The DC Lineup for this weekend: poetry, prayer and painted pumpkins

Learning opportunities abound in this edition of The DC Lineup, covering Oct. 23 to 25.

With just 10 days until the Nov. 3 election, please remember to find a convenient vote center or mail-in-ballot drop box location on the DC Board of Elections’ website.

The weather is predicted to be cloudy on Friday and Sunday, with thunderstorms on Sunday, according to the forecast. Temperatures are expected to range from 52 to 76 degrees.

1. Literature: The DC Public Library is highlighting local literary figures as part of its weekend workshop “Writing Race: Confronting Racism and Celebrating Writers of Color.” On Friday at 7 p.m., the program “Triggers and Smoke: A Spoken Word Reading on Race” features members of Capturing Fire, the International Queer Spoken Word Slam. DC poet Reggie Cabico will lead a discussion with poets Micah Powell, Mia S. Willis and Farah C. Yamini about racial microaggressions, cultural appropriation, hate and assault. Poets will also read from their work. On Saturday at 11 a.m., Howard University professor Tricia Elam Walker will read from her children’s book Nana Akua Goes to School, which celebrates sharing cultural histories. At 1 p.m., co-authors Matthew Horace and Ron Harris will discuss The Black and the Blue, about racial injustice in law enforcement. At 2:30 p.m., staff from the District’s Mosaic Theater Company will host a playwriting workshop about “creating theater about and by DC residents” to document identity and history, according to the event description. Cabico will close out the weekend schedule at 3:30 p.m. with a poetry workshop that focuses on identity, as well as poetry as a form of solace during the pandemic.

2. Community: The COVID-19 U.S. Honor Quilt is a Virginia-based initiative that pays tribute to front-line workers and those who have been impacted by the novel coronavirus with a community-created quilt made of 10-by-10-inch square panels. This weekend, a portion of the project will be displayed at the Lincoln Memorial as part of HOPE for America: Honor Weekend. The word “HOPE” will be spelled with 8-foot letters made up of hundreds of quilt panels from around the world. A “Sunset Honor Tribute” takes place on Friday starting at 6 p.m. with live music, special guest appearances, a talk by project founder Diane Canney, and a moment of thanks at 7 p.m. To mark the more than 220,000 lives lost in the United States to the coronavirus, 220 candles will be set up alongside the word “HOPE.” The tribute will be streamed on Facebook Live. A “Day of Reflection” on Saturday starts at 2 p.m. at the Jefferson Memorial, where the “HOPE” display will be moved for photo opportunities. Another vigil and tribute will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. The weekend concludes with a “Day of Prayer” on Sunday, back at the Lincoln Memorial. The public is invited to make panels for the quilt and to take part in tribute and prayer until sunset.

3. Literature: The used bookstore Carpe Librum is setting up shop in the parking lot of the Chase Bank in Georgetown at Wisconsin Avenue and P Street NW. The outdoor book sale will raise funds for Turning the Page, a DC nonprofit dedicated to helping area students succeed in public schools. Masks and social distancing are required. Cash is not accepted. The pop-up takes place on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

4. Seasonal Events: The seventh annual Pumpkins in the Park is a socially distanced pumpkin patch that not only allows attendees to pick their own seasonal squash but also raises money for the Van Ness Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization. Tickets cost $20 and include a free warm drink from Slipstream plus custom pumpkin painting by Painted Palettes. Designs feature fall-related themes like the phrase “Eat, Drink, & Be Scary.” The event, organized by the Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District, happens this Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. on the north block of Washington Canal Park, 200 M St. SE. 

5. Nature: The DC-based organization EcoLatinos engages Latino communities of the Chesapeake Bay region to encourage social and environmental justice. This Saturday, the group is hosting the fifth annual Festival del Rio Anacostia virtually from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Facebook Live. The bilingual program celebrates Hispanic culture while educating participants about the Anacostia River and environmental conservation. Prerecorded activities will be used during this year’s virtual event. Register online to receive more information.

6. Education: The brand-new Planet Word museum opened Oct. 22, with online programs now available to the public. Timed-entry passes to the museum are sold out for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but will be available again next week. In the meantime, digital resources like a virtual field trip and educational workshops are accessible online. Housed at the historic Franklin School, 925 13th St. NW, the institution celebrates language with educational programming and exhibitions. Admission is free, and visiting hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. 

7. Arts: Addison/Ripley Fine Art in the Book Hill area of Georgetown is hosting a kickoff event on Saturday from 1 to 7 p.m. for Tom Meyer’s recently opened exhibition of new paintings, Seeing in the Dark. Face masks are mandatory and, to limit crowds, reservations are required for a 30-minute appointment to enter the gallery, located at 1670 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Addison/Ripley offers 40-minute slots Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment. Meyer will be on site throughout Saturday’s event and available for Saturday appointments at the gallery until the exhibition ends on Dec. 5.

8. Literature: The Friends of the Mount Pleasant Library group is joining with Lost City Books and Joint Custody DC to produce a DC Puzzle Swap, during which attendees are invited to bring a jigsaw puzzle to give away and to peruse the selection for one to take home. The gathering takes place on Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. at 3210 Mount Pleasant St. NW on the plaza where the Mount Pleasant Farmers’ Market typically takes place. Masks and social distancing are required.

9. Arts: The National Theatre is celebrating the 40th anniversary season of Saturday Morning Live! At The National with a free online version of the popular children’s program. This Saturday, educator and performer Paige Hernandez will present “Paige and Friends! — Creating Outside the Box,” a performance to encourage participants to try new things to spark creativity. Geared toward ages 4 to 10, the events take place on Facebook at 9:30 a.m. Hernandez will lead “Dreaming of the Future” on Nov. 7, and an episode on “Collaboration and Self Care” is available on demand. Storyteller, poet and musician David Gonzalez is the next performer on the schedule, with episodes on Nov. 21, Dec. 5 and Dec. 19.

10. Seasonal Events: Profs and Pints is hosting two Halloween-themed discussions this weekend. On Friday, “The Horror Within” examines the psychological disorders of movie monsters like Freddy Krueger, whose character was inspired by a sleep disorder. Brian A. Sharpless, a clinical psychologist and an associate professor at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, will lead the talk. On Sunday, “The War on Warlocks” delves into the hunt for male witches in early modern France. Thomas Rushford, a history professor at Northern Virginia Community College who studies witch trials and has mapped out patterns among witch hunts throughout early modern Europe, will speak. Both events run from 7 to 9 p.m.; tickets for each cost $12. A recording of Sunday’s talk will also be available afterward.