The DC Lineup for this weekend: history, handmade valentines and hot tea

February is getting off to a festive start in DC, with a number of events over the next few days tied to special observances like Black History Month, Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New Year. Art markets, local history and the Democratic debates are other themes throughout this weekend, Feb. 7 to 9.

It will be a chilly but mostly sunny weekend, according to the forecast, as Friday morning’s rain and wind clear out to make way for a partly cloudy afternoon followed by two days of plentiful sunshine. Temperatures should range from 31 to 49 degrees.

1. Politics: The Busboys and Poets at 450 K St. NW is hosting a gathering to view the eighth Democratic presidential primary debate on Friday from 8 to 10 p.m. Ward 6 DC Council member Charles Allen is scheduled to attend. RSVPs and donations are encouraged online, with proceeds supporting the DC Democratic Party, which is co-hosting the event. … The Woman’s National Democratic Club is another place to watch Friday’s debate. Its Democratic Primary Debate Watch Party takes place from 8 to 11 p.m. at the Whittemore House, 1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW. The program is free to attend and will include debate bingo.

2. History: The National Park Service is hosting a series of events in February to celebrate Black History Month. Saturday’s activities include “Program in the Parlor,” featuring a piano concert from the DC Strings Workshop followed by a discussion on “Carter G. Woodson: History, the Black Press, and Public Relations.” In his talk, West Virginia-based historian and author Burnis R. Morris discusses the evolution from Negro History Week to Black History Month and explores Woodson’s role in leveraging the press to incorporate African American achievements into the broad narrative of U.S. history. The hourlong talk starts at 2 p.m. in the historic parlor of the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House, 1318 Vermont Ave. NW. A ranger-led tour of the site follows the program. The events are free to attend, but reservations are requested by calling 202-426-5961 or emailing bethuneNHS@nps.gov. Other weekend programs will continue throughout February at the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House.

3. Local Arts: Dupont Underground is launching a new weekly art market Art Rave Underground this Sunday. Over 50 vendors will be on site, including painters, sculptors, fashion designers and wood workers. The free marketplace is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 19 Dupont Circle NW, and will continue every Sunday through April 12. According to DCist, this venture is an effort to galvanize support for the underground arts space since its lease with the city is due to end in April and officials have rebuffed the idea of an extension.

4. History: Undergraduates in a history class have curated an exhibit at The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum. “George Washington and His World” uses letters, prints and artifacts to explore the life of the founding father, including his ties to Mount Vernon and Alexandria. The program is organized with the Albert H. Small Center for National Capital Area Studies, and students collaborated with the curator of the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection. The exhibit officially opens to the public on Saturday and will close on July 26. A preview takes place Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. with gallery talks by the student curators as well as refreshments. The museum is located at 701 21st St. NW.

5. Social Causes: The Dupont Social Club’s “Valentine’s Is a Drag” dinner and performance night will raise money for Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders (SMYAL), an organization that serves LGBTQ youth in the District and provides leadership training. Ticket prices range from $20 to $1,000, with donor appreciation and recognition offered at the highest price points. The fundraiser takes place Saturday at The Duplex Diner, 2004 18th St. NW, with shows at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. All performance tips will also be donated to SMYAL

6. Crafts: The National Postal Museum hosts its annual Valentine’s Day Card Workshop on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees will create handmade valentines with supplies provided by the museum. The event is free and open to all ages. It takes place in the atrium of the Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE.

7. Recreation: The DC Running Club presents Cupid’s Single Mingle Run, a Valentine’s Day-themed 5K that raises money for the American Heart Association. Registration costs $30 per person. Participants pick up bibs at 11 a.m. along the C&O Canal Towpath in Georgetown at 3700 Water St. NW. The race starts at noon, followed by brunch at Tony & Joe’s.

8. Art: A panel discussion Saturday will explore select works by African American artists in the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection, featuring three DC-based art advocates as speakers: lawyer and art consultant Schwanda Rountree plus local art collectors Mel and Juanita Hardy. The program, “A Closer Look at African American Artists in SAAM’s Collection,” takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. in the McEvoy Auditorium at the museum, located at 800 G St. NW. The event is part of a series called “A Closer Look,” supported by the Thelma and Melvin Lenkin Education Endowment.

9. Culture: This Saturday is the Lantern Festival, a Chinese tradition marking the 15th and final day of the Lunar New Year celebrations. To celebrate the occasion, a new Chinese tea shop in Dupont Circle, Valley Brook, is hosting a free community gathering on Friday night in partnership with the Confucius Institute U.S. Center. Headquartered in Fujian and Virginia, Valley Brook works with tea masters who have decades of experience with traditional techniques to make the company’s teas. The festival will share Chinese tea culture with fun activities, food and, of course, tea. Friday’s event takes place at Valley Brook’s new shop at 2101 P St. NW from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

10. Holiday Festival: Lisa Marie Thalhammer, the DC-based artist who painted the LOVE mural in Shaw’s historic Blagden Alley, is hosting a series of events this weekend for Valentine’s Day at The Cheshire in Adams Morgan. Thalhammer’s original paintings, drawings, prints, posters and cards will be on display in the gallery, which is open Friday from 3 to 10 p.m., Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. On Saturday there’s also a LOVE Party starting at 7 p.m; tickets cost $10 online and $20 at the door. On Sunday, a donation-based LOVE Yourself Wellness Day will include gentle yoga, pranayama breathing and meditation starting at 3 p.m. All events are held at The Cheshire, 2412 18th St. NW, Suite R. Capacity is limited, so reservations are required for the two events (the gallery itself will be open and free to enter during its allotted hours).