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36 Things to Do in the DC Area This Week and Weekend

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36 Things to Do in the DC Area This Week and Weekend


Photograph courtesy of the Wharf.

Happy December, DC!

Embrace the holiday season this week at a number of new festivities as well as beloved seasonal events. From holiday boat parades at the Wharf and in Alexandria, to a new neighborhood-wide holiday concert in Georgetown, there are joyful experiences for everyone.

 

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Best Things to Do This Week and Weekend

December 2–December 8

    1. Wharf Holiday Boat Parade & Party. Watch more than 60 decked-out boats parade across the Washington Channel. In addition to the shimmering fleet, there will be ornament decorating, letters to Santa, holiday karaoke, meet-and-greets with Santa, live music by Yani the Band, and a fireworks finale (Sat, free, Wharf).
    2. A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical. If you’re a fan of iconic singer-songwriter Neil Diamond, you’ll enjoy this live narration of the rockstar’s rise to fame. The hit-packed jukebox musical arrives at National Theatre this week; viewers can clap along to popular songs like “Sweet Caroline” and “Cracklin Rosie” (Tues-Sun, $69+, National Theatre).
    3. European Union Film Showcase. The AFI’s annual showcase highlights new and contemporary films. This year’s lineup screens 54 flicks, including the Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton drama The Room Next Door, and the movie adaptation of the ’70s novel The Summer Book (Wed through December 22, $15, Silver Spring).
    4. Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights. This vivid waterfront parade has been running for nearly 25 years. View the decorated sailboats and powerboats from any spot on the Old Town waterfront, or head to Waterfront Park for crafts and a Port City Brewing Company pop-up beer garden (Sat, free, Alexandria).
    5. Rigoletto. Opera admirers can see Verdi’s mid-career masterpiece as part of InSeries’ revival at the Goldman Theater DCJCC. The playful production is set under the big top, with a circus band, and a ribald new libretto by Bari Biern (Sat-sun, December 14-15, $42+, Northwest DC).
    6. Georgetown Jingle. Georgetown Glow isn’t returning this year, but there’s a new holiday event taking over the neighborhood this month. Georgetown Jingle debuts this weekend boasting 10 live holiday, jazz, pop, a cappella, and DJ music performances throughout the neighborhood. After the pop-up concerts, you can watch the St. Lucia Choir procession and sip non-alcoholic Glögg (Sat, free, Georgetown).
    7. Salaam Bombay! screening with Mira Nair. Veteran film director and activist Mira Nair delivers a lecture at National Gallery of Art ahead of a screening of her breakout Indian crime drama Salaam Bombay! (Sun, free, National Gallery of Art).


Want More Things to Do?

Arts and culture:

  • Gilmore Girls’ Kelly Bishop chats with Dana Bash at Sixth & I about her memoir Third Gilmore Girl (Wed, $40+ for in-person ticket and book, $12 for virtual, $37 for virtual ticket and book, Downtown, virtual).
  • Clear Harmonies Carolers, art, and wintry cocktails are highlights of Phillips after 5’s Winter Wonderland (Thurs, $20, Dupont).
  • Find deals on your next read at the White House Historical Association’s Holiday Book Festival (Fri, free, Downtown).
  • Author Jessica B. Harris of High on the Hog discusses her new Kwanzaa project at the Smithsonian (Sat, free, but registration required, Smithsonian NMAAHC).
  • Browse jewelry, gourd art, and textiles at African Art Holiday Marketplace (Sat, free, Smithsonian National Museum of African Art).
  • Attend the opening reception of “Journey to Self” to see visual art about self-discovery from seven artists at Homme Gallery (Sat, free, Downtown).
  • Create a flower arrangement with fellow plant enthusiasts at MoCA Arlington (Sat, $45, Arlington).

Community and heritage:

  • Delight in cultural cuisine, art, and goods from more than 50 embassies at The Winternational Embassy Showcase (Thurs, free, Downtown).
  • Sip hot cocoa with neighbors at the Columbia Heights Tree Lighting (Fri, free, Columbia Heights).
  • Celebrate Kwanzaa at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Community Day (Sat, free, but registration required, Smithsonian NMAAHC).
  • Meet Native artists and browse their handmade jewelry and beadwork at Native Art Market (Sat-Sun, free, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian).

Theater and shows:

  • Keegan Theatre’s An Irish Carol puts a modern Dublin twist on Dickens’s classic holiday tale (Wed through December 31, $64, Dupont).
  • A Swingin’ Little Christmas is a comedy-cabaret packed with musical classics from the ’50s and ’60s (Wed, $28+, Bethesda).
  • Philadelphia’s BalletX arrives in DC for a four-day contemporary dance showcase (Wed-Sat, $40+, Kennedy Center).
  • Grammy Award-winner Patrick Page stars in All the Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented the Villain (Fri through December 29, $39+, Downtown).
  • Join a live Hamilton Sing-Along at Penn Social (Sat, $17+, Penn Quarter).

Music and concerts:

  • Don your ugly holiday sweater and listen to National Symphony Orchestra play seasonal tunes at the Anthem (Wed, $25+, Wharf).
  • Veterans and service members can snag tickets to a complimentary holiday concert featuring the National Symphony Orchestra and Broadway’s Jessica Vosk (Thurs, free, Kennedy Center).
  • EDM DJ Tiësto spins electric hits at Echostage (Thurs-Fri, $65+, Langdon).
  • Underground Richmond rapper Nettspend brings his hype rhymes to the Fillmore (Fri, $41+, Silver Spring).
  • The Folger Consort performs carols in A Mass for Christmas Eve (Fri through December 15, $20+, Capitol Hill).
  • DC native Billy Woods raps live at Union Stage (Sun, $25+, Wharf).

Get involved:

  • Shop books on DC housing at Solid State Books to help raise funds for Everyone Home DC (Tues, free, H Street Corridor).
  • Put your barista skills to the test for a good cause. Proceeds from this latte art-making competition will support the Sexual Violence Protection Association (Tues, free to attend, $5 for participants, Columbia Heights).

Budget-friendly:

Things to do with kids:

  • See outdoor illuminations and zoom down the eight-lane Penguin Plunge at Winter City Lights (through December 29, $27 for adults, $23 for seniors $18 for ages 4-12, Olney).
  • Kids can take a train ride through Met Park, and capture memories with Santa at The Lodge (Sat, free, Arlington).
  • Youngsters can play in a bounce house, drink hot chocolate, and decorate stockings at Jingle Bell Bash (Sat, free, Tysons).

If you enjoyed these events, please don’t forget to share this post with a friend on social media, and sign up for our newsletter for more things to do.

Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.



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DC police release bodycam footage of officer firing at armed carjacking suspect

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DC police release bodycam footage of officer firing at armed carjacking suspect


The Metropolitan Police Department released new body camera footage on Friday of an officer firing his gun at an armed carjacking suspect last month.

The backstory:

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The carjacking happened early in the morning of June 24.

According to MPD, two suspects held a man at gunpoint in the 700 block of 19th Street in Northeast Washington before taking his keys and driving off.

After the carjacking, officers searched the city for the suspects, before finding the car on Valley Avenue in Southeast. Officers tried to pull the car over, but the driver took off, before bailing at 2nd and Xenia Streets. 

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What we know:

The body camera footage released Friday picks up during officers’ search for the suspects. 

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In the short clip, the officer can be heard shouting out the window of his patrol car before firing out the window.

According to MPD, the officer was driving on Livingston Road SE when he saw one of the suspects. The officer asked the suspect to show their hands, but instead, MPD said the suspect pointed a rifle at the officer. That’s when the officer fired, and the suspect ran off into the woods.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 13-year-old charged in DC armed carjacking, officer shoots at second suspect

What’s next:

That suspect is still on the run, according to MPD. A second suspect was arrested the night of the carjacking. The 13-year-old has been charged with armed carjacking, reckless driving, and fleeing from a law enforcement officer.

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The United States Attorney’s Office for DC and MPD’s Internal Affairs Division Force Investigation Team will both review the shooting.

The Source: Information in this story is from the Metropolitan Police Department and previous FOX 5 DC reports.

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What’s that noise? What you need to know about D.C. flyovers Friday and Saturday – WTOP News

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What’s that noise? What you need to know about D.C. flyovers Friday and Saturday – WTOP News


Reagan National Airport will close for America 250 flyover rehearsals Friday and celebrations Saturday featuring the Thunderbirds, Blue Angels and more.

File photo of the Air Force Thunderbirds flying in formation. (Courtesy U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt Richard Rose Jr)(Courtesy Staff Sgt Richard Rose Jr)

Reagan National Airport will close from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday for rehearsals ahead of this weekend’s America 250 celebrations, meaning people around D.C., Arlington and Alexandria may hear and see low-flying military aircraft.

According to Freedom 250 event organizers, Friday’s “Wings of Freedom” demonstrations over the National Mall will feature parachute teams, helicopters and military aircraft, including the U.S. Marine Corps’ MV-22 Osprey and F-35B, the Navy’s F-18F and F-35C, the Air Force’s F-22 Raptor, the Thunderbirds and a tri-bomber formation.

On Saturday, the FAA will close the airport from noon to midnight for the full celebration. All arrivals and departures at Reagan National are scheduled to end before noon.

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Flyovers and demonstrations are scheduled throughout the afternoon and evening along the National Mall and Washington Monument grounds, including appearances by Air Force One, the Thunderbirds, Blue Angels, military aircraft fleet reviews, parachute demonstrations and B-2 stealth bombers.

Highlights include an Air Force One flyover scheduled for 7:03 p.m., a Thunderbirds demonstration beginning at 6:25 p.m., a tri-bomber formation at 6:02 p.m. and a stealth aircraft flyover at 7:38 p.m.

Friday’s schedule of flyovers and demonstration rehearsals along the National Mall and Washington Monument

  • 10 a.m.: Golden Knights, Leap Frogs
  • 10:15 a.m.: Army Helo Flyover
  • 10:20 a.m.: USMC V-22 Osprey Demo
  • 10:35 a.m.: USMC F-35B STOVL Demo
  • 10:50 a.m.: USN F-18F Demo
  • 11:10 a.m.: USN F-35C Demo Team
  • 11:30 a.m.: USAF F-22 Raptor Demo
  • 11:50 a.m.: NASA F-5s
  • 12 p.m.: HUGE (1) Formation
  • 12:05 p.m.: USAF Thunderbirds
  • 12:55 p.m.: USAF Tri-Bomber

Saturday’s schedule of flyovers and demonstration along the National Mall and Washington Monument

  • 1:14 p.m.: – NASA F-5 Flyover
  • 1:24 p.m.: -NASA Fleet Review
  • 1:44 p.m.: USCG Helo Flyover
  • 1:54 p.m.: USCG Fixed Wing Flyover
  • 2:09 p.m.: Golden Knights, Leap Frogs
  • 2:29 p.m.: Army Helo Flyover
  • 2:44 p.m.: USAF Fleet Review – Wave 1 – Heavies
  • 2:54 p.m.: USAF Fleet Review – Wave 2 – AFSOC
  • 3:04 p.m.: USAF Fleet Review – Wave 3 – Fighters
  • 3:29 p.m.: Executive Rotary Wing Airlift
  • 3:39 p.m.: USMC Fleet Review – Wave 1 – Rotary
  • 3:49 p.m.: USMC Fleet Review – Wave 2 – Fixed Wing
  • 3:59 p.m.: USN Fleet Review – Wave 1 – Rotary
  • 4:09 p.m.: USN Fleet Review – Wave 2 – Fixed Wing
  • 4:19 p.m.: USN Fleet Review – Wave 3 – Fighters
  • 4:21 p.m.: USN F-18F Demonstration
  • 4:59 p.m.: USN Blue Angels
  • 5:26 p.m.: USMC MV-22 Osprey Demonstration
  • 5:44 p.m.: USAF Fleet Review – Fighters
  • 6:02 p.m.: USAF Tri-Bomber Formation
  • 6:05 p.m.: USN F-35C Demonstration
  • 6:25 p.m.: USAF Thunderbirds Demonstration
  • 7:03 p.m.: Air Force One Flyover
  • 7:07 p.m.: USAF Thunderbirds Delta Break
  • 7:17 p.m.: HUGE 1 Flyover Led by the Newly Renovated Air Force One
  • 7:38 p.m.: U.S. Stealth Airpower Flyover
  • 7:39 p.m.: F-22 Raptor Demo
  • 7:53 p.m.: F-22 Raptor in Afterburner
  • 7:59 p.m.: B-1 Flyover
  • 8:07 p.m.: B-1’s in Afterburner
  • 8:11 p.m.: HUGE ONE Fly Over Review
  • 8:22 p.m.: Golden Knights Twilight Jump
  • 10:36 p.m.: B-1 Afterburner Night Pass

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Air Force officer arrested at Capitol after calling for Trump’s impeachment

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Air Force officer arrested at Capitol after calling for Trump’s impeachment


An Air Force major was arrested in uniform on the steps of the Capitol after he called for the impeachment of President Donald Trump.

U.S. Capitol Police arrested Jason Watson, an active-duty service member, on Wednesday afternoon following remarks at a news conference where he said Trump and Vice President JD Vance should be removed from office.

The event was organized by the Removal Coalition, a group that lobbies members of Congress to impeach Trump, and attended by Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who has repeatedly introduced articles of impeachment against Trump.

“I’m here with him because Rep. Green is the only member of Congress that has demonstrated the courage and conviction to … force a vote on articles of impeachment,” Watson said at the event. “If Congress followed his example, we could remove the entire Trump administration, but Congress remains unconvinced of the urgency and necessity for them to honor their oaths, so we must persuade them with our unrelenting, uncompromising civil resistance.”

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Watson said he is not a Democrat and does not share policy positions with Green, who lost his re-election bid this year. Green’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Watson’s arrest.

Capitol Police said in a statement that it “is generally against the law for the public to demonstrate on the House Steps unless they are with a Member of Congress.”

“Yesterday afternoon, a man was escorted to the House Steps by a Member of Congress,” the statement said. “When the Member of Congress left the area, our officers gave the man lawful orders to stop the illegal demonstration or he would be arrested. The man refused our lawful orders.”

Capitol Police identified the man as Watson, adding that he was arrested on charges of “Crowding, Obstructing, and Incommoding” and that it is legal to protest in other spots on the Capitol grounds.

Service members are subject to stricter laws than the average citizen when it comes to protesting. The Uniform Code of Military Justice prohibits officers from “using contemptuous language towards the President, Vice president, the Secretaries of War and of a military department, Congress, and certain other officials,” according to an Air Force memo last year.

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An Air Force spokesperson said in a statement Thursday: “Service members must comply with all laws, regulations and policies governing conduct and the wear of the uniform. All Department of the Air Force personnel are expected to uphold the highest standards of discipline and professionalism, both on and off duty.”

All service members, not just members of the Air Force, are prohibited from participating in “political activities” in uniform.

Watson’s criticism of Trump and Vance focused on the administration’s actions in Venezuela and Iran, calling them “an unconstitutional usurpation of Congress’ authority and a violation of the War Powers Clause.”

“These violations resulted in the deaths of 13 service members and injuries of hundreds more,” he said, referring to the number of U.S. military deaths tied to the Iran war. “For this, the president and vice president must be impeached, convicted and removed.”

Watson also called the administration’s immigration policies and tactics unconstitutional.

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The Removal Coalition did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Watson could not be reached.

President Donald Trump responded to criticism of a financial disclosure that listed $1.4 billion in crypto earnings largely driven by meme coins.



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