Holidays from around the World at Your Doorstep
By Chrysoula Economopoulos
The holiday season is here… time for some holiday cheer!
Washington can’t typically claim snowy landscapes peppered with sleigh bells ringing, children sledding, and extravagantly decorated storefront windows. But it does offer something that few places around the world can offer: a microcosm of holiday celebrations.
Beginning in late November and throughout December, several foreign embassies and the U.S. government celebrate the holiday season each in their own festive way.
AMERICA, AMERICA!
The U.S. National Christmas Tree on December 4, 2008, during the 2008 Lighting of the National Christmas Tree Ceremony.
Why not kick off the holidays with a good old American tradition – visit the National Christmas Tree on the White House’s Ellipse (aka. the south lawn). The tradition began under President Calvin Coolidge in 1923 and has come a long way, baby: This year’s tree is the most energy efficient and brightest in history, powered by LED technology. If you missed the lighting ceremony on December 3 – fewer than 10,000 tickets were available by lottery – the tree will stay up until January 1, featuring free nightly performances (downloadable program in PDF) and other activities.
The National Christmas Tree will soon be joined on the Ellipse by the National Chanukah Menorah on December 13, with a special lighting ceremony that day at 4:00p.m. A quick drive down the street to the Capitol Building’s West Lawn (Constitution & Independence Avenues), the Capitol Christmas Tree will be lit on December 8 at 5:00p.m., with the ceremony open to the public.
ROYAL NORWEGIAN EMBASSY
For the 13th year in a row, the Royal Norwegian Embassy decks the halls with a Norwegian Christmas at Union Station, featuring a 32-foot Christmas tree and train exhibit, as well as a series of events and concerts in various venues around the city. Visit Union Station (50 Massachusetts Ave NE) between December 3, 2009-January 3, 2010.
EMBASSY OF CANADA
This Saturday, December 5, the Embassy of Canada (501 Pennsylvania Ave NW) hosts its Winter Gala. From 8:00-9:00p.m., guests will sip complimentary champagne then watch the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at 10:00p.m. Tickets go for $75 (includes music, hors d’oevres, cash bar), with proceeds benefitting the Government of Canada’s United Way Campaign. R.S.V.P. is required – email Kandice.Zeman@international.gc.ca. Photo ID required for security entrance.
EMBASSY OF GERMANY
Celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall and get your holidays in gear with the German Embassy’s Black Tie Holiday this Saturday, December 5 (limited space remains), hosted at the embassy (4645 Reservoir Rd NW). The gala’s theme is “Saluting 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall”. Festivities kick off at 7:30p.m. and include music from the band Suspicious Package at 9:00p.m., include an open bar, German holiday food and desserts, a Berlin Wall presentation, DJ, and dancing. For additional information and to purchase tickets ($70/ticket), see the ThingsToDoDC.com site.
EMBASSY OF SWEDEN
The Annual Swedish Christmas Bazaar will take place on December 5 at the House of Sweden (2900 K Street NW, Washington), the building that is home to the Swedish Embassy and a number of other organizations. The bazaar begins at 11:00a.m., offering traditional Swedish baked goods, crafts, crystal, textiles, food, books and more. The event culminates with a Lucia procession at 5:30p.m. Suggested donation: $2 at the door.
Santa Lucia After Dark Ball is next up for Sweden on the evening of December 12. Also taking place at the House of Sweden, this “holiday cocktail gala and celebration of lights” will feature the Singco Rhythm Orchestra, an open rooftop winter bar serving glögg, Swedish hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and images of Swedish winter landscapes and the aurora borealis. Tickets start at $40 (general admission).
EMBASSY OF FRANCE
Eiffel Tower, Paris
La Maison Française (4101 Reservoir Rd, NW, Washington), the Embassy of France’s cultural home, will host “Holiday Party in Paris 2009!” on December 11 from 7:00p.m.-11:00p.m. Guests will be transported “passport-free to Paris for an evening of celebration, effervescence, and early holiday shopping” with a silent auction, Parisian-inspired buffet, champagne, live music and DJ beats. Tickets available for $60 ($30 tax deductible) at InstantSeats.com.
RUSSIAN EMBASSY CULTURAL CENTER
On December 19, the Russian Embassy’s Russian Cultural Center (1825 Phelps Place NW) beckons you to “add a unique touch to your Christmas, Chanukah or Kwanzaa celebrations this year… with a unique Russian experience – without ever leaving the District.” Russian food, cocktails, film, a special “Nutcracker” ballet presentation, diplomatic greeting, and late-night DJ are all on the evening’s roster of the center’s Russian Evening and Holiday Nutcracker Celebration. Tickets and additional details are available through ThingsToDoDC.com.
Free Events from the Washington National Opera
By Elisabeth Grant
Is the Washington National Opera sensitive to the current economic crisis? Or are they looking for new (more frugal) viewers? Whatever their motive, the Washington National Opera keeps rolling out free performances, making wallets happy all over D.C.
Earlier this year they threw the second annual Opera in the Outfield, a free simulcast of their opening night performance, this year The Barber of Seville, at Nationals Park. And now from November 13th through the 22nd they will celebrate “National Opera Week” (who knew that existed?) with a series of free performances and events.
1. Open Orchestra Read: The Marriage of Figaro
Saturday, November 14, 2009, 6 pm
Kennedy Center Millennium Stage
Hear selections from The Marriage of Figaro performed by the Washington National Opera Orchestra and coupled with narration by Maestro Ken Weiss “explaining the art of rehearsal and answering questions about the process of preparing a score.”
2. Community In Bloom, A Ward 7 Community Project
Sunday, November 15, 2009, 3:30 pm
Kelly Miller Middle School
301 49th Street NE, Washington, DC, 20019
The Washington National Opera teams up with the Humanities Council of Washington DC and the Ward 7 Arts Collaborative to present performances and art focused on the lives of Ward 7 community members.
3. So You Want to Be a Singer? An Opera Career Talk
Monday, November 16, 2009, 6 pm
American University Katzen Arts Center, Abramson Family Recital Hall
4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC
Hear about how to start a career in opera from Christina Scheppelmann (WNO Director of Artistic Operations), Elizabeth Bishop (mezzo-soprano), and Brandy Hawkins (mezzo-soprano). Free, but to reserve seats, call (202) 448-3465.
4. Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists Recital
Friday, November 20, 2009, 12 pm
The Russell Senate Office Building, Rotunda
Constitution Avenue and 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Enjoy arias performed by members of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program.
5. Hola Opera! An Introduction to Opera
Friday, November 20, 2009, 11 am
Lamond-Riggs Neighborhood Library
5401 South Dakota Avenue NE, Washington, DC, 20011
Children 5 to 10 and their families are invited to a bilingual event, where Peter Burroughs and Anamer Castrello will perform arias and zarzuelas.
Ah free, music to one’s ears.
Feel the Power of Photography at FotoWeek DC
by Chrysoula Economopoulos
Washington is gearing up for FotoWeek DC 2009 (www.fotoweekdc.org), a week-long festival running from November 7-14, 2009 that will showcase the art of photography at numerous locations throughout the city. In its second year running, FotoWeek DC has already become one of the largest international photography festivals in the world.
The non-profit organization behind the festival – synonymously known as FotoWeek DC – was founded in 2008 “to celebrate the power of photography.” The organization has capitalized on Washington’s unique position as a magnet for talented photographers and a host for important collections of photography.
The result last year was a resoundingly successful festival that welcomed upwards of 20,000 people to the Nation’s Capital. In addition to 71 exhibitions throughout the city at galleries, embassies, and even projected onto building façades, FotoWeek DC 2009 will also present 36 lectures, 34 openings and receptions, as well as 31 workshops and reviews of photographic work.
NightGallery DC will project images onto building façades - this image from last year's festival. Photo Credit: Paul Fetters Courtesy of FotoWeek DC.
Best of all – the great majority of these events are free and open to all who register (Free Registration for entrance to FotoWeek DC events).
FotoWeek DC Launch Party
With such a great selection to choose from, why not kick off FotoWeek DC with the opening night launch party on November 6 (6:30p.m. to late) to orient yourself and get a taste for what the week ahead has in store? Tickets are $15 in advance (register and pay online), $20 at the door.
The launch party centers around FotoWeek Central, the nucleus of all exhibits and programs throughout the city. The five locations which comprise FotoWeek Central are all within walking distance of each other in the heart of lively Georgetown.
During the launch party, attendees can catch a first glimpse of work from winners and finalists for the FotoWeek DC Awards competition and the Youth Contest, and a number of other exhibitions (see highlights by location below).
To set the mood, DJ Donald Syriani will be spinning an international mix of beats at FotoWeek Central 1 (3338 M Street NW), while guests can mingle with participating photographers and other attendees. If last year was any indication, hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and lively conversation were all plentiful.
The five locations below which comprise FotoWeek Central are all open during the launch party:
Bird's eye view from last year's launch party. Photo Credit: Paul Fetters Courtesy of FotoWeek DC.
FotoWeek Central 1 (3338 M Street NW)
This is the main hub of all festival activity. View the 2009 Awards exhibition, the DC Youth Contest exhibition, exhibitions featuring images from the United States and Northern Uganda, NightGallery DC with images projected on the building’s façade, an autochrome display from National Geographic’s immense photo archives, and much more.
FotoWeek Central 2 (3306 M Street NW)
View the “My Cuba” and the “InsideOutside: New Images from Russia” exhibitions, both curated by Pulitzer Prize winner photographer and FotoWeek DC curator Lucian Perkins.
FotoWeek Central 3 (3307-D M Street NW)
In the “Iraqi Voices” exhibition, ten renowned photographers put a face to the people of Iraq. The “Brother’s Keeper” exhibition highlights people who have endured intolerable conditions, encouraging the audience to “take greater responsibility to ensure that the conditions under which our fellow citizens live are humane on all levels.”
FotoWeek Central 4 (3333 M Street NW)
This location presents “Flash Forward 2009,” featuring the work of top-ranked emerging photographers from Canada, the UK and the US for a juried contest. Also on view is an exhibition of recently-released photographic books.
FotoWeek Central 5 (1209 31st Street NW)
The “Eyes of History” exhibition showcases award-winning photojournalism images selected by the White House News Photographers Association (WHNPA).
Additional Weekend Tips:
Official Opening Reception: Check out the official opening reception on November 7 at the House of Sweden (2900 K Street NW, Washington). The event is co-hosted by the American Film Institute and features “What Lies Beneath: Nature & Urban Landscape in EU Photography.”
NightVisions: For the hidden photographer in you, jump on board for the NightVisions all-night photo shoot. From 6:00p.m. on November 7 to 6:00am on November 8, participants can “shoot the city, people, your neighborhood, whatever you choose” with a digital camera. Then go to FotoWeek Central 1 to download your photos. Nationally-recognized photo editors, art directors and gallery curators will select one image from your shoot for display on location.
Free Fun in D.C.
By Elisabeth Grant
The Jefferson Memorial is one of the many free memorials in D.C.
Year-round Free Options
1. Museums and Memorials
The memorials around the National Mall and the Tidal Basin are the landmarks that make D.C. recognizable. Most are open-air, and as already mentioned, free to the public. Make sure you check out the Washington Monument (you know, the giant pencil featured in any movie or TV drama set in D.C.), the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the numerous war memorials (Vietnam, Korean, and WWII).
2. Kennedy Center Millennium Stage
The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage presents free performances every day at 6pm. Every day! And the selection offers something for everyone. One night stop by to hear some classical piano, another night enjoy a Hungarian storyteller, or a funk band, or a magic show, or a puppeteer, or an Israeli singer/songwriter/composer. The variety and the talent showcased at the Millennium Stage is staggering. Now that you’ve learned about these daily free events you’re never allowed to say you’re bored and have nothing to do.
3. National Theater
Monday, Monday… Most of the time Mondays get a bad rap. They can be manic, and you can even have “a case of them.” Mondays at the National Theater on the other hand are quite entertaining. Every Monday this fall enjoy a free performance at 6 and 7:30 pm in the Helen Hayes Gallery. Upcoming events have a decidedly international flavor, including Hawaiian music and hula, Indian classical dance, Chinese opera, and more.
4. National Gallery of Art
Throughout the year the National Gallery of Art offers free concerts in its Sculpture Garden and West Building. The music selections are presented “in honor” of current exhibitions at the gallery. For instance, the National Gallery Piano Trio (performing this October 18th at 6:30 pm) correlates with the current exhibition of The Darker Side of Light: Arts of Privacy, 1850-1900, which takes a look at the “discreet world of individual collecting in which prints, drawings, and small sculpture were kept aside in portfolios or stored away in cabinets” in the late 19th century.
5. Free in D.C. Blog
There are so many free events going on in D.C. day to day that it’s hard to keep track of them all. Luckily, the Free in D.C. blog takes care of this for you. Nearly every day of the week this blog tracks free poetry open mic nights, film screenings, yoga classes, book signings, talks, tastings, concerts, festivals, and more.
Seasonal and Annual Free Events
1. Jazz in the Garden
Jazz in the Garden is one category of free concert offered by the National Gallery of Art. It’s worth mentioning again though, due to it’s popularity. Labor Day through mid-November get to the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden early to snag a seat, then sit back and relax from 5 to 8:30 pm to all types of jazz. Hear fusion rock/jazz, a capella, R&B, and more.
2. Screen on the Green
The annual Screen on the Green outdoor film showcase on the National Mall almost didn’t happen this year when HBO dropped their sponsorship of it. Film fanatics rallied together with such a fervor (on Facebook at least) that Comcast, the Trust for the National Mall, and HBO combined forces to allow the shows to go on. Two films in July and two films in August were shown this year, and included “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Dog Day Afternoon,” “On the Waterfront,” and “Rebel Without a Cause.” Here’s hoping that next year Screen on the Green can continue the summer tradition, and D.C. can enjoy more free films.
3. Nationals Park
This year marked the second annual Opera in the Outfield event at Nationals Park. For the second year in a row the Nationals baseball stadium opened its stands to offer a simulcast of the opening night of the Washington National Opera. Picnic blankets scattered across the outfield, seats were filled in nearly every section, and everyone sat back and enjoyed a free night of arias.
Whether you’re a starving college student, a poor professional, or just a thrifty individual, D.C. has an astounding number of free events at your fingertips. There’s something for everyone, every night of the week.