Weekend Roundup, Feb. 3 – 6
By • February 3, 2022 0 1021
Happy weekend! It may be cold and rainy outside today but take comfort in all the hot local activities this weekend. Celebrate Lunar New Year, or a tour involving the musical history of U Street, or try a new exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian and more.
Visit The REACH Winter Lanterns at the Kennedy Center
The REACH is twinkling yet again for Lunar New Year through Sunday only. The free display of remarkable lanterns are made by Chinese artists. Special weekends offer refreshments, photo opportunities with certain characters and giveaways. The Winter Lanterns are on display from 5:30-9:30 p.m. tonight through Saturday evening and Sunday 4-9 p.m. More information can be found here.
Visit the Mandarin Oriental to Celebrate Lunar New Year
The Mandarin Oriental is inviting guests to visit this weekend (beginning Saturday at 3 p.m.) to celebrate the Year of the Tiger. Dancing lions, an afternoon tea, authentic Chinese fare and cocktails will be featured. Guests can even visit a Chinese calligrapher to have their name written in traditional Chinese script—pretty neat! More information on the weekend’s events can be found here.
Take an “Art & Soul of Black Broadway Neighborhood Tour”
Celebrate Black History Month by learning about the musical history of U Street. The area formally known as “Black Broadway,” had musical roots involving jazz, hip-hop, punk, go-go and more. You’ll walk the streets and alleys of Shaw and U Street with a tour guide, learning about murals, and current and former music venues. Best of all, there’s a playlist that matches up with the venues and murals to take you on a musically good time. Tours are available Friday and Saturday. Ages 15+. More information on the tour can be found here.
To celebrate Black History Month, take a tour of the musical history of “Black Broadway” on U Street this weekend. Photo by Mike Maguire.
See The National Museum of the American Indian’s New Exhibit
Open just last weekend, the brand-new exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian, called “Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight,” is a must-see. The event features works from artist Preston Singletary and portrays the tale of “Raven,” the creator of the world and giver of the moon, sun and stars. Enjoy music, storytelling and more. The museum is currently open Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. More information on the exhibit can be found here.
The National Museum of the American Indian has a new exhibit this weekend. Photo of “White Raven” by Preston Singletary courtesy Museum of the American Indian.
Are you a Writer? You’ll Want to “Retreat” to this Salon
Do you love to write but just never seem to have the time? You’ll want to check out the “D.C. Writers’ Salon’s New Year Retreat,” this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy a potluck brunch, prompted writing games, free writing together and fellowship with fellow writers. Keep yourselves accountable and keep writing! The salon is located at 900 Florida Ave. NW. More on the venue can be found at DCWritersSalon.com.
Cozy Up and Get in Touch with Your Artistic Side
The U.S. Botanical Garden is hosting an online workshop on drawing winter trees. Cozy up at home and enjoy learning how to draw trees (coincidentally a skill that is one of the best ways for artists to build an eye for proportion and detail). Sketching trees can also help artists see their subjects in 3-D in their mind’s eye and create more believable works of art. A suggested materials list accompanies the class, including: varying types of pencils, watercolor brushes, a piece of paper towel and erasers. The workshop runs Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. EST. More information on how to register here.
