DC Scenes

Jeff Malet • May 9, 2013

April 22 was the 43rd anniversary of the Earth Day, first celebrated in 1970. According to director of Earth Day Franklin Russell, Earth Day is the largest secular event in the world with millions simultaneously participating in countries around the globe. Washington’s locals celebrated the occasion at Union Station with a farmers market, speakers, educational booths and live music. The theme chosen by the Earth Day Network for this year’s event was “the face of climate change.” Russell hinted at big plans for the 45th anniversary of Earth Day in 2015 with a massive event on the National Mall that should draw hundreds of thousands.

Two works of art decorated the entrance to Union Station during the event, “Atlas Recycled” by Tom Tsuchiya and “Plastic Storm Sculpture” by George Sabra.

Cincinnati-based Tsuchiya created “Atlas Recycled” in 2010. The seven-foot-tall sculpture depicts the mythical Greek Titan Atlas bearing the earth on his shoulders. It also doubles as a recycling container for aluminum cans and plastic bottles. In addition to being a recycling aid, “Atlas” itself is made mainly from reused materials. Pieces of 14 used atlases and road maps cover the entire surface of the sculpture. This was a return trip to D.C. for “Atlas Recycled,” having appeared last year on the National Mall during Earth Week.

“Plastic Storm Sculpture” by Austin, Texas-based George Sabra is a 14-feet-tall storm funnel made of reclaimed plastic bottles, cups, jars and caps which “represent the massive storm of plastic waste generated by humans on a daily basis.”

You can view our photos of these works of art and the activities from Earth Day at Union Station by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101267,147942,147936,147929,147922,147915,147907,147900,147894,147885,147954,147878,147959,147871,147964,147865,147969,147948" nav="thumbs"]

Jeff Malet • April 22, 2013

The Smithsonian kicked off Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM 2013) with donations from jazz greats Randy Weston and Latin jazz drummer Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez at a special ceremony April 9. To commemorate the occasion, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra Quintet presented a special performance featuring Lionel Hampton’s vibraphone. Weston and Hernandez donated artifacts from their careers to the National Museum of American History.

Weston, a jazz pianist, composer and bandleader, is best known for his cultural exploration over five decades of jazz’s links to African roots and rhythms. He donated the African attire he wore in 2011 when he was honored by King Mohammed VI of Morocco for bringing the country’s Gnaoua music traditions to the western world. Cuban-born Hernandez gave a purple drum kit with a special cowbell, designed by him for drummers who play Latin rhythms, which represents his “fusion” style.

The lead sponsor for JAM 2013 is the Argus Fund. Additional funding is provided by BMI, the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation and the National Park Service.

A full schedule of events at the Smithsonian is available online as well as links to resources and oral histories and more at www.smithsonianjazz.org.

View our photos of this event by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101242,146394,146387,146380,146373,146367,146360,146353,146346,146339,146333,146407,146325,146412,146317,146417,146310,146423,146401" nav="thumbs"]

Jeff Malet • April 19, 2013

The 2013 National Cherry Blossom Parade, which traditionally marks the end of the Cherry Blossom Festival, rolled down Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., April 13. The streets were lined with thousands of onlookers under clear skies and comfortable temperatures. The parade combined colorful floats and helium balloons, marching bands, military drill teams, clowns, antique cars, horses and celebrity appearances to entertain the entire family.

View our photos of the parade by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101241,146206,146198,146191,146184,146177,146169,146162,146155,146213,146221,146282,146275,146267,146259,146252,146245,146238,146230,146147,146139,146053,146044,146302,146037,146308,146028,146313,146320,146059,146067,146132,146125,146117,146109,146101,146092,146085,146075,146290" nav="thumbs"]

Jeff Malet • April 15, 2013

Warmer weather finally coaxes cherry blossom buds to bloom at the Tidal Basin April 8, almost two weeks later than expected. View our photos from the Tidal Basin, including the Blossom Kite Festival, the Japanese Lantern Lighting Ceremony and our pictures from Cherry Blossom Festival Family Days at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. [gallery ids="146005,145925,145919,145911,145905,145898,145891,145884,145877,145933,145941,145998,145991,145983,145976,145969,145961,145955,145947,145869,145863,145856,145778,146012,145771,146018,145763,146024,145756,146030,145785,145792,145849,145841,145835,145827,145821,145814,145807,145799,101239" nav="thumbs"]

Jeff Malet • April 3, 2013

Top conservatives gathered for the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference — also known as CPAC — at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center at National Harbor, Md. March 14 through 16. After its failure in the last presidential election, the Republican Party remains divided over whether it needs to change to cope with shifting demographics and social mores. Headline speakers included former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, former Republican Governor Jeb Bush and vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Sen. Rand Paul won the straw poll with 25 percent of the vote followed by Sen. Marco Rubio with 23 percent.

View our photos of what amounts to a “who’s who” in American conservative politics by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="144665,144554,144548,144541,144534,144527,144521,144514,144507,144501,144494,144487,144481,144561,144568,144575,144657,144649,144643,144635,144629,144621,144615,144608,144602,144595,144588,144582,144473,144467,144359,144351,144345,144338,144331,144673,144323,144678,144316,144683,144309,144689,144365,144373,144380,144460,144453,144446,144439,144433,144426,144419,144413,144406,144399,144393,144386,101206" nav="thumbs"]

Jeff Malet •

When you see a parade of elephants marching by the Capitol, it can only mean one thing: the Circus is in town. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey “Dragons” will be in the Washington, D.C., area for five weeks of astounding acts of bravery and astonishing athleticism bringing the lore of the dragon to life, starting at the Verizon Center, from March 21 to 24. The show will move to Baltimore’s 1st Mariner Arena on March 27 through April 7 and conclude at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, April 10 through 21. [gallery ids="101207,144690,144680,144687" nav="thumbs"]

Jeff Malet •

Performers from the farthest reaches of the earth assembled in Washington, D.C., for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s production of “Dragons,” to showcase its astounding acts of bravery and astonishing athleticism. While the circus has finished its run at the Verizon Center, you will see be able to still see performances in the D.C. area. The show will move to Baltimore’s 1st Mariner Arena on March 27 through April 7 and conclude at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, April 10 through 21.

View our photos from opening night at the circus, March 21 at the Verizon Center, by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101209,144811,144818,144825,144831,144839,144846,144853,144860,144867,144873,144881,144887,144895,144901,144909,144915,144922,144803,144797,144952,144947,144942,144701,144936,144709,144716,144723,144731,144738,144746,144753,144761,144768,144775,144782,144789,144929" nav="thumbs"]

Jeff Malet • March 18, 2013

It was a sea of green Sunday for the 42nd Annual Washington, D.C., St. Patrick’s Day Parade featuring Irish dancers, military, police and fire processions, bagpipe and traditional marching bands and floats. We caught most of the action along 7th Street, NW, as the parade started to wind down Constitution Avenue. View our photos of the parade by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="144295,144180,144172,144164,144158,144150,144142,144134,144127,144120,144112,144105,144098,144187,144194,144200,144288,144280,144273,144267,144259,144252,144245,144239,144228,144221,144214,144207,144090,144084,143972,143964,143957,143948,143942,143935,144302,143928,144307,143920,144313,144319,143980,143988,143994,144076,144070,144062,144056,144049,144042,144036,144029,144022,144016,144009,144002,101205" nav="thumbs"]

Jeff Malet • March 14, 2013

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) held its annual policy conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., March 3 through 5. Headliners included Vice President Joe Biden, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, former Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird and U.S. Senators John McCain, R-Ariz., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and John Cornyn, R-Texas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could not attend personally but spoke about Iran’s nuclear ambitions to the conference via satellite, declaring “We have to stop its nuclear enrichment program before it’s too late.”
To thunderous applause from the approximately 10,000 delegates, Biden in forceful terms emphasized the Obama administration’s hard line against Iran’s declared ambition to build its nuclear capability: “. . . prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Period. Period. End of discussion. Prevent! Not contain. Prevent!”

View our photos from the AIPAC Policy Conference by clicking on the photo icons below.
[gallery ids="101187,143236,143242,143248,143255,143262,143269,143276,143282,143288,143295,143229,143222,143216,143325,143173,143319,143180,143313,143188,143308,143194,143202,143208,143302" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

On March 3, women and men from around the U.S. came to Washington, D.C., to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Woman Suffrage Parade of March 3, 1913, “to honor the Suffragist & the 22 Delta founders who marched in the original 1913 march.” The event on March 3 was largely organized by the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority which was also celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding by 22 collegiate women at Howard University. Today, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is the largest African-American Greek-lettered sorority in the world. The event was attended by an estimated 20,000 sorority members from as far away as Japan, Germany and Guam. Members of the National Organization for Women, the League of Women Voters, the National Women’s History Museum and several other women’s organizations joined the Deltas, many dressed as suffragists.

The 1913 march down Pennsylvania Avenue was organized by the suffragist Alice Paul for the National American Woman Suffrage Association and was scheduled on the day before President Woodrow Wilson’s first inauguration. The marchers were jeered and harassed largely by men who were in town to attend the inauguration. Less than two months after the sorority’s founding, the founders of Delta Sigma Theta began their political activism by participating in that historic march. The local police largely stood by as more than 200 women were injured and treated at local hospitals. Nevertheless, most of the marchers finished the parade. The march and the attention it attracted were important in advancing women’s suffrage in the United States. In 1920, the 19th Amendment secured the right to vote for women.

View our photos of the 2013 rally at the Capitol and march down Pennsylvania Avenue by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101188,143381,143374,143368,143362,143355,143349,143342,143336,143394,143329,143399,143322,143404,143315,143410,143387" nav="thumbs"]