Washington, D.C
The Weekend Round-Up: January 26-28
Glide the night away at Canal Park’s Community Skate
Happy Weekend!
Loads of ideas for ongoing activities in these go-to posts:
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* Local Hikes with Kids
* The Great Indoors
* Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums
* Active Pursuits Inside
* Kid-Friendly Eats
* Ice Skating
* Baltimore with Kids
* Peaceful Places
Community Ice Skate Night
Where: Canal Park Ice Rink | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Friday, 6:30-10pm
Admission: Free – $12/child, $15/adult, $6/rental
In honor of National Ice Skating Month, join a Community Ice Skate Night at the Canal Park Ice Rink featuring DJ CiCi. Plus, FIRST 100 attendees to arrive will get the free entry and skate rental. Note that in order to get free entry, you must check in at the Canal Park Ice Rink skate shop window on the evening of the event (do not pre-purchase tickets online prior to the event). They’ll begin granting admission for Community Skate Night at 6:30 pm, so make sure to arrive early to be one of the first 100 skaters!
Explore a New (To You) Museum
Where: Museums around MD & VA
When: Ongoing
Admission: Varies by museum
In case you missed it, there’s a brand new round-up of museums in Maryland and Virginia. While DC is well known for its many great museums, both on the National Mall and in other areas around the city, there are even more beyond the District lines that are great to explore with kids. Find one to check out with the fam this weekend!
Auto Focus
Where: Washington Convention Center | Mt. Vernon Square, DC
When: Through Sunday
Admission: $20/adults, $8/ages 6-12, free/5 & under
The 2024 Washington Auto Show is in its second and final weekend. If there’s any “grown-up” event that is equally fun for all ages, this is it. More than 600 cars and trucks are on display for guests to check out, plus there are more activities like Ride ‘n Drives with Jeep, an Art of Motion exhibit, exotic car display, and Subaru Love Pets area with dogs from local animal shelters will give guests even more to do and see. Get a glimpse and an idea of what to expect in KFDC posts about it here and here.
Monster Jam
Where: Capitol One Arena | Downtown DC
When: Saturday & Sunday
Tickets: $20+
The world’s largest and most famous monster truck tour featuring the biggest names in monster trucks will thunder its way into DC. Gravedigger, El Toro Loco, Megolodon, Dragon, Wild Side, and more will be tearing up the indoor terrain. Before you go, be sure to read this post with tips for making the most of the experience.
Hill Family Biking: Ride to Canal Park Ice Skating
Where: Maury Elementary to Canal Park | Capitol Hill/Navy Yard, DC
When: Saturday, 10:30am – 12pm
Admission: Free
Join Hill Family Biking for short ride from Maury Elementary down to Canal Park for ice skating. (Anyone that wants to skate should pre-register to guarantee a spot in the 12pm session.) They’ll have volunteers marshaling to ensure the group stays together. MPD bike team will also be participating in the ride to connect officers with the community. If your family’s bikes need some TLC, get there 15 minutes early to get some assistance– bike maintenance tools will be available, as well as some experienced amateur bike mechanics on hand to assist.
Art & Me Preservation Family Workshop: Screen Time
Where: Museum of Asian Art | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 12:30pm & 1:30-3pm
Admission: Free
Art & Me is back in person! Visit the special exhibition Palace Life Unfolds: Conserving a Chinese Lacquer Screen and explore how art and science collide when conservators preserve precious works of art. Then return to the ImaginAsia studio to learn more about the process of repairing a work of art with Smithsonian conservators and educators, and make your own creation to take home. This program is designed for children ages 3–8 with adult participation. Sign up for the 11am-12:30pm time slot or 1:30-3:30pm.
Hot Wheels Champion Experience
Where: Tysons Corner Center | Tysons, VA
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission:
This exciting immersive experience for kids combines exhilarating digital and hands-on play in a 16,000-square foot interactive environment for all ages. Conquer all kinds of digital challenges, create a car and see in in 3D on a bog screen, immerse in AR fun, and more. Get more details and a glimpse of it all in this post.
Disney Encanto x CAMP
Where: Tysons Corner | Tysons, VA
When: Through March
Admission: Starts at $32
Another immersive experience, this one inspired by the beloved Encanto movie is also running at Tysons — and delivers on the magic for kids! Tickets are limited for this weekend, but there were still some available last I checked. If it’s sold out, snag them for another time. And read this post for more about the experience.
Weekend Family Matinee: Trolls Band Together
Where: Avalon Theatre | Chevy Chase, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10:30am
Admission: $10.38
The Avalon Theatre in Chevy Chase, the oldest operating movie house in the area and a non-profit, is hosting a Weekend Family Matinees on Saturday. Trolls Band Together will be screened both Saturday and Sunday.
DC Day: Honoring the End of Street Car Service
Where: National Capital Trolley Museum | Colesville, MD
When: Saturday, 12-5pm
Admission: $8
Celebrate street car history in the DC area! For 100 years, street cars represented the most widely used public transit, moving millions of people and connecting communities. In honor of that, there will be special street car rides, family-friendly activities, and opportunities to explore objects from the archive.
Lunar New Year Celebration
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom DC
When: Saturday, 6pm (tickets available at 4:30pm)
Admission: Free
At this Millennium Stage session, prepare to welcome the Year of the Dragon with lion dancing and drumming performances. Advance tickets are sold out, but free tickets will also be available at the Hall of States Box Office on Saturday, beginning at 4:30pm.
Annie
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: Through Sunday
Tickets: $44-139 (look for discounts)
Holding onto hope when times are tough can take an awful lot of determination, and sometimes, an awful lot of determination comes in a surprisingly small package. Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is always right around the corner, and now the best-loved musical of all time is set to return in a new production – just as you remember it and just when
Mindplay
Where: Arena Stage | Southwest DC
When: Through March 3
Tickets: $41-95
Mind tricks, anyone? Mentalist Vinny DePonto delivers a performance full of them in this one-man (+ a few audience members) show. It’s a fascinating, delightful, and poignant trip down memory lane as he explores the mind’s inner workings and what we hold onto in our heads. Highly recommend for a fun evening out — for teens and older!
Hansel & Gretel
Where: The Puppet Co. | Glen Echo Park, MD
When: Through February 18
Tickets: $15
Join the Puppet Co. for this classic German fairy tale about two kids who get lost in the woods and encounter a witch. Written by Len, Patricia, and Chrisopher Piper, this version of Hansel and Gretel is over 50 years old. Our musical tale, performed using marionettes, is sure to charm you and your little ones. Directed by Danny Pushkin. Recommended for ages 4+.
Finding Nemo Jr. The Musical
Where: Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre | Arlington, VA
When: Through Sunday
Tickets: $12-15
Encore Stage & Studio presents its signature theatre by kids for kids… This beloved story follows Marlin, an anxious and over-protective clownfish, who lives in the Great Barrier Reef with his child Nemo, who longs to explore the world beyond their anemone home. But when Nemo is captured, Marlin decides to face his fears and sets off on an epic adventure across the ocean. With the help of lovable characters such as the optimistic Dory, laid-back sea turtle Crush, and the Tank Gang, Marlin and Nemo both overcome challenges on their journey to find each other and themselves. Recommended for all ages.
tick, tick…BOOM
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Opens Friday through February 4
Tickets: $59-349 (look for discounts)
Before there was RENT… there was tick, tick… BOOM!, Jonathan Larson’s explosive musical about life, death, and the necessity of art. The semi-autobiographical story follows Jon, a composer struggling to break into New York City’s theater scene. Recommended for teens and older. Shows are mostly sold out, but you can look for resale tickets here.
Mozart & Mark Rothko
Where: National Galley of Art | National Mall, DC
When: Sunday, 1pm & 3pm
Admission: Free
The University of Maryland Opera Studio will perform a selection of Mozart’s works, honoring the favorite composer of Mark Rothko, whose works are on display in a special exhibition right now. The artist famously said of Mozart, “I became a painter because I wanted to raise painting to the level of poignancy of music and poetry.” The performances will take place in the West Garden Court; the Rothko exhibit is in the East Building.
NCAA Basketball Around DC
Where: Colleges around the DC Area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by game
We’re in the thick of college basketball season. And with so many universities in the area, there’s always some good hoops action going on around town. Here are some games to catch this weekend:
* Maryland men vs Nebraska on Saturday at 12pm (Go, Terps!)
* Catholic men vs Moravian on Saturday at 2pm
* Catholic women vs Moravian on Saturday at 4pm
* George Mason men vs Rhode Island on Saturday at 4pm
* American men vs Colgate on Saturday at 4pm
* George Mason women vs VCU on SUnday at 4pm
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* The International Spy Museum’s annual Spy Fest takes place next Friday evening, February 2! I can tell you from experience, it’s a very intriguing event. And the website might say it’s sold out, but I may have some intel that more tickets could be released…
* Washingtonian just released its list of the 100 Very Best Restaurants for 2024.
* You can still get (pricey) tickets for the Ravens game on Sunday!
* Latest movie rec (not for kids).
* Ever shop at Everlane? They always have great basics as well as pieces with a little extra something, like this sweater I just ordered.
* How great is this?
Related
Washington, D.C
‘My nightmare’; Kentucky woman sues DC to access OUC’s 911 calls in son’s sudden death
WASHINGTON (7News) — A grieving mother from Kentucky is suing Washington, D.C., to uncover the truth about her son’s sudden death.
Was it preventable? Did 911 operators make a mistake?
Those are the questions she’s desperate to answer, but her attempt to access the city’s emergency calls has been denied.
“It’s a struggle to keep moving forward and be a part of the world,” Stephanie Clemans, holding back tears, said during a Tuesday press conference.
RELATED | Off-duty DC firefighter recounts survival, call for accountability after he was shot
William Ostertag, known by friends and family as Will, was 28 when he was working in his apartment’s gym on November 3, 2024. He lived at the Allegro Apartments in Columbia Heights in Northwest, D.C.
Suddenly, he went into cardiac arrest and collapsed.
“I’m his mom, and I wasn’t there, and I want to know what happened,” Clemans said.
What she does know is that Will lived right next door to a D.C. Fire and EMS firehouse where paramedics could’ve come to his aid almost immediately.
Yet, according to the lawsuit below, it took them nine minutes.
By then, it was too late. Will had already lost oxygen to his brain and died 11 days later.
“My son was living, making plans, and successfully navigating adulthood. I am so completely proud of him,” Clemans said.
So what happened in those critical moments before his death?
Well, Clemans obtained a written timeline from the 911 dispatch system that shows dispatchers misclassified the original response as a “seizure”, sending an ambulance not equipped with the drugs on board that Will needed for a cardiac arrest.
But the Office of Unified Communications (OUC) has denied her requests for the 911 calls, falling back on their policy of only releasing 911 audio to the original caller.
“My nightmare is that my vibrant, very much alive son died, and people with power are saying to me that I do not have the right to hear what was happening as he lay on the ground,” Clemans said.
Kevin Bell, her lawyer and a partner at the Freedom Information Group, says her Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request appeal was also denied by Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office of Legal Counsel. A decision, he urges them to reconsider.
“I believe, looking at this case, that this is a pretext to attempt to avoid producing records, which are potentially embarrassing to the department and which would provide information that might reflect negatively on the performance of their statutory duties… I believe that this is an instance where government can do the right thing. They can release the information that’s been requested.”
RELATED | Transparency concerns emerge over DC 911 feedback form now requiring caller phone number
Will grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, and had a little brother.
He lived in D.C. for three years, working for the federal government. He’d just applied for several MBA programs. He lived a full life, suddenly cut short, with a mom determined to get answers about his death.
“This audio recording will help me understand the end of my son‘s life, and it is necessary for me to have it,” Clemans said.
Clemans is scheduled to testify as a public witness in Wednesday’s D.C. Council Performance Oversight Hearing on OUC virtually at 9:30 a.m.
7News reached out to OUC and the Mayor’s Office for a comment on the lawsuit ahead of Cleman’s testimony.
As of this report, we have not heard back.
RELATED | ‘It’s nothing new’; DC firefighters rerouted twice after OUC dispatch errors
WASHINGTON (7News) — D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton announced Tuesday she will retire at the end of her current term, ending more than three decades representing the District.
Norton, a Democrat, has served as D.C.’s delegate since 1991.
In a statement, she said she is stepping aside to make room for the next generation of leaders while continuing to serve through the remainder of her term.
“I’ve had the privilege of representing the District of Columbia in Congress since 1991. Time and again, D.C. residents entrusted me to fight for them at the federal level, and I have not yielded,” Norton said. “With fire in my soul and the facts on my side, I have raised hell about the injustice of denying 700,000 taxpaying Americans the same rights given to residents of the states for 33 years.
RELATED | DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton ends re-election campaign
Norton is known for her long-standing fight for D.C. statehood and equal rights for District residents.
Although she will not seek reelection, Norton said she plans to remain active in advocating for D.C. after leaving office.
“The privilege of public service is inseparable from the responsibility to recognize when it’s time to lift up the next generation of leaders. For D.C., that time has come. With pride in all we have accomplished together, with the deepest gratitude to the people of D.C., and with great confidence in the next generation, I announced today that I will retire at the end of this term.”
Before Congress, Norton said she helped plan the 1963 March on Washington, served as chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, argued cases before the Supreme Court and taught law at Georgetown University.
“Thank you to my constituents for choosing and trusting me to fight for you in Congress 18 times,” Norton said. “I will leave this institution knowing that I have given you everything I have. And while my service in Congress is ending, my advocacy for your rights, your dignity, and your capacity to govern yourselves is not.”
Washington, D.C
DC Water continues efforts to contain sewage, environmental group calls pipeline break ‘a catastrophe’ – WTOP News
Crews with D.C. Water are continuing to try to divert millions of gallons of sewage and wastewater from the Potomac River after the failure of a 6-foot sewer line Jan. 19.
Crews with D.C. Water are continuing to try to divert millions of gallons of sewage and wastewater from the Potomac River after the failure of a 6-foot sewer line last week.
The collapse of the pipe, called the Potomac Interceptor, which carries up to 40 million gallons of sewage and wastewater each day, led to crews establishing a workaround involving the installation of pumps and diversion of the waste into the C&O Canal, according to Sherry Lewis, spokesperson for D.C. Water.
The break occurred in a portion of the interceptor near the Interstate 495 interchange and the Clara Barton Parkway near the C&O Canal National Historical Park.
“This is a dry section of the canal that is contained,” Lewis explained.
She said the wastewater is being channeled downstream from the break, and back into the Potomac Interceptor.
By Monday, the crews were able to make significant progress in redirecting the flow of the wastewater, Lewis said.
“There is some residual wastewater in that area that needs to drain,” she added.
Lewis clarified that D.C.’s drinking water is not affected by the millions of gallons of untreated wastewater that were released by the collapse of the Interceptor.
“The drinking water is safe. There is no impact to it from this overflow,” she said. “The primary intake for the Washington Aqueduct’s drinking water supply is in Great Falls, so it is not anywhere close to where this overflow occurred.”
Lewis said the timeline for how long it might be before the 72-inch pipe could be repaired hasn’t been determined.
“It’s not an overnight fix when you’re talking about a 72-inch, 6- foot-diameter sewer pipe,” she said.
While D.C. Water cited progress on stemming the sewage flow in frigid temperatures, Potomac Riverkeeper Dean Naujoks told WTOP, “We’re grateful that the flow has been reduced, but there’s still raw sewage that’s coming into the Potomac River.”
“If this happened in the summer, I can assure you the entire river would be closed for public access and there would be public health notifications,” he said.
The National Park Service and D.C. Water have posted signs in the area notifying passersby that raw sewage poses a contamination hazard.
A news release from the Potomac Riverkeeper Network showed what the group called a “catastrophic impact” on the health of the Potomac River. Testing by Naujoks’ group Friday showed the presence of E. coli at nearly 12,000 times the amount allowed for safe human contact.
“Infrastructure failure is at the root of this disaster,” Naujoks said in the news release. “The interceptor pipe … should have been better maintained in order to avoid this catastrophe.”
D.C. Water issued a statement saying it’s allocated $625 million in its Capital Improvement Program to rehabilitate the Potomac Interceptor over the next 10 years.
In the same statement, D.C. Water said it’s been working closely with federal, state and local partners, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Park Service, Washington Aqueduct, D.C.’s Department of Energy and the Environment and Maryland’s Department of the Environment, among others.
“Together, we are coordinating efforts to contain the overflow, monitor and assess environmental impacts, and keep the public informed,” the release said.
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