Reef, strange creatures such as giant kangaroos, massive koalas and oversized wombats once roamed the land. With their dominant size, these large marsupials truly exemplify the origin of Australia. Watch NOVA: Australia’s First 4 Billion Years: Strange Creatures May 1 at 9:00pm & May 2 at 3:00pm.
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. 
een isn’t real. We imagine talented prop makers on film sets in Hollywood, working to create the imagined world of the next big blockbuster. But what if those props were used to alter history? The documentary The Ghost Army tells the true tale of American G.I.s who tricked the enemy with rubber tanks, sound effects, and carefully crafted illusions during the Second World War. The soldiers, many of whom were artists, carried out top-secret missions in France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, working to save lives and alter the outcome of the War. 
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 
gardens, hopping into oncoming traffic, and slipping into the woods of our local parks. In the past century, the deer population has increased from less than a million to almost 30 million as of today. In an effort to document this ever increasing species, footage was acquired in unique ways throughout the country. In one segment, residents of Cayuga Heights, NY were given video equipment to document populations in their area, while in another segment; small cameras were strapped to the backs to wild deer. The footage acquired provides unprecedented insight into the lives of our furry neighbors. 
a different direction. But can you imagine voyaging with 20,000 of your closest kin? Follow the story of one zebra family, a stallion, his three mares and their offspring, traveling with the herd in Southern Africa’s biggest animal migration. Taking place every year across the Kalahari’s Makgadikgadi Pans, this trek to grass and water tests the social bonds that hold zebra families together. 
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! 
House’s East Room pays tribute to Memphis. Though Memphis was a segregated city in the 1960s, blacks and whites came together to make soulful music with a mix of gospel and rhythmic grooves, which is known today as “Memphis Soul.” 
daughter Sarah Burns. In 1989, five black and Hispanic teenagers were wrongly convicted of raping a white woman jogging through Central Park at night. In 2002, after the five had served their sentences, a man named Mathias Reyes, who was already serving life in prison for an unrelated crime, confessed to the attack. The courts cleared the five’s records, yet the damage was already done, with injured reputations and years of their lives lost. This new documentary highlights the media frenzy and injustice against the accused by presenting a different side to the case that rocked New York City with its racial and social implications. 
to some of the oldest remains of early life known to Earth. Awakening, part one, starts in Western Australia where scientists take a look at how the planet was transformed. NOVA and host Richard Smith take us on a journey through the Land Down Under where we get acquainted with a bacterial slime that inhabited the continent and could be one of the earliest life forms known to the planet.
traveled from the ocean floor to dry land. Ancient fossils unveil how these prehistoric animals took over a once lifeless land and brought it alive. Armor-plated fish and invading arthropods were just a few of the unusual ocean dwellers that journeyed to the shorelines in order to help change the face of the Earth. But not all creatures can live peacefully together. Watch 
creatures to roam the planet. In episode three, Monsters, Richard Smith brings viewers up-close and personal with some of these prehistoric creatures in order to reveal why they were considered the monsters of their time. Kronosaurus was an aquatic creature that received its name from the greek god Kronos and had a skull twice as long as the Tyrannosaurus Rex, making it a top predator. Scientists also reveal that these ancient reptiles were in fact not alone; mammals such as the duckbilled platypus shared the land as well. 
Australia. Smith reveals the last 65 million years that formed the Land Down Under into the lone but wildlife filled continent it is today. Before humans and the formation of the Great Barrier Reef, strange creatures such as giant kangaroos, massive koalas and oversized wombats once roamed the land. With their dominant size, these large marsupials truly exemplify the origin of Australia. Watch