The DC Lineup for this weekend: words, war memorials and a warehouse

Veterans Day weekend in the District includes a free event just for the area’s veterans, a recreational run/walk past war memorials and a tour focused on a local family’s wartime history. Also on the docket are a festival where kids can get free books, a food history celebration, classical music concerts, an open mic night and a film fest. And if you’re ready to start your holiday shopping, a Christmas market and an open studio event with local artists can help you fill your gift bags early.

The current weather report for Nov. 8 to 10 calls for partly cloudy conditions throughout the weekend, with temperatures ranging from 28 to 59 degrees. For those who have a three-day weekend for the holiday, Monday should still be partly cloudy but a bit warmer, with temperatures between 43 and 62 degrees, according to the forecast.

1. Tribute Festival: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs presents Celebration for the Veterans, a free event for Washington area veterans on Saturday. The program includes stories from veterans, a complimentary buffet and information about the department’s services. Reservations are required; veterans, who must provide proof of their status, may bring one guest each. The gathering takes place from noon to 4 p.m. at the Washington DC VA Medical Center, which provides health care services to veterans. The center is located at 50 Irving St. NW. 

2. History: In honor of Veterans Day, Tudor Place is organizing Generations of Service Tours, which highlight stories and artifacts from six generations of the Peter family in wartime. The historic Georgetown estate houses the collections of the Peter family, who maintained the property from 1805 — when the land was purchased by Thomas Peter, son of Georgetown’s founding mayor — to 1983. A display includes images from both world wars as well as wartime perspectives from both abroad and at home. Tours run from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday and last about 45 minutes each. Military families and veterans may enter for free; all other visitors must register with a suggested donation of $5 to $10.

3. Literature: For Love of Children promotes reading and literacy with its 13th annual Book Festival on Friday. The fest, sponsored by JBG Smith, permits kids in first grade through high school to select books to take home — free of charge. In past years, the group has handed out more than 1,500 books. Activities are planned throughout the evening and include a reading by Heather Burris, author of Hair Like Me. The event takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. at the group’s headquarters, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Online registration is required.

4. Recreation: Pacers Running pays homage to veterans with a Veterans Day 10K and Tidal Basin Fun Walk. The routes, which traverse East and West Potomac Parks, intentionally include views of war memorials in remembrance of those who served our country. The run starts at 8 a.m. on Sunday followed by the walk at 8:15 a.m. Registration through race day costs $45 for the run and $20 for the walk. District-based coffee company Lost Sock Roasters, one of the event partners, will be on site with free coffee for participants.

5. History: The Smithsonian’s fifth annual Food History Weekend celebrates “Power Through Food” with cooking demonstrations, hands-on learning activities, dialogues and film screenings. A marketplace will focus on DC’s food communities, including efforts to foster food equity and eliminate food deserts. Activities take place at the National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Ave. NW; most are free. One of three ticketed events — “The Last Call: Brewing History After-Hours” on Friday evening — gives visitors access to the exhibition FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950–2000 plus a chance to hear from trailblazers in the craft beer industry. This $45 event highlights the “Brewing a Revolution” portion of the exhibit, which showcases brewing history in America. Experts from various sectors of the food industry, including food innovators, chefs, scholars and entrepreneurs, will be on site to engage with visitors. This year’s Food History Weekend centers on migrant and refugee women and organizations, and on how food enterprises contribute to sustainable livelihoods and communities. For those who aren’t able to make it this weekend, the recently updated FOOD exhibit is open year-round.

6. Music: The Beau Soir Ensemble — an all-female, DC-based flute, viola and harp trio that won the 2014 Montpelier Arts Recital Competition — performs on Friday as part of the Middle C Music concert series at Citizen Heights, 4100 River Road NW. A donation of $15 per person is suggested. … On Saturday, DC’s Different Drummers Symphonic Band — a musical ensemble that welcomes LGBTQ+ musicians — presents “For the Children.” The concert pays tribute to childhood and promotes hope for the future of the LGBTQ+ community in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the 1969 riots at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village. The performance starts at 7 p.m. at the Church of the Epiphany, 1317 G St. NW. Tickets cost $25 for the general public and $15 for students and seniors. … The Washington National Cathedral will host the National Tribute Concert to Veterans on Sunday at 7 p.m. with performances from the Washington National Cathedral Choir and “The President’s Own” United States Marine Chamber Orchestra. The performance is free, with preferred seating available for veterans and active-duty military personnel on a first-come, first-served basis.

7. Art: Off the Beaten Track Warehouse opens its doors to the public on Saturday for Fall Open Studios. Visitors can meet local artists in their studios and see how they work — plus get started early on holiday shopping with a marketplace of locally made goods. Participants include Grey Moggie Press, Regina Miele Fine Art and Deborah Grayson Studios. The event runs from 1 to 7 p.m. at the warehouse, 2414 Douglas St. NE.

8. Film: The Current Movements Film Festival wraps up this weekend, featuring documentary films about social movements focused on issues like democracy, housing and transgender rights. The six-day fest features a screening of The Battle for Trans Rights on Friday and concludes on Saturday. In addition to multiple film screenings, Saturday’s schedule includes healing workshops featuring meditation and body, sound and energy work plus a closing party with DC-based DJ Cleveland Browne, free food and live screen printing. One-day ticket prices are on a sliding scale from $5 to $20 for Friday and from $20 to $125 for Saturday. The events take place on Friday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. at Eaton DC, 1201 K St. NW.

9. Performing Arts: The Muslim Writers Collective‘s DC chapter regularly brings poets, musicians and storytellers together at open mics. This Friday’s event is themed “Fall and Rise.” Performers must sign up online and will present on a first-come, first-served basis the night of the event (late arrivals will forfeit their spot). Each act must be five minutes or less to keep the program on schedule. Tickets cost $7; proceeds benefit the collective’s programming. The open mic runs from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage, 1816 12th St. NW. It is co-sponsored by Center DC.

10. Holiday Market: Seasonal markets are one indication that the holidays are approaching. This Saturday’s Czech Christmas Market features mulled wine, Czech pastries and gingerbread as well as a nativity scene with live animals. Children from the Slavic cultural organization American Sokol Washington, DC and Slavic American Sokol will sing Czech Christmas carols. The marketplace is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Embassy of the Czech Republic, 3900 Spring of Freedom St. NW. The embassy’s security policy requires that attendees bring photo identification; large bags are not permitted. Admission is free, and the first 100 visitors will receive a free gingerbread cookie. Bistro Bohem, a Czech restaurant in DC, will serve eggnog.