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!

The DMV is in the midst of a winter freeze. With snow forecast for Saturday and sub-freezing temperatures forecast for all weekend, we’ve put together a list of events you can do indoors while keeping warm. There are film festivals, plays, music and all kinds of events.

This weekend, Orange, Silver, Blue, Yellow and Green line trains will operate every 16 minutes. Red Line trains will run every 20 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont and every 10 minutes between Shady Grove and Dupont Circle and between Glenmont and Judiciary Square every 10 minutes between 9 a.m.-9 p.m. The Bethesda station will be closed with shuttle bus service every 5-10 minutes between Bethesda and Medical Center stations. Red Line travelers should allow an extra 15 minutes.

Hector Noguerra and Nestro Guzzini star in Mr. Kaplan, the closing night film at the D.C. Jewish Film Festival. (Photo: Memento Films)

Washington Jewish Film Festival

The Washington Jewish Film Festival is celebrating its 25th year this year. The lineup for this year’s festival, which opened Thursday and runs through Mar. 1, blends new movies with some of the past festivals’ most memorable films like 1975’s Hester Street and Francois Truffaut’s 1890 The Last Metro. The goal is the represent the best in Jewish film – a movie that changes, alters, educates or otherwise concerns the Jewish experience regardless of the nationality/religion of directors, producers or actors. The closing feature is Mr. Kaplan, a Uruguayan film in Spanish with English subtitles from director Álvaro Brechner. After fleeing Europe for Uruguay during World Ware II, Jacob Kaplan built a quiet life. Now 76, he begins to question his worth. After learning of a mysterious German prowling the shores of a nearby beach, he becomes convinced that he’s found a Nazi in hiding and plans to expose him. Click http://www.wjff.org/schedule/ here to see the full schedule.

Through Mar.1 at various times and venues including the D.C. Jewish Community Center, Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington in Rockville, the Goethe-Institut and AFI Silver Theatre along with some smaller venues. An all-access VIP festival pass good for every screening is $225, a 25th WJFF festival pass for all films except opening and closing nights, film centerpiece evenings, spotlight evening and silent films with live music is $125, and regular screenings are $12. Opening/closing/centerpiece evenings cost $30, spotlight evening is $40 and slilent films with live music is $18. Tickets are available online and at the box office.

Atlas Intersections Festival

Pinot & Augustine will perform Feb. 21 at 1 p.m. at the Atlas Intersections Festival. (Photo: Happenstance Theater)

The Atlas Intersections Festival brings cutting-edge collaborations, intriguing new works, community celebrations, family-friendly shows and fresh new ways of making art to the H Street corridor. There are more than 100 concerts, plays, dance, plays, clowns, workshops, trivia and more featuring artists from D.C. and beyond. This weekend’s performances include several free events. See the full schedule http://www.atlasarts.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/INTERSECTIONS-2015-Festival-Schedule.pdf here.

Weekends through Mar. 7 at various times at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Prices range from free to $27.50. Tickets are available online or at the box office.

Harry Connick Jr.

Harry Connick Jr. performs at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at Strathmore. (Photo: Strathmore)

Harry Connick, Jr. will perform two shows in the Music Center at Strathmore this weekend. The shows will feature music from Connick’s vast musical catalog, including songs from his most recent releases Smokey Mary and Every Man Should Know. Connick has released 29 albums, won three Grammy Awards and two Emmy Awards, and garnered sales of 28 million.

Feb. 20 and 21 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets range from $65-$225 online or at the box office.
 
 
 

24-Hour Best Picture Marathon

AMC Loews Georgetown 14 will show all eight Best Picture nominees starting at 10 a.m. Saturday. (Photo: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science)

Only the bravest of cinema buffs can handle the endurance test that is AMC’s 24-Hour Best Picture Marathon during which you watch every film nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars in one sitting. The AMC in Georgetown is hosting this year’s event locally, with the eight-film slate beginning Saturday at 10 a.m. with Boyhood followed by The Theory of Everything at 1:05 p.m. Bridman at 3:30 p.m., Selma at 5:50 p.m., American Sniper at 9 p.m., The Imitation Game at 11:30 p.m. and Whiplash at 1:45 a.m. Things wrap up just before dawn after the 3:45 a.m. screening of The Grand Budapest Hotel. It’s probably best that you hade home for a nap. After all, coverage of the Academy Awards starts a few hours later at 7 p.m.

Feb. 21 starting at 10 a.m. at AMC Loews Georgetown 14, 3111 K St. NW. Tickets are $65 for all eight movies.

Play in a Day

Imagination Stage’s team performs their play last year. (Photo: Bethesda Urban Partnership_

Six professional theatre companies from the DMV – Adventure Theatre MTC, American Ensemble Theater, Flying V, Imagination Stage, Olney Theater and Round House Theater – will write, direct, rehearse and perform original plays based on similar themes in only 24 hours. The plays will be presented at the 10th annual Play in a Day, a one-of-a kind theatrical event. Play in a Day kicks off on Friday evening, when playwrights and directors come together to receive their assigned themes and props. Playwrights then work the night to create their 10-minute masterpieces. As the sun comes up, rehearsals begin as teams of directors and actors prepare anxiously to make the 8 p.m. performance deadline on Saturday.

Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda. Tickets are $15 each online.

Oscar Viewing Parties

Neil Patrick Harris hosts the Oscars Sunday night beginning at 7 p.m. on ABC. (Photo: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science)

Washington Film Society hosts Live on the Big Screen at Arlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. for the red carpet. Local movie critics Bill Henry and Tim Gordon will host the night that includes trivia contests, giveaways, a “predict the winners” contest and a silent auction.

Feb. 22 starting at 7:30 p.m. at Arlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse, 2903 Columbia Pike., Arlington. Tickets are $16 for members and $21 for non-members online until 11 a.m. or $1 less with cash at the door.

Kimpton Hotels’ Helix Lounge, 1 hosts its annual Oscars Happy Hour from 5-11 p.m. The awards ceremony will be shown on a 46-inch flat-screen television. There will be food and drink specials including cocktails dedicated to Oscar nominees such as “The Codebreaker” inspired by The Imitation Game with Broker’s Gin, Earl Grey tea and simple syrup; “Mendl’s Cocktail au Chocolat” inspired by The Grand Budapest Hotel; and a Red Carpet Cosmo. There will also be burger sliders throughout the evening.

Feb. 22 from 5-11 p.m. at Helix Lounge, 1430 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!

Commissary’s 4th Annual Oscar Party features a wall-size projection screen, multiple televisions and kicks off with an extended Red Carpet Happy Hour from 4-8 p.m. with one free cocktail per person and free popcorn. Drink specials include the bourbon-based “Bullseye,” a nod to American Sniperand “A Simple Equation” made with George Dickel No. 1 white whiskey and inspired by The Theory of Everything. Special dishes include “magic bean and beef stew” inspired by Into the Woods and “Boy with Apple Turnovers” inspired by Grand Budapest Hotel.

Feb. 22 from 4-11 p.m. at Commissary, 1443 P St. NW. Admission is FREE! For your own Meryl Streep moment, reserve one of 25 “premium” tickets for $49, which includes a seat in front of the screen beginning at 6 p.m., a three-course prix-fixe dinner and two cocktails.

It’s Valentine’s Day weekend and many of this weekend’s events center around the lovers’ holiday. For singles and families, there are some other events in the DMV to keep your mind off your sorrows. But with the cold temperatures and possible snow forecast for Saturday, the best place to celebrate may be snuggled up on the couch or in front of a fireplace.

This weekend, Orange, Silver, Yellow and Green line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals. On Saturday and Sunday, Red Line trains will run every 20 minutes with additional trains providing service every 10-12 minutes from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. between Shady Grove and Dupont Circle and between Judiciary Square and Glenmont. On Saturday, Sunday and Monday, there will be no Blue Line service between Van Dorn Street and King Street-Old Town stations. Blue Line trains will run at regular weekend intervals between Huntington and Largo Town Center and between Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street. The last train will leave Franconia-Springfield Station 29 minutes earlier than usual. Free shuttle buses will operate between Van Dorn Street and Eisenhower Ave stations every 5-10 minutes. Riders should allow an extra 15 minutes for travel time. On Presidents Day, Monday, Feb. 16, Metrorail will open at 5 a.m. and close at midnight. Trains will operate on a Saturday schedule. Parking at all Metro-owned lots and garages is free on Presidents Day.

Curl up with your loved one this cold Valentine’s Day weekend. (Photo: beautysweetspot.com)

Drawing at Dusk participants can paint a live model or draw inspiration from the museums works. (Phtoo: Smithsonian American Art Museum)

Drawing at Dusk

Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum for a special evening session of its Draw and Discover! program., Drawing at Dusk. Sketch from a live clothed model or take inspiration from one of the thousands of artworks on view. Basic drawing materials are provided. Open to all ages and levels of artistic ability.

Feb. 13 from 5;30-7 p.m. at the Luce Foundation Center, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!

Love Hurts

This year, celebrate Valentine’s Day at Love Hurts, a night of broked-hearted cocktails, curated vinyls and an old school film screening. You’ll enjoy cocktails like the Smoother Operator (gin, ginger syrup and champagne) and the Is It a Crime? (bourbon, creme de violette and blood orange) from resident cocktail expert Brian Kay. Heartbreaking hits from the likes of Rick James, Whitney Houseton, Aretha Franklin, Phyllis Hyman, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan and Shirley Bassey will be playing all night long.

Feb. 13 from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. at Napoleon Bistro and Lounge, 1847 Columbia Road NW. Tickets are $10 online. Ticket includes admission and one cocktail.

Casablanca

Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

It’s Valentine’s Weekend and love is in the air and on the screen. Everyone thinks of Casablanca as one of the most romantic movies ever, yet the leads don’t end up together at the end. Still, the classic film is a classic for a reason. Sure, Ilsa gets on the plane, but just because a relationship ends doesn’t mean it fails – after all, they’ll always have Paris.

Feb. 13 and 14 at 11:59 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Admission is $9 online or at the box office.

Chinese New Year Family Festival

Dragon performers at last year’s Chinese New Year Family Day. (Photo: Yin Bogu/Xinhua)

Celebrate Chinese New Year at the American Art Museum’s Chinese New Year Family Festival. Usher out the year of the horse and bring in the year of the sheep with fun craft activities, a reading corner, puppet performances by the Shaanxi Folk Arts Group, Calligraphy demonstrations, traditional dance performances by the Fairfax Chinese Dance Troupe, artists and demonstrations. Get there early to see the Lion Parade around the building (weather permitting) by the Young Han Lion Dance Troupe, followed by an Awakening Ceremony to start the festivities.

Feb. 14 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and G Streets Nw. Admission is FREE!

Gourmet Symphony

This concert series, premiering Saturday at Atlas Performing Arts Center, uses food to connect listeners with works by classical composers. Saturday’s Gourmet Symphony four-course meal and beverage pairings – inspired by classic European dishes provided by Vendetta Bocce Bar & Tavern, Smith Commons and Beuchert’s Saloon – will be served in a space without assigned seating. The orchestra, composed of musicians from the National Symphony Orchestra, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and service bands, will perform recognizable classics in the center of the room. Between songs, performers will engage with guests while John Coco, the organizer and beverage director of Bistro 360 in Arlington, and a music scholar from the University of Maryland share historical anecdotes.

Feb. 14 starting at 7 p.m. at Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $125 online.

My Funny Valentine Comedy Jam

Comedians come to DAR Constitution Hall. (Photo: North American Entertainment)

Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day or hating it with a passion, the My Funny Valentine Comedy Jam should offer something for everyone to laugh at. Comedians D.L. Hughley, John Witherspoon, Aries Spears, Mark Curry and Joe Tory provide the jokes.

Feb. 14 starting at 7 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D St. NW. Ticket are $59-$125 online.

One of the containers on display at Hillwood. (Photo: Hillwood)

Virtue & Vice

Celebrate the opening night of Hillwood’s exhibition Splendor & Surprise: Elegant Containers – Antique to Modern with a Valentine’s Day affair Virtue & Vice. Naughty and nice guests will revel in an evening of cocktails, dancing, sweet and savory delights, tours of the estate exhibition and greenhouse full of orchids, and a silent auction.

Feb. 14 from 7-10 p.m. at Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Tickets are $100 or $80 for members online or at the door.

Seth MacFarlane & the NSO

Seth MacFarlane performs with the NSO at the Kennedy Center. (Photo: Kwaku Alston)

Take your Valentine’s Day date to see Family Guy funny man and Grammy-nominated artist cartoon mogul and all-around swell guy Seth MacFarlane sings politically incorrect love songs including I Met a Girl, Face to Face, Violets for Your Furs and many more with the NSO Pops.

Feb. 14 starting at 8 p.m. at the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $20-$88 online or at the box office..
 
 
 
 
 

John Pizzarelli and Jane Monheit

Jane Monheit performs with John Pizzarelli at Strathmore. (Photo: Strathmore)

For a soulful, sultry Valentine’s Day celebration, Strathmore presents an evening of solo performances, charming duets and charismatic banter with jazz guitarist, singer and bandleader John Pizzarelli and Jane Monheit, a jazz chanteuse. Both master interpreters of the Great American Songbook, Pizzarelli and Monheit will perform music from their own repertoire and latest albums before swinging to classics by Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, the Gershwins, The Beatles and more. Make a night of it with a special Valentine’s dinner in the historic Mansion at Strathmore catered by Restaurant Associates. The four course menu, with complimentary glass of Champagne or wine, is available for $95 per person. Table seating begins at 6 p.m. Dinner reservations can be made by calling Restaurant Associates at 301-581-5220.

Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $48-$78 online or at the box office.

Cupid’s Undie Run

Cupid’s Undies Run raises funds for Children’s Tumor Foundation. (Photo: Rohan)

Good causes validate dumb decisions, like running through a city street in just your skivvies. That what Cupid’s Undie Run is all about. The annual event, which takes place all over the country, is a benefit for the Children’s Tumor Foundation, and last year it raised over $2.8 million. The event is sold out for participants, but voyers are welcome.

Feb. 15 with the party starting at noon and the run steopping off at 2 p.m. at 319 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. FREE to watch!

LOC Presidents Day Open House

The Library of Congress’ main reading room will hold an open house on Monday. (Photo: Library of Congress)

The Library of Congress will hold its semi-annual Main Reading Room open house The Main Reading Room will be open for viewing and photography will be allowed. Guided tours of the Thomas Jefferson Building begin on the ground floor at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. At 10 a.m., author Patricia Smith, the 2014 recipient of the Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry, reads from her works. From 10 a.m.-3 p.m., The Young Readers Center celebrates past and future presidents. And mark the 200th anniversary of the acquisition of Thomas Jefferson’s library for the Library of Congress with a visit to the ongoing exhibition of his books.

Feb. 16 from 10 a.m.-3 pm. with the building open until 4:30 p.m. at the Library of Congress’ Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. Admission is FREE!

There’s plenty on the calendar to keep you busy this weekend. From free chicken sandwiches and Slurpees across the DMV to ukulele music in Reston, there’s something for everyone going on. The Capital Fringe Festival and Fort Reno concerts are both back, and the National Symphony Orchestra plays along to Fantasia. And for microbrew fans, Mad Fox Brewing throws itself a fourth birthday party.

On Metrorail, Green and Yellow line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals. Orange and Blue line trains will operate every 20 minutes. Red Line trains will operate every 15 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont and every 10 minutes between Grosvenor and NoMa-Gallaudet from 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

7-Eleven is giving away free Slurpees on 7/11 (July 11). (Photo: 7-Eleven/Twitter)

Oh thank heaven: It’s free Slurpee Day

It’s July 11, and 7-Eleven is celebrating 7-Eleven Day with free small Slurpees from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. today while supplies last. The company will give away 500,000 gallons of Slurpee today For the uninitiated, a Slurpee is 7-Eleven’s frozen flavored drinks that are similar to slushies and “icees.” The cold drink comes in a variety of fun flavors, including Blue Lightning Blast, Fanta Oddball Orange, Alienade, Lemonade, Cherry Orange Blitz, Sprite Snowball Blast, Diet Coke Frost Cherry and Mountain Dew Game Fuel along with favorites like Coke, cherry and banana. There are also sugar-free varieties. And instead of having a single celebration, the retailer has decided to make all next week, 7-Eleven Week. You can also buy a quarter-pound Big Bites hot dog for $1 all day Friday. During 7-Eleven week, from tomorrow to next Saturday, guests can use the 7-Eleven app to get more freebies. Free treats include a Big Gulp on Saturday, M&M’s brand birthday cake chocolate candies Sunday, Grandma’s Cookies on Monday, Hostess Twinkies on Tuesday, Twix or Snickers brand ice cream bars on Wednesday, Quaker Chewy yogurt snack bars Thursday and Pillsbury cookies Friday. The week closes with another free small Slurpee drink July 19. To receive all of the 7-Eleven Week freebies, you need to download and register on the 7-Eleven app, then have your member barcode on your phone scanned at checkout.

July 11 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at participating 7-Eleven stores. For a list of stores in the DMV, click here.

Cow Appreciation Day

Dress up like a cow and get a free meal at Chick-fil-A. (Photo: Chick-fil-A)

Some people will do anything for a free meal, even dress like a cow. Chick-fil-A is hosting its annual Cow Appreciation Day July 11 at its restaurants including those in the DMV. Customers who visit Chick-fil-A dressed head to toe as a cow will receive a free full breakfast, lunch or dinner meal. The meals include an entree, side and beverage. Don’t want to get dressed up all the way? You can still don a cow item such as a T-shirt, hat, scarf or purse, and get in on the action. Those who partially dress as a cow will receive a free entree such as a breakfast or chicken sandwich. According to the chain, more than 900,000 customers participated in last year’s Cow Appreciation Day. If you’re looking for tips on how to get your spots on, Chick-fil-A lists costume suggestions on its website including taking a white sweatshirt and pants and adding black construction paper spots. Or you can download a DIY costume kit here.

July 11 at Chick-fil-A restaurants including those in the DMV such as Catholic University and the University of Maryland. Click here to find the location nearest you.

Capital Fringe Festival

The Capital Fringe Festival runs now through July 27. (Photo: thisisbossi/Flickr)

The Capital Fringe Festival, the DMV’s smorgasbord of offbeat theater, is back with 18 days of creative and uninhibited performances. In its ninth season, this year includes more than 145 independent productions.

Through July 27 at Fort Fringe, 607 New York Ave. NW, the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE and various other locations in D.C. Admission is $17 plus a one-time purchase of a $7 Fringe button. Tickets and buttons can be purchased at the Fort Fringe box office from 10 a.m.-midnight on Sunday, 10 a.m.-1 a.m. on Saturday, 3 p.m.-midnight Tuesday through Thursday and noon-1 a.m. Friday. Tickets are on sale from 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Atlas. Tickets are also available online or at other venues starting 45 minutes before the play begins.

Disney’s Fantasia Live in Concert

A scene from Disney’s Fantasia (Photo: Disney)

Experience Disney magic on the big screen when the National Symphony Orchestra casts an enchanting musical spell on sorcerer Mickey and other animated characters in Disney Fantasia Live in Concert while performing Beethoven, Gershwin, Tchaikovsky and more along with scenes from the original 1940’s Fantasia and the updated Fantasia 2000.

July 11 and 12 beginning at 9:30 p.m. at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $22-$55 online or at the gate.

5th annual Ukulele Festival

Ukulele fans will gather at Lake Anne in Reston this weekend. (Photo: Lake Anne Plaza/Facebook)

Ukulele fans will head to the waterfront at Lake Anne this Saturday to enjoy the tranquil tunes when the plaza hosts the 5th annual Lake Anne Ukulele Festival, sponsored by the Lake Anne Merchants, the Reston Community Center, Friends of Lake Anne and the Northern Virginia Ukulele Ensemble. The festival features performances by several internationally known and local ukulele musicians, music demonstrations, a public jam session, vendors and other family-friendly activities. Workshops and open mic sessions will be held at 9:45 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. at Café Montmartre. Performers on the main stage on Lake Anne Plaza include The Aloha Boys, Sweater Set, Kathy & Marv, Stuart Fuchs and Gerald Ross.

July 12 from 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza, 1609 Washington Plaza, Reston. Admission is FREE!

Mad Fox Brewing celebrates 4th anniversary

Falls Church’s Mad Fox Brewing celebrates its 4th anniversary on Saturday. (Photo: howderfamily.com)

Falls Church beer baron Mad Fox Brewing Co. turns 4 with a party at the brewpub. The fun starts at 11 a.m. with the first 400 guests getting a free pint glass. From there, they’ll tap specialty beers Orange Whip IPA at noon, Praha Pils at 2 p.m. and the rare Batch 100 at 4 p.m. Entertainment will be provided by the Justin Trawick Band at 1 p.m. Happy hour prices begin at 5 p.m. and birthday cake will be cut at 5 p.m.

July 12 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at Mad Fox Brewing Co., 444 W. Broad St., Falls Church. Admission is FREE!

Fort Reno

The Fort Reno concert series will go on Mondays and Thursdays in July. (Photo: WRC)

Back on track after a brief scare, the free outdoor concert series Fort Reno kicked off this week and runs through the rest of the month. Here are the DMV bands playing in the next week: July 14: Indie-pop solo artist Baby Bry Bry, punk band Aloners and psych rock act Tiger Horse. July 17: punk band the Priests, the indie-rock band Sotano and art-punk band Puff Pieces. You are welcome to bring friends, babies, dogs, lawn chairs, babies and food but not drugs, alcohol or glass bottles.

Mondays and Thursdays through July 31 from 7-9:30 p.m. at Fort Reno Park across from Woodrow Wilson High School off Belt Road in Tenlytown. Admission is FREE.

If it is the weekend before Independence Day that means the Smithsonian Folklife Festival is back on The Mall. This year, Chinese and Kenyan artisans, craftsmen and cooks invite us to their countries without leaving the DMV. But if that isn’t your cup of tea, the D.C. Jazz Festival continues all weekend with shows across the District. And if you don’t nothing else besides lie on the couch or soak in the pool to beat our summer heat and humidity, take a few minutes to get tested for free on National HIV Testing Day. The life you save may be your own.

Red Line riders be warned. Buses will replace Red Line trains between Woodley Park and Galley Place beginning at 12:01 a.m. Saturday while ceilings are replaced and communications lines upgraded in the Dupont Circle, Farragut North and the Red Line platform at Metro Center. Late night partiers will need to plan ahead as the last train will leave Shady Grove at 1:53 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10:53 p.m. on Sunday. The last train from Glenmont will leave at 2:19 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11:19 p.m. on Sunday. During the weekend, Red Line riders taking the express bus from Woodley Park to Gallery Place need to add 25 minutes to travel times and those taking the local bus between the three stations need to add 10 minutes per station. Orange and Green line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals. Blue and Yellow line trains will operate every 20 minutes. On Sunday, bus fares increase to $1.75 while rail fares increase 3 percent. The price for weekday parking in Metro owned lots increase 10 cents (60 cents in Prince George’s County).

A singer with the Zhejiang Wu Opera Troupe performs at the Folklife Festival on Thursday. (Photo: smata2/flickr)

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

A million people are expected on the National Mall during the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which kicked off Wednesday. There are 60 to 80 events each day, plus all-day craft and cooking demos and food sales. This year’s festival features China and Kenya. On Friday at 6:30 p.m. on the Ngoma Stage, the Ralph Rinzler Memorial Concert is a tribute to folk singer Pete Seeger, who died in January. The full concert schedule is available here. Don’t forget your sunscreen if you visit the festival.

Through June 29 and July 3-6 from 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets NW. There are concerts each evening from 6-8 p.m. Admission is FREE!

D.C. Jazz Festival

The D.C. Jazz Festival continues around the city through Sunday. (Graphic: D.C. Jazz Festival)

The 10th annual D.C. Jazz Festival is already underway, but you’ve still got all weekend to catch a variety of jazz performances at The Hamilton, Yards Park at the Capitol Waterfront, Sixth and I Synagogue, The Phillips Collection and several other venues. The festival includes 125 jazz concerts at almost 60 locations. Headlines include dual Grammy nominee Gregory Porter, Trombone Shorty, Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def), Cyrus Chestnut, The Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Cuban Experience, Grammy nominee Snarky Puppy and The Brass-A-Holics.

Through June 29 at various venues and times ranging from free to $35. A list of artists, dates, times, venues and prices is available here.

National HIV Testing Day

National HIV Testing Day is June 28. (Graphic: CDC)

Go get tested for HIV. Many area healthcare providers and pharmacies are offering free HIV testing for National HIV Testing Day. Too many people don’t know they have HIV. In the United States, nearly 1.1 million people are living with HIV, and almost one in six don’t know they are infected. Getting tested is the first step to finding out if you have HIV. If you have HIV, getting medical care and taking medicines regularly helps you live a longer, healthier life and also lowers the chances of passing HIV on to others. A list of locations, dates and times in the District is available here. Other testing sites across the DMV and the U.S. can be found here. Many locations will have Spanish-speaking counselors and Deaf-Reach will provide free testing for the deaf and hard of hearing in American Sign Language from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday at their offices, 3521 12th Street NE. Many locations will give out gift cards or other items. Most locations will be using the rapid oral test with results in 20 minutes.

June 27 at various locations across the DMV including select Walgreens, the U.S. Capitol, outside the Archives Metro Station and outside the emergency room entrance at the Children’s National Medical Center. Testing is FREE!

The Capital City Symphony will perform two Go-Go Symphonies on Friday night. (Photo: Capital City Symphony)

Go-Go Symphony

After sold-out shows at Atlas’ Intersections Festival, the Capital City Symphony resurrects its Go-Go Symphony for two shows. Melding D.C.’s iconic go-go beat with the sound of a classical symphony and video art these shows will also feature backup dancers and guest rapper Head-Roc.

June 27 at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Admission is $30 online or at the door.
 

Corcoran Free Summer Saturdays

Sidewalk chalk art outside the Corcoran Gallery of Art. (Photo: Corcoran Gallery of Art)

Visit the Corcoran on Saturdays this summer for Free Summer Saturday gallery tours, workshops, demonstrations, and performances. This weekend, Haiku Mistress Caley Vickerman will help visitors create haikus inspired by the works in the collection from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the galleries and outside. Visitors can also share their literary works of art in a collaborative sidewalk chalk display! Be inspired by the Corcoran’s permanent collection and special summer exhibition American Metal: The Art of Albert Paley, which is on display June 28-Sept. 28.

Saturdays through Labor Day from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 Seventh St. NW. Admission is FREE!

Alison B. Fortier’s A History Lover’s Guide to Washington, D.C. (Photo: Politics & Prose)

D.C. History Books

Politics and Prose hosts three authors who have written very different books about D.C.’s history. Learn about the Potomac and Anacostia rivers from John R. Wennersten’s The Historic Waterfront of Washington, D.C., meet iconoclastic District women in Canden Schwantes’ Wild Women of Washington, D.C. and let Alison B. Fortier be your tour guide with A History Lover’s Guide to Washington, D.C..

June 28 at 3:30 p.m. at Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Admission is FREE,

D/Claw XIII Summer Smackdown

“Scarlett O’Scara” (left) and “Amy Smackhouse” prepare to arm-wrestle. (Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times)

Watch some of D.C.’s toughest women, the D.C. Lady Arm Wrestlers, take each other on in the ancient art form of arm wrestling. It is like the WWE for female arm wrestlers. The event benefits the free school Knowledge Commons D.C. The events also includes a halftime burlesque show. The Flippin’ Pizza truck will be outside and there will be a bar inside.

June 28 at 8:30 p.m. at the American Legion Kenneth H. Nash Post 8, 224 D St. SE. Tickets are $10 at the door. Doors open at 8 p.m.
 

Diana Ross performing at Wolf Trap on Aug. 14, 2013. (Photo: Deb Kolt/Sun Gazette)

Diana Ross

Singers don’t get much more legendary than Diana Ross, who has left her mark both as a member of The Supremes and as a solo artist. Expect a barrage of hits like I’m Coming Out, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough and Endless Love. Singer Rhonda Ross will open for her mother.

June 29 at 8 p.m. at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets cost $35-$60. There are only a few seats remaining except for lawn seats.