Happy New Year and happy first To Do List of the year! Can you believe we’re almost halfway through January? Yikes. Let’s find you something fun to do this week and start planning that calendar, shall we?
Fun on The Hill
It’s too cold out there to be outside (unless you really love being outside), so why not catch a movie? Check out the line-up at the Miracle Theatre and buy tickets here.
It’s also Second Saturday at Capitol Hill Books. As usual, drop by for book club (James Joyce’s Ulysses) and/or nibbles and wine starting at 5:30 p.m. If you purchase something from 5:30-close, you’ll get a 10% discount.
Cold days need warm stories. Join Solid State Books on Sunday, January 12 for a Retellings Book Club centered around fantasy book “The Night Ends With Fire.” More info here.
Do you have a creative high schooler who may have a play just waiting to burst out of them? Then mention the Mosaic Theater 2025 High School Company Playwriting Contest to them! The contest is open to kids in grades 9-12 from all over the DC area. More information here.
Over at Union Market District, the Mindful Drinking Fest is taking over this weekend, making a party out of cutting alcohol out of your life– or giving it a rest. Some events are ticketed and some are free, so check it all out here.
Explore the works of Edmond Dédé and listen to his opera, Morgiane on Thursday, January 16. For more information and tickets, click here.
The Commanders are playing the Buccaneeers Sunday at 8 p.m. Go watch at Walter’s in Navy Yard.
Want to make good on a New Year’s Resolution? The Hill Center has a cooking class that might interest you! Learn how to cook beautiful winter veggies for one or two! More info and tickets here.
Feeling hearbroken and frustrated over the fires in Los Angeles? You can support LAFD through this link: https://supportlafd.org/
Want to be part of the K9 Corps at Congressional Cemetery? Then join the lottery– starts today! More info here and link to join the lottery here.
Off-Hill
The National Building Museum is opening a new permanent exhibit this Saturday, titled “Visible Vault: Open Collections Storage.” The exhibition, both a shameless grab for storage space in the main floors of the Building Museum and an incredible invitation to explore, giggle, wonder and ponder on how we build the world around us, will be a fixture at the second floor of the museum. Check out my Instagram post here. This means that every time you visit, you may see a slightly different exhibit– cool right? Get tickets here.
Plan Ahead
Create a postcard from your ideal summer day at CHAW on January 25. “Postcards from Summer” is an interactive workshop for all ages: a fun, creative “escape” from winter, giving participants the opportunity to create their own summer, wherever they are, and despite the season. Saturday, January 25, 2025 10:00 am – Noon. Free for all ages. RSVP to charlene@chaw.org.
Want to celebrate Home Rule before it goes away? (Hopefully not!) The DC History Center is having a special event on January 30 all about our right to self-govern. More info and registration here.
Have you ever wanted to understand Shakespeare better? Well, Aquarius season is for the people, and so is The Reading Room festival at the Folger Shakespeare Library. From January 30 to February 2, explore how Shakespeare’s worlds are better staged, adapted and brought to audiences. Learn more and get your tickets to one of more of the workshops here.
Up next in the Chiarina series is Josephine, a monodrama for voice and five instruments that pays homage to the incredible Josephine Baker. This one-of-a-kind production happens February 1 at St. Marks, 3rd and A SE. More information and tickets here. Consider becoming a Chiarina member here.
Did you know February 1 is known as La Chandeleur and you are supposed to eat crêpes? Do it at the Hillwood Estate! More info here.
Want to give your kids ages 8-12 a memorable overnight experience? The National Archives’ next sleepover is on February 1-2. The experience begins at 6:30 p.m on the first and ends on the second at 9 a.m. Sign up HERE and if it’s already full, get put on the waitlist by emailing info@archivesfoundation.org.
Want to go to a special Valentine’s Day concert at the Entertainment Sports Arena with Trey Songz and Tamar Braxton? Click here to get presale tickets with code EDC.
And get excited: Mardi Gras is coming to the Wharf on Saturday, March 1! Parade! Live music! Food! Drink! Merriment! More info here.
Fan of fitness and flowers? Then the Friends of the National Arboretum Flowering 5K on March 23! More information and signups here.