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For Your Weekend: Festivals Celebrate Blossoms, Hardcore Punk, Rosé, Bollywood and More

There's endless festivals, music and fun activities happening in D.C. this weekend — our guess is that everyone expected a beautiful peak bloom season. Instead, we're getting snow.

Don't let that stop you! From festivals celebrating fireworks and cherry blossoms, pink wines, Wes Anderson, science, hardcore punk and Union Market's street food to self-defense classes and a giant pillow fight, here's the best and brightest for your weekend in D.C.

Community Connections

USA Science and Engineering Festival
Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Washington Convention Center

The Science and Engineering Festival boasts thousands of fun activities, stage shows and talks with scientists, all meant to encourage an interest in science, technology, engineering and math. The festival is free to attend but you must register in advance.

Pop-Up Museum: Your D.C. Stories 1968 - 2018
Saturday, 12 p.m. at the Anacostia Neighborhood Library

D.C. has lived through a monumental 50 years. Bring your own local artifacts or check out others at this pop up museum. 

Union Market District Streetfest
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All-day live music, free fitness classes, special food offerings and pop-up shops will be out in force for the Union Market streetfest. DC United will be doing soccer drills with kids and Cotton & Reed will roast a pig. Could they please do this every weekend?

National Harbor Celebrates 10th Anniversary
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, National Harbor is hosting free rides on the Carousel and Capital Wheel rides, a parade and live music. 

Sports and Sporting

Catch a Nationals Game
Saturday at 1:05 p.m. and Sunday at 8:08 p.m.

If you missed the home opener, no worries! They lost anyway. The Nationals will be back at it this weekend. Cheap seats start at $12 and Goldstar is offering discounts on gallery and box seats.

[NATL-DC]Photos: Wacky Moments With the Racing Presidents

Women's Self Defence Training Seminar
Saturday, 1 p.m. in Columbia Heights

Professionals plan to give demonstrations and advice on staying safe in everyday situations. A portion of proceeds from the class ($15 plus ticket fees) go tot the D.C. Rape Crisis Center.

International Pillow Fight Day
Saturday, 3 p.m. on the National Mall

Bring your least-loved pillow to the corner of Independence Avenue and 14th Street SW for D.C.'s pillow fight! It's the event's tenth year. 

Music, movies and art

Lorde, Blossom Bash, All Black Extravaganza, Petalpalooza

It's a major weekend for music in D.C.! Catch free local bands at Petalpalooza on The Wharf, Monica, BJ The Chicago Kid and The Chuck Brown Band at The Anthem's All Black Extravaganza, Third Eye Blind at The Anthem's Blossom Bash or mosh hard at the Damaged City Festival. Lorde is coming to town. She doesn't need a festival because she's more accomplished at age 21 than most people are at age 40.

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

Damaged City Festival
April 5 to 8, The Black Cat, All Souls Unitarian Church and Hole In The Sky

Radioactivity, Blazing Eye, Brown Sugar, Blood Pressure, Wildhoney, Firewalker, Nosebleed and Rashomon kick off the inaugural show of the festival at a 6:30 p.m. show. Tickets are $25. A late show follows at 11 p.m. Check out the full schedule of shows, which last all weekend, here.

Wes Anderson Retrospective
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, various times at the National Museum of American History

Transport to the awkwardly realistic and fantastical universe of Wes Anderson through this small-scale film festival. "Rushmore," "The Darjeeling Limited," The Grand Budapest Hotel," "The Royal Tenenbaums," "Moonrise Kingdom" and "Bottle Rocket" will all screen at the National Museum of American History this weekend. Tickets are $12.

Best of Bollywood at the AFI Silver Theatre
Saturday and Sunday in Silver Spring

The AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center is screening Bollywood classics"Bareilly Ki Barfi," "Newton" (a 2018 Oscar's selection), "Secret Superstar" and "Ittefaq" this weekend. Movies are in Hindi with English subtitles. The full schedule is here and you can buy tickets here.

"2001: A Space Odyssey" Immersive Exhibit Opens
Sunday at the National Air and Space Museum

You'll need a timed ticket to transport yourself into Stanley Kubrick's futuristic world. Check out our story about the exhibit here.

Teoja // Daebak Art Gallery with Julia Chon
Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Maketto

Local teen artist Julia Chon is showing her art at restaurant and coffee shop Maketto.

No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man at The Renwick
Through January 2019, downtown

A slice of the fantastical and larger-than-life arts festival Burning Man has taken over the Renwick Gallery and even spilled out onto the surrounding streets. Expect a lot of buzz and selfie-takers, but between the virtual reality experience, the epic Grand Salon makeover and the larger-than-life displays, it'll be worth the inevitable lines and crowds.

Check out our first look here:

Out of the Desert, Into DC: Renwick Opens Burning Man Exhibit

Cherry Blossoms Reach Peak Bloom

The cherry blossoms have finally arrived at the peak bloom stage, after weeks of unseasonably cold weather caused the National Park Service to push back their projected days twice.

Go see it ASAP — they’ll probably look gorgeous in Saturday morning’s expected snow, but who knows how they’ll look after.

National Cherry Blossom Festival's Petalpalooza
Saturday, April 7, 1 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Bundle up and consider cozying up in one of The Wharf's restaurants or bars for this fireworks, music, art and cherry blossom celebration. The fireworks are set to be set off between Hains Point and The Anthem... so stake out your spot carefully. Check the Facebook event in case of weather issues.

Cherry Blossom Festival 2018: Your Essential Guide to Blooms, Parades and More

Petal Paddle at The Wharf
April 1 to 15, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Wharf Boathouse

Get active while appreciating the blossoms at The Wharf.  Single kayaks are $35 and double kayaks are $70.

Bonus: Think you know the cherry blossoms? Take our quiz to find out.

$16 Cherry Blossom Cruise
Sunday, 1 p.m.

Catch this LivingSocial deal for a $16 blossom viewing cruise.

Parties, Eats and Drinks

HopFest 2018
Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Woodridge

More than a dozen local brews and brewers will be on display at the DC Brewer's Guild festival. Tickets are $35 and organizers say they'll sell out. Each ticket gives you a tasting glass with unlimited pours of beer. Also, did we mention it's National Beer Day on Saturday? As if you needed another excuse.

Boozin' Through the 90s Bar Crawl
Saturday, 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Dupont Circle

Organizers promise a $40 ticket gets you admission to eight venues without a cover, drink and food specials, parties and a color changing cup. Prices go up on Saturday.

Silent Disco at Bardo Brewing
Saturday, 9 p.m. in Yards Park

The unique outdoor bar will host a silent disco party right on the Potomac near Nats Park. Goldstar's offering $5 tickets. Check the forecast and their Facebook before you go in case of bad weather.

2017 Vintage Rosé Wine Festival
Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Logan Circle

Rosé lovers unite! We know there's a lot of you in the District. Cork & Fork is hosting a celebration of pink wine. A $15 one-day ticket grants you tastings of several rosés.

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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