Festival

Lot @ Union Kitchen Kicks Off New Season this Saturday

By Prince Of Petworth

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1100 3rd Street, NE

From an email:

“Spring is making its way in and what better way to celebrate than with a day of fun, food, and music outside . . . on a parking lot! Come join us on The Lot @ Union Kitchen, this Saturday, 4/26. We have Happy Hour specials starting at 3 p.m. and music starting around 7 p.m. Union Kitchen members will be vending food, we’ll have games and chicanery and it should be a blast.

What: Music, food, drink, and games
Where: The Lot, located at 1100 3rd Street NE.
When: This Saturday, 4/26 3 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Bring your friends. We are open to all.”

Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Fest is this Saturday – Check Out a Map and the Full Line Up

By Prince Of Petworth

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My favorite of the year!

“When: Saturday April 26th
12:00pm – 8:00pm

Where: Kingman Island located on the Anacostia River-
575 Oklahoma Avenue NE Washington, DC (entrance at RFK Stadium Lot 6).

Biking and metro are encouraged. A free shuttle will run from Stadium/Armory Metro Station. Free parking is available in RFK Lot 6.

Who: The Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival presented by Whole Foods Market is a collaboration between Living Classrooms, Councilman Tommy Wells’ Office, REI, Boogie Babes, BicycleSPACE, Listen Local First, Events DC, Kleen Kanteen, programming partners Gypsy Sallys and Acre 121 and media partner WAMU’s Bluegrass Country. All are welcome to attend.

Cost: $10 suggested donations to support Living Classrooms’ environmental education programming for DC youth on Kingman Island.

Tickets can be purchased ahead of time at http://kingmanislandbluegrass.eventbrite.com or at area Whole Foods Market stores. Last Live Whole Foods Market show is at the P Street Store on Thursday April 24th from 6pm – 8pm. The Stick Mob will be performing.

FESTIVAL MUSIC LINE UP (more…)

New Belgium’s “Tour de Fat” Coming Back to Yards Park May 31st

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo by PoPville flickr user Joe in DC

From an email:

“Tour de Fat season is back; New Belgium Brewing today announced that the highly anticipated 2014 national tour of traveling bicycle advocacy will go to ten cities from May to October. This year marks the 15th season for Tour de Fat, which will travel across the U.S. These day-long festivities are free in every city, but the proceeds from beer sales go to local non-profits. Since its inception, Tour de Fat has raised more than $3 million, and raised half-a-million dollars last year alone.

The events kick off with a costumed bicycle parade that winds through city streets, ending in a city park. That’s when eclectic entertainment takes over from musical acts to yo-yo performers, bike contests and even vaudeville acts. This year will also include some brewing education and feature a “Bicycle Revival” to inspire festival-goers to believe in the power of two-wheeled transportation.

During each tour stop, New Belgium tries to leave as little of an environmental imprint as possible. Tour de Fat hosts green vendors, has compost and recycle stations and festival trucks that operate on biofuel sourced from recycled waste oils.

In 2013, Tour de Fat traveled to 12 cities nationwide and attracted 97,500 festival attendees and 57,359 bicycle parade participants. The philanthropic events raised a total of $536,000 for local nonprofits and diverted an impressive 85 percent of waste from landfills. Tempe, Ariz., raised the most money (over $90,000) and New Belgium’s hometown of Fort Collins, Colo. attracted the most parade riders and festival-goers, both totaling 25,000 people.

See www.facebook.com/TourDeFat for the Tour de Fat credo, schedules, videos and to submit an entry to swap your gas-guzzler for a fancy new bicycle in 2014.

Tour de Fat 2014 will cycle through each of the following cities:

Washington, D.C. May 31 Yards Park”

Street Closures for the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival Saturday, Also Cherry Blossom Parade is Saturday

By Prince Of Petworth

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Street closure above via MPD.

Read more about the Sakura Matsuri festival here.

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And don’t forget the Cherry Blossom parade is Saturday too:

“Saturday, April 12, 10:00am-noon

One of the Festival’s largest spectator events, the energy-filled Parade runs along Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th streets, NW. Vibrant costumes and blossom-inspired décor set the atmosphere. Giant colorful helium balloons, elaborate floats, fourteen marching bands from across the country, and performers burst down Constitution Avenue in a grand spectacle of music and showmanship seen only once a year during the Festival.

Friday, April 11 – At this time, the Parade grandstands are SOLD OUT and there are no additional tickets to be released.

To watch the Parade, please plan to find Free standing room along Consitution Avenue between 9th and 15th Streets, NW. Plan to arrive early, as beautiful weather will make this a popular event. “

DC Emancipation Day 2014 Kicks Off Sunday – Parade on Wednesday

By Prince Of Petworth

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From an email:

“DC Emancipation Day 2014 is Wednesday, April 16. Emancipation Day activities will kick-off on Sunday, April 13th at the Lincoln Theatre at 6:00 PM with “The Great Debate”. On Wednesday, April 16th, Emancipation Day will begin with an 11:00 AM parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, educational workshops in the John A. Wilson District Building starting at 1:30 PM, a concert on Freedom Plaza featuring Doug E. Fresh, Black Alley band, DJ Kool, Arrested Development, Talib Kweli, and Raheem DeVaugh starting at 4:00 PM, followed by an 8:30 PM fireworks show.

All events are free and open to the public.

For more information on DC Emancipation Day 2014, please visit www.emancipationdc.com.”

Frühlingsfest at the Heurich House

By Prince Of Petworth

Frühlingsfest at the Heurich House

Frühlingsfest
Heurich House Museum
Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

This kid-centered event is full of activities for all ages:

– A House Scavenger Hunt
– Relay Races
– Face Painting
– Maypole Dancing and Decorating
– And More!

There will be beer, a roast pig, cookies, and gelato to snack on all afternoon….not to mention live German music to dance and sing along with!

Ticket price includes:
– Two beers per adult 21+
– Afternoon snacks of roast pig and sides
– Cookies and gelato for dessert

History of Frühlingsfest:

Frühlingsfest is translated as ‘Spring Festival’ and is known as ‘Oktoberfest’s little sister’ in Germany. It celebrates the end of a cold winter and beginning of spring, and it typically occurs mid-April to the beginning of May. Stuttgart and Munich have some of the largest Frühlingsfests in Germany, and now the Heurich House is bringing the age-old traditional to Washington, DC!”

First Set of Venues hosting Bands for the DC Funk Parade Music Festival, May 3

By Prince Of Petworth

From a press release:

“The DC Department of Funk announced the first set of U Street neighborhood venues who will be hosting the DC Funk Parade Music Festival, planned for May 3, 2014. While more will be announced in the coming weeks, the beginning line-up includes:

U Street Music Hall (1115 U St NW)
Tropicalia (2001 14th St. NW)
Solly’s (1942 11th St. NW)
DC9 (1940 9th St. NW)
Jojo Restaurant and Bar (1518 U St. NW)

These venues will feature Free, Live and Local DC Funk inspired bands from 7pm-10pm on Saturday, May 3, immediately following the Funk Parade occurring on V St. NW.

Band lineups will be announced in the coming weeks.

The DC Funk Parade is a one-of-a-kind parade, street fair, and music festival to celebrate U Street, the District and the spirit of funk. It is hosted and sponsored largely by neighborhood businesses. This event is free to the public all day so we rely on the community for support, please donate here. Each donation comes with an amazing set of perks donated by some of our favorite U Street businesses.”

Kingman Island Bluegrass and Folk Festival is April 26th

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo from last year’s festival via Kingman Island Bluegrass Festival

From a press release:

“The Fifth Annual Kingman Island Bluegrass and Folk Festival presented by Whole Foods Market, features two main stages of bluegrass and Americana music with returning headliners The Hackensaw Boys and more. The festival will celebrate local music, food, and culture as well as the revitalization of the Anacostia River, while supporting hands-on education programming provided by Living Classrooms on Kingman Island.

The Festival will include seven hours of performances by local bluegrass, folk and Americana artists, games and outdoor beverages provided by Whole Foods Market, REI Outdoor Activations, DC’s favorite food trucks, Sierra Nevada beer, outdoor bike course and giveaways from BicycleSPACE, local music Island Stages presented by Gypsy Sally’s and Acre 121, and a children’s stage with arts & crafts hosted by Boogie Babes.

When: Saturday April 26th
1:00pm – 8:00pm; gates open at 12:30pm

Where: Kingman Island located on the Anacostia River-
575 Oklahoma Avenue NE Washington, DC (entrance at RFK Stadium Lot 6).
Biking and metro are encouraged. A free shuttle will run from Stadium/Armory Metro Station. Free parking is available in RFK Lot 6.

Cost: $10 suggested donations to support Living Classrooms’ environmental education programming for DC youth on Kingman Island. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time at http://kingmanislandbluegrass.eventbrite.com or at area Whole Foods Market stores.”

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