THURSDAY, JUNE 15
DISCUSSION Associate professor of history at Ohio State University Robin Judd specializes in German-Jewish History in the 19th and 20th centuries. At the US Holocaust Memorial Museum on Thursday night, Dr. Judd will discuss her recent research, which focuses on Jewish European women who married American, British, and Canadian soldiers whom they met between 1943 and 1950. Free (with registration), 7 PM.
SPORTS Despite the shooting at Wednesday’s GOP baseball practice, the annual Congressional Baseball Game will go on as planned on Thursday night at Nationals Park. The game has been played since 1909 (with a few interruptions) and features Senate and House members suiting up in uniforms of their home states and districts to stir up some friendly rivalry on the baseball field. The game has traditionally been a benefit for three DC-area charities: The Washington Literacy Center, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, and the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation; this year, the Capitol Police Memorial Fund will be added to the list of beneficiaries. $10 to $15, 7:05 PM.
FRIDAY, JUNE 16
MUSEUMS The National Portrait Gallery has two exhibits opening on Friday: “Antebellum Portraits by Mathew Brady,” which runs through June 2018, will trace the career of portrait photographer Mathew Brady from his first daguerreotype portrait studio (opened in New York City in 1844) through his transition to the ambrotype in the mid-1850s. Also opening is “Marlene Dietrich: Dressed for the Image,” running through April 2018, which showcases images of androgynous Hollywood star Marlene Dietrich. Free, 11:30 AM.
FESTIVAL Washington DC’s own Comic Con, Awesome Con, returns Friday through Sunday at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Celebrity guests include Stan Lee, Doctor Who star David Tennant, actress Felicia Day, and more. The schedule includes panel discussions, gaming contests, Q&As with celebrity guests, and comic book readings with younger fans. This year, Awesome Con has partnered with the Smithsonian to launch Future Con, featuring science and future-themed guests, panels, and exhibits. Single day: $35 to $45; Weekend pass: $75; Friday: noon to 8 PM; Saturday: 10 AM to 7 PM; Sunday: 10 AM to 5 PM.
DISCUSSION Duke University assistant professor Eric Spana regularly uses science fiction and fantasy in his courses to teach the tenets of genetics and biology. In conjunction with Smithsonian Associates, his Friday lecture, “Captain America’s Super-Soldier Serum: 1940s Fantasy Meets Modern Biotechnology” at the S. Dillon Ripley Center, will explore how current biotechnology could (hypothetically) produce a Super Soldier, all while surveying some remarkable achievements of biological science. No scientific background is necessary to attend; content appropriate for guests 13 and older. $35, 6:45 PM.
SATURDAY, JUNE 17
FESTIVAL The 12th annual Columbia Heights Day takes place Saturday on 11th Street NW from Park Road to Kenyon St. There will be three stages with live music, dance, and fitness classes, plus a beer garden and local vendors and businesses. The event is all-ages with plenty of family-friendly options; kids can play at the carnival on the Harriet Tubman Elementary School Field. Free, 11 AM to 6 PM.
THEATER The Keegan Theatre’s production of When We Were Young and Unafraid opens Saturday and runs through July 8. Set in the early 1970s, the play tells the story of a woman who runs a B&B that’s a refuge for victims of domestic violence, and how those guests influence the woman’s teenage daughter. $35 to $45, 8 PM with some 3 PM matinees.
MUSIC Local vocal ensemble the 18th Street Singers’ annual spring concert takes place on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon at the Luther Place Memorial Church. The program, The Key of Life, features traditional and classical choral music alongside pop songs and spirituals. The group will present the DC premiere of composer Melissa Dunphy‘s “What do you think I fought for at Omaha Beach?,” which explores LGBTQI rights and marriage equality. $15, 7:30 PM (Saturday) or 2 PM (Sunday).
SUNDAY, JUNE 18
SPORTS In honor of Fathers Day, the Nationals are presenting Brunch on the Baselines at Nationals Park. The all-inclusive brunch for guests of all ages will be served on the field, and guests can watch the Nats take on the Mets in New York via a live broadcast. $75 (lower prices for kids), noon-4 PM.
BOOKS Novelist Martin Walker has released a new book in his “Bruno” detective series. In The Templars’ Last Secret, police chief Bruno Courrèges seeks to discover who killed a young archaeologist and needs to brush up on his knowledge of the region’s role in a mystery dating from the days of the Knights Templar. Walker will read from this book at Politics & Prose on Sunday afternoon. Free, 1 PM.
