Festival

The 5pm Post – Contribute to the DC State Fair photo contest!

By Prince Of Petworth

The theme of the 5pm Post will change every day and per your suggestions will be a mix of philanthropic or simply fun things to do as well as random unique DC features and events. It’ll be a bit of a hodgepodge but if you have any suggestions, recommendations or photos capturing DC pride please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com.


Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC

This looks like it’s gonna be a great event and I get to be a guest judge! From a Ten Miles Square press release:

Mark Saturday, August 28 on your calendar to check out the first DC State Fair, part of Columbia Heights Day on the field at Harriet Tubman Elementary School.

DC has no county fair or state fair where DC residents can show off their talents in things like baking, canning, urban agriculture, photography, etc.  But this year, we’re planning to change that.  A group of bloggers is partnering with Columbia Heights Day to create a DC State Fair tent, where there will be competitions such as Tastiest Tomato, Best Home-Made Pie, and so forth.  DC residents will submit their entries for a chance to win glory and prizes.  The DC State Fair will be held on August 28th, concurrent with Columbia Heights Day, at Tubman Elementary Field (11th and Irving Streets NW).

And what’s a state fair without an awesome photo contest?  Show us your photos of supreme DC spirit: display our cultural independence in images!  Enter your two best images to our Flickr pool by midnight on Sunday, August 22.

Heather Goss from Ten Miles Square and DCist, along with special guest judges and DC Spirit Experts, Philippa Hughes from the Pink Line Project and Dan Silverman from the Prince of Petworth, will pick a handful of favorites for semi-finalists, which will be displayed online the week before the fair.  Our Grand Prize Winner, First and Second Runners-Up will be printed, framed, and displayed at the DC State Fair on August 28.  Winners will get to take their framed prints home, to show off their DC pride to friends and family.

Entrants must live in the District of Columbia.  (Virginia, Maryland, we love you, but you have your own fairs to enter!)  Entry is free, limit two photos per person.  Questions, please email Heather at [email protected].

There is no fee to enter the DC State fair.  However, donations to the organizers are greatly appreciated!  Recommended donation is $5 per entry (but judging will be blind, and donation status will not affect results).  Please visit the DC State Fair website and click the Paypal link.

Bastille Day Party at L’Enfant Cafe-Bar: French Maid Race and Masquerade Ball, July14th

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo courtesy of L’Enfant Cafe Bar

From a press release:

“In celebration of their 6th Annual Bastille Day Block Party and French Maid Race, L’Enfant Café Bar, 2200 18th Street, NW, announces it has added a masquerade ball to its popular Bastille Day festivities. The annual party has grown so popular, the casual café-bar has made arrangement to once again close an entire city block. Co-hosted by King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette – who bear a striking resemblance to L’Enfant’s owners Jim Ball and Christopher Lynch – the Bastille Day Block Party will take over Vernon Street, NW, between 18th and 19th Streets. Doors open at 4p.m. and the street party concludes at 11p.m. Newcomers need look no further than the corner bar at 18th Street (at Vernon) topped with an Eiffel Tower and draped with les drapeaux Tricolor. The guillotine out front is a dead giveaway.

Continues after the jump. (more…)

Celebrate Fort Stevens Day 2010 This Sat.

By Prince Of Petworth


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This sounds interesting. From a press release:

“Join the National Park Service and our partners for a fun day at Fort Stevens. Learn how the brave soldiers of Washington, D.C. valiantly defended the Union capital from occupation and how medical practices evolved throughout the war.

The Battle of Fort Stevens was the only battle to occur in Washington, D.C. during the Civil War and the only time a sitting president came under enemy fire. The actual fighting took place on July 11th and 12th, 1864. Not only did the defenses serve their purpose well by deterring Confederate attack on the capital, but they impacted the city culturally, socially, and politically. Further, the battle was not limited to the current Fort Stevens site. Confederate General Jubal Early’s invading troops were staged on the grounds of what is today Walter Reed Army Medical Center. With the proposed closing of Walter Reed, participants will explore this previously overlooked aspect of the Fort Stevens story.”

Details after the jump. (more…)

Dear PoP: Were Neighborhood Fireworks Better This Year?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Bogotron

“Dear PoP,

So, I’m wondering if you or anyone else noticed that there seemed to be a lot more fireworks yesterday than in previous years, and certainly more than last year. I don’t mean the kind you set off on the street or whatever, but the big kind. My husband and I watched from our roof deck, and we have mostly a northern view and I swear, I saw a lot more displays this year. It also seemed that the casual person setting off pretty impressive almost-professional-grade (like, it couldn’t have been legal for them to have them) fireworks was a lot more than in previous years. I was wondering if anyone else noticed it and has any theories as to why? Did a local state relax some laws? Did some fireworks fall off a truck? Were the prices of fancy ones significantly lower this year?”

How would folks compare this year’s neighborhoods displays from previous years?


Photo by PoPville flickr user Suse_dc

More Super Cool Patriotic Shots

By Prince Of Petworth

I couldn’t resist sharing the above photo sent in by a reader:

“From 1918, a gathering of 18,000 men in a human Statue of Liberty at Camp Dodge, Des Moines, Iowa.”

And the photo below from PoPville flickr user HeatherMG titled, “Patriotic Petworthians” also blew me away.

2010 Folklife Festival in Full Effect

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC

Anyone check out the Folk Festival this year on the Mall? This year features Asian Pacific American culture, the country of Mexico and the occupational traditions of workers at the Smithsonian. For those that have – how does it compare to other years? You can still catch it July 1–5, 2010.

Get Ready for the Fireworks!

By Prince Of Petworth

There are a few constants every Summer: it’ll be hot and there’ll be lots of fireworks. You can see a map of licensed stands here. Licensed or unlicensed there are always tons of fireworks starting around this week and lasting a week or so after the 4th. Some people love ’em, some people hate ’em. All I’m saying is get ready for ’em…

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