THURSDAY, APRIL 26
CRAFTS The 36th annual Smithsonian Craft Show kicks off Thursday at the National Building Museum, with a highlight on Asian cultural influence on American crafts. The 120 artists will present work in a dozen different media, ranging from jewelry and wearable art to ceramics, basketry, and furniture. Through April 29. Daily admission $20.
POETRY In honor of National Poetry Month, the National Portrait Gallery will host a poetry slam in collaboration with Busboys & Poets. These spoken-word performances and round-robin readings are inspired by the NPG’s One Life: Sylvia Plath exhibit and curator Dorothy Moss will give spotlight tours. Free, 5:30 PM.
FRIDAY, APRIL 27
MARKET In its 15th year, the Georgetown French Market takes place this weekend along Wisconsin Avenue from O Street to Reservoir Road, where the Book Hill section of Georgetown will transform into a Parisian-inspired market. Beyond shopping, there are family-friendly performers including a unicyclist and face-painting. Take cute shots in a French-inspired photo booth and munch on French fare offered by neighborhood restaurants. Through April 29. Free.
COMEDY Grassroots Comedy DC is hosting a show at Kramerbooks. Featuring eight(!) local stand-up comics, the show will benefit GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic, a non-profit solar installer that provides no-cost solar and hands-on job training to low-income communities. $12-$15, 9:30 PM.
FILM This weekend, AFI Silver Theater will present several encore screenings of last November’s CatVideoFest. The 70-minute film is a compilation of some of the best internet cat videos and the screenings are in partnership cat-advocacy organization Alley Cat Allies. Through April 29. $8-$13.
SATURDAY, APRIL 28
RUN Celebrate the NFL draft (and, finally, the arrival of springtime weather) at the Redskins Draft Day Dash at FedEx Field. Run a 5K race that finishes on the field’s 50-yard line and then watch the draft live on the stadium’s HD video boards. Current Redskins players including new quarterback Alex Smith, returning running backs Chris Thompson and Samaje Perine, and former first round draft pick Ryan Kerrigan will be there, as will some Redskins alums and the new 2018 Redskins Cheerleaders. DC native and Howard graduate actor Laz Alonso (Avatar and Fast and Furious 4) will announce the Skins’ fourth-round pick live on stage. 5K: $45; Draft Fest: Free (but non-5K participants must register), 10:30 AM.
FESTIVAL Takoma’s 10th annual Art Hop Arts Fest features the work of over 100 artists installed inside the shops in the neighborhood. There will be tons of events throughout the weekend, ranging from pottery -throwing demonstrations and meet-the-artist receptions. Through April 29.
SUNDAY, APRIL 29
MUSIC DC is the sixth city to have a City Winery, an urban winery/restaurant/concert venue. Folksinger Suzanne Vega will be the first musician to kick off this new Ivy City stage, and she’ll perform her albums Solitude Standing and 99.9F in their entirety.Through April 30. $35-$55, 8 PM.
FILM Artist James Benning’s experimental film, “Stemple Pass,” is included in the National Gallery of Art’s exhibit, Outliers and American Vanguard Art. The artist will discuss his films and projects with exhibit curator Lynne Cooke at the NGA’s East Building Auditorium, after which there will be a screening of Benning’s film, measuring change, which observes the subtle changes to Robert Smithson‘s sculpture, “Spiral Jetty,” throughout the course of a day. Free, 4 PM.
