Kalorama residents will be able to check out the newly renovated Kalorama Park on Saturday at a reopening event that is set to include live music, workout classes and crafts for kids.
The grand reopening is scheduled to take place from 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. this Saturday and is meant to celebrate the completion of a new playground and seating area at the park at the intersection of Columbia and Kalorama roads NW.
Mayor Muriel Bowser is scheduled to speak at the ceremony, which will also include live jazz and bluegrass performances. Here’s the full schedule for the free event:
The Columbia Heights Initiative plans to make its 10th Columbia Heights Day festival the biggest street celebration yet.
The festival will take place on 11th Street NW between Park Road and Kenyon Street from noon to 6 p.m. on September 12. Organizers at Columbia Heights Initiative, a local business group that plans and hosts events around the neighborhood, are planning for nearly 12,000 people throughout the course of the festival. In addition to the usual food and music, this year’s festival will feature a beer garden sponsored by Meridian Pint, a carnival area for kids and an adult-sized obstacle course.
“This year is our 10 year anniversary, which is awesome, so we’re really trying to blow it out,” said Brianne Dornbush, a community representative for Columbia Heights Initiative.
For the first time this year, vendors at the fair will be divided into four themed areas: health and wellness, community organizations, art and transportation.
“In previous years we just kind of put vendors at tables and didn’t think much about the placement,” Dornbush said. “This year we took a different approach so that if someone is looking to better their health, for example, they’ll have 14 or so organizations in one place to help them do that.”
A carnival for kids will also be set up on the field of Harriet Tubman Elementary School, which will include games and bounce houses.
But adults won’t be left out of the inflatable fun. Columbia Heights Initiative plans to set up an inflatable obstacle course for adults along 11th Street. Teams can also sign up to compete in a Zorb soccer tournament, in which the top half of players bodies are inside giant, clear inflatable balls. The tournament will also be held at Harriet Tubman Elementary, and teams can register online.
The Columbia Heights Initiative is also planning other future events at the Harriet Tubman field, including Friday night movie screenings throughout the Fall and a Halloween party. The first movie screening will be Ghostbusters on Sept. 4.
Photo via Facebook/ Columbia Heights Initiative
An internationally known Swedish circus and dance troupe will bring their kid-focused program to Dupont Circle tomorrow.
The Claire Parsons Company will give two performances of “Marmalade,” a dance and circus show aimed at children aged 2-6. The performances will take place at 10 a.m. and noon in Dupont Circle.
The Swedish Embassy and Dupont Festival, a group that brings public events to the Dupont Circle area, teamed up to bring the troupe to D.C. The company is coming off of a string of performances earlier in the month at the International Contemporary Circus Festival in New York.
The performance will be the first Dupont Festival event geared specifically toward children.
“One of the things that we’ve been hearing from our Dupont Festival fans is that we have a lot of families that live in the area and we haven’t done something that 100 percent kids-oriented, and we wanted to fill that void,” Aaron DeNu, principal organizer for Dupont Festival said.
“Marmalade” incorporates music, dancing and juggling, with audience members encouraged to dance and move along with the performers. Families are encouraged to bring blankets and picnic baskets for the performance.
“This is the type of event that produces smiles, laughs and a generally good feeling, and that’s what we try to do with our festivals,” DeNu said.
Though it’s Dupont Festival’s first event geared specifically toward kids, it’s not the first time they’ve teamed up with the Swedish Embassy. In June, they co-hosted a viewing party for the Women’s World Cup and a free concert in the park as part of the Nordic Jazz Festival. DeNu, who says it’s his personal goal to work with every embassy in D.C., says that he thinks its important to use Dupont Festival events to share other cultures.
“It’s a win-win working with international communities,” he said. “It’s great to be able to use our public parks to showcase different cultures.”
Photo courtesy of Dupont Festival
Dupont residents can find inner peace for free tonight in Dupont Circle.
Amy Rizzotto, founder of MOARfit and co-founder yoga studio Yoga Heights, will lead an all-levels yoga class tonight at 6 p.m. in the park that surrounds the fountain.
“Every teacher lends their own style to these classes,” Rizzotto says. “I typically teach a pretty powerful class, but I can’t let people get away without some hard work.
Attendees should expect yoga poses, stretching and some meditation.
Though participants are encouraged to bring their own mats, Rizzotto says having one isn’t required.
“If you don’t have one on hand, you can still come and do the standing balances. It’s also just a fun place to hang out,” she says. “Don’t let a mat stop you.”
Attendees are also encouraged to bring their own water because drinking from the fountain is definitely not encouraged.
Photo via Event’s Facebook Page
Mount Vernon Square, 801 K Street NW: The Historical Society of Washington, DC, is housed in this 1902 Beaux-Arts building. It also houses the Kiplinger Research Library and National Music Center. (Photo by Luis Gomez Photos.)
From Logan Circle News on Yahoo! Groups (you can sign up for email updates)… events at The Historical Society of Washington, DC. The Historical Society of Washington, DC, is located at 801 K Street NW, at Mount Vernon Square. All events are free unless otherwise indicated. For more information, visit the Society’s Web site or call (202) 383-1850.
From the Going Out Gurus at The Washington Post:
- Wednesday: ‘Quasi-Painting’ at the Randall Scott Gallery. A new exhibit showcases nine different artists who all have painterly sensibilities (think more abstract, less linear), whether they’re painting, shooting photos or sculpting.
- Thursday: Project Natale at the American Art Museum. The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s monthly Take Five! event features music from the lively Latin Jazz ensemble Project Natale. The group will be performing tunes from its holiday CD in the all-weather Kogod Courtyard.
Mount Vernon Square, 801 K Street NW: The Historical Society of Washington, DC, is housed in this 1902 Beaux-Arts building. It also houses the Kiplinger Research Library and National Music Center. (Photo by Luis Gomez Photos.)
From the Dupont Forum on Yahoo! Groups, some events this week at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. (more…)
Courtesy of Dupont Forum on Yahoo! Groups… two events next weekend at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
- Saturday, December 6 at 3 p.m.: Performance by bell ringers, Mitchell Ringers (adults) and Jubilee Ringers (7th graders). Includes 7-octave hand bells and choir chimes.
- Sunday, December 7 at 2:30 p.m.: Author lecture, Patricia Daly-Lipe discusses her book “Forbidden Loves,” about life in Paris between the First and Second World Wars.
The Historical Society of Washington, DC, is located at 801 K Street NW (Mount Vernon Square Metro stop). All events are free unless otherwise indicated. For more information, visit the Web site or call 202 383-1800.
Mount Vernon Square, 801 K Street NW: The Historical Society of Washington, DC, is housed in this 1902 Beaux-Arts building. It also houses the Kiplinger Research Library and National Music Center. (Photo by Luis Gomez Photos.)
At the Historical Society of Washington, DC, this week:
Tuesday, Nov. 11, noon – film, “Men of Bronze: The American Heroes of WW I.”
- Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2 p.m. – lecture & discussion, “Forgotten Soldiers: The District’s Black Doughboys of WW I.”
- Thursday, Nov. 13, through Saturday, Nov. 15 – Washington Studies Conference, examination of local history and institutions through group discussions, lectures and films. Admission $10; $5 for students and seniors.
- Sunday, Nov. 16, 2:30 p.m. – lecture, “Unbuilt Washington: The City as it Might Have Been, with author Don Hawkins.
More Information
- The Historical Society of Washington, DC, is located at 801 K Street NW at Mount Vernon Square.
- All events are free unless otherwise indicated.
- Visit the Web site or call (202) 383 1850.
Mount Vernon Square, 801 K Street NW: The Historical Society of Washington, DC, is housed in this 1902 Beaux-Arts building. It also houses the Kiplinger Research Library and National Music Center.
From Logan Circle News on Yahoo! Groups… a look at what’s happening this week at The Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
Continuing Exhibits
- Through December 15: “Riots are the Language of the Unheard,” exploring issues that led to the 1968 riots.
- Through December 15: “Frank Smith: 40 Years Since the Riots,” works from the Black Arts movement.
This Week
- Wednesday, November at noon: film, “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.”
- Saturday, November 8 at noon: film, “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.”
- Sunday, November 9 at 2:30 p.m.: lecture, “Black Men Built the Capitol,” with author Jesse Holland of the Associated Press.
More Information
- The Historical Society of Washington, DC, is located at 801 K Street NW at Mount Vernon Square.
- All events are free unless otherwise indicated.
- For more details, visit the Web site at or call (202) 383-1850.
Mount Vernon Square, 801 K Street NW: The Historical Society of Washington, DC, is housed in this 1902 Beaux-Arts building. It also houses the Kiplinger Research Library and National Music Center.
From Logan Circle News on Yahoo! Groups… a look at what’s happening this week at The Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
Continuing Exhibits
- Through December 15: “Riots are the Language of the Unheard,” exploring issues that led to the 1968 riots.
- Through December 15: “Frank Smith: 40 Years Since the Riots,” works from the Black Arts movement.
This Week
- Wednesday October 29 at 6:30 p.m.: “The Historic Campaign: Barack Obama in Photos,” book signing and discussion with the authors.
- Saturday November 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: “Day of the Dead Celebration.”
More Information
- The Historical Society of Washington, DC, is located at 801 K Street NW at Mount Vernon Square.
- All events are free unless otherwise indicated.
- For more details, visit the Web site at or call (202) 383-1850.
Mount Vernon Square, 801 K Street NW: The Historical Society of Washington, DC, is housed in this 1902 Beaux-Arts building. It also houses the Kiplinger Research Library and National Music Center. (Photo from Luis Gomez, One Photograph A Day.)
From Logan Circle News, here is a look at events this week at the Historical Society of Washington, DC, located at Mount Vernon Square:
- Through December 15–“Riots Are the Language of the Unheard,” photos, video artifacts from 1968.
- Through December 15–Frank Smith–art with roots in the ’60s.
- Through October 15–Latino Art Beat: winning artwork of aspiring high school students.
- PRESENTE–the D.C. Latino lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, as seen through photos, articles and memorabilia.
- Thursday, October 9–film, “Calle 54,” featuring 90 minutes of Latin Jazz.
- Saturday, October 11–film, “Artists of the Harlem Renaissance.”
- Saturday, October 11–workshop, “Creating Autobiographical and Historical Plays” (registration required and $10 fee).
- Saturday, October 11–film and discussion, “No! The Rape Documentary.”
- Sunday, October 12–lecture, “The Making of the American Capital,” with author Fergus Bordewich.
More Information
- All events at the Historical Society of Washington, DC, are free unless otherwise indicated.
- The society is located at 801 K Street NW, at Mount Vernon Square.
- For more details, visit the Historical Society Web site or call (202 383)1850.
