Festival

Get Your Dancing Skates – The Funk Parade is Back On!!

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Pablo Raw

From

“Washington, DC — It’s on.

The 5th Annual Funk Parade will happen Saturday, May 12, after last-minute fundraising raised over $60,000 in just a few weeks. Organizers had announced March 6 the event was unlikely to take place because of a massive budget shortfall.

“Funk Parade has always been an event by and for the people of the city to celebrate what we love about D.C.,” said event co-founder Justin Rood. “Everyone who enjoys this event is grateful to Mayor Bowser, to the hundreds of individual donors and the dozens of local businesses who are making this possible.”

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser pledged an additional $25,000, which organizers said was essential to make the event happen this year. Residents have given over $20,000 in crowdfunding support the event, as well. Sponsorships from local businesses including Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center, plus a commitment from the ridesharing service Uber, made up the rest. (more…)

Mark It! This Year’s Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival is June 9th

By Prince Of Petworth

From a press release:

“WHAT: Nestled between the banks of the historic Anacostia River, DC’s premier benefit music festival will return to Kingman and Heritage Islands Park for the 9th time to join the District in celebrating the Year of the Anacostia with crowds expected to exceed 10,000.

The Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival has a long history of representing musical talent from all wards of the city, surrounding regions, backgrounds, cultures, genders, old and young, and this year will be no exception.  With a diverse cast that includes several female- and African American-fronted bands that highlight the roots of bluegrass, folk, and Americana, this is another can’t miss event! (more…)

Awesome Con Returns to D.C. This Weekend – The Beer Connection

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Bossi

From a press release:

“Guests at the sixth annual Awesome Con by LeftField Media, the Mid-Atlantic’s premier pop culture convention, can expand their minds and whet their appetites with exciting culinary-centric programming at the con from March 30-April 1. Attendees can now visit www.awesomecon.com/programming to view the full Awesome Con schedule and plan their experience before heading to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for the show. Awesome Con is also proud to partner with Maryland brewery Manor Hill Brewery for the second year to debut “Robo Fuel,” a limited-release pale wheat ale brewed exclusively for the con and available to purchase at regional restaurants and retail stores starting Friday, March 23 while supplies last.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Basil, Whisky, and the Pursuit of Space Gastronomy

Learn how researchers are working to master space cuisine, leading to the creation of space-distilled whisky, cheese fermented in microgravity, and the development of a hydrofuge, which can grow basil plants in an environment with no up or down.

  • Date: Friday, March 30
  • Time: 4:30 PM
  • Location: 209

The Future of Beer

Join Smithsonian’s Beer Historian Theresa McCulla and Beer Writer Franz Lind, as well as Manor Hill Brewing’s Head Brewer Kurt Krol for a discussion exploring the radical changes occurring in the world of beer over the past few years. The past, present, and – of course – the untapped future of beer are all on the table during this dynamic panel.

  • Date: Saturday, March 31
  • Time: 3:00 PM
  • Location: 209

MANOR HILL BREWING & AWESOME CON DEBUT “ROBO FUEL” (more…)

Mark It – The Anacostia River Festival is Sunday, April 15th!

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by The Anacostia Watershed Society courtesy of 11th Street Bridge Park

From a press release:

“The 11th Street Bridge Park and the National Park Service present the fourth annual Anacostia River Festival, a premier event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. This year we are throwing a birthday bash for the 100th Anniversary of Anacostia Park by celebrating the “Year of the Anacostia!” Held in Anacostia Park, this FREE event will encourage District residents and visitors from across the region to explore communities and parks east of the river. In 2017, the Anacostia River Festival attracted nearly 10,000 participants.

Anacostia River Festival

When: Sunday, April 15, 2018; 1 pm – 5 pm

Where: National Park Service’s Anacostia Park. Good Hope Road & Anacostia Drive SE

Who: FREE and open to the public.
For more information:bridgepark.org/ARF

“In 2018, the stars have aligned to mark the ‘Year of the Anacostia’ – celebrating the river as a stunning ecological and cultural resource for the entire city. Residents from across the DC region can discover this incredible natural resource at our fourth annual Anacostia River Festival.” said Scott Kratz, 11th Street Bridge Park Director.

The festival will feature art exhibitions, live music performances, hands-on activities and special biking activities. Visitors can participate in recycled art projects, fishing workshops, the annual bicycle parade, trail rides, bike tune-up stations, safety stations, lawn games, boating and other family-friendly activities re-engaging residents and visitors alike with the Anacostia River and historic Anacostia neighborhood. (more…)

Party at Marvin Still Happening But “It is with great sadness that we have to announce that Funk Parade will most likely not be happening in 2018.”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Pablo Raw

Well this is terrible news:

“A Message From Funk Parade

It is with great sadness that we have to announce that Funk Parade will most likely not be happening in 2018. Despite an early organizing start, hundreds of hours of work and team planning, our financial situation for the 2018 event is worse than it has ever been. As it sits now, there is very little chance of raising the amount needed to put on this event in the 10 weeks we have left.

We will announce an official decision in the next few days. We wanted to inform the community now because our annual kickoff event is happening Wednesday March 7, and we could not go into it without being transparent regarding the event’s situation.

As the event has grown in popularity and size, its costs have increased beyond the community’s ability to fund it. While support from the community has remained strong, small-dollar donations from residents and local businesses are not enough to meet the event’s budget. Funk Parade has come to rely increasingly on larger contributions and sponsorships to cover what individuals and local businesses cannot.

Unfortunately, the vision of the event is at odds with what many larger sponsors say they want, and some don’t see the point of the event at all. (more…)

“The National Cherry Blossom Festival is seeking volunteers for this upcoming spring season”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Kevin

From an email:

“VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT FOR 2018 NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL

Get a behind-the-scenes experience and support the nation’s greatest springtime celebration

March 20 – April 16, 2018

WHO               Friendly, cooperative, and reliable volunteers of all ages to join the 2018 National Cherry Blossom Festival Volunteer Program. Individuals, local businesses with community service programs, and community service groups are encouraged to volunteer. Knowledge about Washington, DC and the surrounding area is helpful but not necessary. The program is supported by Guest Services, Inc.

WHAT             Volunteers can assist the Festival in a variety of exciting roles, including: (more…)

“The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair without animals is just a carnival.”

By Prince Of Petworth

From Montgomery County Fair & Agriculture:

“CALL TO ACTION!
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Oppose Bill 23-17
Defend the Montgomery County Fair & Agriculture in Montgomery County Maryland.
Bill 23-17 concerning Animal Control – Performance Animal Violations, is being proposed by the Humane Society of the United States to the Montgomery County Council. The Board of Directors for the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair unanimously opposes this Bill for the following reasons:
This Bill will prevent certain licensed animal shows from preforming in Montgomery County Maryland.
In summary – The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair without animals is just a carnival.

What can I do? (more…)

2nd annual DC Art Book Fair is Sunday at the National Museum of Women in the Arts

By Prince Of Petworth

From an email:

“The DC Art Book Collective is thrilled to announce that the 2nd annual DC Art Book Fair is taking place this year on November 5th, 2017 from 12noon until 5pm. This year’s event will be held at the National Museum of Women in the Arts at 1250 New York Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. And yes, the event is on Facebook!

The DC Art Book Fair is a curated event that brings together artists, small presses, and collectives from DC and beyond to sell their independently published (largely paper-based) works. These artists deal in works from zines to books, from comics to prints and plenty in between (including some non-paper goods and accessories.) (more…)

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