Photo by philliefan99.FRIDAY:
TALK: Melissa Auf der Maur, who played bass for Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins, discusses her photography tonight at National Geographic Live (1600 M Street NW) as a part of their Music on…Photography series (which includes a talk with Moby on May 9th). 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $18.
PARTY: Get out your fancy pants for the National Cherry Blossom Festival Grand Ball and Sushi Reception, a black tie dinner and silent auction at the Renaissance Hotel (999 9th Street NW), where the Cherry Blossom Queen and Princesses will be introduced. 6 p.m. to midnight. $150.
FITNESS: Crystal City invites the fit — and those who want to be — out tonight for their Crystal Run 5K Friday series. Tonight, as well as on April 15, participants are invited to check out a post-run FLASH photography exhibit. Runners receive a complimentary drink and the Washington Wine Academy will be holding a wine tasting. Sport & Health is also offering free showers to runners who want to clean up after the 5K. 6:30 p.m. $20.
COMEDY: SNL Ladies Man Tim Meadows does standup and improv tonight and tomorrow at the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington VA). Two shows each night, 7:30 and 9:55 p.m. $26.
MOVIE: See the Korean “spy thriller/melodrama/comedy” Secret Reunion at the Freer Gallery (1200 Jefferson Drive SW) as a part of their Korean Film Festival. 7 p.m. Free.
>> There are over a dozen films playing tonight as a part of Filmfest DC. You’ll find them at AMC Mazza Gallerie, Avalon Theatre, E Street Cinema, Goethe-Institut Washington and Regal Cinemas Gallery Place, with showtimes starting anywhere between at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Also, check out the lineup for Saturday and Sunday. Don’t know what to see? Check out yesterday’s Popcorn & Candy for some suggestions. $11 each film.
MUSIC: The Black Lips hit the Black Cat (1811 14th Street NW) with the Vivian Girls and Moon Women. 9 p.m. $15.
>> Despite a recent false start, HR-57 is finally ready to open its new H Street location (816 H Street NE), and will host a soft opening tonight. This evening and tomorrow, the club will feature a set from alto saxophonist Antonio Parker and his band, regulars at the club’s old location on 14th Street. 9:00 p.m., $12.
>> The Whigs bring their “Get Out of the Garage” Tour to the 9:30 Club (814 V Street NW) tonight. 7 p.m. $15.
>> How does a DJ celebrate a birthday? By inviting all his DJ friends (DJ Sega, DJ Will Power, Chris Nitti, and Philip Goyette) to put on a dance party at the Rock and Roll Hotel (1353 H Street NE), well at least that’s DJ Matt Rose’s plan. Happy 28th! 9:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Free.
SATURDAY
PARADE: The annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade will march this Saturday, bringing all the parade favs: floats, bands, performers including the DC Rollergirls, the works. 10 a.m. to noon, though the exact route is still to be determined thanks to the looming shutdown. Free to watch, but tickets to sit in the grandstand are $17.
FESTIVAL: Arguably the coolest part of the National Cherry Blossom events is the Sakura Matsuri-Japanese Street Culture Festival (12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW). There’s lots of food, beer gardens, martial arts demonstrations, people dressed up as crazy manga characters, music and more. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tickets (for those 13 and older) are $5.
>> Pleasant Pops is celebrating spring and popsicle-eating weather with Popapalooza at Lamont Park (1700 Lamont Street NW). Pleasant’s food truck friends the PORC Mobile and Big Cheese Truck will also be in attendance, along with bands (The North Country at noon, The Riverbreaks at 1 p.m., and Amber Dutton at 2 p.m.), face painters and a magician. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free.
CHALLENGE: Weekends are for golf. Weekends are for beer. Weekends are for beer golf? That’s the reasoning behind the Cap-City Bar Golf event this Saturday, where you’ll play 13 holes (Dupont bars), nine of which will actually require you to putt on their mini greens, and four of which are “beer hazards.” The competition begins with registration between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at 19th (1919 Pennsylvania Avenue NW) and scores are tallied at Rumors (1900 M St. NW) at 9 p.m. Golf outfits highly encouraged. Foursomes pay $27, or singles pay $9.
>> Another challenge you can chose to accept this weekend is the Art and Go Seek scavenger hunt from the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (545 7th Street SE). Teams of 2 to 6 will take on questions about art, history, and places on the Hill to receive points for right answers. Ticket price includes breakfast, hunt and after-party with lunch. 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $40 per adult or $10 for 13-18 year olds. Complete registration form and email (kent@CHAW.org) or fax (202-543-1723) it in.
TOURS Take a mural bike tour of commissioned street art and illegal graffiti in Edgewood and Eckington with the Hole in the Sky Art Collective (2110 5th Street NE alleyway) this Saturday. 12 p.m. $5 donation suggested (healthy snacks provided).
>> Check out what the Obamas are growing when the White House’s annual spring garden tours start up this Saturday. Free, but tickets are required and given out first-come, first-serve beginning at 8 a.m. each day.
VOLUNTEER: Do it out of the goodness of your heart, or just do it for the beer. Whatever your motivation, help out this Saturday at the Great Lakes Earth Day Clean Up at Southeast Waterfront at the Seafarer’s Yacht Club site (1950 M Street SE). Helping out will get you access to the Earth Day Jam at Solly’s on April 23rd and a chance to win SAVOR tickets. 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
MUSIC: Toad The Wet Sprocket, who were pretty successful in the nineties, perform at the 9:30 Club (815 V Street NW) Saturday with Deep River. 7 p.m. $35
>> Ra Ra Rasputin plays the Velvet Lounge (915 U Street NW) with Medals, and Miyazaki. 9 p.m. $8.
SPORTS: D.C. United takes on David Beckham, Landon Donovan and company as the Los Angeles Galaxy visit what should be a rockin’ RFK Stadium. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $28.30 – 59.65.
TALK: Nerd Nite is back this Saturday talking about birth control, explicit lyrics and robot overlords (hint: you should welcome them) at DC9 (1940 9th Street NW). 6:30 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show. Tickets: $10.
SUNDAY:
FESTIVAL: The rescheduled Blossom Kite Festival takes to the skies on the National Mall this Sunday, with kite ballet, battles, tricks, and regular old flying. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free.
CRAFTS: The Sugarloaf Crafts Festival at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds (16 Chestnut Street, Gaithersburg, MD) this weekend offers handmade crafts and artwork on the theme of “Artful Outdoors.” 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. $9.
FOOD & DRINK: Lyon Hall’s (3100 N. Washington Boulevard, Arlington) farm fresh seafood dinner is a five-course meal with wine pairings. Email lyonhallfarmdinners@gmail.com for reservations. 7 p.m. $75 (plus tax and tip).
MUSIC: Whenever I hear The Old ’97’s song “Question,” I see Turk asking Carla to marry him on Scrubs, while J.D. runs around them holding sparklers in the air. The moment is sweet and fun, like many of the band’s alt-country songs. Check them out at the 9:30 Club (815 V Street NW) with Teddy Thompson. 7 p.m. $25.
>> If you’re looking for a different, harder sound, check out Philadelphia’s Bardo Pond and New Zealand’s Surf City at the Black Cat Backstage (1811 14th Street NW). 8:30 p.m. $10 advance / $12 day of.
THEATER: This Sunday is your last chance to see Arena Stage’s (1101 Sixth Street SW) intense production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 8 p.m. $70.
>> Sunday’s performance of 42nd Street by the The Arlington Players (125 S. Old Glebe Road, Arlington) will include a “talk back” with the production staff and principle actors after the show. You can catch the run of shows starting Friday and continuing through April 23rd. 2:30 p.m. $20.
MOVIE: As a part of Filmfest DC, the Goethe-Institut (812 7th Street NW) presents Lunafest: Women’s Shorts Program, a collection of short films by and for women. Following the screenings there will be a panel discussion and reception. 4:15 p.m. $11.
