The weather is expected to be mostly sunny over the weekend with temperatures in the low- to midMetr-80s – perfect for outdoor activities. There’s a charity crab feast, concerts and cultural events. For tennis fans, the Citi Open tennis tournament is at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. The men’s and women’s quarterfinals are on Friday, the semifinals are Saturday and the final matches are on Sunday. Play starts at 1 p.m. Friday and at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

This weekend, Green Line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals. Yellow and Blue Line trains will operate every 20 minutes. Red Line trains will operate every 15 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont and 8-10 minutes between Silver Spring and Friendship Heights from 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. From 12:01 a.m. Saturday through closing Sunday, buses will replace Orange and Silver Line trains between Ballston, West Falls Church and McLean stations. East Falls Church station is closed. Orange Line trains will operate every 12-20 minutes between Vienna and West Falls Church and every 10 minutes between Ballston and New Carrollton. Silver Line trains will operate on a regular weekend schedule between Wiehle-Reston and McLean only with shuttle buses between McLean and Ballston stations, where riders can board the Orange Line trains into the city to Stadium-Armory. To continue to Largo Town Center, riders will need to transfer to the Blue Line.

The Annapolis Rotary Club’s crab feast will serve 320 bushels of crabs to raise money for charity. (Photo: Rotary Club of Annapolis)

Rotary Crab Feast

Nearly 2,500 people are expected to finish off 320 bushels of crabs, 3,400 ears of corn, 100 gallons of crab soup and more at the 70th annual Rotary Club of Annapolis Rotary Crab Feast is back benefiting more than 30 local charities. Your ticket includes all-you-can-eat large, #1 male crabs, Maryland crab soup, corn-on-the-cob, barbeque beef sandwiches, hot dogs and watermelon, as well as all-you-can-drink draft beer, soda and water. There will also be a back sale and cake raffle. The event is rain or shine, but most tables are under cover.

Aug. 7 from 5-8:30 p.m. at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, 550 Taylor Ave., Annapolis. Adult tickets are $65 in advance or $75 at the door. Children age 3 to 12 are $20. Advance sales end at noon Friday. Parking is FREE!

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)

The Luce Unplugged Community Showcase series presents acoustic sets from District-based bands in the middle of a museum. Friday’s show features indie rockers Fellow Creatures with Sam McCormally, formerly of Ugly Purple Sweater, following a talk from museum staff about Howard Finster’s “Visions of a Great Gulf on Planet Hell.”

Aug. 7 with the talk beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the concert from 6-7 p.m. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Luce Foundation Center, Third Floor, West Wing, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!

Astronaut Academy

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center’s Astronaut Academy lets visitors become an astronaut-in-training for a future trip to Mars. (Photo: NASA)

Can you be one of the first astronauts on Mars? Astronaut Academy is a new alternate reality game at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center that will challenge you to become an astronaut-in-training for a future trip to Mars. What skills will you need to survive a long trip to the Red Planet and return safely? Find out by choosing what role you will play on the mission, engaging in fun, interactive activities and exploring the science, technology, engineering and math skills you need as a member of the next generation of space travelers. Along the way, you’ll learn about some of the museum’s fascinating artifacts.

Saturdays from 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, 14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy., Chantilly. Admission is FREE, but parking is $15.

FestAfrica!

Visitors to Silver Spring’s FestAfrica! watch Eddy Kenzo perform last year. (Photo: Eddy Kenzo)

Pride for African culture runs deep at the 13th annual FestAfrica!, a free event that will be held at Veterans Plaza this weekend featuring live music, dance performances, fashion shows, art vendors, family fun and African food. Click http://www.festafricausa.com/entertainment/ here for the full schedule.

Aug. 8 and 9 from 1-8 p.m. at Veteran’s Plaza, 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring. Admission is FREE!

Vietnamese Cultural Days

Essence of Vietnam, a performance that showcases the colorful cultural diversity of Vietnam through traditional musical instruments, dance and traditional costumes, comes to the Kennedy Center on Saturday. (Photo: Kennedy Center)

The Kennedy Center hosts the Vietnamese Cultural Days in the U.S. The presentations celebrate the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States. Saturday brings Essence of Vietnam, a performance that showcases the colorful cultural diversity of Vietnam through traditional musical instruments, graceful dances and traditional costumes by the National Art Troup of Viet Nam. Sunday features Miraculous Transformation, a fashion show in which designers Lan Huong, Quang Nhat, Chula and Minh Hanh are introduction special collections made from Vietnamese ethnic fabric. Miss Vietnam Ngoc Han and Super Model winner Hoang Yen joing the model team to present the collections.

Aug. 8 and 9 at 6 p.m. at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater, 2700 F St. NW. Admission is FREE on a first come, first served basis beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The Music of John Williams

Star Wars Imperial Stormtroopers attend last year’s NSO tribute to John Williams. (Photo: Oscar Banos)

While scoring the music to the movies you know by heart, composer John Williams has collected five Academy Awards and 22 Grammy Awards. You can’t think of Star Wars, Jaws or Indiana Jones — just to name a few of the contemporary classic movies he’s worked on — without thinking of Williams’s soaring scores. The Music of John Williams with the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Emil de Cou, will bring those compositions back to life under the stars.

Aug. 8 starting at 8:15 p.m. at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center, 1645 Wolf Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $20-$58.

Brewers on the Block

D.C. Beer Week kicks off with Brewers on the Block at Suburbia outside Union Market. (Photo; D.C. Beer Week)

D.C. Beer Week runs Sunday through Aug. 16 with events all week long. The week kicks off with Brewers on the Block, the official open party for D.C. Beer Week, which features at least 20 breweries, meaderies and cideries outside Union Market. Participants include 3 Stars Brewing, Atlas Brew Works, Blue Mountain Brewery, Bold Rock Cider, The Brewer’s Art, Charm City Meadworks, D.C. Brau Brewing, Devils Backbone Brewery, Flying Dog Brewery, Hellbender Brewing, Lost Rhino Brewing, Mad Fox Brewing, Oliver Ales, Port City Brewing, Realerevival Brewing, Stillwater Artisinal Ales and Union Craft Breweing. It’s one of the bargains of Beer Week too.

Aug. 9 from 2-5 p.m. outside Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE. Tickets are $35 for general admission with unlimited drinks, or 60 for VIP admission, which includes early admission at 1 p.m. and extra beers and frozen cocktails from the Suburbia trailer, the summery pop-up bar outside Union Market.

After last weekend’s cold weather, this weekend is going to feel like spring with temperatures in the low- to mid-60s. And while the Yoshino cherry trees and expected to be at peak blossom for another week – florets were spotted Apr. 1 and the National Park Service is predicting peak bloom between Apr. 11-14 – there are several cherry blossom activities going on around the DMV from a play at the Atlas theater and fireworks at the Southwest waterfront to a family fun day at the Smithsonian’s American Art Museum in Penn Quarter. Get out and enjoy!

Metro has halted weekend track work for the next two weekends as the busy cherry blossom season gets underway. Weekday ridership increases 15 percent and weekend ridership can nearly double during cherry blossom season, according to Metro. The National Park Service is predicting peak bloom for the cherry trees between Apr. 11 and 14.

Pink pyro petals will fill the air Saturday during the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival Saturday night. (Photo: All Spark Fireworks)

Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival

Enjoy free music on three stages including the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Band and Color Guard from 2:15-2:45 p.m., the Blues Alley Youth Orchestra from 5-5:45 p.m., the U.S. Army Band Downrange from 6:30-7:15 p.m. and the U.S. Army Blues Swamp Romp at 8:15 p.m during the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival. There will also be family-friendly water-related activities, cultural experiences, live entertainment including the Shizumi Kodomo Dance Troup of Japanese dancers from 3:30-4 p.m. and the American University Takabushi Soran Dance Team performing Thai, Filipino and Japanese dances at multiple outdoor venues. Other activities include calligraphy, beer garden, food trucks, koi windsocks, pipe cleaner creations, t-shirt crafting, glow-in-the-dark pasta necklaces, Japanese festival masks, face painting, ring toss, the Pink Palooza of Lighted Vessels and the Floating Lantern Spectacle at 8:15 p.m. followed by fireworks. Food trucks including CapMac, Captain Cookie, Chatpat, Crapes Parfait, Curley’s Q BBQ Food Truck, Dangerously Delicious Pies, D.C. Empanadas, D.C. Slices, Fire and Rice, Redhook Lobster, RitoLoco, Saffron Food Lovers and Tasty Kabob will be there selling food. Organizers say the best place to view the fireworks is along the waterfront closest to the Titanic Memorial in Waterfront Park.

Apr. 4 from 1-9 p.m. with fireworks at 8:30 p.m. at the Southwest Waterfront, 600 Water St. NW. Admission is FREE!

Blossom’s Rainbow

Tuyet Thi Pham plays Blossom and Jacob Yeh plays the other parts in Blossom’s Rainbow at the Atlas Theater Friday and Saturday. (Photo: Arts on the Horizon)

Arts on the Horizon’s Blossom’s Rainbow offers a unique encounter with Japanese music, dance and storytelling. In it, a painter’s brush sets a young cherry blossom’s world into motion. Infused with whimsical dance, vibrant colors, and dynamic live music, join Blossom on her journey from red mountains down to the indigo city in this new piece that celebrates Japanese culture, springtime, the natural world and friendship. The play’s subtle themes include the circle of life and the journey of the cherry blossom from the mountains to the ocean, where she completes her life cycle. The show demonstrates the beauty and gracefulness of the cherry blossom through the movement and costume. Blossom is also seen interacting with the people, animals, and her surrounding environment as she goes through her journey—the crane, the fish, the river, a school boy, a villager, a wave from the ocean. Best for ages 2-5. Performances are followed by a “free play” session giving the children an opportunity to explore the play’s materials.

Apr. 3 and 4 at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Admission is $8 online or at the box office.

Lantern Making Family Fun Day

Make a paper lantern and do other activities at Canal Park on Saturday. (Photo: Salty Pineapple)

The Capitol Riverfront BID will hold the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Lantern Making Family Day at Canal Park. There will be two sessions of lantern making for children and adults at 10 a.m. and noon. The lantern making day will feature a variety of Japanese cultural activities, as well as a moon bounce for children.

Apr. 4 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Canal Park, 200 M St. SE. Admission is FREE!
 
 

Cherry Blossom Family Celebration

Japanese dancers preform at last year’s Cherry Blossom Family Celebration at the American Art Museum. (Photo: Smithsonian American Art Museum)

Enjoy traditional Japanese music and dance performances while you make tatebanko – Japanese paper dioramas and fold origami birds and make creative cherry blossom crafts during the American Art Museum’s Cherry Blossom Family Celebration. There will also be taiko drummers and a “tea talk.” Musician Masayo Ishigure and her students will perform songs on the koto, a traditional Japanese string instrument, and the Onoe Ryu Dance Company will demonstrate classical Japanese dances and choreography

Apr. 4 from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Kogod Courtyard, 8th and G Streets NW. Admission is FREE!

Blossoms and Baseball

Enjoy Blossoms and Baseball as the Washington Nationals take on the New York Yankees in the last exhibition game of the pre-season.

Apr. 4 at 1:05 p.m. at Nationals Park, 1500 S. Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $25-$180 with $5 from every ticket sold online going to the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

International Pillow Fight Day

Saturday is International Pillow Fight Day and the Capitol Improv will hold its 7th annual pillow fight at the Washington Monument. (Photo: Capitol Improv)

It’s International Pillow Fight Day and Capitol Improv will hold a pillow fight at the Washington Monument. The rules are simple: wait until the signal to begin, swing pillows lightly since children are involved; don’t swing at people without pillow or with cameras, remove eyeglasses beforehand and leave down pillows at home – cleanup is easier.

Apr. 4 at 3 p.m. on the rectangular plot of grass between the Washington Monument and the World War II Memorial at Constitution Avenue and 15 Street SW. Admission is FREE!

Easter

Happy Easter! If you don’t feel like cooking after you’ve found all the eggs and eaten all your chocolates, several area restaurants are offering sJpecial Easter brunches and dinner. Click here to see our list.

Official Japanese Stone Lantern Lighting Ceremony

Hikari Nishimoto, Embassy of Japan Cherry Blossom Princess, lights the Japanese Stone Lantern during the 2014 ceremony. (Photo: Ryan Janek Wolowski/Flickr)

Jointly sponsored since 1954 by National Conference of State Societies (NCSS) and the National Park Service National Capital Region, the Official Japanese Stone Lantern Lighting Ceremony observance opens the NCSS Cherry Blossom Princess festivities. The ceremony features traditional Japanese music, the presentation of the United States and Japan Cherry Blossom Queens, along with the 2015 Cherry Blossom Princesses and remarks by a number of dignitaries including the Ambassador of Japan to the United States. The Japanese Stone Lantern was carved nearly four centuries ago to honor the Third Shogun of the Tokugawa period. It stands 8.5 feet tall and weighs 4,000 pounds. In 1954, the lantern was moved from Japan and presented to Washington D.C. as a gift commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first treaty between the two countries. Since then, the Stone Lantern has been lit once each year by the Cherry Blossom Princess representing the Embassy of Japan—and only during the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Apr. 5 from 2:30-4 p.m. at the Japanese Stone Lantern at the Tidal Basin, Independence Avenue and 17th Street SW. Admission is FREE!

It’s St. Patrick’s Day weekend, and with rain forecast for Friday and Saturday, many people will spend their weekend in the nearest pub drinking green beer and pretending they’re Irish. At least the temperatures are finally starting to warm up as Spring finally approaches. Although the late cold temperatures have pushed the peak bloom of the cherry blossom trees back to Apr. 11-14, there’s plenty to do this weekend inside and out. Saturday probably won’t be a good day for runners or spectators at the Rock ‘n Roll Marathon, but the weather is supposed to clear up for the D.C. St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday.

This weekend, Red, Orange and Yellow line trains will operate at regular intervals, with Yellow Line trains running only to/from Mount Vernon Square instead of Fort Totten. Blue Line trains will operate normally between Franconia-Springfield and Stadium-Armory, and Silver Line trains will operate normally between Wiehle-Reston East and Stadium-Armory. However at Largo Town Center, Morgan Boulevard, Addison Road, Capitol Heights and Benning Road, trains on both lines will arrive and depart about every 20 minutes. On Saturday, Metrorail system will open two hours early — at 5 a.m. –for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.

“UTZ: Adams Morgan Bus Stop” is one of five Best of Show winners at this year’s Exposed D.C. (Photo: Denzil Spicer)

Exposed D.C.

The ninth annual Exposed D.C. photography show, which opened Thursday at the new Capital Fringe headquarters, uses the work of local photographers of all skill levels to “tell the story of living, working and loving in this city that is so much more than a collection of monuments.” The 42 photographs tell the story of the Washington, D.C. area, not as a political venue or tourist destination, but as a place where people live, work and love every day. All prints in the show are for sale.

Mar. 14 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at 1358 NE, 1358 Florida Ave. NE. The exhibit will also be open Mar. 20 and 28 from 6-8 p.m. and the closing reception on Apr. 11 from 4-8 p.m. Admission is FREE!

The New African Film Festival

Triangle — Coming to America is one of the featured films at the AFI Silver Theatre’s New African Film Festival. (Photo: New World Solutions)

The New African Film Festival, which highlights the continent’s best new cinema returned Thursday to the AFI Silver. Standout films include Triangle – Going to America, the opening night selection which will also screen Saturday at 6:30 p.m., about two men who fall in love with the same woman as the trio travel from East Africa through Libya, Italy and Mexico to eventually make it to America. Stories of Our Lives Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. is a documentary about LGBT people living in Kenya; The Samaritans, which screens Saturday at 5 p.m. and Wednesday at 7:10 p.m., is a mockumentary about an annoying, incompetent American heading up one of the 4,000 NGOs operating in Kenya.

Through Mar. 19 at various times at the AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road, Sliver Spring. Adult admission is $12 per movie, seniors are $10 and children are $7. Click here for the schedule and to purchase tickets.

Iberian Suite: Global Arts Remix

Eugenia Leon will perform at the Kennedy Center’s Iberian Suite on Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m. (Photo: Kennedy Center)

The Kennedy Center’s three-week long Iberian Suite: Global Arts Remix continues this week. The festival of theater, dance, music, visual arts, literature, design, cuisine and film highlights the many cultures that comprise the Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking peoples. The Iberian Peninsula is home to Portugal and Spain, which laid claim to much of North and South America, and coastal Africa long before Britain began exploring new worlds. Visual arts are highlighted in exhibitions and installations around the building, and additional events focus on literature, film, cuisine and more. Highlights this weekend include the exclusive U.S. exhibition of “Picasso Ceramist and the Mediterranean,” a selection of more than 140 of Pablo Picasso’s ceramic pieces through Mar. 22; Eugenia Leon, the internationally renowned songstress and Mexican cultural icon on Mar. 14 and 15; and Carmen Souza, a jazz and world singer returns with a mix of West African rhythms and contemporary jazz on Mar. 16;

Through Mar. 24 at various times at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW. The full schedule is available here. Tickets range from FREE to $100.

Orchid Month at Hillwood

It’s orchid month at Hillwood Museum, Estate and Gardens. (Photo: Hillwood)

March is Orchid Month at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens. Surround yourself with the warmth and fragrance of Hillwood’s greenhouse this winter and see hundreds of orchids blooming in concert. With a greater number and variety of orchids in bloom during March than any other season, a month-long focus on the exotic beauties features workshops, tours and colorful displays. All month long visitors can get behind the scenes of the working greenhouse with Jason Gediek, head of design operations, and learn more about its history, Marjorie Post’s infatuation with orchids and the exotic blooms and fragrances on display at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Fridays and 12:30 p.m. Saturdays included with admission. This Friday from 1-3 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-noon, attend the hands-on workshop “To Repot or Not.” Orchids need to be repotted every 1-2 years. Each type of plant requires a different potting material and technique. Your plant will leave this workshop with a “good home” and reward you with years of gorgeous flowers. Cost is $30 or $25 for Hillwood members. Advance registration is required. Today from 1-3 p.m. and Sunday from 1:30-3:30 p.m., learn how to get your to rebloom in another hands-on workshop. Learn how to care for your orchid in order to get more flowers. Orchids can last for decades and offer countless blooms during their lifetime. Take an orchid or two from your collection and get specific pointers on everything from watering and pruning to the proper light and fertilizer. Cost is $30 or $25 for Hillwood members. Advance registration is required. From 1:30-3:30 on Saturday, there will be a workshop on “Three Unique and Easy to Grow Orchids for Your Home” covering everything you need to know about dendrobiums, oncidums and paphiopedalums (Lady Slippers). These orchids are guaranteed to be easy to grow in a home environmnent while providing long-lasting beautiful flowers. Cost is $30 or $25 for members. Advance registration is required.

Through March at various times at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Click here for a full schedule or to purchase tickets.

When You Wish

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. salutes the world of animation this weekend including School House Rock. (Photo: James Dillon O’Rouke)

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. presents When You Wish, a sassy, campy salute to music from the world of animation. The show features the music from Disney, School House Rock, Saturday morning cartoons and more. The chorus will bring back memories of your favorite cartoons, but with a twist only it can provide. With tap dancers, drag queens, consumes and a sing-a-long as part of the fun, you won’t want to miss this over-the-top, outrageous concert.

Mar. 13 at 8 p.m. and Mar. 14 at 3 and 8 p.m. at the Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. Tickets are $29-$63 online or at the box office.
 
 
 
 
 

Happy Pi Day

Pi pie (Photo: Pillsbury)

No matter how you celebrate it – pizza pie or cherry pie — Pi Day occurs every Mar. 14. This Saturday at 9:26:53 a.m. and p.m. will be a once-in-a-century event because the year and time line up with the digits of pi that follow 3.14 (1592653). To celebrate, Dog Tag Bakery, 3206 Grace St. NW, the Georgetown bakery run by veterans, will donate proceeds from its mini apple pies to Blue Star Families, an organization that aids veterans’ transitions to civilian life. At Dangerously Delicious Pies H Street location, slices will be $3.14 from 9-11 a.m.and 8-10 p.m. The Chinatown location, normally closed weekends, will give a surprise to anyone placing an order at 9:26:53 a.m. or p.m. And, One Eight Distilling, 1135 Okie St. NE, will give free tours of the distillery from 1-4 p.m. along and offer slices of pie for purchase from Whisked!

Mar. 14 and bakeries and pizzerias across the DMV.

Rock ‘n Roll Marathon

The start of the 2014 Rock ‘n Roll Marathon. (Photo: Marathon Photo)

The Rock ‘n Roll Marathon is back with runners traveling through the city starting on Constitution Avenue NW and finishing at RFK Stadium. The finish line festival is from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at RFK Statdium’s Lot 7. The awards program will be from 10:30-10:45 a.m. followed by Beter than Ezra from 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. The Cheaters will perform from 8:30-10:15 a.m. and 12:30-1:30 p.m. The northbound and southbound rams from 295 to Pennsylvania Avenue will be closed from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and the southbound ramp from East Capitol Street to 295 will be closed from 6:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. A list of road closures is available http://cdn.runrocknroll.competitor.com/files/2015/02/Copy-of-RnR-USA15-RCG-final-2-11-15.pdf here. Also, there will be a FREE health and fitness expo at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from noon-7 p.m. on Thursday and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Friday with more than 80 exhibitors offering free samples and showcasing the latest in running gear, sports apparel, and health and nutritional information.

Mar. 14 starting at 7:30 a.m. at Constitution Avenue and 14th Street NW. The 5K starts at RFK Stadium’s Lot 7. The marathon, half marathon and 5K all end at RFK Stadium Lot 7. Admission for spectators is FREE!

Women in Aviation and Space Family Day

Learn about women in aviation and space exploration this Saturday at the Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center. (Photo: Smithsonian)

Join the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum for its Women in Aviation and Space Family Day, a family day that celebrates the accomplishments of women in aviation and space exploration. From the days of the earliest pilots to today’s space program women have been making significant contributions. During this event, visitors will have the opportunity to meet female role models and learn about the women who inspired them including USAF Col. (Sel.) Nicole Malachowski, the first female pilot selected to fly in the Thunderbirds Demonstration Squadron at 12:30 p.m. and USMCR Maj. (Ret.) Monica Marusceac, the second female AV-8 Harrier Jet pilot at 1:30 p.m. Visitors can also make a Lockheed Vega, and visit discovery stations and a flight simulator; take a paper airplane design challenge.

Mar. 14 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center, 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly. Admission is FREE, parking is $15.

Smudge! Comics Arts Expo

A comic from Cuddles and Rage. (Photo: Cuddles and Rage)

The second annual Smudge! Comics Arts Expo showcases independent comics and inspires attendees to become storytellers themselves. More than 50 local comics creators will be on hand. Browse and buy comics-related art or try your hand at making comics. Check out presentations in the Black Box Theater and free classes in the Education Lab. Plus, there will be screenings of comics-related documentaries in the Dome Theatre.

Mar. 14 from noon-6 p.m. at Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. The complete schedule is http://www.smudgexpo.com/programming/ here. Admission is FREE!
 
 
 

Mingering Mike’s Supersonic Rewind Dance Party

Mingering Mike’s Supersonic Rewind Dance Party is a throwback dance. (Illustration: Mingering Mike)

Mingering Mike’s Supersonic Rewind Dance Party is a throwback dance party with a DJ spinning the soul hits of the 60s and 70s and live music from The Vybe Band that influenced Mingering Mike. Meet the artist Mingering Mike and check out his self-made album covers, put on your best 70s look for the photo booth and make your own album covers inspired by the exhibition, Mingering Mike’s Supersonic Greatest Hits.

Mar. 14 from 5-8 p.m. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum Kogod Courtyard, 8th and G Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
 
 
 
 

44th annual D.C. St. Patrick’s Day Parade

A pipe and drum band in the 2012 D.C. St. Patrick’s Day Parade. (Photo: S. Pakhrin/Wikimedia)

More than 100 marching bands, piper and drum bands, Irish dancers, military units, dance schools and decorated floats will fill the 44th annual D.C. St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The best views to see the entertainment is near the judges’ stand between 15th and 16th Streets.

Mar. 15 from noon-2:30 p.m. along Constitution Avenue between Seventh and 17th Streets NW Admission is FREE! Reserved seats in the grandstand are $15 each.

There’s plenty to do this weekend – take in a movie at the D.C. Independent Film Festival, help your children learn about engineering, sip some wine, meet a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, plan your wedding or put the finishing touches on this year’s Peeps diorama. February is almost over and temperatures are forecast to start warming up above freezing beginning on Sunday. Get out and enjoy the lovely weather.

This weekend, the Greenbelt station will be closed and buses will replace trains between College Park and Greenbelt. Other Green Line trains will run on a regular weekend schedule. Silver Line trains will operate at regular intervals. Orange, Blue and Yellow line trains will operate every 20 minutes. Red Line trains will run every 15 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont and every 8-10 minutes between Van Ness and Silver Spring between 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Snake River, by American University grad student Emiliano Ruprah, will be shown at the D.C. Independent Film Festival at 7 p.m. Friday. (Photo: Emiliano Ruprah/Vimeo screen grab)

D.C. Independent Film Festival

Viewers will wear special headsets to be visually immersed in Snake River. (Photo: Emiliano Ruprah/Vimeo screen grab)

The D.C. Independent Film Festival is back for its 16th year. Launched in 1999 to nurture independent film, the festival is the oldest independent film festival in the DMV. The festival kicked off on Wednesday and continues through Sunday with Q&A sessions after each screening. Features include Snake River, a 360-degree virtual reality heist written by, directed by and starring American University grad student Emiliano Ruprah during which audience members wear Oculus Rift headsets that visually immerse the in the 20-minute show scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. at the Naval Heritage Center followed by a Q&A with Ruprah for $5. It is the first indie movie filmed to be shot for virtual reality viewing. The film tells the story of five mercenaries – code named Picasso, Mozart, Banksey, Beethoven and El Greco – who are hired by a mysterious agency to retrieve a stolen biological weapon. After a violent Russian mobster captures them, the mercenaries must piece together what went wrong and who –if anyone- is telling the truth. The film’s groundbreaking technology allows viewers to explore different environments and choose on what to focus as the plot develops. As different characters move through the virtual environment, viewers can follow them individually. In other words, the technology means that the film can never be viewed twice in the same way.

Through Mar. 1 at various times and venues in D.C. including the Naval Heritage Center, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, the Jack Morton Auditorium at George Washington University Marvin Center, 800 21st St. NW, the District Architecture Center, 21 7th St. NW and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. Toe see the schedule, click here. Tickets range from FREE-$13 in advance or at the door.

Mingering Mike

The Smithsonian American Art Museum displays LP covers from DC artist Mingering Mike. (Photo: Mingering Mike/Smithsonian)

The Smithsonian unveils an exhibit about the greatest soul singer that ever was. The self-taught D.C.-based artist known only by his pseudonym, Mingering Mike created hundreds of LP covers and self-recorded 45s between 1969 and 1976 – all of which poisted him as an imagined soul superstar. The new exhibit, Mingering Mike’s Supersonic Greatest Hits, puts more than 150 of his artworks on display through Aug. 2. On Friday, Mike will appear in costume to discuss his art and songs for a Roundtable Remix talk with curator Leslie Umberger and local radio personality Carroll Hynson Jr.

Feb. 27 starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s McEvoy Auditorium, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!

Discover Engineering Family Fun Day

Children can learn about engineering like robotics (pictured here) at the National Building Museum’s Discover Engineering Family Fun Days. (Photo: National Building Museum)

Every February, the National Building Museum and the National Engineers Week Foundation invite visitors to debunk the myths of engineering and discover how professional engineers turn ideas into reality. Explore thermodynamics, electricity, aerodynamics and more with engineers at more than 5 activity tables and demonstrations made especially for kids. This year at Discover Engineering Family Fun Days visitors can meet a test pilot, an astronaut and enginners, make slime, dissect household appliances, catapault a ping pong ball and test paper airplanes in a wind tunnel among other activities.

Feb. 28 from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Admission is FREE!

Nigel Barker

Nigel Barker will sign books at DCanter.
(Photo: DCanter)

Nigel Barker, famed fashion photographer and author, will have a book signing and wine tasting in honor of his newest book, Models of Influence. Earlier this month, Harper Collins released Barker’s hardcover nationwide. Models of Influence profiles 50 of the world’s most inspiring models from the 1940’s to today through 200, full-color photographs by esteemed photographers. Through eight chapters cataloged by era, Barker celebrates icons such as 50s pin-up Dorian Leigh, 60s spirit Twiggy, the revolutionary Iman, supermodel Naomi Campbell and today’s leading ladies Cara Delevingne and Joan Smalls among others.

Feb. 28 from 1-4 p.m. at DCanter, 545 8th St. SE. Tickets for a book and wine tasting are $42.30 or $10 for just the wine tasting online.
 
 

Brides and grooms to be can check out wedding photographers and florists sample food, get makeup tips and more at Engaged! magazine’s bridal showcase. (Photo: Daily Deelight)

Engaged! Bridal Showcase

Engaged! magazine will hold its annual bridal showcase on Sunday. From fashion and food to dance floor fun, brides and grooms can check off all their wedding day needs in one fell swoop. Begin the tour at either one of the venues selected during the ticket purchase process. Then start scouting dresses for the bridal party and bouquet arrangements, while sipping Moët and sampling hors d’oeuvres and cakes, while checking out the latest in make-up and hair trends and more.

Mar. 1 from 3-7 p.m. at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, and the St. Regis Hotel, 923 16th St. NW. Limo buses will shuttle attendees between the two hotels. Admission is $65 and must be purchased online in advance. The cost of admission will be rebated to attendees who engage the services of any of the participating vendors. Some exceptions apply.

Jorie Graham

Pulitzer winner Jorie Graham will sign her new book at Politics and Prose. (Photo: Jorie Graham)

Pulitzer winner Jorie Graham will discuss her new collection of poem, From the New World: Poems 1976-2014 Sunday. Graham is known for her long, fluid lines and for tackling subects like climate change and philosophy.

Mar. 1 at 5 p.m. at Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
 
 
 
 
 

The Branford Marsalis Quartet will perform at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club. (Photo: Branford Marsalis Quartet)

Branford Marsalis Quartet

Saxophonist Branford Marsalis may come from a family of jazz geniuses – namely his brother Wynton and Delfeayo – be he is an innovator in his own right, a musician who has worked with the Grateful Dead and The Police in addition to all his jazz work. Expect the latter when he plays with his quartet this Sunday.

Mar. 1 at 3 and 7:30 p.m. at the Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club, 7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda. Tickets are $36-$90 in advance or at the box office.

Peeps Diorama Contest

The 2014 Peeps diorama winner, I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King Jr. Addresses the Peeple. (Photo: Washington Post)

The deadline for the Washington Post’s annual Peeps Diorama Contest is Monday so if you spent the past year collecting Peeps chicks and bunnies, brainstorming the perfect pop culture reference or sketching out your dream diorama you better get busy this weekend. Your diorama must depict a famous occurrence or scene – historical, cultural or a peek into the future. Just make sure all the characters are played by Peeps.

Mar. 2 at 11:59 p.m. is the deadline to submit a photo of your diorama online. The registration form is online. Registration is FREE! The winning entry received a $200 American Express gift card and four runners-up will receive a $75 American Express gift card.
 
 
 

Iberian Suite

Brazilian dance troupe Grupo Corpo will perform at the opening ceremony at Iberian Suite. (Photo: Kennedy Center)

The Kennedy Center’s Iberian Suite is a festival of theater, dance, music, visual arts, literature, design, cuisine and film highlighting the many cultures that comprise the Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking peoples. The festival includes dozens of performances by some of the world’s best contemporary music, dance and theater artists, many who are making their U.S. or D.C. debuts. Visual arts are highlighted in exhibitions and installations around the building, and additional events focus on literature, film, cuisine and more.

Mar. 3-24 at various times at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW. The full schedule is available here. Tickets range from FREE to $100.

While the temperatures are expected to warm up over the weekend, Sunday could be a rainy day. But there are plenty of indoor events this weekend to keep you and your family occupied.

Construction is planned on all six Metro lines this weekend. Orange, Silver, Blue and Green line trains will run every 16 minutes. Yellow Line trains will also run every 16 minutes, but only between Huntington and Mount Vernon Square instead of Fort Totten. Red Line trains will run every 15 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont with additional trains providing service every 8-10 minutes between Friendship Heights and Silver Spring from 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Fatty Sundays will be selling specialty dipped pretzels this weekend and next at Union Market. (Photo: Fatty Sundays)

Fatty Sundays pop-up

Chocolate covered pretzels are objectively delicious, so you should head to Union Market and check out Brooklyn’s Fatty Sundays, which is hosting a pop-up shop for the next two weekends. Expect a bold selection of salty-sweet concoctions, with flavors like peanut brittle, salty toffee and strawberry licorice. As an added bonus, there will also be daily DIY workshops on dipping and topping pretzels.

Feb. 5-8 and Feb. 13-15 from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. at Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE. Admission is FREE!

Discover the Dinosaurs

Discover the Dinosaur includes 40 moving and replica museum-quality dinosaurs. (Photo: Seacoast Kids Calendar)

Experience up to 40 moving and replica museum-quality dinosaurs at Discover the Dinosaurs. Discover the Dinosaurs is for the entire family, especially kids, to explore the mystery of pre-historic life in an environment of learning, discovery and fun. It gives visitors the opportunity to actually get close and touch the dinosaurs! Beyond the exhibit, additional fun activities are available for kids of all ages, which make spending the day with the dinosaurs a great experience for the entire family. At companion show Discover the Ice Age, prehistoric Earth comes alive. See a world transformed by snow and ice. Where gigantic creatures reigned after the dinosaurs disappeared. Experience the massive moving, breathing, animatronic mammals of the Ice Age in the natural environment.

Feb. 6 from 3-9 p.m., Feb. 7 from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Feb. 8 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place NW. Adult admission (13 and older) is $25 for both shows, children 2-12 are $30 and seniors 65 and older ar $23 online or at the door. Child admission includes dinosaur exhibit, dino dig, dino den, dino theater, dino coloring station, scavenger hunt, unlimited dinosaur rides, mini golf and inflatables. Admission to a single show is $20 for adults, $25 for children, and $18 for seniors at the door only.

Crystal Couture

Shoppers look for deals at last year’s Crystal Couture. (Photo: Crystal City BID)

The biggest runway and pop up shop event is back. Crystal Couture show and sale unites 40 of the DMV’s most stylish boutiques, designers and fashion retailers. Shop discounted merchandise both on the rack and on the runway as models showcase select offerings at this 360-degree immersive shopping experience. Indulge in sips from the bar and tastes from local restaurants, complimentary mini beauty makeovers, meet fashion consultants and enjoy music from DJ Neekola.

Feb. 6 and 7 from 6-10 p.m. at Crystal City Shops, 1750 Crystal Dr., Arlington. Admission is FREE!

Listen to music and tour the exhibits at Luce Unplugged. (Photo: Smithsonian Museum of American Art)

Luce Unplugged

Indie-rocker Art Sorority for Girls and R&B group lowercase letters, two local music scene standouts, will perform sets for Luce Unplugged on the first floor of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Luce Center. Luce Unplugged is a monthly concert series that pairs live, acoustic music by D.C.-area musicians with works in the museum’s collection. Each concert features an “opening act”—a staff-led talk on an artwork selected by the featured group, after which the headliner performs an hour-long set. Libations and small snacks will be available for purchase from a cash bar, and Port City Brewing Company will provide free samples.

Feb. 6 from 6-8 p.m. at the Smithsonian’s American Art Museum’s Luce Foundation Center, 8th and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
 

Lula del Ray

Puppeteers from Manual Cinema tell their stories using overhead projectors and silhouettes. (Photo: Manual Cinema)

Shadows cast on a screen by the theater troupe Manual Cinema will tell the story of Lula del Ray. Lula del Ray is a mythic reinvention of the classic coming-of-age story. Told almost entirely without dialogue, Lula del Ray tells the tale of a lonely adolescent girl who lives with her mother in a mid-century American Southwest setting. After a chance encounter over the radio, Lula becomes obsessed with the country music duo the Baden Brothers. Inspired by their music, she runs away from home and encounters a world of danger, deception, and disappointment along the way. The production features an original score inspired by the music of Hank Williams, Roy Orbison and Patsy Cline. There’s no dialogue, just four musicians performing the score and triggering sound effects. Four puppeteers man a trio of overhead projectors, manipulating 200-plus paper puppets to create cinematic sequences and sometimes casting the shadows themselves, performing below the screen, their silhouettes projected above.

Feb. 6 and 7 at 8 p.m. in Artisphere’s Dome Theatre, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Admission is $20 online or at the door.

Cutting-Edge Spanish Crafts

Hilo vases by Marre Moerel are part of the Cutting Edge Spanish Crafts display. (Photo: Embassy of Spain)

Taking the word artisanal back from the like of Second State’s ice cubes and overpriced cupcakes, Cutting-Edge Spanish Crafts celebrates the work of some of the most innovative artisans coming out of the land of 10 p.m. dinners. Showcasing 90 handmade items – including lamps, candles, purses, jewelry and glassware – the exhibition at the Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain draws attention to the resilience of craftsmanship in the face of the 2007-08 global financial crisis and its lasting effects. A recent boom in new craft enterprises in Spain is “more than a fad.” Among the crafts on display are Hilo vases by Marre Moerel, reticulum shawls by Teixidors textile cooperative craftsmen, tiles made by Ceramica Cumella for the façade of the Villa Nurbs, designed by architect Enric Ruiz-Geli and hand-painted by artist Frederic Amat, and the Lola shoe by Vialis.

Through Mar. 29 from noon-7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday at the Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain, 2801 16th St. NW. By appointment Monday through Wednesday. Admission is FREE!

Smithsonian Black History Month Family Day

The Smithsonian’s Museum of American History will celebrate Black History Month with a display of artwork from Hall Woodruff. (Artwork: Hall Woodruff)

Bring the whole family to the Smithsonian’s kickoff celebration of Black History Month with the Smithsonian Black History Month Family Day. Visitors can take a special family tour of the exhibitions Rising Up: Hall Woodruff’s Murals at Talladega College, take part in an art-making activity and listen to music inspired by Hall Woodruff. The day ends with a fascinating presentation of Woodruff’s genealogy by Karen Bennett Harmon, the artist’s great-niece.

Feb 7 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. in Flag Hall at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, 1400 Constitution Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!

PRAVA Festival

Sam Okerstrom-Lang has created a unique video installation specifically for the building hosting PRAVA. His piece will manipulate light such that the viewer can immerse herself in the spectacle of reflection and refraction. (Photo: Pike & Rose)

The Pike & Rose Audio Visual Arts (PRAVA) Festival is a nighttime art event that will transform two floors of a newly constructed office tower into an immersive spectacle of light, sound and projection. PRAVA features performances and site specific installations by artists convened from Washington D.C., Baltimore, New York, Boston and the Netherlands, creating a multi-sensory environment to explore and experience. The event features Baltimore’s Charm City Roller Girl’s choreographed to electronic music, a sound-reactive light show, a video that shows an elaborate Baroque sculpture exploding in slow motion and other art installations and electronic music.

Feb. 7 from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. at Pike & Rose, 11580 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda. The festival is FREE but requires an online RSVP to attend.

Cyrille Aimée

Cyrille Aimée performs at the Mansion at Strathmore. (Photo: Strathmore)

Winner of the Montreux Jazz Festival’s International Vocal Competition, the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and a finalist in the Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition, French/Dominican vocalist Cyrille Aimée is “one of the most promising jazz singers of her generation,” according to The Wall Street Journal. Aimée carries the torch of famed Django Reinhardt, both from Samois-sur-Seine, France. Aimée tours throughout the world, both with her band as well as in a duo setting with Brazilian guitarist Diego Figueriedo. She brings songs from her 2014 release It’s a Good Day to the Mansion.

Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda. Admission is $28 online or at the door.