National Cherry Blossom Festival 2014 Begins with Family Days at Building Museum (photos)
• April 11, 2016

The first big event on the schedule of each National Cherry Blossom Festival was Family Days, presented with the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., March 22 and 23. For kids of all ages, this event in recent years has expanded from one to two days of hands-on activities, interactive art demonstrations, and exciting indoor performances that celebrate spring and explore Japanese arts and design. Featured performers included the Shizumi Kodomo Dance Troupe, Gojin Yosakoi Dance, Philadelphia Dance Academy and Ballet Petite & Youth Performing Arts School’s Ballet Performance Company. The hall of the museum was decorated with the creation of balloon artist Addu Somekh from Los Angeles, Calif.

View our photos of Family Days by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="144367,144376,144317,144303,144297,144311,144308,144294,144289,144284,144379,144321,144362,144358,144353,144349,144344,144339,144333,144330,144325,144281,144275,144222,144216,144213,144208,144202,144197,144193,144188,144372,144226,144231,144271,144266,144261,144257,144253,144247,144243,144238,144233,101678" nav="thumbs"]

Circus Spectacular at the Verizon Center (photos)
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For kids of all ages, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus opened at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C., and runs through March 22. Entitled “Built To Amaze,” it is the 143rd edition of the “Greatest Show on Earth,” probably qualifying it as the longest running show on Earth. It is also one of the largest with 110 performers from 17 countries and close to 100 animals. The circus features a variety of acts of strength, courage and dexterity from around the world, including animal trainer Tabayara “Taba” Maluenda of Chile with his 16 tigers, human cannonball Elliana Grace who soared over the length of a hockey rink, the King Charles Troupe’s version of basketball on unicycles, and some unbelievable acts of body strength by two man-woman teams (Duo Fusion & Duo Solys) that you should not try at home. Other featured acts included poodle acrobatics with Alex and Irina Emelin of Russia and the Tower Tumblers gymnasts from Ukraine. We counted six elephants and 1,000 clowns (O.K., not really one thousand). Ringmaster Andre McClain holds the show together. A former cowboy, McClain even gets to ride a horse in the show — and, boy, does he sing.

If you miss the show in D.C., you can catch it at the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore (March 26 through April 6) and at the Patriot Center in Fairfax (April 9 through April 20).

View our photos by clicking on the photo icons below.
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Paying Tribute to JFK at Arlington on the 50th Anniversary of His Death (photos)
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On the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, mourners assembled at the gravesite of the 35th president at Arlington National Cemetery. He is buried there with his wife, Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis, alongside two children — Patrick, who died after three days, and Arabella, who was stillborn. Brothers Sen. Robert and Sen. Edward Kennedy are buried nearby. Visitors left flowers, letters and prayers. Many of those in attendance were old enough to remember precisely where they were when they heard the news of the assassination.

View our photos in the hours leading up to 2 p.m. EST (the official time of JFK’s death) on Friday, November 22, 2013, at JFK’s grave site at Arlington National Cemetery by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101551,149476,149480,149485,149489,149493,149516,149521,149566,149512,149527,149563,149559,149533,149539,149544,149548,149507,149499,149503,149405,149399,149409,149414,149418,149422,149428,149432,149436,149443,149448,149451,149462,149467,149471,149457,149553" nav="thumbs"]

Kathleen Sebelius on Capitol Hill (photos)
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Secretary of Health and Human Service Kathleen Sebelius defended the rollout of President Obama’s health care law before the House Energy and Commerce Committee Oct. 30 on Capitol Hill. She apologized to Americans for the hampered rollout of the website. Under sharp grilling from Republican lawmakers, the secretary said, “I apologize. I’m accountable to you for fixing these problems.” She also placed some of the blame on government contractors and sought to bring clarity as to why many received cancellation notices and higher premiums during the rollout. The Obama administration has pledged to fix the site by Nov. 30. Sebelius said the website is functional but unreliable and slow.

View our photos from inside Room 2125 of the Rayburn House Office Building by clicking on the photo icons below. (all photos by Jeff Malet) [gallery ids="101526,150266,150270,150274,150279,150283,150288,150298,150292,150262,150257,150228,150233,150237,150225,150241,150245,150250,150252,150296" nav="thumbs"]

Stars of Russian Ballet Perform at National Gallery of Art (photos)
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In conjunction with its major exhibition “Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909 – 1929: When Art Danced with Music” (open thru October 6, 2013), the National Gallery of Art has been host to a variety of free open to the public dance performances in its East Building.

View our photos of dancers from Russia performing excerpts from the repertoire of Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes by clicking on the photo icons below. This particular event took place on Sunday July 21. The featured perfromers were Anna Antonicheva and Maria Allash (Prima Ballerinas, Bolshoi Theatre); plus Danila Korsuntsev and Anton Korsakov (Principal Dancers, Mariinsky Theatre). You can check the NGA schedule for future dance performances at http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/exhibitions/2013/diaghilev.html

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‘Justice for Trayvon’ Rally Held in D.C. (photos)
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A week ago, a jury found George Zimmerman not guilty in the death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla. In response, the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network organized “Justice for Trayvon” rallies and vigils outside federal buildings in more than 100 locations across the country July 20. The demonstrations came a day after President Barack Obama publicly identified with the slain 17-year-old and the deep frustrations felt among African-Americans over the verdict. One of these rallies took place outside the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. The shooting death of Trayvon Martin has led to serious debates about race and the fairness of the justice system. Many question the wisdom of the so-called “Stand Your Ground” laws enacted in Florida and several other states and call for further Justice Department review of the case.

View our photos from the local rally by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101401,154191,154196,154203,154208,154214,154220,154225,154231,154236,154241,154247,154253,154259,154184,154178,154278,154121,154274,154270,154127,154133,154138,154143,154149,154156,154161,154167,154173,154264" nav="thumbs"]

Tea Party Rallies Against the IRS and Immigration Reform
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The Tea Party was back in Washington, D.C., upset about the Internal Revenue Service’s alleged targeting of conservative groups and Congressional efforts at immigration reform. They were also angry about the National Security Agency’s surveillance program and, of course, President Barack Obama. Thousands gathered June 19 for separate demonstrations on both sides of the Capitol, where they were joined by several sympathetic lawmakers from the House and Senate.

View our photos of the Tea Party rallies by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="152734,152659,152653,152648,152643,152636,152630,152624,152619,152612,152665,152671,152676,152728,152722,152717,152710,152705,152698,152693,152687,152681,152607,152599,152525,152520,152513,152508,152739,152502,152743,152496,152747,152530,152535,152542,152594,152588,152582,152577,152572,152566,152560,152555,152548,101355" nav="thumbs"]

The Democrats Crush the Republicans, This Time in Baseball
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Congressional Democrats handed Republicans a stinging 22-0 shutout during the annual Congressional Baseball Game for Charity at the Washington Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. on June 13. The game marked the 52nd edition of the modern version of the game, amounting to major bragging rights in the halls of Congress. The game is a serious affair. The balls are hard, and practices begin months in advance. New Orleans Democrat Cedric Richmond again repeated his past domination of Republican bats, this year pitching a three-hit complete game shutout. Richmond also went 4-for-4 at the plate, including a 320-foot triple to left field. The Democrats were flawless in the field, committing no errors, compared to five errors for the Republicans.

View our photos of the event by clicking on the photo icons below.
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Leading Social Conservatives Gather in D.C. for Faith & Freedom Conference (photos)
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The country’s leading social conservatives gathered between June 13 and 15 at the J.W. Marriott Hotel, just a few blocks from the White House, for the “Faith & Freedom Road to Majority 2013” Conference. Guest speakers included Sarah Palin, Donald Trump, Pat Robertson, Herman Cain, E.W. Jackson, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Senators Marco Rubio, Mike Lee, Rand Paul and Ron Johnson. The event was sponsored by the Faith & Freedom Coalition, led by its chaiman Ralph Reed. Its purpose was to defeat the “radical Obama agenda” and help build “a permanent pro-family, conservative majority, not just in both houses of Congress, but in every state, school board, and city council across the country.” A prominent topic at the conference were recent voting patterns among the country’s ethnic minorities, reflected in a panel discussion, entitled “Is Conservatism Doomed by Changing Demographics?”

View our photos from the conference by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="151986,151927,151921,151915,151910,151904,151898,151893,151887,151932,151937,151981,151976,151970,151965,151960,151954,151949,151943,151881,151875,151869,151808,151803,151797,151992,151791,151997,151785,152001,151813,151819,151864,151858,151852,151846,151841,151836,151831,151825,101335" nav="thumbs"]

Memorial Day Weekend in Photos
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Memorial Day is a solemn day of remembrance for those who have died serving our country. The Memorial Day weekend also marks the unofficial beginning the the summer season, and the weather was near perfect for those enjoying the activities.

The National Memorial Day Parade along Constitution Avenue featured marching bands and veterans units from all 50 states and every branch of service.

The National Memorial Day Concert of the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol featured actors Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise as well as other guest artists along with the National Symphony Orchestra.

The Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally, featuring hundreds of thousands of riders and now in its 26th year, sounded out its annual demonstration seeking to improve veteran benefits and resolve POW/MIA issues.

View our photos from an eventful Memorial Day Weekend by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="151137,151034,151029,151023,151018,151012,151007,151001,150995,150989,150983,150978,150972,150967,150961,151040,151046,151051,151131,151126,151119,151113,151107,151101,151095,151089,151084,151079,151073,151067,151062,151057,150955,150949,150943,150840,150833,150828,150823,150817,150811,150805,150798,150791,150786,151143,150779,151146,151151,150845,150851,150858,150937,150932,150926,150920,150914,150908,150902,150897,150891,150885,150880,150875,150869,150863,101317" nav="thumbs"]