THURSDAY, MARCH 14
FILM The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital (DCEFF) will show over 100 films at multiple venues across the city. Special highlights this year include a handful of screenings hosted by festival sponsor National Geographic, such as Oscar winner Free Solo (3/18), the DC premiere of documentary The River and the Wall (3/14), and a virtual reality tour of Bears Ears National Monument (3/20). Several DCEFF events will feature discussions with filmmakers: the panel following Woman Who Loves Giraffes will include the film’s subject Dr. Anne Innis Dagg (3/21 & 3/22), while a screening of Sharkwater Extinction will be followed by a discussion with the family of the filmmaker who died in a diving accident during the filming (3/23 & 3/24). Through March 24.
MUSEUMS The National Gallery of Art’s Evenings at the Edge event for March highlights women with a performance by the tap group Syncopated Ladies (who got a shout-out from Beyoncé for their “Formation” tribute) and pop-up talks about female-created art. Free (registration requested), 6 PM.
FRIDAY, MARCH 15
MUSEUMS The Smithsonian American Art Museum will show the influence of the Vietnam War on artists with two new exhibits. “Artists Respond: American Art and the Vietnam War, 1965-1975” pulls together nearly 100 paintings, sculptures, installations, and more, highlighting how artists of that period reacted to the turbulence of the era and questions raised by the war.“Tiffany Chung: Vietnam, Past Is Prologue” shows the work of Vietnamese artist Tiffany Chung, who documented the war’s effect through paintings and videos that tell stories of former Vietnamese refugees. Artists Respond: through August 18. Tiffany Chung: through September 2. Free.
CONVENTION Furry-curious? Crazy for anthropomorphics? Head over to the three-day Fur the More convention at the Sheraton Tyson’s Corner to mingle with other like-minded individuals. The weekend’s schedule includes time for tabletop games, lectures, and panels. Learn more about fursuit character development, casting fursuit supplies, writing furry fiction, or connecting with other parents of furries (“So Your Kid is a Furry”). There’s plenty to see in the marketplace, and for those with a competitive edge, there’s a furry lip sync battle and a fursuit dance competition. Through March 17. $55.
SATURDAY, MARCH 16
ADVENTURE Part scavenger hunt and part city tour, the “Where To Next?” race will provide a path around notable DC locations and other spots throughout the city. Participate in challenges, answer trivia questions, and try to get to the finish line during the allotted time to win a prize. $108, 9 AM.
MUSEUM The pop-up Hip Hop Museum is celebrating with a closing gala at the Blind Whino. Hear about hip-hop cultural preservation from a panel of The Last Word writer André LeRoy Davis, Master Gee (the Sugarhill Gang), Source Magazine’s Dave Mays, Contact High writer Vikki Tobak, Jeremy Beaver (Listen Vision Studios), and Jay Quan (The Foundation). Ticket holders can stay for the evening events, which include memorabilia unveilings (including items from Big Daddy Kane, LL Cool J, and KRS-One), and induction ceremonies featuring Biz Markie, the Beatnuts, DJ Doo Wop. The Beatnuts and Busy Bee will wrap up the night with live performances. Museum viewing & panel discussion: Free, noon – 5 PM. Dedications, ceremonies, and performances: $35, 6 PM.
MUSIC The Westminster Schola Cantorum (from Westminster Choir College) will perform on Saturday at the First Baptist Church on 16th Street NW. The group features second-year students who are honing their skills performing in an ensemble; their program on Saturday will include Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem in D minor in its entirety along with music by Brahms and more. 7:30 PM, free (donations accepted).
CONVENTION If being cooped up all winter has given you wanderlust, check out the Travel & Adventure Show at the Convention Center for ideas and travel tips. See Samantha Brown (of PBS’s Places to Love), CBS News travel editor Peter Greenberg, and Patricia Schultz, author of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Get destination-specific tips and recommendations and learn travel-savvy ideas such as the best way to maximize credit card points. Through March 17. $15 (single day) or $22 (two-day).
SUNDAY, MARCH 17
MUSIC Celebrate traditional Irish music with The Washington Chorus at the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall. In addition to TWC’s Irish conductor, Christopher Bell, the performance will include fiddlers, pipe players, dancers, and choral arrangements of Irish classics. $18-$72, 3 PM.
LECTURE Get a taste of Gaelic at the Profs & Pints lecture “Intro to Gaelic,” featuring Cork native Jennifer O’Riordan, a former assistant director of Irish Studies and Irish language instructor at Catholic University, at the Bier Baron. O’Riordan will talk about Irish words you already know (such as “whiskey” and “galore”), give tips on basic pronunciation for words that otherwise look bizarre, and teach a selection of useful Gaelic greetings and phrases. $12, 6 PM.
LAST CALL: Here’s what’s closing this weekend
Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum closing for renovations from 3/15 through fall 2019 (current exhibition “A Right to the City” will still be available for viewing at pop-up exhibitions at DC Public Library branches).
“Black Out: Silhouettes Then and Now” closes 3/17 at the National Portrait Gallery.
