February is the heart of winter and it comes along to remind us that, no matter how adverse circumstances may be, love and kindness sustain us and keep us going. Love is all around if you look for it. Keep being strong, friends. What is there to do?
(Need help? Not sure where to turn? Here are a few DC resources for you. Please know that you are loved and you matter.)
Want to share some love with your community and with the ACLU? I’ll be at Eastern Market’s North Hall on Saturday, February 8 and 15. Donate $5 (or more, if you’re so inclined or able) and we will donate the proceeds (minus overhead costs) to the ACLU. Write a Valentine to someone or send a message of love to our community, which has seen us through some dark times and continues to be there for us. More info also on our Instagram.
Tomorrow the tweens ride their bikes to skate! It’s another awesome Hill Family Biking ride, aimed at the older set: the start time is 6:30 p.m. at the Maury Elementary parking lot. More info and RSVP here.
It’s Second Saturday at Capitol Hill Books! Wine and cheese from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and a 10% discount on your purchases until closing at 8 p.m.
Want to sign up to rate this year’s Super Bowl commercials? Go here!
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church is celebrating the Souperbowl: Pick the team you think will win the Super Bowl by bringing cans to the church on February 2 or 9, 2025 (services are at 9 a.m., 11:15 a.m. and 5 p.m.) and placing them in a designated team basket. The team with the most cans wins, but we all win, as your generous donation and wager will help keep the Lutheran Church of the Reformation food pantry full. An ecumenical bet? Charming!
Do you love pancakes and good causes? Then you should add the Troop 380 Flapjack Fest to your calendar. On Saturday, February 8, from 8-11 a.m., mosey on down to St. Peter’s Catholic Church hall, 313 2nd Street SE, and get all the pancakes and sausages your little body can fit (probably not as many as you think). Buy tickets here.
Did you ever want to see how REM’s albums Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi would sync up with Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr.? Wonder no more and get tickets for the February 11 show NOW. (This feels extremely niche and I love it.)
If you’re looking for a pre-Valentine’s event, TAP99, 1250 Half Street SE, is hosting “Pour Some Love” from 5-8 p.m on Thursday, February 13. The event features tastings from six different craft breweries, as well as swag. If you’re a beer nerd or you love one, this is a must-attend event! Pour yourself and you beloved a cold one and enjoy! (Your beloved can be you.) You can RSVP right here.
Every week, Labyrinth has a whole slate of programming to take your mind off things. Want to play a board game? Thursday! Want to play Magic The Gathering? That’s Tuesday AND Friday! And just in time for the Lunar New Year, maybe you should try your hand at Mah Jong this coming Wednesday, February 5, 2-4 p.m.! No, it’s not just a game you play by yourself in your computer (or used to, lo many a year ago). More information on their Events page.
If you’re more advanced in the crafting field, go to Relume and make something beautiful! From charm bracelets to watercolors, there are workshops for you. Go to this landing page, click on what you want to do and sign up!
Did you know the Queen Vic has Sunday Roast every Sunday? Feel like you just stepped into a British pub and enjoy your pick of beef or lamb, served with potatoes fried in duck fat, Yorkshire pudding, a pint or perhaps a Pimm’s cup. First-come, first-served! For the full menu and more information, click here.
Did you know that ice melt can electrocute dogs? Consider signing this petition to ask the city and well, people in general, to switch to a more life-friendly alternative.
Want to be part of the K9 Corps at Congressional Cemetery? Then join the lottery! It closes February 10 More info here and link to join the lottery here.
Have a kiddo between the ages of 14-24 who needs a summer job? Have them apply to the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program here.
Enter the Capitol Hill Restoration Society photo contest! The deadline is March 1. More information here.
OFF-HILL
The Washington Auto Show is here! If you’re into ogling cars, get tickets here.
Have you ever pondered the orgasm gap? Yes, this is a real thing and Profs and Pints’ latest bit of programming will explain this infuriating deficit at Penn Social this Monday, February 10. More info and tickets here.
Never been to UDC for a noontime jazz concert? Change that this month: Celebrate Black History Month with the Allyn Johnson Trio this Tuesday, February 11. More information here– make sure you scroll to February.
(Arrive prepared: Read more about Allyn Johnson over at Capital Bop.)
The National Building Museum’s “Visible Vault: Open Collections Storage” is their latest permanent exhibit. 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, the exhibit will be a fixture at the second floor of the museum. Check out my Instagram post here. Every time you visit, you may see a slightly different exhibit– cool right? Get tickets here.
Don’t forget! The Anacostia Community Museum is open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and they always have something fun going on! Learn more here.
Do you work over at Crystal City uh National Landing and they are forcing you to return to work? Check out Breakfast Bingo and win!
Skip the Small Talk is a movement that is trying to get strangers to interact meaningfully with one another and they hold events in the DC area but also online ones. Intrigued? Check out their event listings here— the next one is happening at Tonic in Foggy Bottom on February 11.
A play inside a record store? Intriguing! Get tickets to Love and Vinyl, which opens February 13 at Byrdland Records, and see how it all works itself out. More info and tickets here.
Peacock Alley at the Waldorf Astoria downtown is doing a special series of Wednesday events called Wednesdays at the Waldorf Astoria. These curated events pair foods with special drinks for a one-of-a-kind experience. Book yours here while it’s still the W-A because apparently it may be back to being a Trump hotel sooner than we think.
PLAN AHEAD
Get your cutest knickers on and run for a good cause– just hope that the weather cooperates! On Saturday, February 15, support research for Neurofibromatosis by participating in the Cupid’s Undie Run at the Wharf! Sign up for the race here.
The Intersections Festival is coming to the Atlas starting February 15! Percussion, storytelling, burlesque, music, intersectionality! Get your tickets here.
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.
Yep, Valentine’s Day is around the corner and nothing says romance like The Love Birds at the Folger. Love? Check. Poetry? Check. Music? Check. Buy your tickets here.
You can also go with the fam to the Library of Congress and make an old-timey Victorian Valentine. Registration and information here.
On February 19, enjoy a pop-up dinner benefiting the children of Palestine at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 212 East Capitol Street (basement). From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., care for others as a team of cooks from some of the best restaurants in the area dazzle your tastebuds. For more information and tickets, click here. ($50 minimum donation)
Have you ever wanted to race your bike through parking lots? Why not? National Landing is hosting the Garage Racing National Championships on February 22. Learn more about the event here and sign up to race here!
MPD’s Community Engagement Academy is an eight-week program designed to give community members the opportunity to learn firsthand about MPD’s day to day operations. The next cohort starts in March. Wanna learn more? Click here.
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.