March is Women's History Month, the perfect time to come together to celebrate inspiring women and female-identifying folks from history and today.
The theme of International Women's Day 2024 is Inspire Inclusion, according to internationalwomensday.com.
"To truly include women means to openly embrace their diversity of race, age, ability, faith, body image, and how they identify," the website says.
It's a time to celebrate trailblazers and uplift women working for their communities. Here are some ways to do that in the D.C. area.
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
National Museum of Women in the Arts
The museum in Chinatown is celebrating its first International Women’s Day since it debuted a big renovation in October.
On Friday, March 8, visit for a keynote talk from art historian and artist Ferren Gipson, yoga, flash tattoos and special conversations. Some programs require registration.
The Scene
The most fun things to do and places to be in D.C., Maryland and Virginia
The museum is generally open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult tickets are $16, but there are discounts available for D.C. residents, and entry for people under 21 is free. Wednesday, March 13 is a free community day.
Marjorie Merriweather Post's Paris
Heiress and executive Marjorie Merriweather Post crossed the Atlantic via luxury liner to shop in Paris starting in the 1900s.
Known as one of the wealthiest women in the United States, Post’s high fashion and jewelry are now on display in her Northwest D.C. mansion-turned-museum.
The exhibit "Marjorie Merriweather Post's Paris" includes a Cartier backgammon board, a Van Cleef & Arpels pin covered in rubies, an eye-shaped Hermès magnifying glass, an amethyst and diamond Cartier necklace and a handbag covered in pearls.
“She filled trunks and trunks with treasures from France for us to appreciate today," said Megan Martinelli, who curated the exhibit at Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens. We went inside the exhibit.
National Portrait Gallery
Anytime you go, make sure to visit the museum’s newest portraits of Oprah, Beyoncé, Ruth Bader Ginsberg and others.
On Saturday, March 9, the National Portrait Gallery is celebrating Women’s History Month at a free event for all ages. The Kogod Courtyard will host art activities, talks, story time, plus performances and workshops from The Washington Ballet.
Stick around for a conversation with Opal Lee, “the grandmother of Juneteenth,” and the artist who painted her portrait, Sedrick Huckaby at 3:30 p.m. It’s free, but registration is recommended.
- Go here for a full rundown of the Smithsonian's Women's History Month events.
"Dorothea Lange: Seeing People" at the National Gallery of Art
"During her long, prolific, and groundbreaking career, the American photographer Dorothea Lange made some of the most iconic portraits of the 20th century," the National Gallery of Art says.
You likely are familiar with Lange's "Migrant Mother" photo, showing a worried-looking woman with two small children in 1936.
You'll want to see this exhibit before it ends on March 31. Free exhibition tours are offered several times a week.
Regarding Her Women’s History Month Festival
Elevating and celebrating women-owned food and drink businesses, this monthlong festival is all about connections.
You can meet some accomplished chefs and learn from them at talks, demos and classes. Every Sunday, Hank’s Oyster Bar in Alexandria will offer cooking classes covering topics from oyster shucking to drink pairing.
Regarding Her also brings together the women behind some of your favorite D.C.-area restaurants for mouthwatering collaborations.
- Take Pizzeria Paradiso and Ben’s Chili Bowl. Chef Ruth Gresser is firing up a pizza topped with all the best parts of D.C.’s most famous half-smoke.
- Preservation Biscuit Company, based in Falls Church, is partnering with a new business every week for their specials.
For more events celebrating women in food, check out Le Diplomat’s series highlighting women sommeliers and Moon Rabbit’s afternoon tea featuring acclaimed pastry chef and Jessie Sheehan, host of the popular podcast “She’s My Cherry Pie.”
Harriet Tubman Memorial Byway
The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway is a 125-mile, self-guided driving tour through the beautiful landscape Harriet Tubman once called home.
Harriet Tubman Tours offers a variety of options, or you can DIY a tour with a free map and audio guide. The News4 I-Team visited many of the historic sites, which are under threat from rising sea levels.
We highlighted some top spots in a 2017 interactive.
Belmont-Paul Women's Equality Monument
A building that housed the National Woman's Party for 90 years is now a monument to the fight for equality. Wednesday through Sunday during March, you can take free guided tours of the monument.
#FITDC HerStory 5K Run/Walk
Sat., registration begins 9 a.m., Freedom Plaza, free
Details
Lace up your sneakers and get moving this Saturday. If you don’t feel like running, simply walk and stroll the route that goes along Pennsylvania Avenue and across the National Mall. There’s also a kids' dash at 9:30 a.m. The run/walk is open to anyone.
Afterward, visit the post-race festival with music, giveaways and vendors.
Black Girls Rock! Fest
Through March 9, the Kennedy Center, free
🔗 Details
As Black Girls Rock! Fest wraps up, check out Dumfries’ own Nia Dinero as she merges hip-hop and R&B on the Millennium Stage on Saturday at 6 p.m.; it’s a free show.
Want to know what's up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.
