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For Your Weekend: Japanese Culture, Protest, Baby Goats

Here's the best and brightest for your weekend in and around D.C.: learn about the coffee or whisky you drink; connect with Japanese culture for Cherry Blossom season or participate in the massive March for Our Lives demonstration and so much more.

Eat, Drink and Be Merry

Northern Virginia Restaurant Week
Through March 26, various locations

Local Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William County restaurants will offer specials and deals all weekend for Northern Virginia Restaurant Week. Among the dozens of participating restaurants are Balkan favorite Ambar —offering unlimited small plates for $35 — and pizza and grill joint Matchbox has $20 lunch specials and $35 three-course dinners.

Tea and Board Games
Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Herndon, Virginia

Relax at ArtSpace Herndon with tea and games. You can bring your own or play one of theirs.

Open Mic at Brew Republic Bierworks
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. in Woodbridge, Virginia

Sip beers and enjoy a melange of performances at Brew Republic.

Counter Culture Training Center Opening
Friday at 10 a.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Adams Morgan

You love coffee. You drink coffee. Maybe you even crave coffee. But do you know it? Counter Culture's new training center aims to teach baristas and the public about brews. The Adam's Morgan training center is opening on Friday and an open house with free espresso is scheduled for Saturday.

One Eight Distilling's "Intro to Spirit Sensory Evaluation"
Saturday at 2 p.m. near Ivy City

Open your five senses and really appreciate your drink. Tickets are $48.70.

Bottle Feed a Baby Goat
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, various times in Lovettsville, Virginia

If goat yoga just isn't enough, head out to Lovettsville to bottle feed and hold baby goats. If you're having a bad day, this will probably fix it. Timed tickets are $10 and tend to sell out.

Culture

Free Screenings with the Environmental Film Festival
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, various times and locations

The annual Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital is closing out this weekend and there's so many movies left to see. You can find a full schedule here and check this Facebook page for free screening codes.

PostSecret: The Show
Saturday, 6:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Theatre

Remember PostSecret, the website where anyone can mail in a postcard divulging their hidden truth? The blog is coming to life at the Lincoln Theatre. Tickets are $35.

Women, Fashion & Art: A Guided Tour at the National Gallery of Art
Sunday, 11:30 a.m. at the National Gallery of Art

You don't need to be Miranda Priestly to know that a shirt is never just a shirt. Join Rebecca Durgin, who has a Master of Arts in History of Decorative Arts, as she discusses the history of women's fashion. Tickets are $8 and the event is hosted by Washington DC History & Culture.

Dead Meadow, The Strypes, Maluma, Demo Lavato are in town this weekend, and there's also a March for Our Lives benefit concert.

Here's all the upcoming shows in D.C.:

DC's Best Upcoming Concerts: Diana Ross, Beck u0026 More

March for Our Lives

March for Our Lives Rally 
Saturday, 12 p.m., downtown

Up to half a million people are expected to attend this school safety and anti-gun violence demonstration downtown. Here's everything you need to know.

Stay Amped, A Concert to End Gun Violence
Friday, 6:30 p.m. at Anthem on The Wharf

Fall-Out Boy, G-Eazy, Bebe Rexha, Lizzo and other artists are performing at the show, which is affiliated with March for Our Lives. Tickets start at $100, but half-price tickets are available for students with an ID. Anthem is giving out free tickets to students in town for the protest through the organizers.

Rally for DC Lives
Saturday, 9 a.m. at Folger Park in Capitol Hill

Local officials and students will meet up before the larger march to discuss gun violence and how it impacts D.C. The group will then walk to the national protest at 10 a.m.

Cherry Blossom Festival Goes Full-Bloom with Japanese Culture

The indicator tree is in full blossom mode, just in time for some of the festival's best activities.

Smithsonian American Art Museum Cherry Blossom Festival
Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Penn Quarter

Celebrate Japanese culture with Taiko drumming, music, dance, face painting and crafts at this family-friendly event.

The Studio Ghibli Collection at Landmark Cinemas
Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at Landmark Theatres in Bethesda and D.C. locations at Penn Quarter and West End.

Three Landmark Theatres are celebrating Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli with morning viewings. This weekend, West End Cinema is showing "The Wind Rises," Bethesda Row hosts "Kiki's Delivery Service" and E Street Cinema screens "Nausicca of the Valley of the Wind." Saturday showings are dubbed in English and Sunday showings are in Japanese with English subtitles.

Jefferson Memorial Cherry Blossom Talk
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, various times at the Jefferson Memorial

Dive deeper into the history and lore of the cherry blossoms with a free talk from a National Park ranger.


Boutique Cherry Blossom Creative will host a pop-up shop and Spring Cleaning Sale this weekend, where you can nab cute, local products for a good price.

One Giant Meditation
Sunday, 9 a.m. at the National Building Museum

Lay back and relax for a guided meditation in honor of the Cherry Blossoms. Tickets are $12 before fees.

Need more ideas? Here's our guide to the Cherry Blossom festival.
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p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Follow landscape architect Ron Henderson&rsquo;s journey following the cherry blossom trail from southern to northern Japan. His sketches exhibit not only looks at the trees themselves, but how they&rsquo;re cared for. This exhibit &mdash; and all the others! &mdash; is free.</span></p>

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<p><a href="https://www.thewatergatehotel.com/the-next-whisky-bar/dc-cherry-blossom-garden-globes"><strong>The Watergate Hotel&rsquo;s Cherry Blossom Domes</strong></a></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Saturday and Sunday in Foggy Bottom</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Enjoy afternoon tea in one of the Cherry Blossom Domes (previous known as the Igloos). Rentals for two to eight people start at $100. They&rsquo;re also offering a </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/135945050556034/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">flower crown making class</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (times vary).</span></p>
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<p><strong>Bring the Craic on Saint Patrick&rsquo;s Day</strong></p>
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<p><a href="https://shamrockfest.com/lineup"><strong>National Shamrock Fest</strong> </a></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Saturday (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.) at RFK Stadium</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sum 41, Shaggy and Less Than Jake headline this one day festival of beer, music and of course, Irishness.</span></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.ballyshaners.org/parade/"><strong>Alexandria St. Patrick's Day Parade</strong></a></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Saturday (11:30 a.m.) in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia</span></em></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Looking for some chill, Irish-themed fun? Alexandria&rsquo;s St. Patrick&rsquo;s Day parade kicks off at 1:30 p.m. from King Street and St. Asaph Street. The fun continues afterwards with a car show. Go early for the Fun Dog Show.</span></p>
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<p><a href="http://lindypromo.com/washington-dc/barcrawl_dc-st-patricks-day-bar-crawl-in-washington-dc-3-17"><strong>St. Patrick's Day Irish Stroll Bar Crawl</strong> </a></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Saturday (1 p.m.) in Dupont Circle, Northwest Washington DC</span></em></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A </span><a href="http://lindypromo.com/washington-dc/barcrawl_dc-st-patricks-day-bar-crawl-in-washington-dc-3-17"><span style="font-weight: 400;">bar crawl entry ticket</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> will get you cover-free entry to 10 participating bars, including Decades, Dirty Bar, Living Room and Barcode. Drink specials include $3 beers, $4 specialty beers and $5 mixed drinks. Tickets cost $20, but </span><a href="http://lindypromo.com/washington-dc/parties_washington-dc-st-patricks-happy-hour"><span style="font-weight: 400;">combo tickets to the Friday night party and Saturday bar crawl cost $15.</span></a></p>
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<p><a href="https://tickets.theshamrockcrawl.com/event/washington-dc"><strong>The Shamrock Crawl</strong></a></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Saturday (2 p.m.) Dupont Circle, Northwest Washington D.C.</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Participants have access to more than 16 bars, including Public Bar, Eden, Kabin and Heist. </span><a href="https://tickets.theshamrockcrawl.com/event/washington-dc"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anyone with a ticket</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gets a refillable shamrock mug, party favors, $2 beers, $4 shamrock shots and $5 Irish Car Bombs. $35 in advance; $40 day of.</span></p>
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<p><a href="https://dupontunderground.ticketfly.com/listing"><strong>Sights &amp; Sounds: Ireland Today</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></a><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Friday (7 p.m.), Saturday (10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.) and Sunday (4 p.m.) in Dupont Circle</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dupont Underground is hosting artist Solas Nua to discuss her project exploring video art in Ireland. </span><strong>Friday</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Nua will discuss her work ($10). On </span><strong>Saturday</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">, you can stop in and enjoy the exhibit. From 10 a.m. to noon, the exhibit is free and offers activities geared towards kids. After noon, it costs $15. On </span><strong>Sunday</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">, you can catch short films at the Irish Short Film festival ($8).</span></p>
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<p><a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/entertainment/the-scene/St-Patricks-Day-Washington-DC-Maryland-Virginia-Bar-Crawl-Parade-Specials-476983663.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">We have a roundup of the best brunch specials and drink deals right here.</span></a></p>
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<p><strong>Rage&hellip; against injustice, with music or by smashing a printer</strong></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.thearcdc.org/events/breathe-musical-0"><strong>Breathe: The Musical</strong></a></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Friday, Saturday and Sunday (8 p.m.) at THEARC (1901 Mississippi Avenue SE, Washington, D.C.)</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Howard University alum Cleavon Meabon IV wrote and directed this play, which follows a family of sharecroppers in the early 20th century as they struggle under Jim Crow injustice, KKK attacks and police brutality. </span></p>
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<p><a href="https://rageroommd.com/"><strong>Rage Room of Maryland</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></a><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Friday (4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and Saturday (1 p.m. to 8 p.m.) in Glen Burnie, Maryland</span></em></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Grab your friends and vent some frustrations! Full-service packages start at $25. You can BYOB (bring your own breakables) starting at $10.</span></p>
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<p><a href="https://www.unionstage.com/event/1648411-r-bumppp-free-dance-party-washington/"><strong>R&amp;BUMPPP! Dance Party</strong></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Saturday (10:30 p.m.) at The Wharf)</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Union Stage hosts an R&amp;B night featuring The Good Guys. No covers, just dancing.</span></p>
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<p><a href="https://www.930.com/#upcoming-shows-container"><strong>The Floozies at 9:30 Club</strong></a><strong>; G-Eazy; Judas Priest; Justin Timberlake</strong></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">All weekend, various locations</span></em></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even if fiddles aren&rsquo;t your thing, there&rsquo;s a lot of music to be heard this weekend:</span></p>
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<p><strong>Celebrate makers and creators</strong></p>
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<p><a href="http://invention.si.edu/about/events/innovative-lives-how-women-shaped-alcohol-industry"><strong>Innovative Lives: How Women Shaped the Alcohol Industry</strong></a></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Friday (6:30 p.m.)</span></em></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Enjoy craft beer and custom cocktail tastings while learning about the history of booze from four women whose life work is to brew and distill. Tickets are $40 and include appetizers and drinks.</span></p>
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<p><a href="https://africa.si.edu/events/"><strong>The &ldquo;Real Life&rdquo; Warriors of Wakanda Tour</strong></a></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Saturday (3 p.m.) and Sunday (3 p.m.) Smithsonian National Museum of African Art on the National Mall</span></em></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Discover the true inspiration behind the afrofuturist world of Wakanda by exploring historic African art. This awesome, free tour fills up fast, so RSVP soon.</span></p>
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<p><a href="http://nova.makerfaire.com/about/"><strong>NoVa Maker Faire</strong></a></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sunday (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) George Mason University campus, Fairfax, Virginia</span></em></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether you&rsquo;re interesting in older crafts like spinning yarn and woodworking, or are looking ahead to robotics and auto hacking, the Maker Faire promises something for you. This all-ages event costs $15 for an adult, $5 for kids or $36 for a family of five.</span></p>
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