Get Out! The Events Column, December 27, 2019 - January 2, 2020

We wanted to share some events and activities that list members might be interested in. Have a great weekend -- and week beyond, too. If you know of an event that the 14,500+ members of the Cleveland Park Listserv should know about, email us at events @ fastmail dot net.

Peggy Robin and Bill Adler
Publishers, Cleveland Park Listserv
www.cleveland-park.com   

Friday, December 27 from 11 AM - 2 PM, Kwanzaa at the Anacostia Family Museum. Bring the entire family for the museum’s annual Kwanzaa celebration program. Enjoy energetic and interactive introduction to Kwanzaa with Melvin Deal and the African Heritage Dancers & Drummers. The audience participatory program includes dancers, singers, music, colorful costumes, and lively characters designed for young children and adults alike. During the performance and afterwards, kids can also enjoy making Kwanzaa-inspired arts and crafts from a variety of materials. Art workshops will be led artist/educators Brian Barber and Alma Robinson. Free fun for the entire family! Register: http://bit.ly/34SkGzl. Please note that registration does not guarantee a seat. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. At THEARC: Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus, 1901 Mississippi Avenue SE.

Saturday, December 28 from 10 - 11 AM, Ceremonial Laying of Wreath on President Wilson’s Tomb at Washington National Cathedral. We invite you to join us as representatives from the US military services lay a wreath on President Wilson’s tomb on the 163rd anniversary of his birth. Following the presentation of the wreath, the Woodrow Wilson House will honor First Lady Edith Bolling Wilson with a special floral tribute commemorating the anniversary of her death which falls on December 28th as well. Edith Wilson, a lover of orchids, inspired Chadwick & Son Orchids to develop an orchid named for her that will be included in the spray. This event is free and open to the public. All are welcome. Please note: This event begins promptly at 10 AM, when doors open to the public. Those planning to attend should arrive at least 15 minutes in advance and look for signs directing you to a before-hours entrance that will be open from 9:30 AM. Washington National Cathedral is at Wisconsin and Massachusetts Avenues NW. More info: http://bit.ly/2PSGFC9 

Saturday, December 28 from 10 AM - 12 PM, Walking Tour: Frederick Douglass & Howard University. Learn about the lost history of Frederick Douglass and Howard University from author of "Frederick Douglass in Washington, DC". Join John Muller, author of the definitive book, Frederick Douglass in Washington, DC: The Lion of Anacostia (The History Press, 2012), for a unique walk back in time to discover the sacred history of Howard University, Miner Normal School and the 7th Street Turnpike. Tour will discuss history of local Washington City and the Shaw neighborhood following the Civil War, Reconstruction and within the past half-century. Stops on tour include Shiloh Baptist Church, Carter G. Woodson Memorial Park, African-American Civil War Memorial, Howard University Hospital, Howard Hall and several stops for the 70 bus and local history heritage markers. Tour will begin: outside at the historic home of Senator Blanche K. Bruce, 909 M Street NW, and will conclude at Sankofa Video Books & Cafe, 2714 Georgia Ave NW. Tickets, $12 general admission; $7.50 Howard U. students; free for DC public school and charter school students - purchase online at Eventbrite: http://bit.ly/2ELW2pF (sales tax and non-refundable Eventbrite fee additional).

Sunday, December 29  at 2 PM, Game Day. Enjoy new and classic board games! Bring friends and family, and challenge them to a game of Forbidden Island, The Resistance, Monopoly, Chess, Connect Four and more. Recommended for children, teens, and families. Free. Capitol View Library, 5001 Central Ave SE, more info: https://www.dclibrary.org/node/63347 

Monday, December 30 at 8:20 PM (that’s 2020 in 24 hour time), Monday Is Pun-Day for the Year Ahead. Gather with your fellow punsters for the Great 20/20 Vision Punning Contest and JokeFest. The year 2020 will soon be upon us and you need to have your puns at the ready. You’ll have no trouble coming up with plays on the dual meaning of 2020 as perfect vision and the year to come - but can you come up with anything better than the collection of groaners found at Reddit http://bit.ly/2EQ8tAK or at Upjoke https://upjoke.com/vision-jokes? If you think you can hack it, then register for the 2020 PunFest and we’ll send you the location and time of this pun-itive event: http://bit.ly/cpfakeevent. If you can’t attend in person, you can visit http://bit.ly/cpfakeevent at 2020 hours on Monday 12/30/19 and watch the livestream of the event.

Tuesday, December 31 from 10 AM - 1 PM, Noon Yards Eve at Yards Park, DC. Ring in 2020 with the Noon Yards Eve balloon drop! Family-friendly activities for kids of all ages, including trackless train rides through The Yards, inflatable moon bounces, glitter tattoo artists, balloon artistry, music, and more! The event will culminate with a countdown and celebratory balloon drop at noon to ring in the New Year! Yards Park is at 355 Water Street SE. Free. Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/noon-yards-eve-tickets-85517243377?aff=erelexpmlt   

Tuesday, December 31 from 4:30 - 5:30 PM, New Year’s Eve Music and Meditation at the Gandhi Memorial Center. You are invited to let the peaceful music offered into the receding twilight of 2019 draw you into the subjectivity of self-reflection and prayer. Musical performance by Jeff Bauer on the piano for the first half-hour. Srimati Karun will offer a prayer of peace for the New Year and invite you to come forward one at a time to offer a candle and incense at the altar prepared for our year-end meditation. The Gandhi Memorial Center is at 4748 Western Avenue, Bethesda, MD, http://www.gandhimemorialcenter.org/calendar

Tuesday, December 31 from 6 - 8 PM, Seasonal Music at the Garden: Concert by Samovar (Russian folk music). Evenings at the Garden are magical! Come hear festive seasonal music while exploring Season’s Greenings: America’s Gardens. Samovar has performed an exciting mix of Russian, Ukrainian, and Gypsy (Romani) folk music in the Washington, DC area since 1996. Please note: Limited seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. Free, no pre-registration required. More info: http://bit.ly/38ZXfaC. In the Conservatory Garden Court of the US Botanic Garden,  100 Maryland Avenue SW.

Wednesday, January 1 from 12:45 - 3:45 PM, Bell Ringing for New Year’s Day - Full Peal Attempt. In collaboration with the National Bell Festival, members of the Washington Ringing Society will attempt a full peal on the Cathedral bells this New Year's Day. Ringing will begin following the noon service at approximately 12:45 PM. If the peal attempt is successful, the ringing will last between 3 and 3.5 hours, or 5,040 changes, from start to finish. The sound of the peal bells will be made audible inside the Cathedral nave for this special occasion. Visitors are encouraged to mindfully listen and explore the Cathedral grounds on a self-guided meditation walk. Washington National Cathedral is at Massachusetts & Wisconsin Avenues NW, https://cathedral.org/event/full-peal-attempt/   

Thursday, January 2 at 12 noon, Chamber Music at Noon. DC Public Library presents a chamber music series (formerly titled the Brown Bag Chamber Recital), free and open to the public. Performers include internationally known local musicians Ralitza Patcheva and Vasily Popov, as well as  featured guest performers throughout the year. This month the concert will take place at the West End Neighborhood Library located at 2301 L St. NW, https://www.dclibrary.org/node/34726