Let’s Go to the Fair This Weekend
Head to Montgomery or Prince William counties this weekend for the start of their annual county fairs. Or get your game on and visit Otakon, the Japanese anime and gaming convention at the convention center. You really don’t want to be downtown! The white supremist Unite the Right 2 rally marks the one-year anniversary of the Charlottesville, Va., rally at which a counterprotester was killed and two Virginia State Police troopers died in a helicopter crash. The rally is planned from Sunday evening in Layfayette Square. Counterprotests are also planned and received permits from the National Park Service for Freedom Plaza, Farragut Square and McPherson Square. Outlying areas will be affected as well, as protesters plan to meet at the Vienna Metro station between 2-3 p.m. and travel to Foggy Bottom before marching to Lafayette Square. Many buildings and businesses will be closed in the area, including those on the George Washington University Campus. Roads in the area will be shut down beginning at 8 a.m.
It isn’t going to be a good weekend for commuters either. Even Metro is warning that you should only use it if you have no other option! Beginning Saturday, a 16-day shutdown of the Farragut North, McPherson Square and lower level of Metro Center stations will be closed with buses replacing train between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle and Blue Line trains not coming into the District, running only between Springfield-Franconia and Arlington National Cemetery. Orange Line trains will single track between Vienna and Foggy Bottom and between New Carrollton and Federal Triangle at regular weekend intervals. Silver Line trains will single track between Wiehle-Reston East and Foggy Bottom, and Largo Town Center and Federal Triangle on a regular weekend schedule. Blue Line trains will run at regular weekend intervals outside of D.C. The Red Line shutdown continues between NoMa-Gallaudet University and Fort Totten this weekend with buses replacing trains at the closed Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood and Brookland stations. Trains will run every 8 minutes between Shady Grove and NoMa-Gallaudet and every 10 minutes between Fort Totten and Glenmont between 9 a.m.-9 p.m. All Red Line trains will run every 15 minutes after 9 p.m. Also, the last inbound train from Glenmont to Fort Totten will depart 30 minutes earlier than usual. Green and Yellow Line trains will operate on regular weekend schedules.
Montgomery County Agricultural Fair
Rides, games, animal exhibits and more return for the annual Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, a fixture in the county since 1949. This year’s fair includes pig races, animal competitions and demonstrations, a hypnotist performance, monster trucks Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (adults $15 online or $17 at the gate additional; children $10 and $15, respectively), a demolition derby on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. (price same at the monster truck show), chain-saw carving and acrobatic shows. Of course what would any fair be without pits beef sandwiches, BBQ chicken, corn on the cob, fresh-squeezed lemonade, ice cream, funnel cakes or fried Oreos?
Aug. 10-18 from 3 p.m.- midnight Friday, 10 a.m.-midnight the rest of the time at the Montgomery County Agricultural Center, 501 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg. Carnival hours are 3 p.m.-midnight Friday and noon-midnight Saturday-Saturday. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the gate. Children 11 and younger are FREE!. Onsite parking is $10 cash per car or free at Lakeforest Mall with free shuttles to the fairgrounds.
Prince William County Fair
Don’t worry Virginians, you can find much of the same at the Prince William County Fair. In addition to the livestock and home arts exhibits, this year’s grandstand shows include a demolition derby on Friday, Wednesday and Thursday, a truck and tractor pull on Saturday, the Dave Martin Rodeo on Sunday and Monday, a power wheels derby and garden tractor pull on Tuesday and a monster truck show on Aug. 17 and 18. There is also a circus in the kids’ zone, music nightly, camel and pony rides, mechanical bull rides, carnival rides, funnel cakes and hot sausage sandwiches.
Aug. 10-18 from 5 p.m.-midnight on Friday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Aug. 17 and 2 p.m.-midnight Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Aug. 18 at the Prince William County Fairgrounds, 10624 Dumfries Rd., Manassas. Admission at the gate is $10, children 5-13 and seniors 60 or older are $6. Children 4 and younger and active military are FREE! On Friday everyone pays $6, and Monday is half-price day. Price includes parking.
Loop
Loop by artists Olivier Girouard and Jonathan Villeneuve is a cross between a music box, a zoetrope and a railway handcar. The six retro-futuristic machines play animated fairy-tale loops set in motion when visitors work the lever together. When the cylinder starts spinning, it lights up, making the series of still images appear to move. A flickering strobe effect accompanies the black and white images, like in the very first motion pictures. The animation is visible from inside or outside the cylinder and can be viewed from up close or far away. The speed at which the images move, the frequency of the flickering and the tempo of the music are determined by how fast the participants move the lever.
Aug. 8-Sept. 16 continuously at the Park at CityCenterDC, 10th and I Streets Nw. Admission is FREE!
Otakon
Asian pop culture including anime, manga, music, movies and video games is the focus of Otakon, which takes fandom to a new level. After 18 years in Baltimore, one of America’s largest anime conventions moved to D.C. last year and returns this weekend. It is a celebration of Japanese culture, from anime and manga to arcade games, karaoke and cosplay, and you might run into some Marvel or D.C. superheroes or Harry Potter and his friends as well. Expect plenty Q&A panels with anime directors and voice actors, free video game sessions, movie screenings, art displays, dance parties, costume contests, workshops and celebrity appearances at this three-day celebration.
Aug. 10 and 11 from 9 a.m.-2 a.m. and Aug. 12 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place NW. Membership in Otakorp, which includes admission to the convention, is $100 for adults online or at the door. You can also get a Saturday and Sunday trial membership for $70 or a Sunday-only trail for $40.
Breaking News: Alexander Hamilton
With Hamilton running at the Kennedy Center, it is the perfect time to check out Breaking News: Alexander Hamilton, an in-depth exhibit on Alexander Hamilton himself. Through historical newspapers, you will discover some of Hamilton’s greatest accomplishments and influential life events, including his plans for a National Bank and his endorsement of Thomas Jefferson for president.
Through Sept. 9 from 11-5 p.m. Monday and Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday (except Aug. 12 due to the Unite the Right 2 white supremist rally) at the George Washington University Museum, 701 21st St. NW. Suggested donation is $8 for non-members.
Truckeroo
Truckeroo brings local food trucks to The Bullpen near Nationals Park to dole out everything from barbeque to crepes to premium, hand-scooped ice cream. About a dozen wheeled food sellers show up, and there are picnic tables and shade to keep things cool. This months food trucks include Fireman’s Café, Pittsburgh Rick’s, Crepe Love, Millie’s, Orange Cow and People’s Bao. There will also be games, cold beverages and live music to create the full-on summer experience.
Aug. 10 from 4-11 p.m. at The Bullpen, 1299 Half St. SE. Admission is FREE!
The Late Shift: Summer Fling
The Alexandria art studio is throwing it back to its early days with The Late Shift: Summer Fling, a dance party highlighting music from the 70s through today to celebrate the art center’s nearly five decades — all curated by DJ Starchild. Retro attire is encouraged. Guest can attend a reception for Illuminate, a special glow-in-the-dark exhibit; make summer fling banners or a corsage for their sweetheart, take photos at a selfie station, participate in art workshops and see pop-up demonstrations.
Aug. 10 from 7-10 p.m. at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria. Admission is FREE, but an RSVP is requested.
A Garden Party: From Africa to Asia
Hang out in the beautiful Enid A. Haupt Garden during A Garden Party: From Africa to Asia, a Smithsonian at 8 event. You will have late-night access to the National Museum of African Art and the Sackler Gallery, where you can view art from the African and Asian continents. The garden party will also feature music from DJ As-One, specialty cocktails, curator talks, a GIF photo booth, a cash bar, Asian and African-inspired cuisine from vendors including People’s Bao, West Tribes and Haenyo, and beer samples. Dress in your garden party best!
Aug. 10 from 8-11 p.m. at the Enid A. Haupt Garden, 12 Independence Ave. SW. Tickets are $30 general admission or $50 VIP in advance or $35 and $60, respectively, at the door (credit card only), if available.
Alexandria Sidewalk Sale
More than 50 shops in Old Town Alexandria and Del Ray will have specials this weekend during the ninth annual Alexandria Sidewalk Sale, with discounts of up to 80 percent on new shoes, designer consignment, the latest books or vintage barware. The website has a map with a full list of merchants and deals and participants will have yellow balloons outside. Parking is free all weekend!
Aug. 11 and 12 at participating local independent merchants in the Old Town and Del sections of Alexandria. Hours vary by location. Admission is FREE!
Investigating Where We Live
The National Building Museum asked local teens how the arts and culture impact their hometown for this annual exhibit. This year, Investigating Where We Live highlights local artists and residents while also showing the teens’ view of the District through artwork, photography and the written word produced during this year’s five week summer program..
Aug. 11 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors 60 and older, students with valid ID and youth ages 3-17 at the door. Children are FREE!
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Before she got her big break in the 1980s, singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter played open-mic nights at such -now-defunct D.C. venues as Gallagher’s in Cleveland Park and Food for Thought in Dupont Circle. It is easy to imagine her playing her biggest hits — the ones that won her four straight Grammy Awards in the early ’90s — at those bars, with their easygoing yet writerly mix of country, folk, rock and various strands of Americana. It’s that focus on songwriting that illuminates Carpenter’s March release, Sometimes Just the Sky, in which she revisits songs from across her decades-long career.
Aug. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts’ Filene Center, 1645 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $28-$65.
Cher
The Goddess of Pop finishes up her run at the MGM National Harbor this Saturday and Sunday nights. In a career that spans more than 50 years, Cher has had smashing success in all realms of entertainment, from her days starring on television alongside Sonny Bono to her chart-topping music to her Academy Award-winning acting career. Hear her legendary catalogue and watch her stunning stage show inside the state-of-the-art Theater at the MGM National Harbor.
Aug. 11 and 12 at 8 p.m. at the Theater at MGM National Harbor, 101 MGM National Ave., Oxon Hill. Tickets are $93-$254.
Forty Years of Exhibitions: A Baker’s Dozen Memorable Shows
The National Gallery of Art has put on a litany of memorable exhibits across the last four decades in its East Building. This Sunday lecture, Forty Years of Exhibitions: A Baker’s Dozen Memorable Shows will showcase more than a dozen of them, exhibiting highlights from each, including unforgettable photography, paintings and other images. Senior lecturer Eric Denker will lead the review.
Aug. 12 at 2 p.m. at the National Gallery of Art, Sixth and Constitution Avenue NW. 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 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: Soldier, Secretary, Icon from 10a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through March 3 at the National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE. Admission is FREE!
The American Revolution: A World War from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through July 9 at the National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution 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!
Baseball Americana from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday through June 2019 at the Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. Admission is FREE!
Baselitz: Six Decades from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Sept. 16 at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Independence Avenue and Seventh Street SW. Admission is FREE!
Black Out: Silhouettes Then and Now from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. through Mar. 10 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
The Bridges of Madison County at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday through Sept. 3 at The Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. Tickets are $59 for adults, $54 for seniors 62 and older and $49 for those 25 and younger.
Botanical Art Worldwide: America’s Flora from 10 a.m-5 p.m. daily through Oct. 15 at the U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
Bound to Amaze: Inside a Book-Colleting Career from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday through Nov. 25 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 youth 18 and younger.
The Color Purple at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and 2p.m. Saturday and Sunday through Aug. 26 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $79-$149.
Community Policing in the Nation’s Capital 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 60 and older, students with valid ID and youth ages 3-17 Children are FREE!
Daguerreotypes: Five Decades of Collecting from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through June 2 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Dave at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday through Aug. 19 at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. Tickets are $76-$125.
Diane Arbus: A Box of Ten Photographs from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Jan. 21 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
LAST CHANCE! Does the Body Rule the Mind, or Does the Mind Rule the Body? from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Aug. 12 at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Independence Avenue and Seventh Street SW. 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!
Evicted from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday through May 19 at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Admission is FREE!
Fabergé Rediscovered from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday through Jan. 13 at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, $10 for college student, $5 for children 6-18 and FREE for children younger than 6. Adults and seniors get $3 off weekdays and $1 off on weekends when purchased online.
Friday Night Concert Series from 7-9 p.m. Fridays through Aug. 24 at Yards Park, 355 Water St. SE. Admission is FREE!
Fridays at the Fountain from 5-9 p.m. Fridays through Oct. 19 at the Crystal City Water Park, 1601 Crystal Drive, Arlington. Admission is FREE!
Fun House from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday through Labor Day at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Tickets are $16 for adults, $13 for youth 3-17, students with ID and seniors, and $10 for Blue Star military families.
LAST CHANCE! Generation Gap at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays through Aug. 12 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $49-$59.
Hamilton at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and 1:30 p.m.. Saturday and Sunday through Sept. 16 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $99-$625. There is a limit of four tickets per household.
Heavy Metal – Women to Watch 2018 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday through Sept.16 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for seniors 65+ and students older than 18. Youth 18 and younger are FREE!
In the Library: The Richer Archive at 75 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and closed weekends through Aug. 24 at the National Gallery of Art, Sixth and Constitution Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
Jazz in the Garden from 5-8:30 p.m. Fridays through Aug. 24 at the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden, Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
Let’s Get It Right: Work Incentive Posters from the 1920s from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. through Jan. 6 at the National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Ave. 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.
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!
Marking the Infinite from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sturday, 10 a.m. -8:30 p.m. Thursday and noon-6:30 p.m. on Sunday through Sept. 9 at The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors 62 and older, and FREE for visitors 18 and younger.
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!
No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Jan. 21 at the Renwick Gallery, Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW. Admission is FREE!
One Year: 1968, An America Odyssey from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. through May 19 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Outbreak from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through 2021 at the National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
Pictures of the Year: 75 Years of the World’s Best Photography from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 20 at the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets are $24.95 for adults, $19.95 for seniors 65 and older, $14.95 for your 7-18 and free for children 6 and younger.
Playball and the National Pastime from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday through Apr. 30 at the National Museum of the U.S. Navy, Building 76, 736 Sicard St. SE. 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!
Postmen of the Skies: Celebrating 100 Years of Airmail Service from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through May 27 at the National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE. 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!
Secret Cities from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday through Mar. 3 at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors 60 or older, students with ID and children 3-17. Children younger than 3 are FREE!
Sense of Humor from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 6 at the National Gallery of Art, Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 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!
LAST CHANCE! 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.
Trevor Paglen: Sites Unseen from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Jan. 6 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
UnSeen: Our Past in a New Light, Ken Gonzales-Day and Titus Kaphar from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Jan. 6 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
War on Our Doorsteps from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday through Nov. 3 at the Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum, 437 Seventh St. NW. Tickets are $9.50 for adults, $8.50 for seniors 60 and older and military, and $7 for students.
Watching Oprah: The Oprah Winfrey Show and American Culture from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through June 2019 at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Ave. NW. Admission is FREE, but timed passes are required. Timed passes will not be required weekdays in September.
Water, Wind and Waves: Marine Painting from the Dutch Golden Age from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through Nov. 25 at the National Gallery of Art, Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
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!
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.