Across Downtown, Hoofing It for Art

By lavanya ramanathan
Thursday, September 13, 2007

Saturday marks the return of Arts on Foot, a "street festival" so curious that it invites you indoors to experience Washington's theaters and galleries and sets up booths outdoors so that you might sip your wine on a major thoroughfare.

This year, chefs from Penn Quarter's nicest restaurants cook in the streets, and you can visit a rare show of African American art, see movies and, yes, taste wine. And if you hit the right spots, it can all make for a great day date (if you've got one; if not, grab five friends). Some of the offerings and where to find them:

? The street festival central to Arts on Foot features a juried market with work by more than 70 artists, food samples (cost: about $1-$3) from 30 of the area's restaurants (such as Butterfield 9, Austin Grill and Jaleo), the "Cooking as Art" chef demonstration (Rosa Mexicano's James Muir and many others take part) and that aforementioned wine tent, new this year (admission is $5). Find it all just outside the American Art Museum at Eighth and F streets NW.

? For fine art, put your money on the "Freedom Place Collection" show at Zenith Gallery. Plucked from the collection of Stuart Marshall Bloch and Julia Chang Bloch, the show features five African American artists including the late painter and collage artist Romare Bearden (whose own career blossomed after a 1944 solo show, fittingly, in Washington). 413 Seventh St. NW (at D Street). 202-783-2963. (Other spots for seeing art Saturday are Touchstone Gallery, Civilian Art Projects and the new Carroll Square Gallery.)

? For families, the D. C. Shorts Film Festival presents funny family sho rts, including "Chinese Dumpling," about sisters fed up with violin lessons, and "The Planning Lady," about a guidance counselor's pressure sale on a 7-year-old. Free (but get tickets beginning at 11 at the D.C. Shorts Pavilion, Eighth and F streets). 1 p.m. at Landmark's E Street Cinema. 555 11th St. NW (at E Street).

? Other must-sees: The Shakespeare Theatre Company celebrates its new Sidney Harman Hall space at 610 F St. NW. 202-547-1122. The screening of the Jay-Z film documentary for teens, "Fade to Black," at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Noon-1:50 p.m. Young Adult Reading Room 110, 901 G St. NW (at Ninth Street). 202-727-5535.

The festival runs from Fourth to 14th streets between Pennsylvania Avenue and L Street NW. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. For a full schedule, visit http://www.artsonfoot.org. For information, call 202-482-7271.

SAVE THE DATE

ON STAGE A Second Chance to see "My Trip to Al-Qaeda" There were supposed to be only three local shows of this production by best-selling author and journalist Lawrence Wright, who turned his Pulitzer Prize-winning book "The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11" into a staged piece. Of course, those tickets were snapped up, but the Kennedy Center has added a fourth show Sept. 26. Tickets just went on sale. $35. 7:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, 2700 F St. NW. 202-467-4600.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Full Moon Hikes at the Arboretum These spirited five-mile hikes, guided by an Arboretum staffer, take walkers through the urban oasis by moonlight, when the wildlife that is really worth seeing is out. The treks are so popular that the first events of the season are already sold out. But you can join the next hike, on Nov. 23, if you register ASAP. $19 (no children younger than 16); members, $15. 3501 New York Ave. NE. 202-245-4521.

CONCERT The Police It's the reunion tour that doesn't seem to end: Sting, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland have been back together for about four months now, playing, among other venues, the Virgin Festival. For those who weren't keen on waiting through 20-odd acts to see the Police play the headlining set, the band returns Nov. 5 for a 7:30 p.m. show at Verizon Center. Fan club members have already had their pick of tickets, but the general public can start buying tomorrow at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster. $53-$228. 601 F St. NW. 202-397-7328.

FOR FAMILIES The Big Apple Circus Returns This old-timey New York circus act debuts a new show, "Celebrate," at Dulles Town Center this year. The acts include equestrian performances (if animal acts aren't your thing, take note), Russian and Irish acrobatic troupes and even an "enchanting exotic beauty of Bollywood" with hula hoops, who comes from, of all places, Russia (hey, it's the circus. No one said it was intellectual). $16-$50. Various times Sept. 20-Oct. 8. 21100 Dulles Town Circle, Dulles. 202-397-7328, or for information, 800-922-3772.

THE DISTRICT

Today

FILM Dizzy on Film In addition to its musical offerings, the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival's tribute to Dizzy Gillespie includes a film screening at the Library of Congress. The program features selections from four films and television programs that capture Gillespie's performances and contributions to jazz. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion. Free. 7 p.m. Mary Pickford Theater, 101 Independence Ave. SE. 202-707-5677.

Tomorrow

FILM Calling All Space Buffs"In the Shadow of the Moon" is a documentary that doesn't have the ambition of changing the climate, or health care or your fast-food eating habits. It merely tries to piece together the story of America's voyage to the moon through interviews with 10 astronauts who traveled there with the Apollo program between 1968 and 1972 (not to mention others), and through NASA footage, some of it never seen before. The warmly spirited flick, directed by Brit David Sington, won one of the documentary audience awards at Sundance last winter. It opens tomorrow at the E Street Cinema (and the Bethesda Row Cinema). $6.75-$9.50. 2:30, 5, 7:30 and 9:55 tomorrow, various times after that. 555 11th St. NW. 202-452-7672.

Saturday

EXHIBIT Portraiture, With a Twist Chuck Close's cleverly conceived works play with the whole idea of the portrait, turning daguerreotypes into large-scale weavings. Among the celebs who got the tapestry treatment in his new show at Adamson Gallery (besides Close himself): art star Cindy Sherman and supermodel Kate Moss. Other works include "portraits" of flora and a photo of an artist that was made to reflect her artistic style. The show opens Saturday, and that's a great time to go, because the gallery will host a reception from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Free. Through Oct. 20. 1515 14th St. NW. 202-232-0707.

MARYLAND

Today

CLOSING "Lawrence of Arabia" The AFI's extended screenings of this Oscar-winning 1962 movie -- 227 minutes of restored 70mm glory -- end today. The movie follows an imperfect officer, young T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole), as he leads Arabs in their battle against the Turks. $6.75-$9.75. Today at 3 and 7:15 p.m. 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. 301-495-6720.

Tomorrow

FESTIVALS The Great Frederick Fair The 145th installment of this agricultural fest opens at the Frederick County Fairgrounds with cows and kids' events, carnival rides, potato sack races and concerts, including Gretchen Wilson on Saturday (tickets are separately priced). $5 (discounts available for children and seniors; ride packages are also available, including a $60 four-admissions-plus-rides deal. Visit http://www.thegreatfrederickfair.com). Through Sept. 22. Frederick County Fairgrounds, 797 E. Patrick St., Frederick. 301-663-5895.

Saturday

FESTIVALS Maryland Wine Festival This annual event, probably Maryland's biggest celebration of its wine industry (oh, yes, there is an industry), returns with its amateur wine competition (the wines have been known to feature such curious ingredients as violets and parsnips), plus wine seminars and entertainment, including New Orleans Mardi Gras band the Junkyard Saints and the a cappella group Almost Recess. $20 includes samples and a wine glass; ages 7-20, $5; 6 and younger, free. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday (the amateur wine competition is Sunday). Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 S. Center St., Westminster, Md. 410-386-3880.

NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Today

ON STAGE The Cabaret Show: Lost Songs of Broadway Signature Theatre just kicked off its new season of shows that re-create the nightclub vibe with cabaret performances and drink service, and the first show is "The Lost Songs of Broadway," a quirky collection of show tunes you've probably never heard by songwriters you definitely know -- likely because the selections were gems buried in lesser-known musicals (and yes, even flops). The songs, by Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael and George and Ira Gershwin, among others, come mostly from the 1920s to the 1940s. $28. Tonight at 8:30, tomorrow and Saturday at 7 and 9 p.m. The Ark at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. 202-397-7328 or get tickets at the door, 703-820-9771.

CONCERT Jon Rauhouse, Pedaling Forward Rauhouse is a longtime multi-instrumentalist (pedal steel, Hawaiian guitar and banjo) who received a bit of a bump in social station when he began touring as part of indie darling Neko Case's band. He comes to Iota on his own tonight. Opener: the Starlingtons. $10. 9 p.m. Iota Club & Cafe, 2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. 703-522-8340.

Saturday

FESTIVALS Starbucks Coffee Festival The coffee chain continues to expand its grip on the entertainment industry, branching out from mere album pushing to actually throwing festivals. (We shudder.) But Saturday, if you're in Virginia, you may as well at least grab a cup of coffee or seven when the Starbucks fest moves into Reston Town Center. The highlight is that the mega-chain managed to book thrilling (and rising) Cali band Ozomatli, the subject of, like, ridiculous raves (our own pop music critic, J. Freedom du Lac, recently called the cumbia/Latin rock/hip-hop act "an absolute tour de force onstage -- capable of getting even the most jaded people to join in the drum-line madness.") The band plays at 3 p.m. Free. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (Tasting tickets are distributed at 11 a.m.) 11900 Market St., Reston. http://www.starbuckscoffeefestival.com.