What a crazy month March was! We celebrated the cherry blossoms and cavorted in temperatures that ranged from a high daytime temp of 80 degrees on March 7 (remember that?) to a very low 42 degrees this past Monday. And somehow in all the sun/snow chaos, we still found some very fun things to do. Here’s to March going out like a very crazy lamb. What can we do to celebrate the beginning of April?
As some of you may know, April Is Poetry Month, and has been since 1996. So what better way to celebrate the medium that made Emily Dickinson big than to write some poems of your very own? The DC Public Library has some great programming to get you inspired and a haiku contest too! Check it all out here. And now, a little haiku for the library:
Little oases
Of calm joy, quiet and books
Love DCPL
What else is there to do this week?
The United States Botanic Garden’s conservatory opens tomorrow! They will be welcoming people back on Friday, April 1 and no, it’s not an April fool. Expect it to be open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily.
Want to do some spring cleaning around your neighborhood? Join us and Charles Allen’s office for the Great Ward 6 Spring Clean! At several sites around the Hill and from 9-11 a.m. there will be staff members to sign volunteer time sheets and provide guidance– the cleaning is up to you! To RSVP, click here. If you can’t show up to any of the sites, just roll up your sleeves and pick up some trash and make sure you use #GreatWard6SpringClean (and #thehillishome, of course!) on social media, so we can see all your happy, helpful faces!
The Great Ward 6 Spring Clean locations are as follows:
- Sherwood Recreation Center
- 1000 Block of 13th St., SE
- Garfield Park
- Anacostia River Trail Entrance
- King Greenleaf Rec. Center
CHAWbaret, celebrating 50 years of Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, is happening on April 2. From 6:30-10 p.m., you can enjoy jazz singer Amy K. Bormet and then a live CHAWbaret. In-person seating is limited and $50 per person. If you would rather celebrate virtually, it’ll be free but a donation is encouraged, so CHAW can celebrate 50 more years! More information and tickets here. If CHAW has been a part of your life, you’re encouraged to send your reminiscences of your CHAWesome experiences.
You still have time to catch the fun as the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington holds their Spring Fling through April 3. This celebration of wonderful wine, pairings and expertise is happening in restaurants around the area. Click here to read more information.
More cherry-themed things, you say? Our indefatigable friends at Wunder Garten are coming in strong with Cherry Fest, a two-week long festival of all things cherry and cherry blossom. Check out the full schedule here. This Saturday, April 2, there will be a Blossom Dance Party!
Did you know that the rooftop at Union Market has exercise classes on Sundays? 305 Outside is a fun dance cardio class that happens at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. and you can sign up here.
And if you’re looking for a cool movement class for the kids, sign them up for an EAST workshop at the Hill Center from 3-5 p.m. For more details and to sign up, click here.
Crossing at Navy Yard has a Cherry Blossom Book Nook, which started on Monday. What is special about this book nook? For starters, it’s in an alley called Bond Alley! (I’m a sucker for alleys. There are two pink bookshelves bearing new books by Japanese authors or about Japanese culture. You can enjoy the books at the alley or take them home. Make sure you also make it about the ‘gram because if you post your photos and tag @crossingdc on Instagram, you will be entered to win a $100 gift card to Slipstream!
The Capital Food Fight is back in person on April 7 at The Anthem and tickets are on sale now. Learn more about this raucous night of fun to feed those who need it most here.
Want to eat some good fish for a great cause? Boy Scout Troop 380 is holding a Lenten Fish Fry at St. Peter’s Church hall on April 8, from 5-8 p.m. More details and a QR code to place your order below. (Pro Tip: open this page on one phone and scan it with the other.)
By the way, if you’re looking for a great Tuesday activity, why not hit happy hour at Brine? Their happy hour is incredible and includes oysters! Look at those beauties below:
Photo by Maria Helena Carey
In this time of uncertainty and chaos, consider spending some time volunteering with Good Neighbors Capitol Hill. GNCH is a coalition of 8 congregations and friends working together since 2016 to support refugee families, almost all from Afghanistan. The main mission of GNCH is to help furnish recently arrived refugees and their furniture inventory has been depleted. If you can provide bunk beds or twin bed frames and mattresses, tables and chairs, end tables, bureaus, desks, small bookshelves or storage units, and rugs, please contact GNCH at Info@goodneighborscapitolhill.org
PLAN AHEAD
Do you love the Anacostia River? Do you want to bid an official adieu to cherry blossom season? Then The Anacostia River Festival is a day for you! Plan on going to Anacostia park on April 10, 1-4 p.m.! For more details and to RSVP, click here.
Also on April 10, get an intro to watercolors from local artist Marcella Kriebel and paint on your cookies at La Collina. More details and RSVP here.
Capitol Hill Village’s auction is coming up virtually April 14-24, as well as their virtual gathering on April 21. Tickets will be available soon. You can learn more about Capitol Hill Village’s mission to help all neighbors stay in their homes as long as they can, while leading independent lives, by clicking here.
Are you a history buff? Do you love the Library of Congress? Then this event on April 18 is for you! History Unfolded is a project that looks at what reporting the Holocaust in local papers during 1943-1945 was like. An information session will help volunteer researchers understand the process. For more information and to register via zoomgov, click here.
The National Cannabis Festival is happening April 23 at the RFK Festival Grounds. The concert will feature Wiz Khalifa, but in addition to the music, there will be a whole host of events promoting community, education, policy and high times. Click here for tickets and vendor information. By the way, at the festival’s culinary pavilion, there will be food by Maydan’s Darnell Thomas, Kevin Tien of Moon Rabbit and the fast-casual eatery Hot Lola’s, Maketto’s Erik Bruner-Yang, Disco Mary’s Maria Bastasch, Dave Chappelle’s chef and owner of The High-End Affair Nikki Steward, and Equinox.
The Mother’s Day House and Garden Tour organized by the Capitol Hill Restoration Society is one of those so very Capitol Hill events you have to do at least once (but you’ll want to do every year). The tour, which benefits and supports the mission of CHRS, will take place May 7 and 8, 2022. For more details and to secure your tickets, click here. Not sure what to expect? Why not take a preview tour on March 26-27? Click here to find out more and reserve your tickets.
Mark your calendars for May 7, 2022 when Maury at the Market: Lights, Camera, Auction is back in person at Eastern Market’s North Hall. You can follow Maury Elementary’s auction action and check out all the incredible things you can bid on via Facebook and Twitter. Remember: You don’t need to have a child enrolled in DCPS to enjoy the party or the loot!
If you’ve never seen an installment of the National Academy of Sciences’ Wrong Answers Only show, you’re in for a treat. Learn about science and laugh with this interactive and educational show. On April 14, it’s all about DINOSAURS! RSVP here and watch past episodes here.
And it’s a ways off, but start getting excited for the DC Jazz Fest, August 31 to September 4 this year. Check out the line-up here.
OFF-HILL
Want to learn how to fix that gadget or broken toy? Then come to the DC Library’s Fix It! event on Saturday April 2, from 2-5 p.m. Practice sustainability and crowdsource your DIY at this cool event at the MLK Library. For more information and to register, click here.
If you’re already around downtown DC, why not walk over to Franklin Park for Petals in the Park? There will be food, fun and merriment– and in the evening, the park will transform into a 21+ event called Blossoms After Dark. More info on both by clicking here.
Through April 24, the United States Botanic Garden will be showcasing a beautiful collection of orchids at the Kogod Courtyard at the Portrait Gallery/American Art Museum. The collection is a celebration of women who’ve helped catalog, conserve and preserve these beautiful plants. More information here.