September in the Neighborhood: Ramble, wrangle, sing and play

Levine Music Community Sing (Levine photo)

September, for many of us, means a return to routine after summer adventures. But we don’t have to return to old ruts. Neighborhood groups and institutions have filled our calendar with many opportunities to try something new, make new friends, and in one case:

Rejoin an activity beloved by many. We’re talking about the return of Levine Music’s Community Sing. Once per month, prior to Covid-19, Levine’s Upton Street campus would invite people of all ages and singing abilities to lift their voices in five-part harmony. Dr. Ysaye Barnwell, formerly of Sweet Honey in the Rock (and profiled by The Washington Post in 2015), led the chorus for years, and on Wednesday, September 13th, Levine is hosting a Community Sing reunion and celebration of Barnwell’s contributions at the music school. And stay tuned for details of upcoming Community Sings.

Ramble with a ranger. A Rock Creek Park ranger, to be precise. The National Park Service is starting what looks like a new program of hikes on Saturday, September 2nd, and the Rock Creek calendar (and ours) shows them continuing many Saturdays and Sundays through October 22nd. The rambles will start at the Rock Creek Nature Center and could cover as many as three miles.

When you’re not rambling, try wrangling. Rock Creek Conservancy’s “Weed Wrangle” is like its “Extreme Cleanup,” but for invasive plants instead of trash. The third annual Weed Wrangle will take place from September 9th through October 7th. The “mini oasis” at Reservation 630 West and the Rock Creek Nature Center are two of the nearby sites. (The Trail 9 mini-oasis restoration events on September 9th and October 7th are not listed on the main Weed Wrangle page, but the goal is the same: Clear out those nasty invaders and let native plants thrive.)

Introduce the kids to the grind. Saturday, September 23rd is Children’s Day at Peirce Mill. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., kids can enjoy free activities including old-fashioned games, making cornhusk dolls, and grinding grain by hand.

And last but not least…

Stay up late for Art All Night. We’ve never seen the neighborhood look more alive than it does during DC’s annual Art All Night event. On Friday, September 29th, Van Ness Main Street is partnering with WAMU and DCist to bring musicians, artists and artisans out for a memorable evening. The Tenleytown and Cleveland Park Main Streets are hosting their own Art All Night festivities on Saturday, September 30th. And here is some helpful information for your planning purposes.

This doesn’t even cover everything that’s on our September community calendar. Check it out, send us your tips, and hopefully we’ll be seeing you out there… rambling.