Celebrate Several Holidays This Weekend
Mardi Gras is on Tuesday. Valentine’s Day is Wednesday. February is Black Hisory Month. The Lunar New Year arrives next Friday. And while the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea officially kicked off Thursday, the opening ceremonies begin at 8 p.m. Friday on NBC. And you can celebrate them all this weekend in the DMV. Plus, the Women’s Voices Theater Festival continues one last week with many of the plays featured below.
Metro’s Red Line will single track between Grosvenor and Friendship Heights with trains running every 24 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont and every 12 minutes between Farragut North and Glenmont between 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Orange Line trains will single track between Vienna and West Falls Church with trains operating every 30 minutes. Blue and Silver Line trains will run every 15 minutes with Silver Line trains running between Wiehle-Reston East and New Carrollton. Yellow Line trains will operate every 15 minutes between Huntington and Mount Vernon Square. And Green Line trains will single track between Georgia Avenue-Petworth and Fort Totten with trains running every 20 minutes.
Chinese New Year Festival
The Smithsonian American Art Museum honors the Lunar New Year with this free Chinese New Year Festival held right in the center of Chinatown. Activities include a lion awakening ceremony and dance by John Hopkins University’s Yong Han Lion Dance Troupe, traditional paper cutting, an art scavenger hunt, red paper lantern-making and panda crafts. Guest artists from Chengdu, China will perform traditional music, Sichuan opera and acrobatics.
Feb. 10 from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Seeing Deeper: Indoor Picnic and Movie
At this point, it feels like outdoor-movie season ended years ago. Recapture some of those “Screen on the Green” vibes inside Washington National Cathedral, where the ongoing Seeing Deeper series is inviting movie fans to bring blankets and picnics into the cathedral for one night. The fun begins at 6 p.m. with a screening of the Disney version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, followed by Rogue One: A Star Wars Story at 8:30. No alcohol, glass or metal chairs are allowed.
Feb. 9 from 6-11 p.m. at the National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the preeminent modern dance company, returns to the DMV with a program that addresses race relations and the enduring influence of Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and other important musicians. The production also includes new works by artistic director Robert Battle. Get ready to be united by the power of dance.
Feb. 9 and 10 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 10 and 11 at 1:30 p.m. at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. NW.Tickets are $49-$175. Saturday night’s and Sunday’s shows have already sold out!
Noura
What does “home” mean and what will we do to protect it? Noura challenges notions of modern marriage and motherhood through a portrait of Iraqi immigrants living in New York. As Noura and her husband Tareq prepare to celebrate their first Christmas as American citizens, she looks forward to welcoming a special guest—Maryam, a young Iraqi refugee. But the girl’s arrival upends the family, forcing them to confront where they are, where they’ve been and who they have become. Part of the Women’s Voices Theater Festival, award-winning playwright and performer Heather Raffo draws on personal stories of Arab American women responding to A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen’s classic drama of one mother’s quest to balance her duty with her identity.
Through March 11 at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (except Feb. 11) and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday at Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Lansburgh Theatre, 450 Seventh St. NW. Tickets are $44-$92.
Familiar
Cultural and religious conventions bring about a familial clash in this Women’s Voices Theater Festival production of Familiar from the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. An immigrant Zimbabwean family living in Minnesota prepares for their eldest daughter’s wedding, but when she insists on observing roora, a traditional bride-price ceremony, a divide over tradition and assimilation emerges. The Tony-nominated Danai Gurira penned this exciting new play.
Feb. 9-March 4 at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, 3 p.m. Saturday (except Feb. 10) and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday (7 p.m. only on Feb. 11) at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St. NW. Tickets are $20-$105.
African American Pioneers in Aviation and Space
The National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center hosts African American Pioneers in Aviation and Space: The Struggle for Equal Access to the Skies as part of its Heritage Family Days in honor of Black History Month. A panel of guest speakers will share their tales of overcoming obstacles to make great contributions in both flight and space exploration. Aside from hearing inspirational stories, attendees can also take a special highlights tour of the museum, view special collections related to African American heroes, meet and hear from astronaut Alvin Drew about life on the International Space Station, draw their own pilot escape and evasion map and much more.
Feb. 10 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly. Admission is FREE, but parking is $15.
Valentine’s Day Card Workshop
Love is in the air at the National Postal Museum’s annual Valentine’s Day Card Workshop! Perfect for visitors of all ages, the museum will provide a bountiful spread of patterned papers, rubber stamps and postage stamps for decoration, gems and other 3-D embellishments, special cut-out scissors, washi tape, stickers, markers of every color (with a surplus of red and pink!) and more. Following their own creative instincts, kids and adults can choose whichever supplies they would like to design one-of-a-kind Valentine greetings. When finished, cards can be placed in envelopes, addressed and adorned with distinctive National Postal Museum postmark at the museum’s stamp store.
Feb. 10 and 11 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
Mardi Gras Family Day
The Anacostia Community Museum is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, soit is upping the ante for its annual Mardi Gras Family Day. For the first time, the festival will be held in the main gallery of the museum. The festival includes art workshops, clowns, magicians, fortune-tellers, face-painters, storytellers, musicians a parade and more. A free shuttle will run to and from the Anacostia Metro station during the day.
Feb. 10 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Place SE. Admission is FREE!
Cupid’s Undie Run
Revel in running like never before, and do so to help a great cause. Cupid’s Undie Run has helped raise $14.5 million for the Children’s Tumor Foundation since 2010. If you are 21 or older, strut your stuff in skimpy attire as part of a team or solo, and enjoy pre- and post-run fun, including an awards ceremony and an earned open bar. Party, run and party to help find a cure for Neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that affects 1 in every 3,000 children born.
Feb. 10 starting a 1 p.m. with the party followed by the run at 3 p.m. and more partying at 3:15 p.m. at The Park on 14th, 920 14th St. NW. Registration is $40, but the run is FREE to watch!
Lunar New Year Celebration
The recently reopened Freer|Sackler, known for the finest in Asian art, rings in the Year of the Dog with its fourth annual Lunar New Year Celebration. The event will highlight the arts and culture of the Sichuan Province, home to China’s giant pandas. There will also be live performances of opera and folk music, dancers, acrobatics and puppetry, chances to sample spicy dishes and write a Lunar New Year greeting card, interactive food and art demonstrations and the opportunity to view Chinese art exhibitions.
Feb. 11 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at The Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
Ongoing Events
1968: Civil Rights at 50 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 2, 2019 at the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Admission is $21.21 for adults, $16.96 for seniors 65 and older, and $12.71 for children ages 7-18 in advance or $24.95, $19.95 and $14.95, respectively, at the door.
4,380 Nights at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays and 7:30 p.m. select Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Feb. 18 at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Tickets are $40-$103.
Americans from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through 2022 at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Fourth Street and Independence Avenue SW. Admission is FREE!
Beautiful Blooms: Flowering Plants on Stamps from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through July 14 at the National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE. Admission is FREE!
Drawn to Purpose: American Women Illustrators and Cartoonists from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily through Oct. 20 at the Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. Admission is FREE!
Encountering the Buddha: Art and Practice across Asia from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Nov. 29, 2020 at the Freer|Sackler Galleries, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
The First Lady of Song: Ella Fitzgerald at 100 from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Apr. 2 at the National Museum of American History, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
The Great Society at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays (except. Feb. 3) and Sundays, 7:30 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays with occasional noon matinees on Wednesdays through March 11 at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. Tickets are $50-$99.
Hamlet 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and 7:30 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Mar. 4 at Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW. Tickets are $44-$118.
Hung Liu in Print from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday through July 8 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors 65 and older or students and free for children 18 and younger.
Ilya and Emilia Kabakov: The Utopian Projects from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Mar. 4 at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
In Her Words: Women’s Duty and Service in World War I from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. through May 8 at the National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE. Admission is FREE!
In the Tower: Anne Truitt from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through Apr. 1 at the National Gallery of Art East Building, Fourth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
Making Room: Housing for a Changing American from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through Sept. 16 at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for seniors 60 or older, students, and children ages 3-17.
The Marines and Tet: The Battle That Changed the Vietnam War from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday through July 8 at the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Admission is $21.21 for adults, $16.96 for seniors 65 and older, and $12.71 for children ages 7-18 in advance or $24.95, $19.95 and $14.95, respectively, at the door.
Mark Bradford: Pickett’s Charge from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Nov. 12 at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW. Admission is FREE!
Marlene Dietrich: Dressed for the Image from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Apr. 15 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Michel Sittow: Estonian Painter at the Courts of Renaissance Europe from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays through May 13 at the National Gallery of Art, Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
Mural from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and 11 a.m-6 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 28 at the National Gallery of Art East Building, Fourth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
Outliers and American Vanguard Art from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays through May 13 at the National Gallery of Art, Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
LAST CHANCE! Painting Shakespeare from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday at the Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Admission is FREE!
LAST CHANCE! Parallax Gap from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday at the Renwick Gallery, Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW. Admission is FREE!
Parallel Universe from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday through Monday and 5:30 p.m.-11 p.m. daily for those 21 and older through March 4 at Artechouse, 1238 Maryland Ave. SW. http://artechouse.com/tickets/ Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students, seniors 65 and older and military with ID, and $8 for children 12 and younger.
Portraits of the World: Switzerland from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Nov. 12 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Recent Acquisitions from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Nov. 4 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Sovereignty at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday with an occasional noon matinee on Wednesdays through Feb. 18 at Arena Stage’s Kreeger Theater, 1101 Sixth St. SW. Tickets are $41-$119.
Remembering Vietnam from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Jan. 6, 2019, at the National Archives, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
Secrets of the Lacquer Buddha from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. through June 10 at the Freer|Sackler Galleries, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
Subodh Gupta: Terminal from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through 2020 at the Freer|Sackler Galleries, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
The Sweat of Their Face: Portraying American Workers from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Sept. 3 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Tamayo: The New York Years from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Mar. 18 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Ten Americans: After Paul Klee from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon-6:30 p.m. Sundays through May 6 at The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students and visitors 62 and older and children 18 and younger are FREE!
Tomb of Christ from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through Aug. 15 at the National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors/students/military and $10 for children 5-12.
LAST CHANCE! Unnecessary Farce at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. Tickets are $45 for adults, $40 for seniors and $35 for people 25 and younger.
Washington Dollar Days with tours starting on the hour from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. except Mondays through Feb. 28 at Tudor Place, 1644 31st St. NW. Tickets, of course, are $1.
What Absence Is Made Of from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through the summer of 2019 at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Avenue Sw. Admission is FREE!
LAST CHANCE! The Way of the World at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 7 p.m. Sunday at the Folger Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $35-$79.
LAST CHANCE! Weekend Morning Movies featuring Despicable Me at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at the AMC Loews Uptown theater, 3426 Connecticut Ave. NW. Tickets are $5.59.
The Wolves at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 7 p.m. Sundays through Mar. 18 at Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20-$106.
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.