C&O Canal Boats, Georgetown French Market and Chocolate Festival

Happy AAPI Heritage Month!

Hello neighbor,

It’s hot outside !

So what should you do from April 25 to May 1?

For your convenience, this newsletter includes emojis to help you during these unprecedented times:

• The 🛋 indicates that an event is happening in person inside.
• The 🌲 indicates that an event is happening in person outside.
• The 💻 indicates that an event is happening virtually.
• And finally, the 🆓 indicates that an event is free.

Top 7 picks of the week

1. Boating anyone? Boats are returning to the C&O Canal this week and tickets can be bought here. There will be a ceremony party (Thursday, $250, 🛋, Georgetown), too, with cocktails, heavy appetizers and live music.
2. Celebrating the African Diaspora. 🌍 The National Gallery of Art will host a Festival of Afro-Atlantic Stories featuring local creators, Jamaican cuisine samples and live music (Saturday, Free, 🛋, National Mall). Likewise, consider attending an open mic sponsored by the National Museum of African Art, “Africa out loud” (Sat, Free, 🛋, Brookland), or learn how art responds to and shapes the stories forged by the transatlantic slave trade (Tuesday, free, 💻).
3. A chocolate party. 🍫 Treat yourself to tastings and a chocolate education at the 5th DC Chocolate Festival (Saturday, $20, 🛋, Glover Park).
4. Galas everywhere. 💎 The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is this week! Additionally, the Phillips Collection is hosting its Centennial Gala with tickets available for its Black Tie after the party (Fri, $200+, 🛋, National Cathedral).
5. Stock up on plants. 🌱 Featuring annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees, the US National Arboretum will host its annual Garden fair and sale of plants. In addition to plants, there will also be food trucks at the event (Sat, $, 🌲, National Arboretum).
6. Holly DC. The festival of colors takes place this weekend at Bull Run Regional Park (Sun, $10, 🌲, Centerville).
7. Enjoy the French-inspired open-air markets. Discover the annual Georgetown French Market, with over 25 local antique shops, restaurants and more. There will be macaroons, a cartoonist and live music (Fri-Sun, free, 🌲, Georgetown).

Everything else this week

• A city of foodies. 🍝 Party at a natural wine festival (Friday $95, 🛋, park view) or treat yourself to a tasting of cocktails inspired by the book “Why The fish does not exist” (Saturday, $55, 🛋, 14th St.). Meet at the Line Hotel for a collaborative pizza night with No Goodbye’s and Andy’s Pizza (Saturday, Free, 🛋, Adams Morgan). Take cooking classes: Spring Ravioli Workshop (Thursday, $25+, 🛋, Shaw), Brazilian moqueca (fish stew) (Tuesday, $70, 🛋, Capitol Hill), or empanadas (Sun, $25, 💻). Join a linguist to understand how we talk about food (Wed, free, 💻).
• Mother’s Day Market. 💖 Capitol Cider House is hosting a craft market (Sun, free, 🌲, Georgia Ave.).
• Street arts festival. 🖼 Co-sponsored by the Austrian Cultural Forum and Dupont Underground, the Calle Libre DC Street Art Festival organize a closing reception (Free Fri, 🛋, Cercle Dupont).
• Political type events. 📖 How was Berlin the spy capital (Wed, free, 💻)? How it works Putin speaks (Monday, $13, 🛋, Cercle Dupont)? Maybe watch a Congressional football game (Wed, Free, 🌲, Navy Yard)?
• Climate change. 🌏 Common Good City Farm is hosting a screening of the documentary “Breaking down bordersrevealing the science of our planet. The evening also includes a mix and a discussion (Sat, $15, 🌲, Shaw).
• Dirty dance.🕺 Actress Jennifer Gray write a memoir (Sun, $22, 🛋, Chinatown).
• Realization of the Capitol. 🏛 Learn how the use of free black and bonded labor (Fri, Free, 🛋, National Mall) has been used in the building of the Smithsonian Castle, the United States Capitol, the White House and Georgetown University. There will be a Smithsonian Castle (Sun, Free, 🛋, National Mall) reconstruction of the laying of the first stone. DC Library will hold a workshop to help users discover their DC historical resources such as 19th century newspapers, Dig DC or Ancestry (Wed, Free, 🛋, Mt. Pleasant).
• Meet and greet. History-centered women A visit of its own (Wed, $10, 🌲, Capitol Hill) will arrange a meeting to discuss the life and legacy of Mary McLeod Bethune.

Your neighbour,

jade (@clockoutdc)