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The Tidal Basin’s cherry blossoms have reached the second stage of six on their journey to peak bloom! 🌸
But if you want a picture-perfect backdrop now, peep the okame cherry trees and their Barbie pink blooms. Yes, we're still waiting for the National Cherry Blossom Festival to begin on March 20, but you can have a bloom-filled weekend right now.
What to see in the D.C. area this weekend
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Vintage Cartier, Louis Vuitton at heiress' DC estate
Through June 16
🔗 Details
Post cereal 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.
Pro tip: Budget time to explore the full mansion and gardens.
Free pick
DAR Period Rooms
Ongoing
🔗 Details
If you love vintage, the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum has something you have to see. Thirty-one Period Rooms let you step inside American homes as far back as the 1690s.
Curator Patrick Sheary showed Tommy around four of his favorite rooms, including the Relic Room. This "ultra period room" is filled with furniture made from a salvaged wooden warship.
Free pick
Artomatic
March 8 to April 28
🔗 Details
A sprawling, seven-week arts festival featuring hundreds of artists will take over 300,000 square feet of empty office space as the District works to draw people back downtown.
The exhibition will feature a range of art, workshops, talks and live music. Here’s the full special events schedule.
The festival will open with Risers Fest from this Saturday and Sunday. On opening weekend, catch dreamy pop from D.C.’s Ari Voxx, absurdist punk from The Falsies and more than a dozen other artists (The music festival will also make a return (April 26-28 to close out Artomatic).
International Women's Day
Celebrating women: We should be doing it every day… but especially with International Women’s Day on Friday!
There’s plenty to do with your family and friends, honoring the women making a difference around the world.
Our full guide has lots of ideas, but we'll share some highlights below.
As Shania Twain says, let’s go, girls!
- 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.
- The Regarding Her food festival is packed with special talks and features special collabs – including a Pizzeria Paradiso pie topped with a Ben’s Chili Bowl half-smoke.
- 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.”
- The National Museum of Women in the Arts has a festival on Friday, then a free community day on Wednesday, March 13.
- The National Portrait Gallery’s not only has a special display for its newest portraits of Oprah, Beyoncé, Ruth Bader Ginsberg and others, but ups its game Saturday with a kid-friendly festival and talk with the “grandmother of Juneteenth."
ARTECHOUSE
Opens Sat.
🔗 Details
The immersive art museum specializes in larger-than-life projections and interactives. Starting Saturday, March 9, the Southwest D.C. space will debut "ISEKAI: Blooming Parallel Worlds," a cherry blossom-themed experience inspired by manga and anime. Timed tickets are available now; they start at $27 for adults.
Rolling Cocoa Festival
Sat., The Anthem, $69+
🔗 Details
This one-night festival is bringing the sounds of Ghana to The Anthem, headlined by Stonebwoy and Black Sherif.
Concerts this weekend
Fire EX., 8 p.m. Friday, Black Cat, $25 (advance)/$30 (day of)
The so-called “People’s Band of Taiwan” has been playing catchy and sometimes poppy punk rock with meaty riffs since 2000. Details.
Chelsea Wolfe, 8 p.m. Sunday, Fillmore Silver Spring, $27.50
Haunting goth-folk-rock from a veteran singer-songwriter. At times her voice recalls singers like Angel Olsen, but over an more intense, dark and heavier soundscape. Details.
Things to do in D.C.
Awesome Con
Fri. to Sun., Washington Convention Center, $55+
Taste of Iceland
Fri. and Sat., various locations
SHE:DC Art Show Opening Party
Fri., 6 p.m., La Cosecha in Northeast, $15-$20
FYI: Exhibit open March 10-31
Comedy show benefitting Girls Rock! DC
Fri., 8 p.m., BloomBars in Northwest D.C., $15-$25
FYI: Alcohol-free venue
Whiskey Walk
Sat., 1-10 p.m., downtown, $55-$65
Capital Comedy Festival
Sat., DAR Constitution Hall
Make Your Own Candle
Sun., 3 p.m., Steadfast Supply in Southeast, $45
Things to do in Maryland
Cake Decorating w/Sugar Rush
Sat., 11 a.m., Shop Made in Maryland College Park, $150
Riverworks Storytellers Series: Indigenous Peoples of the Potomac Piedmont
Sat., Poolesville Old Town Hall, free
Leprechaun Luau
Sat., 4-8 p.m., Frederick Fairgrounds, $70
Stand-up comedy
Sat., 7-9 p.m., The Barking Dog in Bethesda, $10-$20
Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira
Sun., 3 p.m., BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, $35
GOGO Brunch with AMAFUJO'S MOODSWING
Sun., Le Fantome in Riverdale
Things to do in Virginia
Romeo & Juliet
Through March 24, Synetic Theater in Crystal City, $35-$65
“Dune 2” at the Air and Space IMAX theater
Various showtimes, Chantilly
Spa and wellness retreat for International Women's Day
Fri., Balian Springs in Alexandria, $165
Succulent & Sangria Workshop
Fri., 6:30 p.m., PlantHouse Alexandria, $30+
Shamrock Stampede Bar Crawl
Sat., 2-6 p.m., Whiskey & Oyster in Alexandria, $10
DC Film Society’s Oscar Night
Sun., Arlington Drafthouse, $20
FYI: Check/cash only at the door
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