Being Social: The Weekend of 4.5.13

Saturday

11am-5pm

DC MEETMarket is a monthly outdoor market featuring local designers, artisans, musicians and food purveyors. It will be held on the first Saturday of every month at Logan Circle in a celebration of community and craftsmanship. [PoP]

9am-12pm

Spring Cleaning for Mother Nature: the Rock Creek Conservancy is mobilizing volunteers at over 60 Rock Creek locations. Visit rockcreekconservancy.org to find a spot near you. [PoP]

3pm

It’s International Pillow Fight day! Head to the mall with a disposable non-down pillow and duke it out.[DC.about.com]

1-9pm

The Cherryblossom Fireworks Festival will be from 1-9 pm on April 6 at the Southwest Waterfront.

The blossoms will finally be reaching peak Sunday-Monday. (Taken in 2011)

This week

Like Books? Then check out Carpe Librum, DC’s Largest Used Book Sale at 1030 17th Street NW.  Discover more than 50,000 books, CDs and DVDs . Sale proceeds help fund critical programs for D.C. public school children and their families. Sale is April 8 through May 15^th. [PoP]

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Ongoing Geekdom:

• The National Cherry Blossom Festival is now until April14. There are a ton of fun, educational and delicious events that are held throughout the District!
• Every Friday,at 7pm, the Black Cat holds weekly Dr. Who happy hours!! Watch one episode of Dr. Who & enjoy drink specials every Friday! /nerdchills. It’s free, and at the ‘Backstage’ venue.

-

Geek Look Ahead:

April

• The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade is April 13 from 10am–Noon on Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th streets, NW.  Also, and more importantly, the Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival will be from 1030am–6pm at the area of the Old Post office (Federal Triangle, 12th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW). Tickets are $5 per person and I HIGHLY recommend buying them in advance.  There are tons of performances and cultural demonstrations, shops, and traditional food and drink. Be prepared for crowds and pack sunscreen and water!
• April 13th Nerd Nite DC: Campaign Finance, Lessons on Science from Dolly the Sheep, and WTF was up with Snowquester??
• Awesome Con D.C., a Comic and Pop Culture Festival, will be April 20-21 at the Washington Convention Center.
• That 80′s Prom this year is scheduled for April 20^th. It’s a great costume themed party!
• April 20 – Ready for spring? Here come the Scavenger Hunts! The first I’ve seen is the DC Challenge 2013: The Ultimate Urban Scavenger Race. Tickets are $25 and up at Eventbrite

May

• May 11 is the annual Sweetlife Festival / Concert, hosted by Sweetgreen. It’ll be at Merriweather Post Pavilion.  Tickets are $75 and up.
• On May 13 at DAR constitution hall there will be a seminar called Guts and Glory: an Evening with Anthony Bourdain. Tickets are $45 and up.

July

• July 4-7 – Both Anthrocon and Everfree Northwest will be this weekend.

August

• Bronycon will be in Baltimore this year, the week before….
• Otakon will be late this year: August 9 – 11, 2013 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD.

September

• September 21st we will host National Red Bull Flugtag at the National Harbour! Want to fly? They’re taking applications through June 1. Follow updates @FlugtagUSA

Being Social: The Weekend of 3.29.13

 Because it’s Easter in Washington, DC, there’s a lot to do if you want to go to Mass or an Easter Egg hunt. It also means that there’s not much else going on.  Here’s what I found:

Friday

All night

In honor of the Craft Beer Conference, Meridian Pint and BeerAdvocate have brought together 20 local breweries for a night celebrating local brews. Every beer line in the place will be taken over by a brewery from D.C., Maryland and Virginia, and 23 casks will additionally be available. [DCist]

(Image Credit: Drew Angerer/The Washington Times)

Saturday

12pm

The annual D.C. Bunny Run will feature people in bunny costumes that will run around for a while. It starts at Stoney’s on P Street.  Contributions from participants will go to benefit Easter Seals. [DCist]

4pm

The DC Rollergirls are having an internal scrimmage this weekend.  At 4pm the DC Demoncats will face Scare Force one, and at 545 the Majority Whips will go against the Cherry Blossom Bombshell.s  Tickets are $17, bring your own chair.

10am (all day)

The Cherry Blossom Kite Festival will be held, weather permitting, from 10 am onward at the Washington Monument grounds. Don’t have a kite? They’re sold on the streets and in the Museums for this event.

There are only a few blossoms thus far. Don’t go until it gets warmer. (Taken in 2011)

Ongoing Geekdom:

• The National Cherry Blossom Festival is now until April14. There are a ton of fun, educational and delicious events that are held throughout the District!
• Every Friday,at 7pm, the Black Cat holds weekly Dr. Who happy hours!! Watch one episode of Dr. Who & enjoy drink specials every Friday! /nerdchills. It’s free, and at the ‘Backstage’ venue.

-

Geek Look Ahead:

April

•  The Cherryblossom Fireworks Festival will be from 1-9 pm on April 6 at the Southwest Waterfront.
• The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade is April 13 from 10am–Noon on Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th streets, NW.  Also, and more importantly, the Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival will be from 1030am–6pm at the area of the Old Post office (Federal Triangle, 12th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW). Tickets are $5 per person and I HIGHLY recommend buying them in advance.  There are tons of performances and cultural demonstrations, shops, and traditional food and drink. Be prepared for crowds and pack sunscreen and water!
• Awesome Con D.C., a Comic and Pop Culture Festival, will be April 20-21 at the Washington Convention Center.
• That 80′s Prom this year is scheduled for April 20^th. It’s a great costume themed party!
• April 20 – Ready for spring? Here come the Scavenger Hunts! The first I’ve seen is the DC Challenge 2013: The Ultimate Urban Scavenger Race. Tickets are $25 and up at Eventbrite

May 2013

• On May 13 at DAR constitution hall there will be a seminar called Guts and Glory: an Evening with Anthony Bourdain. Tickets are $45 and up.

July 2013

• July 4-7 – Both Anthrocon and Everfree Northwest will be this weekend.

August 2013

• Bronycon will be in Baltimore this year, the week before….
• Otakon will be late this year: August 9 – 11, 2013 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD.

Being Social: The Weekend of 3.22.13

The DC Environmental Film Festival is running from now until the 24th. See documentary, feature, animated, archival, experimental and children’s films from around the world at a variety of venues around Washington, DC. Also on this weekend are:

Saturday

1-9pm

The inaugural DC Beer Festival brings together dozens of craft and international breweries, as well as DC’s best local breweries.  The event will feature live music, beer and food pairing classes, some delicious beers, and plenty of surprises.  Admission is $40 for 1pm to 4pm (6pm to 9pm sold out).  Admission includes unlimited tastings, with food sold separately.   Get tickets at Eventbrite.

There are no blossoms yet. Don’t go until it gets warmer out. (Taken in 2011)

Sunday

5-630pm

The National Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony will be held at the Warner Theatre.  It’s free, but advanced tickets are required.  Get them at
http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2011/07/15/openingceremony/

8pm

So, there’s this new Grunge Goth band called IO ECHO, the duo of Ionna Gika and Leopold Ross, doing a new type of music. Heavily inspired by bands like Nine Inch Nails and their current tourmates Garbage, the band is on the cusp of breaking through.  Check them out at the Fillmore Silver Spring. Tickets are $35. [DCist]

-

This week

The Craft Brewer’s conference not only has beer, but tons of classes on how to improve your brew.  Plus, tons of pubs and restaurants are doing specials (and the official ones!) to “treat” guests interested in this conference.

-

Ongoing Geekdom:

• The National Cherry Blossom Festival will be held March 20-April14. There are a ton of fun, educational and delicious events that are held throughout the District!
• Every Friday,at 7pm, the Black Cat holds weekly Dr. Who happy hours!! Watch one episode of Dr. Who & enjoy drink specials every Friday! /nerdchills. It’s free, and at the ‘Backstage’ venue.

-

Geek Look Ahead:

March

• March 30 – the Cherry Blossom Kite Festival will be held, weather permitting, from 10 am onward at the Washington Monument grounds. Don’t have a kite? They’re sold on the streets and in the Museums for this event.

April

•  The Cherryblossom Fireworks Festival will be from 1-9 pm on April 6 at the Southwest Waterfront.
• The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade is April 13 from 10am–Noon on Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th streets, NW.  Also, and more importantly, the Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival will be from 1030am–6pm at the area of the Old Post office (Federal Triangle, 12th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW). Tickets are $5 per person and I HIGHLY recommend buying them in advance.  There are tons of performances and cultural demonstrations, shops, and traditional food and drink. Be prepared for crowds and pack sunscreen and water!
• Awesome Con D.C., a Comic and Pop Culture Festival, will be April 20-21 at the Washington Convention Center.
• That 80′s Prom this year is scheduled for April 20^th. It’s a great costume themed party!
• April 20 – Ready for spring? Here come the Scavenger Hunts! The first I’ve seen is the DC Challenge 2013: The Ultimate Urban Scavenger Race. Tickets are $25 and up at Eventbrite

May 2013

• On May 13 at DAR constitution hall there will be a seminar called Guts and Glory: an Evening with Anthony Bourdain. Tickets are $45 and up.

July 2013

• July 4-7 – Both Anthrocon and Everfree Northwest will be this weekend.

August 2013

• Bronycon will be in Baltimore this year, the week before….
• Otakon will be late this year: August 9 – 11, 2013 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD.

Being Social: the Weekend of 4.20.12

Whups, forgot to post this -was so excided about today’s My Little Pony Royal Wedding!

This weekend’s events include the Bethesda Literary Festival (Featuring R.L. Stine!), and it is the final weekend of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

 

Friday

4pm

Meridian Pint is celebrating one year of awesome DC Brau with 16 DC Brau offerings, 13 on draft abetted by three casks, and all pours will be $5 each for the duration of the party.  Drink some for me – I want reviews ^^. [DCist]

 

Saturday

Woohoo did you get your tickets to watch Jeopardy at DAR Hall? I didn’t but I’m sure it’ll be packed to the gills with geeks.

 

12pm

Urban Dare, an insane race/scavenger hunt, is back. I am way too asthmatic for this, but it’s a great way to learn stuff about DC, and have a great after party.  Tickets are $90 and up for teams of 2+.  Otherwise, hang out around Dupont and the White House and heckle the scavengers.

 

8pm

That 80’s prom is back, and while I won’t be going this year, last year was pretty fun.  Tickets should be sold at the door, and I’m pretty sure they’re around $20 a pop.

 

Sunday

10am-530pm

After the exceedingly publicized arrival of the space shuttle Discovery to the Udvar Hazy Smithsonian Air and Space Center, and the imminent departure of the Enterprise, there is of course a party to celebrate Discovery’s official entry into the dusty realms of museum pieces. Getting to the center is a pain, and it’s $15 to park before 4pm, but admission is free.  [dc.about.com]

 

This weekend and all of this coming week, there are also a ton of Earth Day events, if you feel like giving our big rock a hug.

 

The Freer and Sackler gallery will carry on the Awesome that was the Cherry Blossom festival, and features Hokusai: 36 Views of Mount Fuji!! I have to go. I tried seeing it at the British Museum, but it was travelling, and now’s my chance! Anyone want to go with me?  It’s open until June 17.

 

——

Ongoing Geekdom:

• April is  an entire month of pre-gaming forDC Beer week in August. You can buy a button to get beer sales all month at 15 different pubs around DC. Sounds pretty awesome to me! [DCist]
• Taste of 8th – Saturday, April 28 from 1-4 pm when 20 of our restaurants provide tasting samples in exchange for tickets. Tickets are $5.00 each or 5 for $20.00. All proceeds benefit Barracks Row Main Stree
• Through May, the National Geographic Society will be hosting an exhibit that features all the stories they wrote that weren’t published!  See what most can’t, and learn about stuff like “Happy Hour at the Ochroma Tree.”.
• Artisphere is exhibiting Elevator to the Moon: Retro-Future Visions of Space, which features contemporary artists’ works based on 20th century predictions of what the future of space travel would be.   There is also an opening reception on the 5th that could be neat. It runs through June 9.
• The Art of Video Games, which exhibits video games voted on by fans, is open at the American Art Museum through September 30th.  It starts with lectures by famous developers (many are sold out, though they will be livestreamed!), a GameFest, and video game movies like King of Kong.  If you haven’t seen it, go.  It’s so dorkfully win.

—-

Geek Look Ahead:

April

• T-mode, an anime and gaming convention, will be April 20-22.
• That 80′s Prom 5will be Sat, April 21^st.  It’s pretty fun, and last year I saw a DeLorian!

May

• Trucko De Mayo will be held on Saturday, May 5 from Noon through 9 p.m. on the RFK Stadium Festival Grounds (Lot 3). Featuring free admission, free parking, live music, two bars – and over 35 food trucks.
• May 18-20 will host the World’s Greatest Steampunk World’s Fair  in Piscataway NJ! This looks pretty intense but fun.  I just don’t have a real Steampunk costume yet! T___T

June

• Anime Mid-Atlantic is a bit further away, but it’s another big Anime Convention, if you’re in need of some geek time! June 15-17

• Bronycon will be in NYC (actually the Meadowlands) June 30-July1. I’ll be there, cosplaying it up! Note me if you want to room share, cosplay with me, or just meet up!

July

• Otakon July 27-29: Become by friend now and we can split a room in this Baltimore-based anime extravaganza!

August

September

• September 8-9 will host the 2012 Baltimore Comic-Con.

October

November

• NekoCon is November 2-4.  Apparently it starts on the 2th.  I love the Japanese.

Being Social: the Weekend of 4.13.12

This weekend, the Sugarloaf Craft Festival is back at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds.  It really has almost everything you could think of in terms of crafts and art, as well as neat fair snack foods like maple syrup and hot chestnuts. Yum!

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April 12-22 also features Filmfest DC, which shows a wide range of extraordinary new films from around the world at a variety of Washington, DC locations. [dc.about.com]

 

Friday

Happy Friday the 13^th!  It also happens to be Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday! Visit the Jefferson Memorial and check out the ceremonial wreaths laid in his honour. [dc.about.com]

 

10pm

At Restaurant Judy, check out some Maracuyeah! This could be the next dubstep music, as it has “carved out a blossoming niche in the D.C. party scene, curating bass-heavy tropical sounds that infuse dance music with a new energy and blur the lines between electronic, organic, classic and cutting-edge. Even better, Maracuyeah events follow a DIY approach, skipping the nightclub circuit for community based spaces and small bars where different classes and cultures can blend comfortably on the dancefloor. DJs Rat, Mafe and Bent welcome NYC Dutty Artz crew DJ Chief Boima for their anniversary party at Judy’s Restaurant, along with live cumbia from Tribaldis Band.” Admission is $10. [WaPo]

mmm, such tasty treats! Mochiiii

Saturday

10am-6pm

Today is the day!! The National Cherry Blossom festival will be holding its annual parade, and will end with the most-awesome Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival – which is a huge Japanese street party that includes live entertainment, awesome ethnic food, arts, games and a Ginza Marketplace.

2-10pm

Cap City Bar Golf will tie in bar-hopping as well as a min-golf course with actual putting greens in each bar! It sounds pretty fun, especially the booze part. Tickets are $27 per foursome, are and will yield you $2beers.

6pm

Nerd Nite DC this month will discuss Sperm banks, typography, and quantum computers.  Pretty freaky, if you ask me! Tickets are $10.

 

7pm

If you’re in the Titanic craze, there’s a Titanic exhibit at the National Geographic you can check out through July 8.  But at this time, at the Women’s Titanic Memorial (yes, there is one in DC!), there will be a commemorative ceremony.  “Waterfront Park will be lit with 1,517 lights, representing the number of people who died in the disaster, and historic images of the Titanic, her crew and passengers are projected onto a 50-foot high screen on a building near the memorial. Music from 1912 will play throughout the night, and “Nearer My God to Thee,” the final song performed by the doomed ship’s orchestra, will be performed at 9 p.m.” [WaPo]

-

Sunday

11am-9pm

Another Miyazaki Cherry Blossom Festival Day? Yes please!  Again at the Freer Gallery, today’s 10th annual anime marathon features: “Ponyo,” (YESS!) “Porco Rosso,” (Odd…) “Princess Mononoke” (Yesssss!!) and “Spirited Away,” (Freaky, but fun).  GO.

 

Also don’t forget, Monday is DC Emancipation Day, and will mark the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Act, when Lincoln granted freedom to 3,100 enslaved persons in the District of Columbia. A year-long celebration will kick off with educational and cultural events throughout the city.  This also leads to Tax Day being on Tuesday, so get those taxes done, stat! [dc.about.com]

——

Ongoing Geekdom:

• April is  an entire month of pre-gaming forDC Beer week in August. You can buy a button to get beer sales all month at 15 different pubs around DC. Sounds pretty awesome to me! [DCist]
• Jeopardy at DAR constitution Hall April 20-21.
• Taste of 8th – Saturday, April 28 from 1-4 pm when 20 of our restaurants provide tasting samples in exchange for tickets. Tickets are $5.00 each or 5 for $20.00. All proceeds benefit Barracks Row Main Street.
• March 6 – April 15, Arlington Arts’ Signature Theatre is hosting a show called ‘Brother Russia: A World Premiere Rock Musical’.  Sounds awesome to me. Russian folk turned rock? Tickets are $70 and up, from what I could find.
• DC’s 100^th Anniversary Cherry Blossom Festival will be March 20-April 27: Enjoy traditional and modern Japan/American celebrations of spring.
• Through May, the National Geographic Society will be hosting an exhibit that features all the stories they wrote that weren’t published!  See what most can’t, and learn about stuff like “Happy Hour at the Ochroma Tree.”.
• Artisphere is exhibiting Elevator to the Moon: Retro-Future Visions of Space, which features contemporary artists’ works based on 20th century predictions of what the future of space travel would be.   There is also an opening reception on the 5th that could be neat. It runs through June 9.
• The Art of Video Games, which exhibits video games voted on by fans, is open at the American Art Museum through September 30th.  It starts with lectures by famous developers (many are sold out, though they will be livestreamed!), a GameFest, and video game movies like King of Kong.  If you haven’t seen it, go.  It’s so dorkfully win.

—-

Geek Look Ahead:

April

• T-mode, an anime and gaming convention, will be April 20-22.
• That 80′s Prom 5will be Sat, April 21^st.  It’s pretty fun, and last year I saw a DeLorian!

May

• Trucko De Mayo will be held on Saturday, May 5 from Noon through 9 p.m. on the RFK Stadium Festival Grounds (Lot 3). Featuring free admission, free parking, live music, two bars – and over 35 food trucks.
• May 18-20 will host the World’s Greatest Steampunk World’s Fair  in Piscataway NJ! This looks pretty intense but fun.  I just don’t have a real Steampunk costume yet! T___T

June

• Anime Mid-Atlantic is a bit further away, but it’s another big Anime Convention, if you’re in need of some geek time! June 15-17

• Bronycon will be in NYC (actually the Meadowlands) June 30-July1. I’ll be there, cosplaying it up! Note me if you want to room share, cosplay with me, or just meet up!

July

• Otakon July 27-29: Become by friend now and we can split a room in this Baltimore-based anime extravaganza!

August

September

• September 8-9 will host the 2012 Baltimore Comic-Con.

October

November

• NekoCon is November 2-4.  Apparently it starts on the 2th.  I love the Japanese.

Being Social: the Weekend of 3.24.12

The National Cherry Blossom festival has begun, and the blossoms are already at peak!  If you haven’t seen them, they’re quite beautiful – light and airy pink, spotting the land like cotton candy.  You’ll find most of them at the Tidal Basin – that’s between the Jefferson and FDR memorials near the water.  I didn’t know this my first year in DC, and not only didn’t see any (I was looking on the mall) but I was next in line to be towed and barely squeaked out.  Lesson of the story: take Metro, even if it’s unreliable, they “say” there’s no track work on weekends while the festival is in progress.  Events are listed on their website; this weekend includes guided tours, a bike ride & cycle expo, and a symposium on the Japanese influence on American Crafts. And there’s an app!  Finally, and most exciting to me, a traditional Japanese Tea service/shop has been created, which offers lessons on the traditional tea ceremony! I really want to take those! /teadork

 

Other events this weekend include:

 

Saturday

1230-9pm

Ah, it’s that time again.  ShamrockFest returns, with its booze and youth infested debauchery.  If you’re into a lot of music, dancing, raucous and booze, good on ya!  It’s at the RFK Stadium Festival Grounds, and tickets are $25+ (you can find discounts online).

 

OMG MYTHBUSTERS <3

4 & 8pm

Huh? Mythbusters Live is in town?!  Why didn’t I know this sooner!! T__T  Sounds like Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage will be running a live Q&A, and demos at the Warner Theatre!  Tickets (if there are any left) are $50+. [WaPo]

 

7-930pm

Gadsby’s Tavern Museum will be hosting its 8th Annual Rum Punch Challenge. This features rum punches from local distilleries, restaurants, and caterers, along with Colonial-era food. Tickets are pricey, at $50 for food and punch or $100 for a pre-event VIP rum tasting. [theDistrict]

 

Ok, it's IPL not MLG, but it's still so geeky.

Sunday

Major League Gaming is having their Winter Championship Finals this weekend.  Not only will it be streaming live, but to celebrate there will be another One Nation of Gamers’ Barcraft at Public Bar Tenley! Feel free to watch geeks cheer on robots and bugs as they fight each other for a prize purse worth $26,000!

—

Ongoing Geekdom:

• The 20th Annual Environmental Film Festival runs through Sunday, March 25, if you’re into earth-friendly, tug-your-heartstrings films.
• Until March 25, Studio Theater will be performing Astro Boy and the God of Comics, a play by Georgetown theater professor Natsu Onoda Power that uses on-stage drawing, interactive video, and 1960s-style animation to tell the story of Osamu Tezuka, and his greatest creation, Astro Boy. Wednesday to Saturday shows are at 830pm, Sunday’s is at 730pm, and tickets are $30. (Discount tickets are available for $18 for select performances.)
• March 6 – April 15, Arlington Arts’ Signature Theatre is hosting a show called ‘Brother Russia: A World Premiere Rock Musical’.  Sounds awesome to me. Russian folk turned rock? Tickets are $70 and up, from what I could find.
• DC’s 100^th Anniversary Cherry Blossom Festival will be March 20-April 27: Enjoy traditional and modern Japan/American celebrations of spring.
• Through May, the National Geographic Society will be hosting an exhibit that features all the stories they wrote that weren’t published!  See what most can’t, and learn about stuff like “Happy Hour at the Ochroma Tree.”.
• The Art of Video Games, which exhibits video games voted on by fans, is open at the American Art Museum through September 30th.  It starts with lectures by famous developers (many are sold out, though they will be livestreamed!), a GameFest, and video game movies like King of Kong.  If you haven’t seen it, go.  It’s so dorkfully win.

—-

Geek Look Ahead:

April

• Video Games Live at Strathmore April 7: A live Orchestra performs geek music FTW!
• Geek Day 2012 will be April 11-12, and features a ton of geeky/tech exhibits at the Washington Convention Center.
• T-mode, an anime and gaming convention, will be April 20-22.

May

June

• Anime Mid-Atlantic is a bit further away, but it’s another big Anime Convention, if you’re in need of some geek time! June 15-17

• Bronycon will be in NYC (actually the Meadowlands) June 30-July1. I’ll be there, cosplaying it up! Note me if you want to room share, cosplay with me, or just meet up!

July

• Otakon July 27-29: Become by friend now and we can split a room in this Baltimore-based anime extravaganza!

August

September

• September 8-9 will host the 2012 Baltimore Comic-Con.

October

November

• NekoCon is November 2-4.  Apparently it starts on the 2th.  I love the Japanese.

Being Social: The Weekend of 4.8.11

I hope to post a weekly list of  DC’s weekend events every Thursday.  That way all the antisocial geeks can get out and do something, and all the social geeks know what to drag their friends to.  Thus, I bring you this week’s awesome District plans:

DO EET NAO!

The Smithsonian American Art Museum will host “The Art of Video Games” exhibit next year!  According to their website, the exhibit will explore the 40-year evolution of video games as an artistic medium, with a focus on striking visual effects, the creative use of new technologies, and the most influential artists and designers. And in honour of gamers’ competitive spirits, you have until April 17^th to vote for your favourite art in games by going to their website.  Allegedly, the winners of the vote will determine what is put on display in the Smithsonian.  So go vote already! EDIT: It looks like you can only vote for one on each page of three games, so choose wisely!

..It’s gonna suck to have to wait until March 16, 2012 to see it! T___T

April 9

DC Nerd Nite.  This appears to be a nerdtastic series of nerd gatherings, striving to be monthly, but failing. It also appears to involve alcohol, speakers, and music.  I’m not going to this one, but they definitely have piqued my curiosity.

Washington, D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival Events (if the Government doesn’t shut down)

Sakura Matsuri – the Japanese Street Festival.  If you’re an anime dork/otaku, this festival is for you.  Get authentic Japanese sparklies here, as well as food and live music.  It’s $5 to get in, but it’s worth it.  I’ll be there!

National Cherry Blossom Parade.  Less geek and more for the geek family.

April 7-17^th

The Washington, DC International Film Festival comes back to town! Watch indie films from all over the world that you’ve probably never heard of.  But it could be fun… think of it like SciFi’s old short-run program, Exposure!

Future Events:

April 16^th

It’s Hammer Time!

That 80’s Prom Party (Warning: Sound).  Hang out with a ton of drunks in parachute pants or miniskirts with leg warmers.  It’s at Blackfinn DC (Farragut West Metro) from 8pm-close – and from 8-9 there’s FREE Coors Light (if you can stand it).  Tickets are $10, and I hope to be there! EDIT 4/11: I will be there!

April 17^th

The Arlington Cinema & Draft House will be having a Lord of the Rings marathon on April 17^th.  The site is historically significant to Arlington, and you can drink with a ton of other geeks while you watch all three movies.  Tickets are $10, so get yours now!

April 19^th

[via Spreadshirt]

Winning!  Charlie Sheen will be at DAR Constition Hall on April 19.  Allegedly $1 of each ticket will go to Japan Tsunami relief, but I’d rather eat a shit-ton of pork belly for Japan instead.