Photo by *CantBuyMeLove* [new icon]FRIDAY
BEER: Lots of strange things can happen on Friday the 13th, like Great Lakes Christmas Ale showing up in April. Head to The Black Squirrel (2427 18th Street NW) for a Jason versus Christmas Ale Tribute, where you can rasie a glass to the man in the hockey mask and drink away your fear of this creepy day. 5 p.m. to close.
PARTY: Start your weekend off with the Visio-Disco art dance party at the National Portrait Gallery (800 F Street NW). 9 p.m. $35.
>> Experience a variety of cultures through dance from Hawaii, Japan, and West Africa; a film about Chinatown’s senior community; an Ethiopian coffee ceremony; and more at Many Moves One Movement: A Multilingual Dance, Music, and Art celebration at BloomBars (3222 11th St. NW) tonight. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $20 online, $25 at the door.
MUSIC: The Tamagawa University Taiko Drumming and Dance Troupe brings “high-energy Taiko drumming and Japanese folkloric dance” to the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage tonight. 6 p.m. Free.
>> Lots of other live music options in the Weekly Music Agenda.
TALK: Invisible Children’s Kony video and campaign went viral on Facebook, only to be immediately followed by uncomfortable questions about how the organization uses donated money. Look beyond this scandal and learn about humanitarian aid efforts in Uganda and Congo at “Bigger Than Kony,” a discussion at Busboys and Poets 14th & V location (2021 14th Street NW) tonight. 6 to 8 p.m. Free.
MOVIE: As we mentioned in this week’s Popcorn and Candy, AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring) is launching two movie showcases this weekend: a Silent Film Series, including modern films like Hugo and a classic pictures like 1902’s A Trip to the Moon, and a celebration of the animated films from Studio Ghibli, like My Neighbor Totoro, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and Princess Mononoke.
SATURDAY
FESTIVAL: The annual Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival (12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW), which coincides with the National Cherry Blossom Festival each year, is back this Saturday with Japanese dance, costumes, and lots of food. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. $5 for those aged 13 years and up.
PARADE: Katie Couric, Alex Trebec, and Leon Harris team up to host the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade (Constitution Avenue from Seventh to 17th streets NW) this Saturday. 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Free to stand along the parade route, $20 for grandstand seats.
REMEMBRANCE: The D.C. area is home to a lot of Virginia Tech alums, and the 2007 tragedy there affected many here deeply. In recognition of the five years since this awful event, Koshka Foundation is holding a 5K in Remembrance in Rock Creek Park this Saturday. Registration 7:15 a.m., race 8 a.m. Free.
SPACE: Celebrate 51 years since the first human space flight this Saturday at Countdown to Yuri’s Night 2012, a “retro-future” art exhibition, “cosmonaughty” variety show, and “lunar” dance party at Artisphere (1101 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington). 8 p.m. Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 day of.
FOOD & DRINK: Devour unlimited crawfish, roasted suckling pig, southern-sides, and Abita Amber Ale at the Pearl Dive Oyster Palace (1612 14th Street NW) Crawfish Boil this Saturday. Tickets still available for the noon event, but the 2:30 p.m. seating is sold out. $60 (plus tax and tip).
DERBY: The 4-3 DC Rollergirls All-Stars look to avenge last year’s 163-82 defeat as they welcome back the Port Authorities of Portland, Maine to the DC Armory (2001 E Capitol Street SE). That’s the first bout at 4 p.m. and is followed immediately by home teams DC DemonCats and Majority Whips. Doors at 3 p.m. $12 at the door, $6 kids aged 6-11, kids under 6 free.
NERDS: Geek out over talks on typography, the history of the Nobel Prize sperm bank, and quantum computers at Nerd Nite at DC9 (1940 9th Street NW) this Saturday. Doors 6 p.m., show 6:30 p.m. $10.
ART: Hit the launch party for LUMEN8Anacostia, held in the former Metropolitan Police Department evidence warehouse in the Anacostia (2235 Shannon Place SE). There will be art, pop up shops, food from Busboys & Poets, a interactive installation by Bluebrain, live performance art, cash bars, and more. Begins at noon Free.
>> Check out the work of graduating Corcoran students NEXT at the Corcoran: Class of 2012 (500 17th Street NW), which is holding its public opening and celebration this Saturday. 8 to 10 p.m. Free.
SUNDAY
BEER: Happy One Year Anniversary, DC Brau! Help them celebrate this Sunday with 16 DC Brau drafts and 4 casks at Meridian Pint (3400 11th Street NW). 4 to 7 p.m.
FOOD & DRINK: Immerse yourself in Thai culture and food this Sunday at the annual Songkran Festival at Wat Thai Washington, D.C. (13440 Layhill Road, Silver Spring). This event celebrates the Thai new year and offers so many types of food to sample that it’s best to experience with a large group (so you can share!). Check out our article from last year to get a sense of what this event has to offer. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free.
FITNESS: You’ve run as a warrior, as a tough guy, and maybe even from zombies, but have you run as an inmate yet? If not, take part in the Prison Break 5k at the Lorton Workhouse (9601 Ox Road, Lorton, Va.) this Sunday, which actually was a prison at one point. Registration. $35.
MOVIES: If AFI’s Studio Ghibli film series sparked your interest, see all the films for free and in one day at the Freer Gallery’s (1050 Independence Avenue SW) 10th annual anime festival, featuring Ponyo at 11 a.m., Porco Rosso at 1:30 p.m., Princess Mononoke at 4 p.m., and Spirited Away at 7 p.m. Tickets (two per person) will be distributed at 10:30 a.m. and 30 minutes before each movie. Free.
MUSIC: The Roots play the newly restored Howard Theatre (620 T Street NW) this Sunday. 7 p.m. Tickets: $55.
>> Plus, other options in the Weekly Music Agenda.
