Arts & Entertainment
Save on gas and take a D.C. staycation this summer
A roundup of local events to keep you entertained all season
It’s summertime in Washington D.C., and the city is teeming with things to do. From new museum exhibitions to city events, and fine dining, there are countless ways to spend a weekend — or longer — in the city. And with gas hovering around $5 per gallon, these ideas will also save you some money.
FOOD
The RAMMYS 2022 – July 24. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the RAMMYS, D.C.’s annual restaurant and food service awards ceremony. The event will feature a silent auction, food, drinks, and a dance floor DJ-ed by music group Cash Cash.
A Taste of the DMV: Food, Culture & live music festival – July 30. Experience “Food, Culture, Music and Fun” at the Gateway D.C. Pavilion from 4-10 p.m. on July 30. Businesses from around the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area will have booths, and there will also be contests, games, and live performances.
Jollof Festival 2022 – July 30. The Jollof Festival visits several cities each summer to host vendors cooking — and competing — for the title of best Jollof rice, a savory West African staple. The Jollof Festival will come to D.C. at the end of July, held in the new Sandlot Anacostia events space.
Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week – Aug. 15-21. Join the Restaurant Association of D.C. for a week of fine dining, featuring “3-course menus for lunch, dinner and brunch,” according to their Instagram, in addition to “RW-To-Go dinner meals and cocktail pairings.”
Around the World Cultural Food Festival – Aug. 27. This festival boasts “the best of the best” food from every country, with only one restaurant chosen to represent each country in attendance. In addition to food and drink, there will be live song and dance and ethnic artisans and crafters, all hosted at Oronoco Bay Park in Alexandria, Va.
ARTS & CULTURE
Baltimore Museum of Art; Joan Mitchell – Through Aug. 14. The Baltimore Museum of Art has partnered with San Francisco MoMA to organize a comprehensive retrospective of Joan Mitchel, an American post-war artist who has received international acclaim. Mitchell broke into the male-dominated New York art scene of the 1950s before moving to spend nearly 40 years in France, and in addition to the exhibition’s 70 featured works, it includes a collection of photographs, poems and documents that flesh out an understanding of the artist’s multifaceted life.
Renwick Gallery; This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World – Through April 23, 2023. This nearly year-long exhibition at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Art Museum highlights art’s ability to create change and shape a more “relational and empathetic world.” It features craft mediums from the Renwick’s permanent collections as well as more than 100 new acquisitions, paying special attention to the often-overlooked history and contributions of BIPOC and women artists.
National Portrait Gallery; Watergate: Portraiture and Intrigue – Through Sept. 5. According to theNational Portrait Gallery’s website, “On the fiftieth anniversary of the Watergate break-in, this exhibition of photographs, paintings, sculpture, and works on paper from the National Portrait Gallery’s collection brings visitors face-to-face with the scandal’s cast of characters.” The exhibition delves into visual biography as a new way to contemplate questions raised by the crisis’s political and cultural fallout.
Capital Fringe Festival – July 14-17 and July 21-24. This summer’s Capital Fringe Festival is a performing arts showcase featuring “31 productions, 6 stages, 4 performance venues and one official festival bar,” all located in Georgetown. The event is back after a two-year break due to COVID-19, but its goal of creating an un-curated and unfiltered space for artistic exploration and performance has remained.
Fiesta Asia Street Fair – July 16. More than 1,000 performers, artisans and vendors will line Pennsylvania Avenue in front of Capitol Hill for a celebration of Asia’s rich and diverse heritage. The event is hosted by the Asia Heritage Foundation, and this summer will mark its 17th year commemorating the vast array of Asian culture and community.
Del Rey Artisans Summer Art Market – July 9-10. This two-day event held in Arlington will feature a different slate of local artists and artisans each day. Attendees can purchase “original handmade artwork” in a variety of media: ceramics, jewelry, glass, photography and more will all be on display.
DC JazzFest – Aug. 31 – Sept. 4. The 18th Annual D.C. JazzFest will feature live performances on multiple waterfront stages at The Wharf, in addition to the DCJazzPrix international band competition at Union Stage. The event is “DC’s Celebration of All Things Jazz,” and over 15 different jazz groups and performers will be featured.
MISCELLANEOUS
National Zoo; Birds in Flight – Through Sept. 5. Watch exotic birds take to the air under with acclaimed bird behaviorist Phung Luu at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. The exhibition happens rain or shine, every day besides Tuesday, at the Zoo’s Great Meadow.
Out & About
Plan your wedding the LGBTQ way
Washington D.C. LGBTQ+ Wedding Expo scheduled for Sunday
Rainbow Wedding Network will host “Washington D.C. LGBTQ+ Wedding Expo” on Sunday, March 1 at 12:30 p.m.
Guests can meet and mingle with a curated selection of LGBTQ-welcoming wedding professionals from across the region, each ready to help bring your vision to life, and spend a beautiful afternoon exploring everything they need to create a celebration that reflects them.
There will be a relaxed, self-guided look at the Watergate’s spaces and amenities, savor signature cocktails and delicious tasting samples, and connect with other couples who are on the same journey.
Visit Eventbrite to reserve a spot.
Friday, February 27
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga and Drag Bingo will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Happy Hour Meetup” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].
Saturday, February 28
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. It’s more than just an event; it’s an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and invest in something meaningful, and enjoy delicious food, genuine laughter, and conversations that spark connection and inspiration. For more details, visit the Center’s website.
Black Lesbian Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-led support group devoted to the joys and challenges of being a Black lesbian. You do not need to be a member of the Beta Kappa Chapter or the Beta Phi Omega Sorority in order to join, but they do ask that you either identify as a lesbian or are questioning that aspect of your identity.Send an email to [email protected] to receive the zoom link.
Sunday, March 1
LGBTQ+ Community Coffee and Conversation will be at 12 p.m. at As You Are. This event is for people looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ community. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, March 2
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
Tuesday, March 3
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more details, email [email protected].
Wednesday, March 4
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.thedccenter.org/careers.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more information, email [email protected].
Thursday, March 5
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
a&e features
Transmission DC breathes new life into a storied sound space
A fresh home for boundary-pushing culture on H Street
Late last year, phoenix-style, a fresh home for boundary-pushing culture arose on the H Street corridor. Transmission DC – a queer, trans, and POC-owned, operated, and centered community-focused venue – powered on in the former home to the Rock & Roll Hotel (famously, not a hotel, but very much rock & roll). Transmission (1353 H St., N.E.) arrives secure in its mandate – or even birthright – to provide a place to celebrate creativity and music through a lens of inclusivity and respect.
Transmission’s team brings experience, but also representation. Owners/partners Kabir Khanna (who is also programming director), Katii B, Ellie McDyre, and Kelli Kerrigan together previously managed 618 productions, a venue in Chinatown, crafting “some of D.C.’s freakiest parties, raves, and mosh pits” they note.
They packed up operations last fall to a space curated specifically for D.C.’s underground music and culture scene, building their efforts in Chinatown to bring in more fans in queer and POC circles.
Transmission, Khanna points out, is built on DIY values. In the music scene, DIY means that promoters and organizers – often disconnected from the mainstream and part of marginalized communities – build shows and programs collaboratively, but independently from institutions, supporting each other as smaller, independent venues close. Here, Transmission aims to ensure that those putting together these underground inclusive shows have a more permanent and stable home, can have access to resources, and can provide more sustainable income to artists. “We’re trying to get more people to support and enjoy the music, and also give artists and organizers within the DIY community more structure and a larger cut,” says Khanna.
Khanna also notes that Transmission operates “under the principles of safety, inclusivity, and respect.” McDyre added that even at venues that claim inclusivity, that statement might not take place in practice. We’re “not just pitting up a rainbow flag,” says McDyre, but as some of the owners are trans and POC, audiences can see themselves reflected at the top.
Much like the DIY nature of the music community, the Transmission owners brought a DIY ethos to turning around their space.
In March 2020 – the height of COVID lockdowns – Rock & Roll Hotel suddenly shuttered, though not due to the pandemic; instead, the venue claimed that decreasing sales and increasing competition led to the closure. For 14 years, it was the central spot for cheap beer and lesser-known and celebrated acts. The space stood vacant for more than five years, until Transmission turned the power back on.
“When we got into the space, it was effectively abandoned for years,” says Khanna. “There was a ton of mold, and paint primer covering all surfaces. It was nearly falling apart.” Khanna noted that many music venues like this one, regardless of how well it was maintained, “get the shit kicked out of it,” given the nature of shows. The team called in mold removal contractors, ripped up most of the floorboards, and started fresh.
Transmission’s first floor is styled as a stripped-down black box: the better to take in the music. “It’s minimal on purpose to act as a canvas for set design and music,” without a specific aesthetic, says Khanna. Moving upstairs, the second floor has been opened up, removing some walls, and now has a larger dance area than the first floor. Beyond the first two performance levels, and a holdover from Rock & Roll Hotel, is the rooftop. Though without a stage, the rooftop space is filled with murals splashed across the walls, with a full bar. Transmission’s current capacity is 496, but the team is looking to grow that number. Transmission will also leverage the full kitchen that Rock & Roll Hotel operated, bringing in Third Hand Kitchen to offer a variety of food, including vegan and vegetarian options.
Khanna pointed out an upcoming show reflective of Transmission’s inclusive ethos: Black Techo Matters on Feb. 27. The event is set to be “a dynamic, collaborative night of underground electronic music celebrating Black History Month.” Khanna says that techno came from Black music origins, and this event will celebrate this genesis with a host of artists, including DJ Stingray 313, Carlos Souffront, and Femanyst.
ACLU sues Kansas over law invalidating trans residents’ IDs
After layoffs at Advocate, parent company acquires ‘Them’ from Conde Nast
Spring into sold
Plan your wedding the LGBTQ way
Calendar: February 27-March 5
More than a dozen LGBTQ athletes medal at Olympics
New book profiles LGBTQ Ukrainians, documents war experiences
PHOTOS: Queen of Hearts
Two very different views of the State of the Union
