Photo by philliefan99

FRIDAY

MOVIES: Beginning tonight and running through Sunday, National Geographic Live! (1600 M Street NW) presents Global Glimpses, a showcase of the five foreign language films nominated for the 2012 Oscars. This evening’s screening is A Separation, which we reviewed last month. 7:00 p.m. $8.

JAZZ: The Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival kicks off tonight and continues through the weekend at the Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel & Executive Meeting Center. See our review for some highlights.

BURLESQUE: What better way to celebrate Mardi Gras than with burlesque? Head out to the Red Palace (1212 H Street NE) tonight for Bayou & Beads, featuring burlesque, comedy, and more. Doors 9:30 p.m., show 10:00 p.m. $12 “gets you beads, booty and debauchery!”

WAX: Share your birthday with a president? Prove it by flashing your ID and you’ll get in for free at Madame Tussauds (1001 F Street NW) today through Monday.

MUSIC: The Junior League Band plays the Rock and Roll Hotel (1353 H Street NE) with Holy Ghost Tent Revival and the John Lee Experience. 8:00 p.m. $12.

SATURDAY

MOVIES: Grab an extra large tub of popcorn and tuck in for two days of Oscar Best Picture nominees in the AMC Theatre Best Picture Showcase this weekend. This Saturday watch War Horse, Moneyball, The Tree of Live, and The Descendants back to back. Then, Sunday see the rest of the nominees: Hugo, The Help, Extremely Loud, Incredibly Close, The Artist, and Midnight In Paris. Four local AMC Theatres are participating: Hoffman Center 22, Potomac 18, Rio 18, and Shirlington 7. A pass for all four movies on Saturday is $30, and for all five movies on Sunday is $40. Or, hold off til February 25th for a marathon of all nine films in one day at AMC Theatre Georgetown 14.

FITNESS: The George Washington birthday celebrations continue this weekend with the George Washington Birthday Classic 10K and 2K Fun Run. The race begins at the US Patent and Trademark Office (600 Dulany Street Alexandria, VA). See the full course map here. 8:00 a.m. $40 to register. Online registration has closed but you can register in person at Pacers Running Store (1301 King Street, Alexandria VA) today from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. and tomorrow from 6:30 a.m. to 7:45 a.m.

FOOD & DRINK: If you’d rather celebrate our first president’s birthday with a less strenuous event, watch local chefs Cathal Armstrong (Restaurant Eve), David Guas (Bayou Bakery), Christophe Poteaux (Bastille Restaurant), and Robert Wiedmaier (BRABO) prepare hoecakes over an open fire at a cooking demo at Mount Vernon this Saturday. 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. $15 adults, $7 children. Or stop by Mount Vernon on Monday when admission will be free.

FUNDRAISER: Crimp your hair, fluff your shoulder pads, and head to the Fashion for Pawesome ’80s Prom at L2 Lounge (3315 Cady’s Alley NW) this Saturday. 8:00-11:30 p.m. One hundred pecent of the $20 admission fee will be donated to the Washington Humane Society.

VARIETY: The Comic Strip event at State Theatre (220 N Washington Street Falls Church VA) Saturday offers a huge lineup of comedians followed by burlesque beauties. Hence, Comic Strip! Doors open 7:00 p.m., show starts at 8:00 p.m. $12.

MUSIC: Old school Philly punks The Dead Milkmen play U Street Music Hall (1115A U Street NW) this Saturday. 7:00 p.m. $18.

SUNDAY

FOOD & DRINK: Pizzeria Paradiso’s Dupont location (2003 P Street NW) is throwing a Presidents’ Day Barleywine Bash this Sunday and Monday. Come out for over 20 drafts and casks.

MUSIC: Nils Lofgren take the stage at the Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Avenue Alexandria, VA) Sunday. 7:30 p.m. $45.