Van Ness Main Street and master gardener Kathy Sykes will help usher in spring with their “Spring NOW” community planting events beginning March 26th.
Enjoy live jazz: On Thursday, March 17th at 6 p.m., UDC Jazz Studies director Allyn Johnson is hosting bandleader and two-time Grammy nominee Orrin Evans as part of UDC JAZZAlive’s “Meet the Artist on the Bandstand” series. Register here to attend the free event in person at the Theatre of the Arts on Windom Place (proof of vaccination and masks are required). Or, watch a livestream or playback at links to be provided in the coming days.
Make Connecticut Avenue bloom with perennials for pollinators: Every Saturday and Sunday afternoon from March 26th through April 17th, Van Ness Main Street is again teaming up with master gardener Kathy Sykes, who will guide volunteers in planting pollinator-friendly seeds and flowers in the tree boxes along the avenue. To volunteer, email SykesKathy@yahoo.com with “Bulb Planting” in the subject line and in the message, provide your preferred dates and your phone number in case of weather-related cancelation. You can find more details here.
Donate and/or buy used books and media: The pop-up used bookstore Carpe Librum returns to 4340 Connecticut Avenue on Saturday, April 9th to sell books, CDs, DVDs and vinyl records from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Van Ness Main Street is calling the event “Books and Blossoms.” The blossoms come from a DIY cherry blossom notecard-making station that VNMS is setting up outside, next to the book sale. And VNMS says to be on the lookout for blossom-themed food and drink specials at nearby businesses.
Proceeds from the Carpe Librum book sale benefit the student literacy program, Turning the Page, which will be collecting donated items from the neighborhood on Tuesday, April 5th. Email books@turningthepage.org to arrange for pickup curbside or in an apartment lobby.
Back to the grind: At Peirce Mill, milling season begins on April 9th with demonstrations from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The mill is in operation on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month through October.
World tours resume: For the first time since 2019, embassies will open to visitors for the Passport DC Around the World embassy tour. This time, the embassy open houses will take place over two Saturdays: May 7th and 14th. The list of participating embassies will be updated here.
Markets pop up: When the UDC Van Ness farmers market packed up for the season last November, its vendors were expecting to be back on Saturday, May 7th. Van Ness Main Street will also be hosting a pop-up makers market on that day. More than 30 local artisans will be selling their wares at 4340 Connecticut Avenue from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Want to be one of them? Apply here by 2 p.m. on March 10th.
Forest Hills Connection is a program of Van Ness Main Street.
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