Out and About: Weekend Picks

>> Pay tribute to a late D.C. arts contributor, Cyrus Katzen, by visiting American University’s Katzen Art Center this Saturday. See the center’s impressive display and hear local sculptor Margaret Boozer talk about her installations of unfired local clays in Dirt Drawings at 2 p.m.

>> No need to worry about your attire or finding a unique place to dance Saturday night, DC9’s Noveau Riche with DJs Gavin Holland, SteveLove, and Enaisee have it spinning, with VJ Mark Brown setting the scene alongside fake vines and glowsticks all around to create a leafy-party situation. Free beer and entry between 9 and 10 p.m., $8 cover afterward.

>> See new exhibit M3: MCs, Mics and Metaphors at Flashpoint for free from 12 to 6 p.m. The exhibit assembles a nation-wide group of 17 emerging artists, from a range of disciplines including, video, animation, fashion, photography and painting, who explore the power of hip hop lyricism and poetry through visual art in light of the MC or through favorite hip-hop verse or song.

>> Listen to a jam session and bid on graffiti art at Bohemian Caverns ($10), then walk two blocks down to Expo and get in for free with your Caverns wristband to hear hip-hop performances from the Fif, DJ Fireman and others.

>> Celebrate Peru’s independence from Spain with Festival Peruano, a free traditional affair of dance, food and music at the Shirley Park/Gunston Sports Field (2700 South Lang Street, Arlington) 11 a.m to 6 p.m, presented by the Civic and Cultural Peruvian Association. At the festival enjoy Creole music, Afro-Peruvian songs, and huayno musicians with dancers. For those who aren’t weak of stomach, pig out on the skewers of beef heart and stewed beef stomach.

>> Author of This is Your Country on Drugs and senior correspondent for Huffingtonpost.com, Ryan Grim will speak on the history of illicit drug use in America, reaching back to what the Founding Fathers may have imbibed to later trends such as crystal meth and acid. The lecture is free at Politics and Prose from 6 to 7 p.m.

SUNDAY

>> Art Museum of the Americans opened a new exhibit showcasing works from Columbian architect Rogelio Salmona. The exhibit Open Spaces/ Collective Spaces features scale models, video and drawings. Don’t miss the regular exhibit while you are there, including close to 2,000 pieces showcasing stylistic and iconographic trends beginning in the early 20th century. The Art Museum of the Americas is free and open from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m.

>> One of DC’s best kept secrets is the cafeteria at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Chow down on buffalo steaks, buffalo chilli, Navaho tacos, rabbit soup, and other great pieces such as blue corn bread. While the museum is open until 5 p.m., the cafeteria tends to close down around 3:30 p.m.

>> Rock the casbah at Nellie’s Sports Bar on Sunday. Proceeds from your food (hummus and tzaziki) and special drinks support Helem. The party is in Nellie’s second floor pub from 7 p.m. onward.

>> Hear Gregg Proops from HBO, Comedy Central, and “Whose Line is it Anyway” at DC Improv for $20 at 8 p.m.