MONDAY, MAY 17
CICADA RADIO: Join local station Takoma Radio, 94.3 FM, for a cicada invasion-themed radio show to welcome our emerging insect friends. The bi-weekly free-form show What’s Up Next will debut a soundtrack to match the Biblical invasion of cicadas. (8 p.m., FREE)
ORGAN CONCERTS: To celebrate the second anniversary of the rededication of its organ, the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Dupont presents a week-long virtual concert series from organist Nathan Laube. Each morning at 6 a.m., a pre-recorded performance will debut on YouTube. Monday’s performance of Franz Liszt’s Funérailles is already live. (FREE)
MORE: P&P Live! Cynthia Saltzman | Plunder with Blake Gopnik (6 p.m., FREE)
TUESDAY, MAY 18
STORY TIME: Arlington’s library system is resuming its storytime series, only this time it will be outdoors with songs, rhymes, fingerplays and more! The library will kick off the series’ return with an event at Central Library featuring Arlington Public Library director Diane Kresh. Stories are for kids ages 0-5 years, and don’t forget to bring a blanket from home to sit on. (10 a.m., FREE)
SUFFRAGE TALK: 2020 was the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment, but that same year, the pandemic forced the country to cancel events and implement restrictions. The National Archives Foundation partners with the National Women’s History Museum and others for a panel on how the centennial adapted, featuring authors of books on the suffrage movement. (7 p.m., FREE)
GEMS GALORE: Discover the National Museum of Natural History’s magnificent gem collection in this virtual event. Curator Jeffrey Post will reveal the scandals, mysteries, and stories behind some of the world’s most famous gems. (6:45 p.m., $25)
MORE: Lost City Books – The Fictional Now reads A Swim in a Pond in the Rain (7 p.m., FREE)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 19
COMEDY AT THE BULLPEN: Join D.C. Improv for an in-person night of stand-up at Navy Yard’s own outdoor bar and event space, the Bullpen. The Bullpen will provide food and drink, and the Improv will provide top local comedy talent — including Paris Sashay, Violet Gray, and Danny Rouhier — so it’s a win-win situation. Only four-to-six-top tables available. (7:30 p.m., $20)
CODE TALKERS: Learn all about Native American “code talkers” and the key role they played in important battles and campaigns in this virtual event from the National Museum of the American Indian. Author William Meadows and the museum’s senior editor, Alexandra Harris, will host a Q&A following the talk. (2 p.m., FREE)
MORE: Curator’s Corner: Dark Mirror with Barton Gellman (International Spy Museum, 12 p.m., FREE), BSO Sessions Episode 26: Bells, Keys, and Reeds (8 p.m., $10), Calvary Women’s Services’ Hope Awards (7 p.m., donations welcome)
THURSDAY, MAY 20
POETRY CAFE: Grab a mug and get cozy for a virtual talk about America’s most iconic poets with the Planet Word museum. This four-session course will explore the sounds, rhythms and literary techniques of Maya Angelou, William Carlos Williams, Langston Hughes, and Elizabeth Bishop — all featured in the museum. (3 p.m., $40 for all sessions)
SELF-MADE MILLIONAIRE: Meet Madam C.J. Walker, an advocate for equal rights for Black Americans and America’s first female self-made millionaire, at this National Archives Foundation virtual event. Daisy Century, an actor and historian, will portray the iconic philanthropist, and A’Lelia Bundles, Walker’s great great granddaughter, will join the program for a Q&A session. (11 a.m., FREE)
PHOTO EXHIBIT: The D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities commemorates the end of its Our City, Ourselves: Women Photograph Washington exhibit with a virtual event. Organizers gathered photos from the community, and will debut them at the event. Participating photographers will also be on hand to discuss their images. (6 p.m., FREE)
BEHIND THE SCENES: Enjoy a virtual studio tour and artwork demonstration from Rowland Ricketts, an artist featured in the Renwick Invitational 2020. Ricketts will display his dyed and aged fabric work that uses indigo he farmed himself. (7 p.m., FREE)
MORE: Celebration of Community Champions (Greater Washington Community Foundation, 6 p.m., donations welcome), Presidential Library Series: Gerald Ford (National Archives Foundation, 5 p.m., FREE), Youth in Action: Ecological Knowledge in Pacific Coastal Communities (National Museum of the American Indian, 11:59 p.m., FREE), Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, and Cass Sunstein (Sixth and I, 7:30 p.m., $12), Virtual Happy Hour: Marisol Escobar (5:30 p.m., donations welcome)
Sponsored FILM AND MUSIC FESTIVAL: Outdoor movies and concerts—alongside a full virtual program—showcase the best in Jewish film and music at JxJ. Bands and filmmakers hailing from Argentina, Ethiopia, and Israel join with local acts for the feel-good celebration. Browse 40+ programs. (Various Locations and Virtual, May 23-30, $0-$35)
