Students Fill DMV to March for Their Lives
Despite officially kicking off last weekend, the National Cherry Blossom Festival kicks into high gear this weekend with a host of free and ticketed events. Also, the March for Our Lives against gun violence will fill Pennsylvania Avenue between Third and 12th Streets NW with nearly a half million people on Saturday, causing a transportation mess and crowded restaurants downtown. At least the weather should be better this weekend with partly cloudy skies, temperatures in the mid-40s and almost no chance of rain or snow.
With nearly 500,000 people expected to converge on the district for Saturday’s March for Our Lives, Metro will run on at rush-hour levels every 8 minutes on Saturday and regular weekend schedules. After 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Red, Orange, Silver and Green lines will operate every 20-25 minutes with Silver Line trains running between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston ONLY. After 10 p.m. both evenings, Red Line trains will single track between Dupont Circle and Judiciary Square; Orange Line trains will single track between Clarendon and Ballston; and Green Line trains will single track between Southern Avenue and Naylor Road.
Sakura Yume/Cherry Blossom Dream at Artechouse takes visitors through a moonlit floating digital environment where larger-than-life koi fish and colorful cherry blossom petals react to their presence. (Photo: Artechhouse)
Sakura Yume/Cherry Blossom Dream
Step into a moonlit floating digital environment where larger-than-life koi fish and colorful cherry blossom petals react to your presence at Sakura Yume/Cherry Blossom Dream. Take the time to contemplate the beautiful and ephemeral nature of life over an interactive 3D sculpture of a koi pond and walk a narrow lantern lit “street” that responds to your footsteps. The installation includes five unique sections of Japanese culture and tradition at the intersection of art and technology. There will also be Japanese calligraphy and the sounds of a Japanese shakuhaci flute. In the evenings beginning at 5:30 p.m. and on weekends starting at 11:30 a.m., visit the Augmented Reality Cocktail bar.
Through May 6 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m and 5:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m. (21+) at Artechouse, 1238 Maryland Ave. SW. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors 65 and older or military, and $8 for children 8 and younger.
UnSeen: Our Past in a New Light
Columbus Day painting by Titus Kaphar
(Photo: National Portrait Gallery)
Two contemporary artists highlight misrepresentations of minorities in American portraiture in the new UnSeen: Our Past in a New Light, Ken Gonzales-Day and Titus Kaphar exhibit that debuts Friday. Gonzales-Day uses photography of sculptures, busts and ethnographic casts to create installations that show how the notion of “Otherness” has become intertwined with race, while Kaphar defaces, cuts and peels back his paintings to reveal how portraits of American icons have coded racial differences and left out African Americans from their representations.
March 23-Jan. 6 from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital
March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step will screen at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Enrironmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital.
(Photo: Laurent Ballesta)
The 26th Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital, the longest-running and largest environmental film festival in the U.S., wraps up this weekend. It featured more than 100 movies focusing on the environment screened at venues all over the District. The festival also includes informative discussions and social events that will inspire dialogue surrounding these films and their themes. This year’s festival features “Stories from the Frontlines,” with films and speakers that reflect the action and passion of those who are working to protect and preserve the environment. This weekend’s highlights include Evolution of Organic, the story of organic agriculture told by those who built the movement at 7 p.m. Friday at American University’s Malsi Doyle & Michael Forman Theater. Admission is FREE, but reservations are required. Also, The Game Changers, from producer James Cameron, it is the story of James Wilks – elite special forcers trainer and winner of The Ultimate Fighter – as he travels the world on the quest for the truth behind the world most dangerous myth: that meat is necessary for protein, strength and optimal health at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Carnegie Institution for Science followed by a reception. Tickets are $35. And, March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step, about a young penguin about to embark on his first journey, at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Naval Heritage Museum. Tickets are $10.
Through March 25 at various times and locations. Many of the events are free and all are open to the public. Check the website for a full schedule, locations and tickets.
Luce Unplugged Community Showcase
Concertgoers watch a band perform at a Luce Unplugged Community Showase at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Luce Foundation Center. (Photo: Smithsonian American Art Museum)
A female-focused edition of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Luce Unplugged series features live music from local indie-rock trio Governess and avant-garde electronica from Andriana-Lucia Cotes, aka Antonia, a tasting of spirits from the woman-owned distillery Republic Restoratives and highlighted artworks by female artists from the museum’s collection. Additional beverages and small snacks will be available for purchase.
March 23 from 6-8 p.m. at the Luce Foundation Center of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Stay Amped: A Concert to End Gun Violence
Fall Out Boy headlines “Stay Amped: A Concert to End Gun Violence” at The Anthem on Friday night. (Photo: Fall Out Boy/Facebook)
On the eve of the March for Our Lives, The Anthem will host the Stay Amped, A Concert to End Gun Violence concert to benefit gun violence prevention. The all-star lineup includes Fall Out Boy, G-Eazy, Bebe Rexha, Miles McKenna and more. Student tickets can be purchased for half-price at box offices at The Anthem, 9:30 Club, Lincoln Theatre and Merriweather Post Pavilion with a valid student ID (limited to two tickets per person).
March 23 at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.) at The Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. Tickets are $100 for general admission standing, $175 for seats and $50 for students with ID.
Layla and Majnun
The Mark Morris Dance Group and Silk Road Ensamble join together to present Layla and Majnun at the Kennedy Center on Friday and Saturday. (Photo: Kennedy Center)
Tragic love is at the center of this collaborative production. Layla and Manjun is an ancient tale of star-crossed lovers, much like Romeo and Juliet. A young man, whose zealous feelings for his childhood love Layla earn him the nickname Majnun, or “possessed,” his perceived madness turns their would-be union into scandal, misfortune and eternal longing. Majnun is in perpetual search of Layla, which leads to controversy and misfortune. The Mark Morris Dance Group’s accessible dancing style will be accompanied by the acclaimed Silk Road Ensemble in this epic performance.
March 23 at 7:30 p.m. and March 24 at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. Tickets are $29-$99.
Translations
Translations at Stuido Theatre is about what happens when the British begin translating Irish local place names into the King’s English. (Graphic: Studio Theatre)
Set in Ireland in 1833, Translations is a rumination on the power of language. The British army arrives in County Donegal and begins drawing new borders and translating local place names into the King’s English. As a result, disagreement, violence and even romance are brought about, leading to a captivating play penned by one of Ireland’s greatest playwrights, Brian Friel.
Through Apr. 22 at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (except March 24) and 7 p.m. Sunday (except March 25) at Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20-$106.
To Dye For: Ikats from Central Asia
A munisak or woman’s robe make out of ikat.
(Photo: Freer|Sackler Galleries)
Ikat is a popular type of fabric made in Central Asia. The word means “to tie” in Malaysian, which is appropriate for the technique used to make ikats: threads are tediously patterned by binding and dyeing before being woven together. Over time, ikats have been increasingly used by designers, from couture gowns to T-shirts to sofa coverings. To Dye For: Ikats from Central Asia, which opens Saturday, will display roughly 30 ikat hangings and coats, showcasing the technical wizardry and historical prominence of the fabric.
March 24-July 29 from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily at the Freer|Sackler Galleries, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
Waves, all that Glows Sees
Two storytellers transport families to the sea in Waves, all that Glows Sees at the Kennedy Center. (Photo: Le Théâtre Des Confettis)
Take your littlest one to the Kennedy Center for this family production of Waves, all that Glows Sees by Le Théâtre Des Confettis from Canada. Families can follow a path of shells and stones to a warm tent on the stage, where a seaside scene awaits. Music and dreams of the ocean come next, articulated through sand shaping, shadow puppets and sound effects. The two performers bring the sea to life in this truly distinctive performance that is most enjoyed by ages 18 months to four years.
March 24-Apr. 1 at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday, and 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Tuesday through Friday at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $15.
Cherry Blossom Celebration
The Smithsonian American Art Museum holds its annual Cherry Blossom Celebration on Saturday.
(Photo: Smithsonian American Art Museum)
The Smithsonian American Art Museum hosts its annual Cherry Blossom Celebration. This family-friendly events includes taiko drumming followed by Japanese music and a performance by Okinawa’s NS Ryukyu Ballet Co., which interweaves classical dance with modern ballet and martial arts. There will also be face painting, cherry-blossom themed crafts including a tatebanko, a Japanese paper diorama, and a scavenger hunt to find spring-themed artworks.
March 24 from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Kogod Courtyard, Eighth and G Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
March for Our Lives
The March for Our Lives begins at noon on Pennsylvania Avenue at Third Street NW in front of the U.S. Capitol.
(Graphic: March for Our Lives)
The March for Our Lives will take place at noon on Pennsylvania Avenue between Third and 12th Streets NW. The march will include student speakers, guest speakers and video tributes. Musical performers include Jennifer Hudson, Common, Lin Manuel Miranda, Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and more. Up to 500,000 people are expected to attend. Banners and signs smaller than 20 feet by 3 feet by ¼ inch will be allowed at the rally, and wearable, foldable and rollable banners and signs are encouraged. The Federal Triangle Metro station will be closed during the event. Free meals are available for students on Saturday while supplies last at ThinkFoodLab, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, The Pig, 1320 14th St. NW, and The Bird, 1337 11th St. NW. Also, students younger than 18 with a valid ID can get 50 percent off meals from 11 a.m.-5 p.m Saturday at Beefsteak in Foggy Bottom, Dupont Circle and Tenleytown; Shake Shack at Dupont Circle, F Street NW, Union Station, Logan Circle, Navy Yard, The Wharf, Tysons Corner Center, Pentagon city, Inner Harbor, MGM National Harbor and Columbia Mall; and Sweetgreen at City Vista, Foggy Bottom, The Yards, Capitol Hill, Glover Park, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, 1325 W St. NW and 2238 M St. NW. Also, students participating in March for Our Lives poster making from 3-5 p.m. on Friday will get a free burger. No parking is allowed in the 300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW all day Friday, Saturday and until 10 p.m. Sunday. Also, no parking will be allowed along Constitution Avenue from Third Street to Pennsylvania Avenue and along Pennsylvania Avenue from Third to Fourth Streets NW from 7 p.m. Friday until 10 p.m. Sunday. See other no parking and road closure lists https://marchforourlives.dc.gov/page/street-closures-0 online.
March 24 beginning at noon along Pennsylvania Avenue between Third and 12th Streets NW. Pedestrian entrances will be located at Pennsylvania Avenue and 12th Street NW, Constitution Avenue and Seventh Street NW and Indiana Avenue and Seventh Street NW.
Cézanne Portraits
Self Portrait by Paul Cézanne
(Photo: National Gallery of Art)
The National Gallery of Art presents Cézanne Portraits , the first exhibit devoted to Paul Cézanne’s influential and highly regarded portraits. Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the artist’s portrait practice with some 60 paintings, as the exhibition also features the first full visual account of Cézanne’s process for these post-impressionist works. Several of the paintings are exclusive to the gallery, while some have never been shown in the U.S. before. Expect plenty of attention to be drawn to this exploration of one of history’s greatest painters.
March 25-July 1 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday at the National Gallery of Art, Sixth and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
Annapolis Oyster Roast and Sock Burning
Visitors throw socks in a bonfire at the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s oyster and sock burning.
(Photo: Annapolis Maritime Museum)
For some, the blooming of cherry blossoms is the harbinger of spring. For others, it is baseball’s opening day. In Annapolis, it is a bonfire of burning socks. The annual Annapolis Oyster Roast and Sock Burning tradition, which dates to the 1980s, is a reminder that the days of Wednesday night boat races and padding around docks without shoes are just around the corner. Bring your scratchiest winter socks to torch at the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s celebration. Tickets include unlimited raw and roasted oysters, live music by the Eastport Oyster Boys, boat tours of Back Creek, entry to the museum and optional entry into an oyster shucking contest. Beer, mixed drinks and other food is available for purchase.
March 24 from noon-4 p.m. at the Annapolis Maritime Museum, 723 Second St., Annapolis. Tickets are $25 online or $30 at the door. Kids 12 and younger are FREE!
Sakura Taiko Takover
The Sakura Taiko Fest is now an official part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. (Photo: Sarah Gilbert)
The Sakura Taiko Takeover at the Tidal Basin, formerly the Sakura Taiko Fest, is doubling in size this year, featuring Japanese drumming from nine traditional and innovative groups up and down the east coast. Enjoy the energetic and lively music and movement performance among the blossoms at the festival moves to the Tidal Basin. Visitors can also try taiko for themselves.
March 25 from noon-6 p.m. at the Performance Stage and Tidal Basin Welcome Area, 1501 Maine Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
Kingman Island Bluegrass Festival Preview
The Kingman Island Blue Grass Festival Preview will bring bluegrass groups to Atlas Brew Works.
(Photo: Kingman Island Blue Grass and Folk Festival)
The annual bluegrass and folk festival is still months away on June 9, but there is a taste this weekend at the Kingman Island Bluegrass Festival Preview. The afternoon kicks off with a jam session at 1 p.m. before Split String Soup takes the stage at 2 p.m. and Blue Plains at 3 p.m.. Proceeds for a portion of beer sales benefit the Living Classrooms Foundation, which maintains the island and offers educational opportunities to local students.
March 25 from 1-6 p.m. at Atlas Brew Works, 2052 West Virginia Ave. NE. Admission is FREE, but food and drinks will be available for purchase.
National Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony
This year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony will be held on Sunday instead of Saturday due to the March for Our Lives. (Photo: S Pakhrin/Flickr)
Normally held on Saturday, this year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony has been moved to Sunday because of the crowds expected downtown on Saturday for the March for Our Lives. Scheduled performers include singer T.M. Revolution, singer Akiko Yano, the 6821 Quintet that was specially assembled for the festival, the Sholdo Girls from Fukuoka Perfectural Yahata Chuo High School, who do calligraphy while dancing to music, and D.C.-based Japanese drumming group Miyako Taiko.
March 25 from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Warner Theater, 513 13th St. NW. Admission is FREE, but there is a $5 registration fee.
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 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.
Alexander Hamilton’s American Revolution from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday through May 16 at Anderson House, 2119 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
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!
The Artistic Table from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday through June 10 at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, $10 for college students, $5 for children 6-18 and free for children younger than 6. Adults and seniors get $3 off weekdays and $1 on weekend if purchased online.
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!
Brand New: Art and Commodity in the 1980s from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through May 13 at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Independence Avenue and Seventh Street SW. Admission is FREE!
Day to Night: In the Field with Stephen Wilkes from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. through Apr. 22 at the National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students, seniors 62 or older and military, $10 for children ages 5-12 and FREE for kids younger than 5.
Do Ho Suh: Almost Home from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. through Aug 5 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F Streets NW. 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!
Heavenly Earth: Images of Saint Francis at La Verna from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through July 8 at the National Gallery of Art, Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
Hold These Truths at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Apr. 8 at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. Tickets are $91-$111.
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.
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!
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!
The Prince and the Shah: Royal Portraits from Qajar Iran from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Aug. 5 at the Freer|Sackler Galleries, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. 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!
Remembering Vietnam from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Jan. 6, at the National Archives, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
Sally Mann: A Thousand Crossings from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through May 28 at the National Gallery of Art, Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue 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!
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.
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!
The Winter’s Tale at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 7 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday through Apr. 22 at Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $35-$79.
The Wiz at 7:30 p.m. most nights with noon matinees on Friday and 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday through May 12 at Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. Tickets are $27-$71.
Women House from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday through May 28 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors 65 and older and students and free for children 18 and younger.
