It’s an Arts Weekend in the DMV
This is the weekend for the arts in the DMV. Head to Baltimore for a full weekend of all kinds of arts from fine arts to crafts, sculpture to paintings, and reggae to classical at Artscape. Closer to home, Union Market’s summer drive-in movies series begins as does the annual Screen on the Green on the National Mall. And in some strange musical pairings, Adam Lambert and Queen will play at Merriweather Post Pavilion, while Lionel Richie and CeeLo Green come to Wolf Trap’s Filene Center. As always, there are also some food events if you don’t feel like cooking.
On Metrorail, Yellow Line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals between Huntington and Fort Totten. Red Line trains will operate every 15 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont and every 8-12 minutes between Grosvenor and Silver Spring from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Orange and Blue line trains will operate every 22 minutes after 10 p.m. on Friday and all day Saturday. Orange Line train will run every 24 minutes on Sunday between Vienna and New Carrollton, and every 12 minutes between East Falls Church and Stadium-Armory. Blue Line trains will run every 24 minutes on Sunday from Franconia-Springfield to Largo Town Center and every 12 minutes between Rosslyn and Largo Town Center (trains will be labeled and operating as Orange Line trains) as testing on the Silver Line begins in anticipation of its July 26 start. Buses will replace Green Line trains from College Park to Greenbelt on Saturday and Sunday.
Artscape
If you head to Baltimore this weekend, it’ll be hard to miss Artscape, the city’s sprawling arts festival in the Mount Vernon neighborhood. There will be more than 150 fine artists, fashion designers and craftspeople; visual art exhibits on and off-site, including exhibitions, outdoor sculpture, art cars and photography; free live concerts on outdoor stages including soul revivalists Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, R&B singer Anthony Hamilton and local reggae Beatles cover band Yellow Dummarine; a full schedule of performing arts including dance, opera, theater, film, experimental music and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; family events such as hands-on projects, demonstrations, competitions, children’s entertainers and street theater; and an international menu of food and beverages available throughout the festival site.
July 18 and 19 from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and July 20 from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. in the Mount Royal Avenue & Cathedral Street, Charles Street, Bolton Hill and Station North Arts & Entertainment District neighborhoods. Admission is FREE!
Union Market Drive-In: Summer Escapes
Union Market Drive-In is back each week from July 18-Aug. 8. Watch great films under the stars — in the convenience of your car with foods from the market and pre-show activities for movie-lovers of every age. The summer series kicks off with Forgetting Sarah Marshall on July 18 followed by The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou on July 25, Surf’s Up on Aug. 1 and Casino Royale on Aug. 8.
Fridays through Aug. 8 beginning at 8:30 p.m. at Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE. Admission is FREE for walk-ups or bikers, but parking costs $10 here.
D.C. BRGR Bash
Chefs from Café Saint-Ex, 1905, Fainting Goat, Burger Tap & Shake, Old Ebbitt Grill, Boundary Stone and more prepare their best burgers for the D.C. BRGR Bash, which includes live music from John Bowen, House of Soul and The Original Moonlighters, lawn games and a beer garden featuring D.C. Brau, Atlas and New Belgium pours. Lawn chairs, preferably with cup holders, unopened bottled water, soda and non-alcoholic beverages are welcome.
July 19 from noon-6 p.m. at 945 Florida Ave. NW, the former D.C. Flea lot. Tickets cost $27 for one admission and five samples or $47 for two admissions and all 10 burgers in advance here. Tickets increase to $30 and $50 on Saturday. Brews from any of the breweries are $5 for a 16-ounce pour.
The D.C. Scoop
Bring your sweet tooth and an empty stomach to Union Market’s Dock 5 for The D.C. Scoop, a free ice cream competition between 15 of the area’s top frozen treat factories. There will be ice cream available to taste and buy from local artisans and ice cream makers. There will be a wide array of productions including gelato, ice cream sandwiches, popsicles and of course, good old-fashioned ice cream. While a panel of judges will choose the winner, you can help pick the people’s choice.
July 19 from 1-4 p.m. at Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE. Admission is FREE!
Queen and Adam Lambert
Queen and Adam Lambert bring their North American summer tour to the DMV when Brian May, Roger Taylor and American Idol’s Adam Lambert come to Columbia as their 19-date tour wraps up with their only outdoor summer concert. The threesome first shared the stage during American Idol in 2009 for a performance of We Are the Champions. They teamed up again in 2011 at the MTV European Music Awards in Belfast for an eight-minute finale of The Show Must Go On, We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions and in the summer of 2012, Lambert performed a series of shows with Queen across Europe as well as dates in Russia, Ukraine and Poland. They also performed three sold-out gigs at London’s Hammersmith Apollo.
July 20 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. Admission is $45-$125 online or at the gate.
Screen on the Green
Screen on the Green is back, beginning with a sunset showing of the 1984 hit The Karate Kid, which introduced the world to Mr. Miyagi. Movies to be screened in the following weeks are: the Rock Hudson-Doris Day romp Lover Come Back on July 28, the Bogie and Bacall classic Key Largo on Aug. 4 and A Soldier’s Story starring Denzel Washington on Aug. 11. Bring blankets, snacks, beverages, umbrellas, bug spray and warm clothes. You can pack snacks and non-alcoholic drinks for a picnic vibe.
Mondays through Aug. 11 beginning at 8 p.m. on the National Mall between Seventh and 12th Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Lionel Richie and CeeLo Green
Considering that All Night Long and Crazy are songs you’re likely hear back-to-back at the grocery store, the pairing of Lionel Richie and CeeLo Green isn’t as odd as it may seem. The soul singers from different eras share the stage for two nights.
July 21 and 22 beginning 8 p.m. at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets cost $45-$250 online or at the gate.
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.