It Is a Jam-Packed Earth Day Weekend
It is Earth Day weekend and there is plenty to do outdoors like March for Science activities on the National Mall, National Park Week with free admission, the Rock Creek Extreme Cleanup and the National Zoo’s Earth Optimization Day all on Saturday. Sunday afternoon could be rainy, but there are plenty of indoor activities too, like Filmfest D.C. or Ballet Across America at the Kennedy Center.
Metro begins SafeTrack Surge 14 continues with the College Park and Greenbelt stations on the Green Line closed. Buses replace trains Between Prince George’s Plaza and Greenbelt, but trains will operate on a regular weekend schedule of every 12-15 minutes between Branch Avenue and Prince George’s Plaza. Red Line trains will single track between Grosvenor and Twinbrook stations with trains every 16 minutes. Trains will run every 8-10 minutes between Silver Spring and Shady Grove between 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Yellow Line trains will run on a regular schedule but between Huntington and Mount Vernon Square ONLY. Blue and Orange Line trains will single track between McPherson Square and Smithsonian stations after 89 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, but operate on regular weekend schedules. Silver Line trains will run between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston ONLY after 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Filmfest D.C.
The 31st annual Filmfest D.C. opened last night and runs through April 30. The international film festival showcases more than 80 independent and foreign films from 45 countries. Its varied lineup features comedies, dramas, thrillers, shorts and documentaries. A new category this year, Division and Debate, addresses today’s current issues. This weekend’s highlights include A Quiet Passion starring Cynthia Nixon as Emily Dickinson at 8:30 p.m. Friday at Mazza Gallerie; Lipstick Under My Burkha, about four women who rebel against ancient customs, at 4 p.m. Saturday at Mazza Gallerie; Train to Busan, a zombie-filled thriller set on a train from Seoul to Busan, at 9:15 p.m. Saturday at E Street Cinema; The Hippopotamus, about an ex-poet now theater critic who investigates alleged miracles at a onetime friend’s estate, at 6 p.m. Sunday at Mazza Gallerie; and Family Life, about a man house-sitting for a distant cousin who loses the cat and assumes his cousin’s life when he meets a woman, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at E Street Cinema
Through April 30 at various times at AMC Mazza Gallerie, 5300 Wisconsin Ave. NW, and Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Individual screenings are $13 in advance or $14 at the door. Student tickets are $10 at the door only with student ID. A director’s package with 10 tickets for $100 and a weekday package with 4 tickets for $45 are also available online.
Ballet Across America
Creativity in American ballet is honored in Ballet Across America, a week-long celebration that concludes this weekend. Programs that showcase the new directions of the art form have been curated by superstars Misty Copeland and Justin Peck. Audiences will have the chance to observe the bright future of dance in the U.S. Friday’s performance includes the Nashville Ballet in Concerto, the Black Iris Project in Madiba and Complexions Contemporary Ballet in Star Dust. Saturday and Sunday’s programs include the L.A. Dance Project in Hearts and Arrows, the Lord Duet from Year of the Rabbit, the Joffrey Ballet in Fool’s Paradise and Kyle Abraham and Abraham in Motion in The Gettin’.
April 21 at 7:30 p.m., April 22 at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. and April 23 at 1:30 p.m. at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $29-$119.
In the Heights
In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first play, will be staged in Spanish for the first time in the United States right here in the DMV. The show focuses on New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood, a multicultural community on the verge of change. The play encounters numerous characters and their stories, with music and lyrics by Miranda guiding the way. English subtitles will be provided.
Through May 21 at 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays at GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. Tickets are $60 for adults and $40 for seniors 65 and older, students and members of the military.
Fun Home
The first show written by women to win the Tony Award for Best Musical, Fun Home is based on Alison Bechdel’s autobiographical graphic novel. The action flips between the present day, Alison’s childhood and her coming out experience in college, as the middle-age cartoonist mines her unconventional personal history for answers. This distinctive Broadway musical passes the Bechdel test with a twist: none other than Miss America 1998, Kate Shindle, leads the cast.
Through May 13 at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets are $48-$203.
Pike St.
This is your last weekend to see Obie Award-winning playwright Nilaja Sun’s Pike St.. It shows off Sun’s distinctive performance and writing style in a tale about a Puerto Rican immigrant living on the Lower East Side in New York City. As she tries to keep the electricity on for her daughter’s respirator as a hurricane approaches, a mother interacts with a cast of characters, painting a vivid picture of her daily life.
April 21 at 8 p.m., April 22 at 3 and 8 p.m. and April 23 at 2 and 7 p.m. at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D St. NW. Tickets are $20-$89.
March for Science
This Earth Day, the National Mall will welcome thousands for the March for Science, which will also musician Questlove, You Tube star Derek Muller, Jon Batiste and Stay Human, Bill Nye and astronaut Leland Melvin, trainings with scientists and civic organizers and live music. Earth Day Network organizes this rally that aims to educate and indicate the immense importance of science to our society. Using the teach-in method used at the first Earth Day in 1970, the event will illuminate how leaders must be held accountable for upholding science’s role in the wellbeing of the United States and its citizens. Food vendors and portable toilets will be available. The march starts at 15th and Constitution Avenue NW and proceeds east on Constitution Avenue NW then south on Third Street NW to Union Square.
April 22 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on the National Mall on the northside of the Washington Monument. Entrances are located at 15th Street and Madison Drive NW and at 17th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Teach-ins begin at 9 a.m., main stage programs at 10 a.m. and the march at 2 p.m. Admission is FREE!
National Park Week
The annual National Park Week celebration means national parks offer free admission all weekend. Locally, that means free trips to battlefields at Gettysburg and Antietam, hikes in Shenandoah National Park and exploration at Fort McHenry and Great Falls.
April 22 and 23 during regular park hours at National Parks that normally charge an admission fee including Fort McHenry, Great Falls National Park, Shenandoah National Park, Prince William Forrest and Harper’s Ferry National Historical Park. Admission is FREE!
National Math Festival
Every member of the family can view math through a new and exciting lens at the annual National Math Festival. The daylong event includes lectures, interactive demonstrations, films including a free screening of Hidden Figures at 12:05 p.m., art, live performances, puzzles, games, book readings and more. If you think math is boring, well, this festival will prove you wrong. Many of the programs will have ASL interpreters.
April 22 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place NW. Admission is FREE!
Record Store Day
Record stores around the DMV will participate in Record Store Day, including Som Records, Red Onion Records, Smash! Records, Crooked Beat Records, Kemp Mill Music, CD Cellar, The Record Exchange, CDepot, Mobius Records and Hill & Dale. Expect all kinds of exclusive releases (although not every record store will carry all releases) including limited 7-inch singles of The Beatles’ Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane and 12-inch singles by Prince and Jane’s Addiction. There will also be special reissues of Thelonious Monk and Nortorious B.I.G. albums and a box with every Ramones single from 1976-1979. It is a perfect day to uncover or rediscover a love for music on vinyl.
April 22 during regular business hours at various locations around the DMV. Admission is FREE! Check http://recordstoreday.com/Stores here for participating stores.
D.C. Beer Festival
The annual D.C. Beer Festival returns to Nationals Park, making for one of the District’s best outdoor parties of the year. More than 80 craft breweries, including Old Ox Brewery, RAR, Jailbreak Brewing, BadWolf Brewing, Hellbender Brewing, Evolution Craft Brewing, Old Dominion Brewing, DuClaw Brewing, 3 Stars Brewing, Atlas Brew Works and Old Bust Head, will be pouring 200 fall seasonal brews, as local food trucks dish up their tastiest eats. Prepare to compete in plenty of lawn games, while DJs spin throughout the stadium.
April 22 from noon-3 p.m. or 5-8 p.m. at Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $45 and include unlimited pours. Food is sold separately.
Taste of Dupont
Taste of Dupont returns for the ninth annual celebration of the area’s culinary offerings. The progressive lunch encourages patrons to walk from restaurant to tavern with a ticket to discover new places to eat. Participants include The Chickery, Rosebud Liquor, Third Eye, Sacrificial Lamb, James Hoban’s, Icy Coe, Duke’s Grocery, Al Tiramisu, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Darlington House, Beefsteak, Panas Gourmet Empanadas, West Dupont Circle and Glen’s Garden Market. A ticket gets you entry to the participating restaurants, which will be showcasing appetizers, entrees, drinks and desserts. Eat and drink your way across the neighborhood.
April 22 from 1-4 p.m. in the Dupont Circle neighborhood. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 on the day of the event Tickets will be sold on the west side of the circle beginning at 12:30 p.m.
Dengue Fever
Dengue Fever, an eclectic group that at times sounds like several different bands comes to the DMV with a show in Rockville. Combining psychedelic rock with ‘60s Cambodian pop, Latin grooves, African percussion and horns, Dengue Fever has established plenty of indie cred during its decade-plus existence, with their music featured in numerous films and TV shows. You will be dazzled by their live show, which pulls all these influences together into one danceable stew. Fairfax band Cinema Hearts is the opening act.
April 22 at 8 p.m. at Amp by Strathmore, 11810 Gran Park Ave., North Bethesda. Tickets are $25-$35.
Rock Creek Extreme Cleanup
Join the Blue Planet Stream Team, the Rock Creek Conservancy and the Alice Ferguson Foundation for the ninth annual Rock Creek Extreme Cleanup. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes (you may get wet). Bring yard gloves if you have them. And don’t forget water — in a reusable container, of course.
April 23 from 10 a.m.-noon. Meet at the parking lot across from Pierce Mill, 2401 Tilden St. NW. Admission is FREE!
Earth Optimism Day
The National Zoo is hosting a several family-friendly events to celebrate Earth Optimization Day. There will be educational booths including coral reef conservations, reintroductions of species and others. There will also be a conservation scavenger hunt and free bicycle valet parking for those who pedal to the zoo.
April 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
Kensington Day of the Book Festival
The 12th annual Kensington Day of the Book Festival features mostly local authors selling their books. There will be three stages with live music, speakers and children’s shows including Dede and the Do-Rights, The Nighthawks, Sisters Uke & Friends, the Scott Douglass Jazz Quartet, Eli August and the Abandoned Buildings and guitarist Michael Davis. Local authors Cerphe Colwell will be on hand and cookbook author Jonathan Bardzik and friends will be doing cooking demonstrations. There will also be poetry readings, an open mic and a craft show. Food trucks Go Fish, El Pollo Submarine, Holy Crepes, Hardy’s BBQ, Balkanik Taste and Carmen’s Italian Ice & Café will be on hand too.
April 23 from 11 a.,m.-4 p.m. along Howard, Armory and Montgomery Avenues in Old Town Kensington, Md. Admission is FREE!
Shakespeare’s Birthday
Celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday at this annual event. The birthday of the Bard will be honored with birthday cake at 4 p.m., musical and theatrical performances, “sword fighting” demonstrations, discussions from theater curators and scholars, food trucks including D.C. Slices, BBQ Bus, Captain Cookie and the Milkman, Red Hook Lobster Pound and The Big Cheese and even an appearance by Queen Elizabeth I herself. Bring the whole family out to wish a happy born day to William.
April 23 from noon-4 p.m. at the Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Admission is FREE!
World War I History Tour
One hundred years ago, the U.S. declared war on Germany, a fight that President Woodrow Wilson said would “make the world safe for democracy.” Learn about the causes, impacts and leaders of the war during the World War I history tour of Arlington National Cemetery led by the cemetery’s historians. The two-and-a-half-hour tour includes a visit to the World War I exhibit at the Welcome Center and a viewing the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The tour will also cover the effect the war had on the cemetery, the U.S. involvemend in the war and senior military leaders.
April 23 from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Arlington National Cemetery, .1 Memorial Ave., Arlington. Admission is FREE, but reservations are required.
On-Going Events
Architecture of an Asylum: St. Elizabeths 1852-2017 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 15 at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors, students and children.
Artomatic from noon-10 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, noon-midnight Fridays and Saturdays and noon-8 p.m. Sundays (closed Mondays and Tuesdays) through May 6 on floors 3-9 at 1800 S. Bell St., Crystal City. Admission is FREE! Parking is also free after 4 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends.
The First Lady of Song: Ella Fitzgerald at 100 from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through April 2, 2018 at the National Museum of American History, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
The Faces of Battle: Americans at War, 9/11 to Now from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Jan. 28 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Frédéric Bazille and the Birth of Impressionism from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through July 19 at the National Gallery of Art, Sixth and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE through July 9.
A Raisin in the Sun at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. Sundays and Wednesdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, and noon Tuesdays and Wednesdays through May 7 at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. Tickets are $91-$111.
Smart People at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, noon on Wednesdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through May 21 at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. Tickets are $40-$91.
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.