Where & When: What to Do This Weekend

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100 Best Restaurant Countdown
Valentine’s Day Guide
Events Calendar
Happy Hour Finder
Valentine's Parties Where You Don't Need a Date

Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday

Thursday, February 12: If you’re an early riser, and a presidential history buff, you might want to head to the Lincoln Memorial this morning at 8 for Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday Celebration. Officials will be reading remarks to celebrate the bicentennial of Honest Abe. The Gettysburg Address will also be read.

Head to the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria this evening for Second Thursday Art Night—and today it’s heart- and Valentine’s-themed. Browse the open studios, chat with artists, go on a heart-themed scavenger hunt, hear live music, and enjoy refreshments. And, aww, the first 300 guests tonight will receive a flower. 6 PM; free. Get more Valentine’s ideas for art lovers with our date itinerary.

Do you Twitter? (And if you do, you should totally be following The Washingtonian on Twitter.) If you’re a fan of the pithy Web-based messaging network, head to the DC Twestival tonight at Local 16. This social meetup of area Twitterers (and anybody else who wants to come) is being held to raise money for Charity Water, a group bringing potable water to developing nations. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. 7 PM.

Vegan? Or thinking about going that way? You might want to head to the Science Club tonight for the monthly meeting held by DC Vegan Drinks, a group “interested in sharing veganism and advocating for animal rights.” 7 PM; more details are on the group’s Facebook page.

Friday, February 13: If you haven’t seen all of the Oscar-nominated films yet, you can do a bit of catching up tonight at the National Geographic Society’s Grosvenor Auditorium, where the nominated foreign-language films will be shown tonight through February 15. Tonight it’s The Baader Meinhof Complex from Germany. A single movie is $8; the full series is $35. Get tickets here.

Make it a night on H Street; there are several great events going on tonight on this stretch of nightlife spots in Northeast DC, including the Pug’s second birthday. The low-key pub is one of our favorite bars in the area, and there will be lots of drink specials and fun. Or you could head down to Jimmy Valentine’s Lonely Hearts Club ~~for its free Friday the 13th DJ night~~. UPDATE: Jimmy Valentine's event has been postponed. Or how about a concert at the Rock & Roll Hotel? A few great local bands—Imperial China, New Rock Church of Fire, and the Sentiment—will be rocking out. $10; 9 PM.

Who says Friday the 13th is unlucky? An evening of chocolate sounds pretty great to us, and that’s what you’ll get if you head to the Chocolate Decadence event at the Ritz-Carlton in DC’s West End. For $35, you’ll get to taste a variety of, well, decadent chocolates. Seatings are at 6, 9, and 10. Call 202-835-0500 for more information and to reserve a spot.

Saturday, February 14: Duh, it’s Valentine’s Day. We’ve got a lot to help you plan your day. Check it out:
• Which Restaurants Still Have Valentine’s Day Tables
• A Girls’ Valentine’s Day Out
• Valentine’s Day Parties and Events
• Singles Events
• Romantic Restaurants
• Date Itineraries
•And our chock-full-of-goodness Valentine’s Day Guide

The tenth annual Washington, DC International Wine & Food Festival is this weekend. The event includes 600 wines to sample from 150 wineries, a Grand Cru wine lounge, and demonstrations by chefs including former Hook chef Barton Seaver and Patrice Olivon of L’Academie de Cuisine. PBS chefs Martin Yan (Martin Yan’s China) and Christina Pirello (Christina Cooks) will also attend. The festival runs from 2 to 6 both days and costs $85 per single day and $140 per two-day ticket. It will be held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. For tickets, call 800-343-1174 or visit wine-expos.com.

Local singer/songwriter Benjy Ferree will perform (for free!) at Crooked Beat Records in Adams Morgan at 7 PM.

Sunday, February 15: The National Museum of the American Indian hosts a two-day Power of Chocolate festival, starting Saturday the 14th. The event includes performances by Peruvian scissor dancers, demonstrations by Guatemalan gourd artists, and talks with Bolivian cacao growers. The program goes from 10:30 to 4:30 both days. For additional information, visit americanindian.si.edu.

NASCAR fan? Then head to Porter’s Dining Saloon this afternoon for a Daytona 500 viewing party. Wear “redneck” garb (we’re not sure exactly what counts as redneck gear, though) and there will be drink specials and prizes. 3 PM; free.