Geek Out This Weekend
The annual geek and nerd fest, Awesome Con returns to the convention center this weekend and so will the superheroes, comic characters and scifi characters. If cosplay isn’t for you, the Sweetlife Festival brings more than two dozen musical acts to Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia.
This weekend, Yellow Line trains will operate regular weekend service between Huntington & Fort Totten. Green Line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals between College Park and Branch Avenue stations; the Greenbelt station will be closed with buses replacing trains between College Park and Greenbelt. Orange, Silver and Blue line trains will operate every 26 minutes and Red Line trains will operate every 20 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont and every 10-12 minutes between Friendship Heights and NoMa Gallaudet from 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Awsome Con
Awesome Con, the comic and pop culture convention, is the place where D.C.’s geek flag flies highest and nerd pride reaches its pinnacle. Celebrities include Alex Kingston and Arthur Darvill from Dr. Who; Kristen Bauer, Merrin Dungey and Victoria Smurfit from Once Upon a Time; Sean Astin and John Rhys-Davies from the Lord of the Rings; Seth Rollins and Diva Natalya from WWE; the Power Rangers; the original voices of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Star Trek’s William Shatner and George Takei and http://www.awesome-con.com/washington-dc/guests-washington-dc/ more. There’s also a K Zone for kids and costume contests. More than 100 exhibitors will be selling comics, toys, video games, collectibles and all sorts of memorabilia.
May 29 from noon-8 p.m., May 30 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and May 31 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place NW. Tickets range from are $31.73 for Friday or Sunday admission to $79.32 for a three-day pass online or at the door. Kids under 10 are free.
Northern Grade
Northern Grade, the roving pop-up marketplace featuring American manufactured brands, will land in D.C. for the first time. The two-day, open-to-the-public retail experience is free and takes place inside of Union Market’s Dock 5. The Northern Grade D.C. lineup includes 26 retailers from across the US including local brands Gordy’s Pickle Jar, Appointed, Boldfoot Socks, Gitli Goods, Mallory Shelter, Jewelry, Kicheko Goods, Caryn Cramer, Mutiny DC and Federal.
May 29 from 3-8 p.m., May 30 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and May 31 from 11 a.m.-5p.m. at Dock 5 at Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NW. Admission is FREE!
Picnic in the Park
Each Friday throughout the summer, Picnic in the Park is the perfect way to enjoy lunch, fun lawn games and other activities. Thousands of people join together at Farragut Park to relax and eat lunch at the bistro tables and chairs. They also enjoy lawn games, trivia prizes and table tennis (free-play and competition). Buy lunch from the food trucks or bring your own.
May 29 and every Friday throughout the summer from noon-2 p.m.at Farragut Park, Connecticut Avenue and K Street NW. Admission is FREE!
Jazz in the Garden
There’s nothing better than free outdoor music on a warm summer night. Pack a picnic and enjoy the music at Jazz in the Garden. A different jazz artist will be featured each Friday during the summer. You can bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages, but beer, wine, sangria and mixed drinks must be purchased from the Pavilion Café. A special menu of appetizers, entrees and salads is also available at the café, while an outdoor grill will serve barbecue pork sandwiches, beef and chicken kabobs and chicken sausages. A gelato cart will also be available. Jazz vocalist Juanita Williams performs this week followed by jazz drummer and keyboardist Robert Jospe and Butch Taylor next week.
Every Friday through Aug. 28 from 5-8:30 p.m. at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
New Belgium’s Tour de Fat
Tour de Fat, New Belgium Brewing Co.’s annual traveling festival, is part bike race, part concert and part carnival. This year’s festival will feature a number of New Belgium’s brews including the rare Pear Ginger Beer, a parade and music from roots group Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds and soul singer extraordinaire Charles Bradley. There will also be yo-yo performances and vaudeville acts. Proceeds benefit the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, Black Women Bike DC, Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling, Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts and Phoenix Bikes. Last year, more than $57,000 was raised.
May 30 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Yards Park, 355 Water St. SE. Admission is FREE! Beer is $5.
Sweetlife Festival
Kendrick Lamar headlines this year’s Sweetlife Festival from 9:45-11 p.m. on Saturday. The two-day festival features more than 22 hours of music from more than 25 artists. Other Saturday performers include Billy idol from 8:20-9:20 p.m., with Calvin Harris from 9:45-11 p.m. Sunday and Charlie XCX from 4-4:50 p.m. that same day. There will also be food, lots of food. In addition to salads, there will be a chef’s corner will Spke Gjerde from Woodberry Kitchen, Erik Bruner-Yang from Totki Underground and Maketto, and Nick Wiseman from DGS. There will also be concessions from Luke’s Lobster, Shack Shack, Eat Pops, Chaia Tacos, Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza, Dolcezza, Vigilante Coffee, Gordy’s Pickle Jar and food trucks such as Takorean, Big Cheese, Pho Wheels, Crepe Love, Astro Doughnuts and Woodland’s Vegan Bistro. There’s also beer from Flying Dog Brewery, Heavy Seas Brewery, DC Brau, Stack Wines and others as well as non-alcoholic drinks from Honest Tea, Stumptown Coffee and Jrink.
May 30 and 31 starting at noon at Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md. Tickets range from $175-$350 for a two-day pass and $97.50-$225 for a one-day pass.
D.C. Bacon and Beer Festival
Fun + bacon + beer while raising money for Food & Friends at the second annual http://www.wheretoeat.in/2015-dc-bacon-and-beer-festival/ D.C. Bacon and Beer Festival. The event features creative bacon-inspired bites and tasty beers from area restaurants and breweries. Vote for “Beast in Show” for both restaurant and brewery categories. Restaurants include Art & Soul, Barrel, Belga Café, Brookland’s Finest, Cuba Libre, Dino’s Grotto, GBD, HighlineRXR, Kangaroo Boxing Club, Macon Bistro, Mad Fox, Nage, Penn Social, Smoth & Barrel, Tico and Wagshal’s. Breweries include Adroit Theory, Devil’s Backbone, Dogfish Head, Full Tilt, Mad Fox, Port City, Sam Adams and Starr Hill.
May 31 from 2:30-5 p.m. at Penn Social, 801 E St. NW. Admission is $45 http://www.etix.com/ticket/p/8516047/2015-dc-bacon-and-beer-festival-boston-eat-boston online or at the door.
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.