These are just a selected few of the interesting and fun events that are happening in the DC area, referenced in my monthly Events calendar and mostly referring to environmentally-related activities. Check back next month for the latest!
Coming soon: A page on this website that will highlight many of the "green" organizations and businesses operating in and around the region, all offering an exciting array of services, products, and classes.
What: Get your fresh fruits and vegetables direct from the farm! Peaches are just coming in season; pick them for breakfast, desert, or snacks now - or jam, preserve, or freeze them for later. Homestead Farm is a working farm; you can pick your own of some products, and others you can purchase freshly picked for you. See Homestead Farm's website for more information on their produce and harvest schedule. Who:Homestead Farm (Poolesville, MD) When: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (fields close at 5:30.) Call (301) 977-3761 prior to your trip for a recorded message that Farmer Ben updates daily when the farm is open; for other questions call 301-926-6999. Where:15600 Sugarland Road, Poolesville, Maryland20837.
What:The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is an international exposition of living cultural heritage, occurring for two weeks every summer, overlapping the July 4th holiday. It is an educational presentation that features community-based cultural exemplars, offering music, dance, exhibitions, and audience participation. The three themes at this year's festival are: Bhutan - Land of the Thunder Dragon, NASA - Fifty Years and Beyond, and Texas - A Celebration of Music, Food, and Wine. Who: Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
When: 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; evening events start at 6 p.m. Where: The National Mall between 7th and 14th Streets. 202-633-6440.
How much: Free.
What:America´s biggest and best-loved birthday party is celebrated in various ways in the nation's capitol. The Parade is well-attended so arrive early if you want to see anything! "A Capital Fourth 2008" is a free concert featuring the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) and various artists.Joining host Jimmy Smits are Grammy-winning music legends Huey Lewis and the News, rock ?n´ roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks, and other classical and Broadway stars. The concert will be capped off by a rousing rendition of Tchaikovsky´s "1812Overture," complete with live canon fire.Fireworks follow the concert. Who: The National Park Service When: Parade: 11:45 a.m. Concert: 8 p.m. Fireworks at dark (around 9:15 p.m.) Where: Parade: Independence Avemue from 7th to 17th Streets, NW. Concert: West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. 202-619-7222. Fireworks can be viewed from various sites at a safe distance from the launch site (Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.) 202-426-6841.
What:Every summer, people flock to the Zoo's Lion/Tiger Hill for our free summer concerts. Musical performances range from jazz and folk to blues and rock and roll. The Zoo encourages visitors to bring a picnic or purchase snacks at the Mane Restaurant. On July 10, come here Sharon B. Thomas, a lifelong Washington resident and accomplished tenor- and soprano-saxophonist. Her band, The Sharon Thomas Experience, has performed with nationally recognized recording artists, like Ginuwine and Ralph Tresvant.
What:WashingtonDC´s National Mall is the showcase of the nation´s capital, home to its most famous and historic monuments. One of the best ways to see it is through the viewfinder of your own tripod-mounted camera at twilight and at night, guided by a professional architectural photographer. After giving you an orientation on the basic techniques of nighttime photography, Washington Photo Safari director E. David Luria will take you to the most photogenic areas of the National Mall. In the process, enjoy a summer evening on the Mall, away from the day's crowds and heat. Ultimately, this Safari will help you achieve beautiful, postcard-quality images of the nation's capital.
Who: Washington Photo Safari When: 7:15 to 10:00 p.m. Where: Meet at the entrance to the World War II Memorial on 17th St., NW, between Constitution and Independence Aves. 202-537-0937How much: $64 per person; sturdy tripod required.
What:Common Ground on the Hill´s Roots Music & Arts Festival is a music, dance, and arts festival for all ages, celebrating the "common ground" found in traditional arts. The two-day festival is held in tandem with the 13th annual week-long Common Ground on the Hill Traditions Workshops & Concerts held at McDanielCollege, which attracts participants of all ages from around the world. Musical offerings are a potpourri of American genres, including Blues, Folk, Latino, Celtic, Native American, Bluegrass, Appalachian Oldtime, Black Gospel, African Drum & Dance, World Percussion, Storytelling, Juried Art, Ethnic Foods, and Interactive Family "WorldVillage." 2008 Headline acts include The Nashville Bluegrass Band and The Fairfield Four on Saturday and Tom Paxton on Sunday.
Who: Common Ground on the Hill When: Starts daily 10 a.m.; Saturday's last event starts with a dance at 9:30 p.m.; Sunday's last event starts with Tom Paxton at 5 p.m. Where:CarrollCountyFarmMuseum, 500 S. Center Street, Westminster, Maryland. 410-857-2771How much: Non-senior adults $25 for one day; discounts offered for 2-day, Senior, and Child tickets.
What: Screen on the Green returns to Washington, DC again this year. Bring a blanket to the National Mall on a summer night and watch a classic film on a gigantic movie screen. Films will be shown on Monday nights beginning at dusk, around 8:30-9:00 p. m. People start to claim their spots on the lawn as early as 5 p.m. Movies play except in extreme weather and there are no rain days. Who: National Park Service When: 8:30 p.m. Where:National Mall between 4th and 7th Sts., NW. 877-262-5866How Much: Free.
What: The NSO performs two family-friendly concerts outdoors at the Carter Barron Amphitheatre in beautiful RockCreekPark.Emil de Cou, the conductor of the NSO,apparently enjoys the informal atmosphere and accessibility to the music that is offered by summer concerts such as these, and uses them to introduce an element of surprise to the performances.Who: The Kennedy Center When: 7:30 p.m. Where:The Carter Barron Amphitheatre, 16 St. and Colorado Ave., NW. 202-467-4600.How Much: Free.
What: Join others for a leisurely paddle through tidal marshes and along the PatuxentRiver´s edge at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in Anne Arundel County, MD. As day gives way to dusk, you'll keep your eyes and ears open for turtles, muskrats, green tree frogs, owls, and other wildlife. Participants are welcome to enter the sanctuary and explore on their own before the canoe trip. (Adults.) When: 4 to 8 p.m.
Sanctuary, Anne Arundel County, MD. How much:Members $28, non-members $39. Cost includes canoe fee and sanctuary entrance fee; Limited to 15 participants who will walk 2 miles round-trip to access the canoes. ANS classes fill early, and reservations are required. Please use the registration form provided on-line or call 301-652-9188.
What: Join curator and artist Joseph Chang to learn about the Four Treasures of a Chinese Scholar's Studio, namely, the brush, ink stick, paper, and ink stone. Enjoy a demonstration of basic landscape painting techniques, and then try some of these techniques yourself. No experience necessary. Who: The Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution When: 2:30 p.m. Where:1050 Independence Avenue, SW; workshop held in the Sackler Classrom. 202-633-0465 How Much: Free, but space is limited and registration is required (call above phone number or email pecorjo@si.edu.)
Tuesday, July 22: Composting at Home What: Another useful and fun course from the Green Building Institute! Topics covered will include:Why should you compost? How to make your own backyard compost to feed your garden soil, and how to prevent disease and pests on both outdoor and indoor plants. What does and does not go into the compost bin, and how do you make one? Also, how to build and utilize raised bed gardens.It's not too late to grow your own summer and fall vegetables! Who: The Green Building Institute When: 6:30 to 9 p.m. Where:7761 Waterloo Rd., Jessup, MD20794. 443-733-1234How Much: $23 GBI members, $30 non-members, but various other price levels are offered. (See the GBI website, or call the number above for more details.)
What:Enjoy a summer evening outdoors with the Baltimore-based Junkyard Saints (Latin, Swing, Rock & Cajun.)The Saints have performed with such notables as Buckwheat Zydeco, The Iguanas, Marcia Ball and Chuck Brown, and have appeared at various local venues.They are recipients of Washington Area Music Association's WAMMIE Awards for Best Roots Rock Group (2007, 2008) and Artist of the Year (2007).
Who: Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. When: 6 to 8 p.m. Where:VeteransPark in downtown Bethesda (corner of Woodmont & Norfolk Aves.) 301-215-6660How much: Free.
What (Butterflies, Bees, and Buds): Enjoy the beauty of summer as you read a special nature book under one of Woodend´s large Tulip trees. After the story, you´ll take a nature walk through the meadow and forest to look for the real animals and plants you learned about. (Ages 3-5, with an adult.) When: 10 to 11 a.m.
What (Summer Sounds Evening Hike): Bring the family out for a relaxing summer night walk at Woodend. As you meander through Woodend Sanctuary, you´ll look and listen for the season´s best - bats, owls, frogs, and insects! (Ages 6 and up, with an adult.)
When: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Who: Audubon Naturalist Society Where:Woodend Sanctuary, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, Maryland20815.
How much: Members $12 for the first child; non-members $14; each additional sibling $8 members, $10 non-members. (Adults are free.) ANS classes fill early, and reservations are required. Please use the registration form provided on-line or call 301-652-9188.
What:Discover what it´s like to be a history detective at Historic St. Mary's City (HSMC), one of the best-preserved colonial archaeology sites in the nation! Visitors can help uncover and identify artifacts, learn how and why conservators save these pieces of the past, and discover the amazing things researchers can learn from items left behind. All of HSMC living history exhibits and special activities are included in the museum entry fee.
Who: Historic St. Mary's City When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Where: Just off Route 5 in St. Mary's City, MD 20686. 240-895-4990. How much: $10.00 for adults; $8 seniors; $6 students; $3.50 for children ages 6-12.
Wednesday, July 30: Introduction to Renewable Energy What:This class provides a broad overview of the major renewable technologies, including solar, wind, wave, geothermal, general bio fuels and hydro-power. Who: The Green Building Institute When: 7 to 9 p.m. Where:7761 Waterloo Rd., Jessup, MD20794. 443-733-1234How Much: $30 GBI members, $47 non-members, but various other price levels are offered. See the GBI website, or call the number above for more details.
What:The classic Washington walk:visit each of the city's famous memorials - Thomas Jefferson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Korean War Veterans, Abraham Lincoln, Vietnam Veteran's, and World War II. Guides set the scene for the FederalCity's original plans to memorialize its national heroes and how they've evolved with time. As you approach each memorial, you'll hear its particular story and then have time to look around yourself. By dark you'll be strolling along the tree-lined Reflecting Pool, watching the lights come up in America's capital city.
Who: Washington Walks When: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 6 p.m. Where: Embarks from the front steps of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. How much: $15; no reservations necessary; 202-484-1565.
April 10 to August 25, 2008: Taxa - Paintings by Isabella Kirkland What: The exhibition is comprised of six paintings that collectively depict nearly 400 species whose existence has been compromised in some way by man's actions. Kirkland measures, photographs, draws, and observes firsthand (either live or from preserved materials) almost everything pictured. Each plant and animal is meticulously rendered, anatomically accurate, and depicted at life-size. Drawing inspiration from 16th- and 17th-century European Master works, these elaborate oil paintings underscore the importance of biodiversity and call attention to current issues of environmental degradation. Who:National Academy of Sciences When: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed May 26, July 4) Where: The National Academy of Sciences, 2100 C St., NW. Upstairs Gallery. 202-334-2436 How Much: Free. Photo ID required.
Saturdays (and many Sundays):Bike Collection Event What: Bikes for the World collects repairable bicycles in the lower mid- Atlantic region of the United States, and donates them to charities overseas for productive use by those in need of affordable transport. They also accept bike parts & accessories, operating portable sewing machines, and cell phones. Collections take place rain or shine Who: Bikes for the World When: Mornings and/or afternoons. Where: Various locations in Maryland and Virginia. See Bikes for the World website for specific schedules or call 703-525-0931. How much: Free, but a $10/bike donation is suggested to defray costs of shipping to overseas charity partners.
Why should you compost? How to make your own backyard compost to feed your garden soil, and how to prevent disease and pests on both outdoor and indoor plants. What does and does not go into the compost bin, and how do you make one? Also, how to build and utilize raised bed gardens. It's not too late to grow your own summer and fall vegetables! 
What: The exhibition is comprised of six paintings that collectively depict nearly 400 species whose existence has been compromised in some way by man's actions. 
2008" 
performances range from jazz and folk to blues and rock and roll. The Zoo encourages visitors to bring a picnic or purchase snacks at the Mane Restaurant. On July 10, come here 
and historic monuments. One of the best ways to see it is through the viewfinder of your own tripod-mounted camera at twilight and at night, guided by a professional architectural photographer. 
all ages, celebrating the "common ground" found in traditional arts. The two-day festival is held in tandem with the 13th annual week-long Common Ground on the Hill Traditions Workshops & Concerts held at 
Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in 
and forest to look for the real animals and plants you learned about. 
What: 
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