If the cold has you stir-crazy, make weekend plans—this Friday through Sunday sees both Groundhog Dog and Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. And good news: Warmer weather arrives in D.C. on Saturday, and there’s sun in the Sunday forecast, just in time for a local race, and Super Bowl festivities.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 31
GOOD THINKING: The French Embassy is partnering with The Hirshhorn Museum to host the first D.C. edition of the worldwide Night of Ideas. 50 philosophers, sociologists, artists, and authors are expected to gather to share their thoughts on a range of topics, including civil rights, art and advocacy, feminist philosophy, and the digital age centered on this year’s theme, ‘Facing Our Time.’ Along with an address from keynote speaker, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Americanah, We Should All Be Feminists), patrons can expect short talks accented with music, dance, and spoken word performances from guests like The George Washington Debate & Literary Society, Marching Band Baltimore Project, and D.C.-based artist Naoko Wowsugi. The event is full, but a waitlist is available. (Embassy of France, 6:30 p.m.-12 a.m., FREE) —BreAnna Bell
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1
ROCKY MOUNTAIN STYLE: Embrace the slopes without the requisite athleticism at The Sovereign’s Après Ski event. The menu, which includes a special lineup from Breckenridge Distillery, Casey Brewing, Crooked Stave and Leopold Bros. celebrates the beers and spirits of Colorado. (The Sovereign, 5 p.m.-11 p.m., free entry)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: For Free Folger Friday, join Marissa Nicosia, an assistant professor of English at Penn State Abington, for a Cooking in the Archives evening program. The lecture offers insights into early modern cuisine in the context of today’s culinary scene. (Folger Theatre, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., FREE, reservations requested)
MUSICAL MOMENT: Kalamazoo’s Greensky Bluegrass takes over the Anthem for two nights, beginning Friday. For nearly 20 years, the five-piece outfit has melded bluegrass and and rock with a whole host of intergenre influences. A limited number of two-night ticket packages are available. (The Anthem, 6 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. show, $40-$75)
FILM SCHOOL: Long, Long Way: Race and Film, 1989-2019 examines race and prejudice in both historical and contemporary film. The weekend-long program begins with screening of Do the Right Thing and a panel moderated by NPR’s Korva Coleman. The event continues with a screening of BlacKkKlansman on Saturday. (Washington National Cathedral, 7 p.m., $15)
MORE: A Way with Words (The Miracle Theatre, 6:30 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $30), Flow Tribe with the Beat Hotel (The Hamilton, 6:30 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $15-$25), American Ballet Theatre: Harlequinade (The Kennedy Center Opera House, 7:30 p.m., $39-$199), Daley & JMSN (9:30 Club, 8 p.m. doors, $25), Camille Thurman with the Darrell Green Trio (The Kennedy Center Terrace Gallery, 9 p.m., $20), BAYNK with Golden Vessel (U Street Music Hall, 10:30 p.m., $15-$20)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2
THE END (OF WINTER) IS NEAR: Forget Punxsutawney Phil. Head to Dupont for a Groundhog Day celebration with Potomac Phil, the (taxidermied) National Groundhog. If the past few days are any indication, we’re in for more winter, but enjoy accordion music and polka dancing, regardless of whether Phil sees his shadow. (Dupont Circle Park, 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m., FREE)
SCOOP IT UP: In honor of Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, Jeni’s Spendid Ice Creams is opening its 14th Street scoop shop three hours early. All profits from the morning will be donated to She Should Run, a a nonprofit aiming to get 250,000 women to seek elected office by 2030. (Jeni’s, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., free entry)
ICE ICE BABY: Celebrating five years of frosty fun, this year’s Ice Yards features icy cocktails and local beers, plus interactive ice activities, live music, axe throwing and jousting. New this year: Ice Yards and the Polar Bear Plunge team up with a swimming pool plunge to benefit the Special Olympics District of Columbia. Your ticket includes one wine or beer. (The Yards Park, 1 p.m.-5 p.m., $10)
PLAY IT AGAIN: This weekend’s your chance to see one of the most celebrated international pianists in concert with the National Symphony Orchestra. Russia’s Daniil Trifonov, Musical America’s 2019 Artist of the Year, performs Beethoven’s “Emperor,” his fifth piano concerto. (The Kennedy Center Concert Hall, 8 p.m., $15-$89)
MORE: Yoga Garden (The Midlands, 10 a.m., $15), Joe Finder: Judgement (East City Bookshop, 5 p.m., FREE), The Wailers featuring Julian “Junior” Marvin: A Bob Marley Birthday Tribute (The Hamilton, 6:30 p.m., 8 p.m. show, $25-$35), We Were Pirates (Rock & Roll Hotel, 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $12), SOAK. with Claud (Songbyrd, 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $14-$17), White Ford Bronco (9:30 Club, 8 p.m., $25)
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3
WWI REVISITED: Produced and directed by Peter Jackson, the acclaimed documentary They Shall Not Grow Old uses technological magic to add color and sound to archival footage from World War I for maximum emotional and cinematic effect. Seems fitting to catch a screening at the National Museum of American History, where it’s showing through February 7. (National Museum of American History, 12 p.m. and 4 p.m., $11-$15)
GRIDIRON RUN: Before you settle in on the couch for the Super Bowl, get in a few miles at the 2019 Battle of the Pigskin 5k & Half. Runners are encouraged to wear their favorite team’s attire. Proceeds benefit Operation Enduring Warrior. (C&O Canal, 8 a.m., $30-$65)
AN AFTERNOON AT THE MUSEUM: If you’ve been meaning to see the Rodarte exhibition at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, hurry—it ends February 10. Sunday is the museum’s monthly Free Community Day, which means you can see designs by Kate Mulleavy and Laura Mulleavy, plus the rest of the collection at no cost. (National Museum of Women in the Arts, 12 p.m.-5 p.m., FREE)
MORE: The Kennedy Center Chamber Players: Works of Hindemith, Respighi, Lutosławski & Schubert (The Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, 2 p.m., $36), Uptown Arts House presents Home: A Suite for Gil Scott Heron (The Kennedy Center Millenium Stage, 6 p.m., FREE), Sneaks with INSOMNEA (Songbyrd, 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $13-$15), El Ten Eleven with Joan of Arc (Union Stage, 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show, $17-$25)
