THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13
SKATING Favorite Disney characters will lace up their skates for Disney On Ice’s show “Celebrate Memories.” See Moana and characters from Toy Story and Frozen in this family-friendly ice show. Through February 17 at Capital One Arena. $15-$50.
BOOKS World War II codebreaking expert Dermot Turing wrote about the collaboration among France, Britain, and Poland to decipher the German Enigma machine. He investigates how that cooperation led to breaking Enigma in his book, X, Y, & Z, which also discusses his uncle Alan Turing’s cryptanalysis work at Bletchley Park. Turing will discuss the work of these codebreakers at the Spy Museum; copies of X, Y, & Z will be available for purchase and signing. $10 or $35 with book, 6:30 PM.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14
CRAFTS Make valentines at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Kogod Courtyard in a special handi-hour pop-up. The museum will provide the art supplies (paper, scissors, stickers, and glue); you provide the sweet or snarky message inside. Free (registration recommended), 5 PM.
CONVENTION Celebrate Japanese animation, society, and culture at the three-day Katsucon at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. Meet the guests (many of whom are anime voice actors), sing one of over 25,000 songs at karaoke, dance to a DJ or at a formal ball, and browse the artists and exhibitors. Through February 16. $50-$60 per day or $80 for a weekend pass.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15
MUSEUMS Precious stones are the feature of the new Hillwood Estate, Museum, & Gardens exhibit “Natural Beauties: Exquisite Works of Minerals and Gems.” Hillwood founder Marjorie Merriweather Post collected stones in Chinese and Western European arts, then commissioned other pieces for her homes. This exhibit will show the use of these gems in more than 100 different objects. Through June 7. $17.
FILM Composer Ursula Mamlok was born in Berlin to a Jewish family who eventually fled to Ecuador during World War II. Mamlok ended up moving to New York City with a scholarship to the Mannes School of Music. In addition to the works she penned, she also taught composition at the Manhattan School of Music for nearly four decades. The documentary Ursula Mamlok – Movements shows the role that music played in Mamlok’s life and will be screened at the Goethe-Institut Washington. Following the screening will be a Q&A with Miro Magloire, composer and artistic director of New Chamber Ballet. Free, 6:30 PM.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16
SPORTS Old Glory DC, our new Major League Rugby (MLR) team, will have its debut home opener on Sunday at Cardinal Stadium (Catholic University) against the two-time MLR champion Seattle Seawolves. Brush up on the rules of rugby before the game: the goal is to score a “try” (5 points) by touching the ball to the ground in the opponent’s “tryzone” (think: end zone); after a try, the offense can attempt a conversion (2-point kick). Other important lingo: Major League Rugby plays “fifteens” (15 players on the field for each team), the “pitch” is the field of play, and a “scrum” is a huddle-like formation to restart play after an infringement, where eight players from each team line up to compete for possession of the ball. $25-$160, 3 PM.
MUSEUMS The National Gallery of Art honors the 500th anniversary of Raphael’s death with the exhibit “Raphael and His Circle,” which shows his influence on later artists. See four of Raphael’s drawings side-by-side with nine drawings by his collaborators and followers (Giulio Romano, Polidoro da Caravaggio, and Perino del Vaga). The exhibit also features several engravings, and the gallery’s five Raphael paintings will also be on view close by. Through June 14. Free.
COMEDY Washington Improv Theater celebrates Black improv talent at the Source Theater with a mini-festival called “The Cookout.” The event highlights all-Black improv troupes curated by an ensemble called Lena Dunham. Plus, there will actually be food. Through February 17. $15 in advance or $20 at the door.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17
BOOKS The Library of Congress opens its Main Reading Room to the public twice per year; this Monday’s Open House will highlight African American History Month. See items related to African American history and culture, such as cookbooks and children’s books by and about Supreme Court justices. Children ages 6 and up can stop by the Young Readers Center for art-making inspired by Rosa Parks. The Library’s “Rosa Parks: In Her Own Words” exhibit will be open all day. Main Reading Room Open House: 10 AM – 3 PM.
DISCUSSION The newly launched discussion series “We are Enough: Conversations with Grown Women Discussion Series” intends to foster connections among women. “What Story Are You Telling Yourself?” is the first topic, which will delve into the feelings of inadequacy that often thwart our ability to achieve goals and dreams. Join in the conversation at Femme Fatale DC. Free, 6 PM.
LAST CALL: Here’s what’s closing this weekend
“Alonso Berruguete: First Sculptor of Renaissance Spain” closes 2/17 at the National Gallery of Art.
