Ice Yards features live music, games, an ax throwing contest, a snowboarding simulator, live ice carving and two above-ground pools for the Polar Plunge to raise funds for the Special Olympics DC. (Photo by Lancer Photography courtesy of The Brand Guild)

The DC Lineup for this weekend: pisco, politics and Potomac Phil

By Jennifer Anne Mitchell On Jan 31, 2020 Last updated Feb 3, 2020

The District hosts its own versions of national and international activities this weekend for Super Bowl 2020, Groundhog Day and Peru’s Pisco Day — along with a final opportunity to contribute to a global art project on display at the House of Sweden. Events focusing on the local community highlight business development, recycling and music. A winter festival, women’s wrestling matches and a sleepover at the National Archives also make our list for this weekend, Jan. 31 to Feb. 2.

The weather report for this weekend predicts cloudy conditions, aside from afternoon sun on Saturday. Temperatures should range from 34 to 55 degrees.

1. Community Service: Sunday Suppers DC, a weekly initiative to prepare and serve meals to those in need, is having a hard time finding volunteers for this weekend’s event because of the Super Bowl. Anyone interested in helping out should head to the group’s special Superbowl Sunday Supper from 6 to 7 p.m. in Franklin Square near 14th and K streets NW.

2. Sports: Super Bowl watch parties abound at sports bars and other venues in the District this Sunday. If you’re still weighing where to go, our top pick is a gathering at the Armed Forces Retirement Home, where attendees will spend time with military heroes while enjoying the game. The event starts at 4 p.m. at 140 Rock Creek Church Road NW. Contact the organizer, Riders for Valor, at ridersforvalor@gmail.com for details on accessing the facility. … “Super Bowl LIV Soundtracked” is another novel way to watch the 49ers take on the Chiefs: DJ Sayless will be in Adams Morgan to soundtrack the game with music from San Francisco and Kansas City from 6 to 10 p.m. on Sunday at Songbyrd Music House & Record Cafe, 2475 18th St. NW.

Ice Yards takes place Saturday along The Yards Park Boardwalk. (Photo by Lancer Photography courtesy of The Brand Guild)

3. Seasonal Festival: Ice Yards, a winter festival now in its sixth year, invites families to spend time together this weekend. Icy cocktails, local beer, live music, ice games, an ax throwing station, a snowboarding simulator and live ice carving are part of the festivities from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday along The Yards Park Boardwalk, 355 Water St. SE. Tickets cost $10 and include one free drink. In tandem with Ice Yards, the Polar Plunge hosts two above-ground pools at The Yards Park, where participants can take the plunge to benefit Special Olympics DC. Those interested must raise at least $100 beforehand to participate.

4. Environment: Under the Sustainable Solid Waste Management Amendment Act of 2014, the District’s Department of Energy and Environment prioritizes electronics recycling. This Saturday, residents can drop off used electronic equipment at no charge from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at either of two spots — in front of the Chevy Chase Community Center, 5601 Connecticut Ave. NW, or the Anacostia Library, 1800 Good Hope Road SE. Acceptable items include desktop and laptop computers, desktop printers, tablets and televisions. Additional recycling opportunities will be held on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at various locations in the District throughout 2020. A listing of events all year as well as acceptable items is available on the website for RLG Americas, a fourth-party logistics provider that partners with Acer, Google, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, Planar and VTech to produce weekly events in DC.

5. Local Traditions: Groundhog Day in the District is not complete without our local woodchuck Potomac Phil. Dupont Festival presents its annual Groundhog Day event at Dupont Circle Park with live accordion music, polka dancers, a puppet show, VIP celebrities and a crowd waiting to see whether or not Phil spots his shadow. According to legend, if he does see it, there will be six more weeks of winter; if not, there will be an early spring. Potomac Phil has the unique distinction of also predicting politics, with an appearance of his shadow indicating six more months of political gridlock. (This Washington tradition seems especially timely amid President Donald Trump’s unfolding impeachment trial.) The Dupont Circle program runs from 8:30 to 9 a.m. on Sunday.

6. Sports: Wrestle Like A Girl, a nonprofit organization that empowers women through wrestling, was founded in 2016 by Sally Roberts, a U.S. Army combat veteran, two-time world bronze medalist in women’s wrestling and sports psychologist who splits her time between DC and Colorado Springs. On Friday, the organization is hosting Wrestle Like A Girl Night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at American University’s Bender Arena, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. The gathering coincides with the AU men’s wrestling match against the U.S. Naval Academy. Women’s wrestling matches will also take place: one before the collegiate match and two at intermission. Tickets cost $8 for adults, or $5 for seniors and ages 17 and younger. Sisters of AU and Navy wrestlers are admitted for free.

7. Food & Drink: In honor of Peru’s National Pisco Sour Day on Saturday, the Embassy of Peru is producing DC’s Pisco Route during which patrons get special deals on pisco cocktails at three Peruvian restaurants in the District: Nazca Mochica, 1633 P St. NW; Pisco y Nazca, 1823 L St. NW; and the Peruvian Brothers’ newly launched location at the Latin American market La Cosecha, 1280 4th St. NE. The promotion, which began on Thursday, runs through next Saturday, Feb. 8. This weekend, free food and pisco sour slushy tastings are accompanied by Peruvian music, dances and an alpaca petting zoo as part of La Cosecha’s opening celebration on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

8. Culture: For the past year, the Embassy of Sweden has hosted the exhibition Urban Challenges at its House of Sweden on the Georgetown waterfront. It’s been extended until Feb. 23 due to popular demand, with free admission on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. The exhibition highlights social, economic and technical solutions to challenges that cities face. One element — “Voices of Yarn,” a carpet made of yarn by participants in the Swedish Guerrilla Crafts Festival — will be exhibited around the world. Attached to each yarn “pompom” is a label on which contributors comment on issues that are important to them, such as equality and saving the earth for future generations. Friday is the last day to submit a pompom. Anyone interested may either visit the House of Sweden, 2900 K St. NW, or mail a pompom there.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum will continue its Luce Unplugged Community Showcase series with a performance Friday night. (Photo by Bruce Guthrie courtesy the Smithsonian American Art Museum)

9. Music: Luce Unplugged at the Smithsonian American Art Museum hosts its Community Showcase this Friday. Local dark-pop trio Pree and blues and jazz singer Carly Harvey will perform. District-based ANXO Cidery & Pintxos Bar will offer free beer tastings to those 21 years and older. Refreshments and light bites will also be sold on site. The concert is presented with Washington City Paper. It is free to attend and takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Luce Foundation Center, 800 G St. NW. … The local music scene is also celebrated at the DC Music Summit, a daylong symposium on Saturday. Discussions about building a career in music, marketing, inclusivity and the Don’t Mute DC movement are part of the program. Live performances will also take place throughout the day, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., followed by an evening concert and after-party. This year’s summit is being held at Eaton DC, 1201 K St. NW. Tickets cost $35 per person, or $28 per person when purchased in group bundles. Sponsors include the Kennedy Center, Eaton DC and Arts Administrators of Color.

10. Family Fun: The National Archives is hosting a youth sleepover this weekend. Participants will learn about the right to vote and historic U.S. documents such as the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights. The program is geared toward ages 8 to 12, who must be chaperoned by someone 21 or older; all adults must come with a child. The fun begins at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and runs until 9 a.m. on Sunday at the National Archives, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets cost $125 per person, with a discount for members of the National Archives Foundation.