The four-day Inauguration Weekend in DC will be a time for artists to celebrate and share. These events and exhibits are free or cheap.
(Check back frequently for updates)
Update: For college students only — “Refresh the World Symposium,” January 19th, with Spike Lee, Queen Latifah and refreshing media celebs like Rev. Al Sharpton. Howard University’s Cramton Audiorium (2455 Sixth Street, NW). Tickets are free to students at the Cramton box office (202-806-7914). This is presented by Spike Lee, Howard University and “the Pause that Refreshes,” PepsiCo. Dress pretty; you just know Spike will shoot this for a Pepsi commecial [more on this event here].
The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities lists some events here.
King Holiday Jazz Jam Session, Rankin Memorial Chapel, Howard University. January 19th, noon to 10PM. Free; a remarkable event. Details here.
The Kennedy Center has a free concert with Aretha and friends at 6PM on January 19th but you need to get tickets in person. The distribution starts at 4PM, the line forms earlier outdoors, on the south side of the Center, adjacent to the South Plaza (wear your woolies). Other free weekend KenCen events are listed here.
SPIN.com has a concert list
Stop by Zenith Gallery (413 7th Street NW ) and see the Inaugural Inspiration show.
Westminster Presbyterian Church (400 I Street SW ) celebrates a decade of Jazz Night in Southwest, 6PM t0 9PM January 16th. 5 bucks. 10 years.
Opening Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial is 2:30 PM onJanuary 19th.Free. Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Bono, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Herbie Hancock, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Usher, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, will.i.am, Stevie Wonder, more. Details here. (wear your woolies).
ManifestHopeDC (3333 M Street, N.W., Georgetown). This is BIG. 100 artists. 10AM to 6PM January 16th though 19th.
Don’t forget the Smithsonian. It’s free. Of Note: The National Museum of the Amerrican Indian offers the free Out of Many: A Multicultural Festival of Music, Dance, and Story from January 17th through 19th.
And don’t forget the Blues. Westminster Presbyterian Church (400 I Street SW ) presents Inaugural Blues. 6PM to 9PM on January 19th. Can’t beat it for 5 bucks.
January 16, 2009 at 5:42 am
I’m getting ominous alerts from Continental Airlines and FedEx with no flights and no deliveries into the area. I fondly remember driving to DC for the first official MLK day and the AME church where we heard Coretta Scott King speak.
We’re off to LA for a long-planned family reunion, but I plan to see the inauguration on television. If you see it in person, please let us know your review and comments. Thanks, Dee
January 16, 2009 at 8:39 am
Dee: As is my habit, I will go to a few MLK events on Monday, but
we plan to watch the Inauguration with neighbors in the warmth and comfort of a Hill bar. I’m not a big fan of the cold or crowds, Metro is not up to moving this many people, and I have no illusions about the efficiency of crowd control techniques.
Special events people are preparing for this as if it were a hurricane, which speaks as much to the aspects of uncertainty as to the magnitude of the event.
People who don’t live here don’t realize that this is similar to what goes on here every weekend. It is just larger. Drive in from the Virginia suburbs on weekends and electronic signs on the Potomac bridges read: “CAUTION — DOWNTOWN EVENTS — EXPECT DELAYS.” There are marathons, fun runs, festivals, marches, demonstrations, exhibitions, and pointless protests (“Mothers Against Bad Stuff”). There are costs involved in being a Ceremonial Center. The Feds do not reimburse District government for the financial ones; the cost to residents in time and inconvenience has increased since fear mongers started to cash in by selling useless so-called security measures.
Have a good weekend, and don’t be surprised if this comment ends up as a blog post.