Festivities Galore!
Big Fun For Labor Day Weekend
Compilation By Kristina Townsend // Photography By Robert Roberts
Looking for things to do during Labor Day Weekend? Check out the five events listed below.
19th Annual DC JazzFest
The 19th Annual DC JazzFest will take place from August 30 to September 3. 760 Maine Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024.
The aim of the event is to spread jazz to new listeners of all generations. They hope to make fans of new listers as well as draw in veterans of the genre. The aim is also for the showcase of Grammy Award Winners and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters to draw in local artists to highlight DC’s continuous contribution to the jazz genre.
These winners will include Samara Joy, Gregory Porter, Kenny Garrett, and Terri Lyne Carrington. The festival also offers educational opportunities in order to further the future of jazz in the city. Visit dcjazzfest.org for the lineup, schedule, and tickets. Ticket prices start at $20
2023 Washington DC Dance Festival
The 2023 Washington DC Dance Festival will take place from August 31 – September 3, 2023 at Juste Lounge & Restaurant, formerly known as Mix Bar & Grill. The Festival is located at 8241 Georgia Ave #200, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
It will feature dance workshops with instructors such as Bev Flowers, Joseal Dlt, Horacio Joao, and Usher Frimpong. There will be music by DJs such as Casanova, Afrodeshiak, and Oscar B.A., and there will also be live performances by artists including Mika Mendes, P. Lowe, 5LAN, and Enigmatik.
In addition, the festival will feature day and night parties, a rooftop pool party, a brunch party, and other activities. Single-day passes and full passes are available at for purchase at www.clover.com/online-ordering/JUSTELOUNGE.
The Greenbelt Labor Day Festival
Visit the 69th annual Greenbelt Labor Day Festival for art, games, and showcases of local artists. The event is free, but some activities may require a fee. The festival will take place from September 1 to September 4 at the Historic Roosevelt Center, 101 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD 20770.
Features of the festival will include the Greenbelt Museum Exhibition, "The Knowing Hands That Carve This Stone: The New Deal Art of Lenore Thomas Straus," the Greenbelt Labor Day Parade, a carnival, an art and photo show featuring local artists, a craft fair, table tennis and so much more. To view the schedule, visit https://greenbeltlaborday.com/schedule/.
My Father, My Martyr, and Me
My Father, My Martyr, and Me an interactive solo performance in poetry by 2022 Washington Award winner Fargo Nissim Tbakhi. Tbakhi is a queer Palestinian performance artist, it was originally performed at the Empty Space Theater at ASU, directed by Jennifer Linde and this year is coming to DC.
Tbhaki uses an invented method called “unarcheology” to examine their life, their father’s life, and the life of Sirhan Sirhan. Through the performance, Tbhaki hopes to decolonize possibilities for solidarity, support, and love toward the survival of the Palestinian people.
The performance will take place at 6950 Maple St NW, Washington, DC 20012, USA on three separate dates. The first opening performance will be Friday, September 1 by Niki Afsar, The second will be Saturday, September 2 by Jessica Valoris, and the third will be Sunday, September 3 by Leena Aboutaleb. More information can be found at fargotbakhi.com.
40th Annual Choreographers Showcase
This year, the Choreographers’ Showcase celebrates a legacy of 40 years as one of the longest-running showcases of new and established choreographers in the country. The showcase highlights new and seasoned choreographers who present their work in concert selected by a panel of adjudicators.
This event will take place Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 8:00 pm 8:00 pm. It will be located at Publick Playhouse 5445 Landover RoadHyattsville, MD, 20784. Visit https://www.pgparks.com/event_list/call-for-entries-40th-annual-choreographers-showcase for more information.
