For Your Weekend: St. Patrick's Day, ‘Warriors of Wakanda,' Live Music, More
By Sophia Barnes ••
Here's the best and brightest for your weekend in and around D.C.: a "Black Panther" themed African art tour, ARTECHOUSE's new Cherry Blossom exhibit, endless St. Patrick's Day beer, whisky and dancing opportunities, a Howard alum brings his musical to life and more.
Cherry Blossom Festival Begins, Frozen-Style
It’s way too cold to celebrate the official beginning of the National Cherry Blossom Festival outdoors, but you can get the whole experience with minimal exposure to the elements.
The immersive art gallery just opened its cherry blossom exhibit, giving a digital view of the blooms. Preview it for yourself here:
ARTECHOUSE
Brittany Johnson
I was able to #BOnTop of getting a first look at the new installation, which includes the work of artist groups including NOIRFLUX, StoryLab and more. The new digital experience features five activations where art and tech intersect with Japanese culture and tradition.
Brittany Johnson
Nothing screams "spring is here" more in D.C. than the sight of cherry blossoms! As soon as you walk into the main gallery, Sakura Yume, you'll experience a floating environment where koi fish and blossom petals react to your presence and movement.
ARTECHOUSE
Koi Pie is an incredible interactive 3D sculpture where koi fish interact with your movement in the pond.
Brittany Johnson
The latest installation at ARTECHOUSE, which is at 1238 Maryland Ave. SW, is part of the official National Cherry Blossom Festival activities! Go here for the full guide.
Brittany Johnson
While taking in the art, you can experience even more digital magic through augmented reality, which is featured in the ARTECHOUSE app. ARTECHOUSE also offers the first-ever augmented reality cocktail bar in the United States. (The bar operates daily during evening hours).
Brittany Johnson
While browsing, don't forget to walk through the narrow, lantern-lit "street" that responds to your footsteps. It's super cool!
ARTECHOUSE
One of the best features in the new installation is the opportunity to try a unique immersive dining experience. Bloom, takes place weekly on Thursday, Friday and Saturday during the first evening session at 5:30 p.m. Diners will be able to enjoy a bento-box meal enhanced through interactive table projections and sound elements that change throughout the meal. Go here for more information on how to purchase tickets.
Brittany Johnson
Sakura Yume//Cherry Blossom Dream is open to all ages. However, evening sessions are 21+
Brittany Johnson
Here's another view.
ARTECHOUSE
Planning to experience the new exhibit? Don't forget to tag NBCWashington in your photos! For more information visit ARTECHOUSE.
Follow landscape architect Ron Henderson’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’re cared for. This exhibit — and all the others! — is free.
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’re also offering a flower crown making class (times vary).
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People take pictures of blooming Cherry Blossoms, March 24, 2016, in Washington, D.C.
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From April 8 to 12, the National Park Service expects the cherry blossoms to be fully laden with petals, a time known as peak bloom. Once peak bloom begins, expect large crowds flocking to the Tidal Basin, the quintessential place to see hundreds of trees blossoming near the monuments to Thomas Jefferson and Martin Luther King Jr.
Founders Park in Alexandria, Anacostia Park, the U.S. National Arboretum and Kenwood, Maryland top News4’s picks for places to enjoy the spring flora without the massive crowds. Check out our full list here.
Cherry Blossom Pop-Up Bar
The spectacular Cherry Blossom Pop-Up Bar is open in Shaw now through April 29. Each of the bar’s rooms features a special decorative theme, including a floral room with a thousand monarch butterflies, a pagoda-style bar with thousands of paper cranes, and a space occupied by a 10-foot Godzilla robot.
The pop-up bar will serve a variety of Japanese-inspired drinks, including the Chu-Hi, pictured above, which is a mix of shochu, manzanilla sherry, rice orgeat, lemon with sparkling water served with an citrus Rice Krispies treat.
K Summerer for Visit Alexandria
Several companies offer tours of the cherry blossoms from the Potomac River: You can take a water taxi (April 2-13, starting at $17), the Spirit of Washington (March 20-April 15, starting at $51.90) or the Odyssey (March 20-April 15, starting at $61.90). All are offering cherry blossom tours this spring. You can also rent paddle boats at the Tidal Basin (March 15 through September, starting at $18 per hour).
Surround yourself in virtual cherry blossoms at the new ARTECHOUSE exhibit in Southwest D.C. Check out NBC Washington's first look here.
District Doughnut/Dolci Gelati/Sherry Delaney
Spring isn't just pretty -- it's also yummy. With cherry blossom-inspired food and drink specials, plus plenty of sweet treats, the D.C. area is ready to celebrate the season. Check out these delicious seasonal treats from some of D.C.'s top establishments.
Sarah Pixley
Bring your kite — or just your eyes — to the National Mall as the skies are filled with dozens of kites during the Blossom Kite Festival on March 31. Anyone can participate, and the festival will even have a kite-making station for kids (while supplies last) alongside kite battles, demonstrations and competitions. The festival goes from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Washington Monument.
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Third Eye Blind, Bush and The Lovely Band are headed to Anthem for a blossom-themed night of music during April 6's Blossom Bash.
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Formerly the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival, Petalpalooza offers a day of interactive art, games, live music and a huge fireworks display will be hosted on The Wharf from 1 to 9:30 p.m. The festival is free to attend.
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Marching bands, dancers, floats, helium balloons and an extreme pogo stunt team will make up the Cherry Blossom Parade on Saturday, April 14 at 10 a.m. The parade runs along Constitution Avenue from 7th Street NW to 17th Street NW. You can buy a grandstand seating ticket starting at $20, or watch between 9th and 15th Streets for free.
Sarah Pixley
This street festival is the largest one-day celebration of Japanese culture in the U.S., according to the Cherry Blossom Festival organizers. After the Cherry Blossom Parade, entertain yourself from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. with four stages of programming, arts vendors and food booths. Anyone over 13 needs a $10 ticket to get in, which you can buy in advance.
Looking for some chill, Irish-themed fun? Alexandria’s St. Patrick’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.
A bar crawl entry ticket 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 combo tickets to the Friday night party and Saturday bar crawl cost $15.
The Shamrock Crawl Saturday (2 p.m.) Dupont Circle, Northwest Washington D.C.
Participants have access to more than 16 bars, including Public Bar, Eden, Kabin and Heist. Anyone with a ticket gets a refillable shamrock mug, party favors, $2 beers, $4 shamrock shots and $5 Irish Car Bombs. $35 in advance; $40 day of.
Dupont Underground is hosting artist Solas Nua to discuss her project exploring video art in Ireland. Friday, Nua will discuss her work ($10). On Saturday, 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 Sunday, you can catch short films at the Irish Short Film festival ($8).
Rage… against injustice, with music or by smashing a printer
Breathe: The Musical Friday, Saturday and Sunday (8 p.m.) at THEARC (1901 Mississippi Avenue SE, Washington, D.C.)
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.
Rage Room of Maryland Friday (4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and Saturday (1 p.m. to 8 p.m.) in Glen Burnie, Maryland
Grab your friends and vent some frustrations! Full-service packages start at $25. You can BYOB (bring your own breakables) starting at $10.
Even if fiddles aren’t your thing, there’s a lot of music to be heard this weekend:
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L-R: Wiz Khalifa, Diana Ross, Billie Eilish
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block are returning to Washington, D.C.! The legendary boy band will be here in 2019 — and they're not coming alone. Special guests on the tour include Salt-N-Pepa, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson and Naughty by Nature. Tickets for VIP packages and fan club members went on sale Oct. 9. Tickets opened for the rest of the public Oct. 12.
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Courtesy: Backstreet Boys DNA World Tour
Backstreet's back July 12 at Capital One Arena, alright? And DC can count themselves lucky: This is the boys' first U.S. stop after an extensive European tour.
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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.
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.
NoVa Maker Faire Sunday (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) George Mason University campus, Fairfax, Virginia
Whether you’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.
<p><strong>Cherry Blossom Festival Begins, Frozen-Style</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s way too cold to celebrate the official beginning of the National Cherry Blossom Festival outdoors, but you can get the whole experience with minimal exposure to the elements.</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Friday, Saturday and Sunday near L’Enfant Plaza</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The immersive art gallery just opened its cherry blossom exhibit, giving a digital view of the blooms. Preview it for yourself here:</span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.bonsai-nbf.org/upcoming-exhibits/"><strong>Sakura Orihon: Diary of a Cherry Blossom Journey</strong></a></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Friday, Saturday and Sunday (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at the National Arboretum</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Follow landscape architect Ron Henderson’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’re cared for. This exhibit — and all the others! — is free.</span></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’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>
<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>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Looking for some chill, Irish-themed fun? Alexandria’s St. Patrick’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>
<p> </p>
<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>
<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 & 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… against injustice, with music or by smashing a printer</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<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>
<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><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 “Real Life” 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>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sunday (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) George Mason University campus, Fairfax, Virginia</span></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether you’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>
