The DC Lineup for this weekend: The first weekend of spring

This weekend, March 22 to 24, is full of ways to get out and enjoy the arrival of spring. Outdoor options include a historic walking tour and park cleanup. A wine and art class as well as local jazz are on the list for those looking for a smooth transition from winter. Seasonal activities celebrating culture and history — plus a comedy show and ceremony for a renovated library, both of which just might inspire you to start spring cleaning — also made the cut.

The weather forecast predicts clouds and wind throughout the weekend, with gusts up to 22 mph. Temperatures will range from 33 to 61 degrees.

The National Park Service is keeping watch on the cherry blossoms and reports that they reached the “florets visible” stage on March 17, and you can join the fun by taking part in the DC Department of Parks and Recreation’s cherry blossom photo contest on Instagram through March 30. The challenge is for photographers to document cherry blossoms in areas of the city other than the Tidal Basin for a chance to have their photo displayed in a gallery wall at one of the department’s facilities.

1. Local Art: Join Capitol Hill Arts Workshop for its first-ever Clay and Cabernet class led by local ceramics teacher Rebecca Bock. The $30 registration fee includes a glass or two of cabernet plus a ceramics lesson on Friday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 545 7th St. SE. Proceeds benefit the organization’s tuition assistance fund, and your artwork will be added to the studio’s collection.

2. Local Music: DC Jazz Jam joins the Washington Women in Jazz Festival for the eighth year in a row for an evening jam session on Sunday. The all-female trio will feature Nicole Saphos, Angel Bethea and festival founder Amy Bormet. This free show takes place in the heart of the historic U Street jazz corridor at Brixton, 901 U St. NW, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. to celebrate music that brings the local community together. To get an idea of what to expect, you can listen to music on the SoundCloud pages of Washington Women in Jazz Festival and DC Jazz Jam. The festival will continue through March 31 with events in DC and elsewhere; DC Jazz Jam hosts a weekly session each Sunday at Brixton.

3. Ward 5 Neighborhoods: Learn the story behind the national historic landmark McMillan Park and its connection to Bloomingdale on a walking tour guided by neighborhood historian Paul Cerruti on Saturday at 9 a.m. Organized by the citizens activist group known as Friends of McMillan, the two- to three-hour walk will start in the triangle park across from Big Bear Cafe, at the intersection of 1st and R streets NW. Light beverages will be served, and photos and greeting cards featuring McMillan Park will be available for purchase. This is the first of several neighborhood tours envisioned for 2019; details on the additional tours are to be determined. Register by emailing restoremcmillan@gmail.com or call 202-213-2690 and ask for Kirby. The price to attend is a suggested donation of $20 beforehand, or $25 on the day of the tour; proceeds will go toward Friends of McMillan Park’s efforts to block site demolition as part of planned redevelopment. (There’s another tour of Bloomingdale planned for Sunday, April 14, led by historian Sarah Shoenfeld of Prologue DC with a focus on spots associated with the legal campaign against racially restrictive deed covenants; to register, click here.)

4. Ward 7 Neighborhoods: The DC Department of Parks and Recreation is kicking off spring with a beautification day at Marvin Gaye Park. Meet at the Division Avenue and Foote Street NE corner of the park anytime from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday to clean up trails and creek banks with fellow volunteers. Refreshments and cleaning supplies will be provided. Register online.

5. Culture: Learn to make a tiara from former cherry blossom princesses at Japanese Culture Day, sponsored by the Library of Congress, the Japan-America Society of Washington DC and the National Conference of State Societies. Reading, writing and craft-making activities will showcase Japanese culture, along with books related to Japan exhibited throughout the library. Other festivities include drum music by Rodd Chin and his students; dance by Satoko Kajima Best; origami lessons; coloring; kimono dress-up; and “Japan-In-A-Suitcase,” a special program geared toward teaching school-age children about Japanese life and culture. The event is free and open to all ages from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Young Readers Center, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, 10 1st St. SE.

6. History: Saturday is a Women’s History Celebration at the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum, 1776 D St. NW, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. As we near the end of Women’s History Month, spend the day exploring the museum’s collection to learn about famous female figures in American history. From noon to 1 p.m., watch a special preview performance of 19: The Musical, which is a story about Alice Paul, Ida B. Wells, Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt and others who fought for passage of the 19th Amendment to give women the right to vote. More activities like crafts, games and music will take place throughout the day. The event is open to all ages and is free. (This event was listed prematurely in a prior edition of The DC Lineup.)

7. Ward 7 Neighborhoods: Enjoy reading with an upgraded view from the expanded windows at the renovated Capitol View Library, 5001 Central Ave. SE, which opens on Saturday at 11 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and community day. Other updates include a brand-new exterior facade, a revitalized entrance and a fresh collection of public art. The interior was redesigned in 2017 with improvements to the computers, carpet, furniture, fixtures, study spaces, and the building’s heating, air conditioning and electrical systems. These most recent developments complete a full renovation of the building.

8. Local Comedy: Get inspiration for spring cleaning with “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Comedy Show,” a comedic take on Japanese organizing consultant Marie Kondo (also known as KonMari) and her world-famous recommendations for decluttering. DC stand-up comics will share their own KonMari moments and get the audience involved with clothing-folding competitions. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday for seating, with the show set to start at 8 p.m. at Solid State Books, 600 H St. NE. Tickets available for $6 online offer a guaranteed seat; once those run out, the event will be standing room only. Solid State Books will keep its bookshop and bar open throughout the performance.

9. Culture: The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Cherry Blossom Celebration is on Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The festivities showcase Japanese culture to honor the gift of 3,000 cherry trees that the mayor of Tokyo gave the District in 1912 and the lasting friendship between the two countries. The schedule includes taiko (percussion instruments) drumming, face painting, cherry blossom-themed crafts, kite decorating, a spring-themed art hunt, and Japanese music with a koto (stringed instrument) and shakuhachi (flute). There’s also a DJ set planned with Japanese soul, funk, boogie, pop and disco tunes. The event is free and open to all ages in the museum’s Kogod Courtyard, 8th and F streets NW.

10. Spirituality: Celebrate the coming of spring with Holi, an ancient Hindu festival. “Bollywood Karma — Holi in DC” takes place Saturday night at Karma DC, a nightclub and live music venue at 2221 Adams Place NE. Festivities start with a colors party from 8 to 10 p.m. and continue with a glow party until around 3 a.m. Enjoy Bollywood and international music, live dholi (drummers), hookah and more, all presented by Band Baaja Entertainment. Tickets start at $20.

This post has been updated to clarify that the April 14 walking tour of Bloomingdale is not part of the Friends of McMillan Park’s series of neighborhood tours.