Issuu

The outdoor vibe at Sandlot Uptown. Photo: Sandlot

WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON

American Watercolor Landscapes from the Corcoran Collection at the NGA

In the nation’s early years, artists and explorers used watercolor for mapping and documenting the landscape. By the nineteenth century, American painters began to translate their country into larger, more carefully finished works that were considered works of art in their own right. From Aug. 2 to Feb. 1, 2026, at the National Gallery of Art (ground floor, west building), see how two centuries of watercolors capture the nation’s beauty and how artists with different backgrounds and styles captured iconic American places. nga.gov.

James Taylor & His All-Star Band at Wolf Trap

Since the release of his self-titled debut album in 1968, James Taylor has established himself as a singular artist whose music embodies the art of songwriting in its most personal and universal forms. A favorite among Wolf Trap audiences, Taylor returns with his heartfelt classics “Fire and Rain,” “How Sweet It Is,” “Carolina in My Mind,” and more. Sharing a knack for acoustic storytelling, folk-pop trio Tiny Habits (“tiny things,” “For Sale Sign”) open the show with their mesmerizing and intimate three-part harmonies. James Taylor & His All-Star Band are at Wolf Trap on Aug. 21, 23 and 24, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $79. wolftrap.org.

Explore DC: 8 Days, 8 Wards, One City

Every year, Washington, DC hosts an annual event to showcase the city’s art, culture and history, offering various tours over eight days across the eight wards. It’s an excellent opportunity for both residents and visitors to explore the city’s hidden gems and learn more about the capital’s past, present and future. From Sept. 13 to 20, Walkingtown hosts more than 50 walking and biking tours, offering authentic and memorable tours that help residents and visitors enjoy, appreciate and learn about the city. All outings are free and are led by historians, licensed guides, or community leaders. Get schedules and updates at eventsdc.com/walkingtown.

William Trost Richards, South-West Point, Conanicut, 1878/1879, watercolor and gouache on fibrous brown paper, 33 x 59 in., National Gallery of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Riggs Parker, honoring their children.

A tiny replica of Rome’s Spanish Steps stands in a posh part of Kalorama.

WHAT’S ON WASHINGTON

State Fairs: Growing American Craft at the Renwick

A culmination of five years of on-the-ground and behind-the-scenes research, State Fairs: Growing American Craft is the first exhibition dedicated to artists’ contributions to the great US tradition of state fairs with more than 240 artworks on view, dating from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. The exhibition, from Aug. 22 to Sept. 7, 2026, at the Renwick Gallery, Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW, includes exceptional examples of American craft, highlighting personal stories and regional and cultural traditions. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. americanart.si.edu/visit.

Opera in the Outfield: Porgy and Bess

On Saturday, Aug. 23, 6:30 p.m. (gates at 4:30 p.m.), celebrate the 15th season of free opera broadcasts by joining the Washington National Opera at Nationals Park. Themes of community resilience, acceptance, and redemption weave through this poignant story, ultimately asking if even the most unwavering of loves can conquer the force of personal addiction. Free. Seating is available on the outfield grass and in the stands. Patrons wishing to sit in the outfield are required to pick up a wristband after they enter Nationals Park at the Family Picnic Area located on the left of Center Field Plaza when the gates open. Arrive early to enjoy entertainment, prizes and activities. kennedy-center.org/wno/home/education/opera-in-the-outfield.

Mo Amer: El Oso Palestine Tour at the Warner

Mo Amer is a Palestinian-American stand-up comedian and award-winning writer. He is best known for his breakout role in the hit Netflix series Mo, a semiautobiographical show, and Hulu’s Ramy. Mo’s comedic talents have taken him around the globe, performing in over 27 countries on five continents. He is a staple in the Allah Made Me Funny comedy tour, performing alongside comedians Preacher Moss and Azhar Usman since 2006. Mo Amer’s El Oso Palestine Tour is at the Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW, on Aug. 21, 8 p.m.; Aug. 22, 7 and 10 p.m.; and Aug. 23, 7 p.m. Tickets are $37 to $125. warnertheatredc.com.

Around the World Cultural Food Festival

The annual Around the World Cultural Food Festival is on Saturday, Aug. 23 (rain or shine), 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Oronoco Bay Park, 100 Madison St., in Alexandria. Now in its ninth year, it has become a one-day cultural journey and the largest cultural food festival in the DMV. Expect: authentic ethnic food vendors; global desserts; live music and traditional dance; DJs between performances; over 100 cultural artisans and handmade goods; two beer gardens; and kids zone and moon bounces. This festival is pet and family friendly. Admission is free. aroundtheworldfestival.com.

Photo: Todd Rosenberg

Theater Night

Must-see Pop-up Performances Across the DMV this Summer

by Matthew McClure

This month’s column’s a little different. To celebrate summer and the cornucopia of exceptional talent we’re lucky enough to enjoy in DC, we’ve compiled a list of what we think are the best pop-up performances across the city over the next few months. From punk rock in a church to classical music in a forest, from opera to exhibitions and musicals, we’ve got it all. Read on for our curated selection.

On the Lawn

Dance on the Lunar Lawn Dance Institute of Washington Hillwood Estate and Gardens Aug 13, 5:30-8:30pm hillwoodmuseum.org

The Hillwood Estate served as the home of Marjorie Merriweather Post from the 1950s until her death in 1973. Perched atop a wooded rise in the Forest Hills neigh-

borhood of NW DC, the fabulously wealthy cereal heiress filled her home with art and antiques, much of which can still be enjoyed during visits to the estate’s museum today. Arguably one of the estate’s main attractions are the gorgeous gardens which Post designed as a series of outdoor rooms. On August 13th you’ll be able to take in the beauty of the famous Lunar Lawn at the front of the main house while also enjoying a performance by students of the Dance Institute of Washington as part of Hillwood’s Dance on the Lunar Lawn programming. Tickets range from $5 for children between 6 and 18, and $30 for non-Hillwood members. Pack and picnic basket and bring your lawn chair.

On the Walls Beautiful, also are the souls.

Anacostia Arts Center

Opening Aug 14 anacostiaartscenter.com thedapproject.com

Everyone east of the river knows the Anacostia Arts Center. Containing exhibition space, a black box theater, shops and a business hive, it’s a hub for neighborhood events, festivals, church services, exhibitions and activations. Wacif, the owners of the Arts Center since 2021, recently announced a multi-million-dollar renovation and redevelopment project for the Center. In recognition of the cultural, social and historical importance of the institution, Wacif have tasked Rhonda Henderson of The Dap Project to curate an exhibition honoring the lives of everyone that’s been irrevocably changed by their time spent at the Center.

Materials for the exhibition were gathered through oral history and photographic workshops that highlighted special moments and contributions from participants 2013 until the current moment. Henderson says that the exhibition title, Beautiful, also, are the souls, is a tribute to the Langston Hughes poem My People and was chosen to evoke the Center’s ethos of community. Henderson is still soliciting donations of photographs for possible inclusion in the exhibition, so go to www.thedapproject.com to share a special moment you’ve experienced at there.

In the Park

To Wong Foo – The Musical Root Family Stage at Omi’s Pavilion Showing August 21, 8pm olneytheatre.org

For a few months in summer, Olney Theatre Center in Maryland’s Montgomery County returns to its historic roots as a summer playhouse by hosting a series of concerts, musicals, plays and performances on its outdoors stage at Omi’s Pavilion. This month, the Olney Outdoors 2025/26 season of musical theater offers up glitz, glamor and impossibly high heels in Douglas Carter Beane’s musical adaptation of the cult classic 1995 film To Wong

A photograph to be featured at the Beautiful, also, are the souls exhibition at the Anacostia Arts Center. Photo: Ed Underwood.

Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. Who can forget jaded NYC drag queens Vida Boheme, Noxeema Jackson and Chi Chi Rodriguez’ inadvertent detour to the tumbleweed town of Snydersville, USA? With lyrics by Lewis Flinn, this rip-roaring musical farce is just what’s needed to “Make America Drag Again.’ Buy yourself an all-access pass to the whole lineup of Olney Outdoor shows running from July 31st to August 24th. It’s only $175 and includes additional show discounts.

In the Basement

American Idiot in Concert

Spooky Action Theatre Showing August 22-24 monumentaltheatre.org

With a name inspired by one of Albert Einstein’s most famous observations of the effects of quantum entanglement, Spooky Action Theatre hosts equally intriguing performances by emerging and experimental artists that are meant to challenge and provoke. Reclaim the misspent days of your youth by channeling your inner Punk-Rock emo at American Idiot in Concert, a nostalgic return to early noughties America as told through the powerful, high-energy lyrics of Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool.

On the Stage

IN Series St. John the Baptist Theater Alliance pop-up, 340 Maple Dr SW Showing October 2 – 5 inseries.org

Thanks to DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Pop-Up Permitting Pilot Program, Theater Alliance and its creative partners have transformed a vacant retail space in SW DC into an energetic hub for the performing arts. IN Series, a long-time friend of Theater Alliance, will transform the black box theater into the court of King Herodes for the stage premiere of St. John the Baptist. Co-produced with Catapult Opera with music by Alessandro Stradella and text by Bari Biern, this biblical tale of the vengeful stepdaughter of King Herod and her insatiable bloodlust features the iconically scandalous Dance of the Seven Veils, which many sopranos re-

WINNERS!

Congratulations to the Shaw restaurants, chefs and restaurateurs who won this year’s awards from the Restaurant Asociation Metropolitan Washington (RAMW).

Carlos Delgado, Chef of the Year

Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year

Seng Luangrath, Restaurateur of the Year

Shaw Main Streets is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, a designated DC Main Streets program and is funded in part by the Department of Small and Local Business Development, Muriel E. Bowser, Mayor. ©2025 Shaw Main Streets, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

fused to perform and that got the opera censored in Vienna and London.

In the Garden

Tregaron Unplugged

Washington Performing Art Tregaron Conservancy Showing October 4, 3pm washingtonperformingarts.org

Within walking distance of the National Cathedral, nestled between the Cleveland and Woodley Park neighborhoods, is 13 acres of lush parkland designed by renowned landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman. Originally part of two summer estates dating back to 1880 and 1911 respectively, the Tregaron Conservancy is an oasis of pastoral calm that was laid out by Shipman according to Beaux Arts principles and designed to serve as the backdrop to uniquely DC summer estate architecture by Charles Adams Platt. This October, the Conservancy (in partnership with Washington Performing Arts) will host Tregaron Unplugged, an afternoon and evening of musical programming by quartets, ensembles and vocalists inspired by the serene tranquility of the estate. Amble from one recital to another while enjoying the fall foliage and the soothing notes of Jazz, Classical and Americana. Best of all? It’s free. The full lineup of musical artists is still to be announced, so follow @tregarondc on social media for updates and make your reservation right now.

At the Church

Wu Han, David Finckel, Benjamin Bielman Trio Takoma Park SDA Church 6951 Carroll Ave.

Showing October 4, 7-9pm ahwconcerts.org

The Takoma Park Seventh Day Adventist Church congregation is over 120 years old. With its vaulted ceiling, intricate carved wooden fretwork, bronzed chandeliers and a rose window to die for, it’s the ideal location to enjoy the musical stylings of Wu Han on piano and David Finckel on the cello, accompanied by Benjamin Bielman on violin. The chances are good that you’ve already heard recordings of Han and Finckel. They’ve performed across the country and the world and are the Artistic Directors for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. They’ve redefined Chamber music for an entire generation and will be performing this fall as part of the Anna H. Wang Presidential Concert Series, with tickets starting at $35 for general admission and running up to $100 for VIP seating. Students get in for free. u

A 2023/24 Season performance at Tregaron Conservancy. Photo courtesy Washington Performing Arts.

Show art for IN Series’ St John the Baptist by Plunkert.

Sp o tli ght on Shaw

by Andrew Lightman

Sandlot Uptown: Shaw’s Newest Arts Space

The joint is jumping to the sounds of Go-Go on a hot July evening. DC’s Backyard Band pumps its tunes to a packed house. Outside, a crowd gathers, relaxing around picnic tables, sampling drinks from an open-air bar.

Is this a concert venue? Is it a bar? Is it a gallery?

Meet Sandlot Uptown, a multi-arts space located at 1900 Seventh St. NW. The massive facility consists of a 10,000-square-foot indoor room paired with an 8,000-square-foot outdoor lot. Both feature substantial bars. The room can hold up to 500. The site, owned by Howard University, formerly housed a CVS, which closed in 2022.

“There are not enough cultural arts and entertainment venues in DC,” said proprietor Ian Callender. He and business partner Kevin “Scooty” Hallums are single-handedly working to rectify that with five current Sandlot locations in Shaw, Anacostia, Buzzard Point and Tysons, VA.

Callender and Hallums program their Sandlots directly, hosting Funset events and more at their various locations. They also work extensively with community organizations such as Shaw Main Streets to promote the arts. For example, the venue will play a large role in Shaw’s Art All Night experi-

ence and Howard University’s next homecoming.

Sandlot Uptown is available for private rental. The owners can provide both liquor and catering services, as needed.

Callender and Hallums are intent on being good neighbors. “Sandlot is not a bar,” Callender said. The outdoor space closes down at 10 p.m. before the noise ordinance kicks in, with the indoors following at midnight. The facility also serves as an auxiliary recess and the evacuation location for neighboring Cleveland Elementary School.

“Our goal is often to reclaim vacant, abandoned, blighted and unused lots and convert them into active cultural arts facilities that welcome genuine community engagement through that very same creative economy that helps neighborhoods thrive,” Callender said. “Sandlot Uptown is what a neighborhood community space looks like.”

A Different Model

Callender and Hallums do not use a traditional hospitality business model. They do not pay a base rent, sign traditional triple-net leases or pay their landlord’s property taxes.

Rather, Callender approaches private landlords

Before the transformation into Sandlot Uptown. Photo: Sandlot.

The Backyard Band performs at Sandlot Uptown. Photo: Sandlot.

who own vacant properties with a simple value proposition. License your land for a limited time in return for a percentage of the profits of a Sandlot and avoid the city’s onerous property taxes for vacant or blighted properties. en, they tap major corporate sponsors such as Beam, Suntory, and Events DC for the funds to help rehab the properties into functioning arts spaces. For the CVS site, Howard University became their strategic partner to underwrite the costs of the renovation.

“I learned early on to put an idea in a pitch deck and go nd sponsors,” recalled Callender DC has been a good partner in their ven-

tures, said Callender. He has taken advantage of the DC Department of Buildings (DOB) popup program to secure certi cates of occupancy for his facilities. e DC Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration cooperated by providing appropriate liquor licenses. Callender does all the permitting himself.

Understanding commercial uses permitted by zoning regulations and creating a concept to meet neighborhood needs are the keys to success, Callender has found. e Sandlots are really “one big beauti cation project with over 100,000 square feet of real estate refreshed and repurposed since 2019.”

Sandlot Entrepreneurs Kevin Scooty Hallums and Ian Callender. Photo: Sandlot

Deciding against an engineering career, Callender traded in high end kicks. Organizing sneaker events in DC earned a web of corporate promotional contacts he and Hallums now tap to fund their Sandlots.

Hallums, who runs the organization’s operations, is best known as the creative force behind The Broccoli City Festival and the Rock Creek Social Club.

In 2012, Callender began his events career by creating an arts space at an abandoned historic church in Southwest DC, naming it “The Blind Whino.” After creating a series of event activations, Callender was hired by an agency to program event experiences in partnership with Major League Baseball as part of its promotion of the 2018 All Star Game in DC. This resulted in the first Sandlot, just steps from Nationals Park.

“After that, it was rinse and repeat,” said Callender. The two have operated Sandlots in the Navy Yard, Southwest, Georgetown, Gallery Place, Anacostia, Shaw and Tysons. Another will soon follow at Senate Square in Northeast DC with its soft opening in time for Art All Night.

Sandlot Uptown is located at 1900 Seventh St. NW. For more information, visit www.sandlotuptown.com.

Sandlot Uptown’s massive indoor space. Photo: Andrew Lightman

The outdoor vibe at Sandlot Uptown. Photo: Sandlot

Seylou Bakery & Mill - A Whole Grain Lover’s Paradise

At Shaw’s Seylou Bakery & Mill, the fragrance of fresh baked whole grain bread wafts over a wide counter of pastries and cookies. And right by the register are cubed bread samples, not to be ignored.

To the left of the service counter stands a small, elegant coffee bar. Limited seating is available, both inside and outside. The menu, which changes daily, lists an assortment of

savory and sweet pastries, along with cookies and a limited selection of sandwiches and salads.

Who can refuse seven spice and sweet anise “Monkey” bread? Not I. Moreover, this “monkey” can also be had in a savory jacket of garlic scapes, sprinkled with a garlic vinaigrette. There are croissants, buttery confections perfect plain or imbued with either chocolate or almond. All the cookies are made from unusual whole grains and shun refined sweeteners. Try the brown butter chocolate chip, made from rye or a vegan tahini sorghum confection. The double chocolate spelt makes the perfect romantic

Seylou proprietor and master baker Jonathan Bethony. Photo: Andrew Lightman

or apologetic gift.

And, of course, there are the breads.

The true test of a bakery is the classic pain au levain, made of wheat, sourdough starter (levain) and salt. While the ingredients may be simple, they must be of the highest quality and expertly handled.

I have sampled many loafs from Arlington’ Heidelberg Bakery, Officina’s market, the storied Catania Bakery on North Capitol. Seylou’s pain au levain is simply the best I’ve ever tasted. Dark in color with a crisp crust, the interior crumb is moist, with a rich nutty flavor. It needs no butter or olive oil to be enjoyed.

Whole grains are also employed to fashion baguettes, using a separate dough also employed in baking the rustica and focaccia. Whole spelt and einkorn are used to fashion sourdough pan loaves. Last but not least is the gluten free “Bird Bread.” Fashioned from oats, millet, flax, sunflower and pumpkin seeds and bound with sorghum syrup and sunflower oil, these moist, dense loaves have a wonderful crunchy crust.

Farm to Loaf

Seylou is a farm to loaf, whole grain, sourdough bakery. All the grains and seeds Seylou employs are locally sourced from a dozen Mid-Atlantic farms. On any given day, the bakers use about two dozen organic varieties of grain, including modern and heirloom types of wheat, einkorn, spelt, emmer, rye, millet, sorghum, barley and oats. Evern the fruits, vegetables, meat and even the milk in the cappuccinos are locally sourced.

trients and increase the complexity of their flavors. He carefully maintains hydration levels, ensuring a consistently moist crumb. All his breads are baked in Seylou’s wood-fired ovens.

“We built our menu out of what the farmers were already growing, trying to utilize all of the cover crops,” said Seylou proprietor and master baker Jonathan Bethony. “Using only whole grains is a means of respecting the farmers’ stewardship. Through this approach, Seylou can support regenerative agriculture and family farming,” he said.

Many of the grains are also nixitimalized. This traditional Mesoamerican technique soaks and cooks grains in an alkaline solution, in this case utilizing ash from the bakery’s wood ovens. This results in more digestible grains, with increased nutritional value.

Bethony employs long fermentation in fashioning all Seylou’s doughs to further unlock the nu-

The grains are freshly stone milled onsite which maximizes both their flavor and nutritional value, explained Bethony. Many are available for purchase by home bakers.

So, while there are only three ingredients in a classic pain au levain, creating the perfect loaf from artisanal, locally-sourced whole grains is the result of careful orchestration conducted by Bethony. “The simpler you get, the less you can hide, he said.

Out of Africa

Bethony’s journey as a master baker was circuitous. In high school, Bethony developed a love of music with a particular interest in the rich drumming traditions of West Africa. And after graduation, his mother, an English teacher, gave him a volume of

the poems of the Sufi poet Hafez. The gift sparked a spiritual awakening that eventually led to his initiation into the heart of mystical Islam during college.

Pursuing his love of African music, Bethony left college and journeyed with friends to Senegal. A series of fortuitous misadventures led him to a small village deep in the bush, where he encountered a wizened Sufi sheikh, whose instruction deepened his spiritual understanding. When he left the village to return to the US, an eagle, known as a “seylou kuno” in Mandinka, circled above his head. It spoke, charging him to aid the village, Bethony said.

In the states, Bethony returned to working in restaurants. During a stint of unemployment, he became an obsessive home baker. To hone his skills, he volunteered at the famous Burnt Toast restaurant in Boulder, ultimately joining its staff. He married his college sweetheart Jessica. They spent their wedding money sending him to the San Francisco Baking Institute. However, a series of subsequent engagements as a baker left him unfulfilled.

Bethony rediscovered his love for baking under the tutelage of master craftsman Craig Ponford at Ponsford’s Place Baker in Boulder. Ponford taught him the “alchemy” of the craft. Impressed by Bethony’s passion, Ponsford recommended him for an appointment as resident baker at Washington State University’s renowned Breadlab, a national center for innovation in whole grain, farm-to-loaf baking.

After three successful years, he left to reconnect with family in DC. All along, Bethony kept the Senegalese village “in his heart, longing to make good on his promise.” In 2016, Bethony and his wife returned to visit. The experience inspired them, and with the aid of family, they opened their bakery, naming it Seylou.

‘The biggest misconception about this place is that everyone thinks it’s a bakery,” said Bethony. “It’s not.” Purchasing a loaf at Seylou, a customer enters into a relationship both with the farms of the Chesapeake and a tiny Senegalese village deep in the African hinterland. “All is an act of worship,” he said.

Seylou is located at 926 N St. NW. Visit www. seylou.com to discover more. u

Seylou bakers hard at work preparing pain au levain. Photo: Andrew Lightman

Shaw Streets

by Pleasant Mann

Plans Set for Shaw Art All Night Art All Night Shaw, the neighborhood’s biggest annual celebration, is set for Saturday evening, September 13. The festival is sponsored by Mayor Muriel Bowser and presented by Shaw Main Streets. The free event’s largest activation will be on the 700-800 blocks of K Street, NW and Anthem Row (formerly known as TechWorld Plaza), where Shaw Main Streets is collaborating with Events DC and the Downtown DC Business Improvement District to present “District of Champions: Art. Culture. Competition,” with art installations, interactive experiences and live performances.

The event’s welcome center will be on K Street in front of the Carnegie Library, where the main stage will present performances by some of the DMV’s biggest talents. The ever-popular Do-ItYourself Paint experience will once again offer festivalgoers the opportunity to create their own acrylic and watercolor paintings, free of charge. Other highlights will include the Batala Washington, D.C. female drum troupe, lion and dragon dances, an artists’ market and free food, including hot dogs, nachos and Italian ices.

Art All Night Shaw will bring art and music

activations throughout the neighborhood. There will be an art market and Black Beer Garden at Right Proper Brewing Company, along with music and entertainment along T Street. Nearby, the new Sandlot Uptown at Seventh and Florida will offer a program of events. The Watha T. Daniel/ Shaw Library will hold activities such as face painting, digital gaming and do-it-yourself arts and crafts. Other Shaw businesses, including Lee’s Flower and Card Shop, Pop Fizz Bar, Wanda’s on 7th Salon and Spa, Corinto Gallery, Compass Coffee and Beau Thai Shaw restaurant will have music and art-related activities during the night. Team Rayceen will bring their wildly popular combination of cabaret, fashion and dance to the DC Housing Finance Agency for another year. The festival started in Shaw in 2011 and is primarily funded by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the Department of Small and Local Business Development. For more information, go to artallnightdcshaw.com.

April King Leaves

Watha T. Daniel Library

June 26 was Staff Appreciation Day at the Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library. That afternoon, community residents gathered to say goodbye to Branch Manager April King. Ms. King had been with the library for over five years, successfully managing a staff dealing, at times, with a difficult environment. She had also served an earlier stint with the branch in its original, concrete Brutalist building in the early 2000s. At the event, she was presented with a poster by library patrons, wishing her well at her new post at the Southwest Branch Library. The new Branch Manager will be Melinda MacCall, previously manager of the Southwest library.

Industrial Bank gets Black Business Award

The Greater Washington D.C. Black Chamber of Commerce (GWBCC) held what they called their Juneteenth Awards reception at the Wharf on June 30. With the theme of the Art of Black Business, the reception honored luminaries of Black DMV enterprises for the past year. Shaw businessman B. Doyle Mitchell, Jr, President and CEO of Indus-

trial Bank, was awarded the Legacy Award. Industrial Bank opened in 1934 and has been a mainstay in the Shaw and U Street communities ever since, now with over half a billion dollars in assets. Industrial Bank is the largest minority-owned commercial bank in the Washington metropolitan area and the country’s fourth largest African American owned financial institution. Mitchell has been working at the family-owned bank since the age of 16, becoming its president at the age of 30. He is a member of the Shaw Main Streets Board of Directors and the GWBCC.

Alley Fest

Blagden Alley and Naylor Court held their second annual Alley Fest on Saturday afternoon, July 26. Alley Fest was started as a celebration of community, culture, flavor and fun in the historic alleys. The alleys were activated with gospel music, pickleball and other experiences. Many of the noted food and beverage businesses in the alleys, including a large outdoor stand set up by Causa/Amazonia, welcomed guests throughout the afternoon. There was also a table explaining a documentary in progress, “Transformation Alley,” which will illustrate the history of Blagden Alley and Naylor Court. Among the dignitaries visiting the fest was Councilmember Robert White. u

B. Doyle Mitchell, Jr. (center), CEO and President of Industrial Bank, is congratulated on winning the Greater Washington Black Business Legacy Award by Shaw Main Streets Executive Director Alex Padro and the bank’s Daryl Drumming. Photo: Pleasant Mann

April King, outgoing Branch Manager of the Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Branch Library. Photo: Pleasant Mann

ANC 2G Commission Approves Grant for Landscaping at Ellington Plaza

by Pleasant Mann

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 2G held its monthly meeting for July on ursday evening, July 10, 2025. e meeting was held as a virtual conference. Commission Chair Steven McCarty (2G04) called the meeting to order. Commissioners Howard Garrett (2G01, Vice Chair), Alexander M. “Alex” Padro (2G02), Nicole Shea (2G03, Secretary), Sheena Berry (2G05) and Rachelle Nigro (2G06, Treasurer) were in attendance.

Third Police District

Sargent James Hoever reported on crime in the ird Police District. He said that assaults with a deadly weapon were down 80 percent for the previous month, burglaries down 80 percent and violent crimes down 21 percent. ere has not been an arrest made yet in the June 30 homicide that took place on Seventh Street.

Commissioner Shea asked about the status of drug use on the street, saying that she had heard there was an increase in the number of overdoses in the neighborhood. Commissioner Garrett said that while the problems at Seventh and T Streets had started to settle down, there were now issues with the vacant apartment buildings on the 1700 block of Eighth Street that the police should address. Commissioner Nigro said that she needed a police presence at the 600 block of N Street due to the increase in car break-ins there. Shea also brought up a resident comment on the Zoom chat, saying that there was recent drug activity on Eighth Street between Q Street and Rhode Island Avenue

EB’s, 1840 Sixth Street NW

A request for a new ABCA Class C Tavern license. Commissioner Garrett announced that he had completed a settlement agreement with the owner. e ANC Alcohol and Cannabis Licensing Committee (ACLC) supported the license. At the ACLC meeting, the owner also requested a stipulated license in order to begin serving alcoholic beverages as soon as possible. Motions to support a new tavern license with a stipulated license and approve the settlement agreement between EB’s and the ANC passed in unanimous votes.

1000 S Street NW

e Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) determined that the existing structure on the site was not salvageable and authorized the owner to demolish it. e ANC Zoning, Planning and Historic Preservation committee (APHP) met with the owner to discuss his plans for the new building and gather comments from members of the community. While the owner has yet to present his plans to the ANC, the APHP wanted to have the comments from their meeting submitted to the HPRB. A motion to transmit the community comments from the APHP to the HPRB passed in a vote of 5 yeas, 0 nays and 1 abstention.

Central Cell Block, 501 New York Ave. NW

A request for support for the Department of General Services’ Public Space application for curb cuts and a fence at 501 New York Avenue NW, the controversial new Central Cellblock for the Department of Corrections. Commissioner Nigro objected to the application on the grounds that the application would threaten public safety and negatively a ect the historic district the building sits in. She made a motion to oppose the Public Space application, which passed unanimously.

Beautification at Duke Ellington Plaza

A request by Commissioner Garrett for ANC funds to support a beauti cation project at Duke Ellington Plaza at 618 T Street NW. e funds would go to replace dead plants around the Ellington sculpture. Garrett said that he approached the Department of Transportation for help restoring the plants on the plaza, but they said it was outside of their jurisdiction. e owners of e Shaw apartment building admitted that maintaining plants at the plaza was their responsibility but said that there were no live plants there to support.

Garrett said that he wanted the ANC to purchase new plants that would be maintained by the management at e Shaw apartments. e expenditure would be $5,866. Commissioner Shea said that she supported the e ort but would like the ANC’s Transportation committee to review the matter rst. Garrett replied that the O ce of ANCs had told him that his ap-

proach was the best way of dealing with the matter. A motion from Shea to table the matter failed for lack of a second. e motion to support the grant passed in a vote of 5-1-0.

Resolution to implement Initiative 83

Commissioner McCarty explained that there was an e ort to spur the implementation of Initiative 83, a referendum passed in 2024 that called for ranked choice voting in elections and a loosening of restrictions on independent voters to participate in party primaries. e DC Council had to fund the provisions of the initiative in order to implement it. Commissioners Padro and Nigro noted that their constituents had trouble understanding what ranked choice voting was, and if it had any advantages. A motion to support the resolution passed in a 3-1-2 vote.

Harmony Park Resolution

Commissioner Garrett introduced a motion to name the new triangle park at New Jersey and S Street, created by the S Street Revitalization Project, “Harmony Park.” e name is a tribute to the African American Harmoneon Cemetery established in the early 19th century by the Columbian Harmony Society a block away in Square 475. e resolution passed unanimously.

Resolution on

Negligence at The Colonel

Commissioner McCarty introduced a resolution asking the DC Attorney General to investigate the maintenance problems at e Colonel (1250 Ninth Street NW) caused by the negligence of the Borger Management company. He noted that inspectors from the Department of Buildings found three violations totaling $10,000 in nes against the company, but that things have still been getting worse over the past four months. e commission passed the resolution unanimously.

ANC 2G will not meet during the month of August. Its next meeting will be on ursday, September 11. e meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. Plans are to hold this meeting as a virtual conference. Visit www.anc2g.org for more information. ◆

BULLETIN BOARD

Phillips Collection Call for 2026 Juried Invitational Exhibition

The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW, has issued an open call for its Juried Invitational, accepting submissions through Sept. 30 or until 1,000 entries are received. The call is open to artists ages 18 and older residing in the DC–Baltimore area, including select Maryland and Virginia counties. Selected works will be featured in an exhibition from Aug. 1 to Sept. 20, 2026, continuing founder Duncan Phillips’s legacy of supporting regional artists. The museum encourages submissions that reflect its values of experimentation, equity, accessibility, and social purpose. Accepted artists will be announced by Dec. 15, 2025. Details: PhillipsCollection.org/open-call.

Plan to Pivot: A Workshop Series for Former Federal Workers

The DC Workforce Investment Council presents Plan to Pivot, a workshop series developed specifically for federal workers who have been laid off, that provides instruction on transitioning from federal jobs and competing for private sector opportunities. Participants can expect, at the completion of these workshops, to be better prepared for the reality of today’s job market. Remaining workshops are at MLK Library, 901 G St. NW, on Aug. 12, 14, 18, 21 26 and 28; from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Explore all of the Library’s resources for job seekers at dclibrary.org/ using-the-library/job-seekers. dclibrary.org.

Take 5: Jazz at SAAM with Jen Krupa

On Thursday, Aug. 21, 5 to 7 p.m., celebrate a uniquely American art form with Take 5: Jazz at SAAM, a series of free, live performances in the Kogod Courtyard. Trombonist Jen Krupa and her quintet will perform original compositions and timeless standards from the American songbook. She is a member of the faculty at The Juilliard School and is the lead trombonist of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. Borrow a board game to play during the concert and stop by the Courtyard Café to purchase refreshments. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is at Eighth and G streets NW. americanart.si.edu.

NoMa in Color Mural Festival

Every fall, the NoMa in Color Mural Festival breathes new life into the neighborhood with vibrant, eye-catching murals, creating a dynamic and ever-evolving canvas that fuels imagination. This year is the 10-year anniversary of NoMa in Color. The murals will be painted/repainted along the MBT wall on the eastern border of Alethia Tanner Park. The festival dates are Sept. 8 to 15, with a free community celebration to welcome the new art on Friday Sept. 12, 4 to 8 p.m. (rain date, Sept. 13), at Alethia Tanner Park, 227 Harry Thomas Way NE. nomabid.org.

DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource

Resource in the District.

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership inthe city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust

DC Open Doors

homebuyer or a D C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia.

DC Open Doors

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership int city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust

homebuyer or a D C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership in the city. This program offers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on first trust mortgages.You are not required to be a first-time homebuyer or a D.C. resident to qualify for DCOD. You must, however, be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia.

DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership i city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust homebuyer or a D C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia.

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.

DC4ME

HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.

years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is offered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District governmentbased instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower’s employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.

DC4ME VA Loan Product

DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.

The DC4ME VA Loan Product is a VA mortgage product offered by the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA).

COVID-19

DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.

COVID-19

In addition to the traditional VA benefits, like no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance, this product includes 3% assistance, funded by DCHFA, that can be used toward eligible closing costs or prepaid items. This makes the DC4ME VA Loan Product one of the most affordable and accessible loan options for qualified military-connected borrowers.

www.DCHFA.org

NPG’s First Thursdays: Come Look with Us

DC Public Library Punk Archive Rooftop Shows

e DC Punk Archive presents its free annual rooftop shows at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW, featuring local bands. is year, concerts were booked by Rediscover Fire Booking and sponsored by the MLK and Mount Pleasant Library Friends. Remaining shows are Wednesday, Aug. 13, featuring Erasergirl, Heaven Forbid and Home Remedies; and ursday, Sept. 4, e Goons, Tosser, and Keep Your Secrets. Doors open at 6 p.m.; music at 6:30 p.m. Music is appropriate for all ages. Rain location: MLK Library Fifth oor Event Space. dclibrary.org.

Word, 925 13th St. NW, for an encore screening of the docu-comedy Rebel with a Clause, a new lm by Brandt Johnson about internationally acclaimed grammar expert Ellen Jovin. e lm showcases Jovin’s fun, enlightening, and myth-busting journey around the country with her famed Grammar Table. Her conversations show the many ways people grapple with English grammar and its peculiarities. As a bonus, see if you can catch scenes shot at Planet Word. $10. planetworkmuseum.org.

Keegan Theatre Announces 2025-2026 Season

e Keegan eatre, 1742 Church St. NW, has announced its 2025-2026 mainstage season, the company’s 29th. Next season’s lineup features seven mainstage productions--including two world premieres and two DC premieres. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online or through the Box O ce. Here’s the lineup: Everything is Wonderful, Sept. 13 to Oct. 5; Lizzie the Musical, Oct. 31 to Nov. 30; John Doe, Jan. 31 to Feb 22; Midiculous, Feb. 24 to March 8; e Minutes, April 4 to May 3; e Play at Goes Wrong, June 6 to July 12. keegantheatre.org.

Need to wind down after work? From 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., let the National Portrait Gallery’s educators share their favorite portraits with you. Participants will spend time slowing down, looking closely, and engaging in a conversation about artworks in the galleries. Free, registration suggested. NPG is at 800 G St. NW. npg.si.edu.

MLK Library Bargain Basement Books

On Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., browse used books and library merch on the A-Level of MLK Library. All proceeds go directly to the MLK Library Friends. Have books you want to donate? e Friends are accepting up to two bags of books per person. Please no textbooks, law books, book with missing dust jackets, or books with writing or damage. MLK Library is at 901 G St. NW. dclibrary.org.

Award-Winning Grammar DocuComedy: Rebel with a Clause!

On Friday, Sept. 05, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., join Planet

George Washington Patriot Run at Mount Vernon

On Sunday, Sept. 7, 7 a.m. to noon, cross the nish line with George Washington’s mansion in view. Register for Mount Vernon’s annual ten-miler or 5k race; participants receive a t-shirt and nisher medal. e ten-miler starts at 7:15 a.m.; the 5k at 7:30 a.m. e racecourse includes both lanes of a ve-mile stretch of the George Washington Parkway from the GW Parkway Circle to W. Boulevard Drive. e Finish Festival o ers music, food and beverages, and a free beer for each runner. Concessions will be available for purchase at the Mount Vernon Food Truck. Race fees are $52 for the 5k; and $72 for the ten-miler by Aug. 17. After Aug. 17, add $10. mountvernon.org.

Photo: Stephen Elliot

Bubble Planet at the Rhode Island Center

Bubble Planet is an immersive experience at the Rhode Island Center, 524 Rhode Island Ave. NE, through Jan. 4, in which you’ll surround yourself with bubbles like never before. Step into a planet beyond your imagination with VR technology, themed rooms and fantastical landscapes. Jump from one immersive space to the next and explore them all with your five senses. Tickets are $21.90 to $35.90. The duration is 60 to 90 minutes. bubble-planet.com/washington-dc.

Live! Weekday Concert Series on Wilson Plaza

On weekdays, through Sept. 26, noon to 1 p.m. on Wilson Plaza, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, enjoy free lunchtime performances featuring the area’s most talented entertainers. There is a variety of musical flavors, such as Go-Go, jazz, bluegrass folk, reggae, rock, country, pop rock and more. Also, there’s plenty of outdoor seating. rrbitc.com/live-concert-serieson-the-plaza.

Theater Alliance:

A Pop-up with Purpose Theater Alliance (performance space at 340 Maple Dr. SW) announces a bold lineup of new works that speak directly to the challenges and possibilities of

the world we inhabit. Featuring two premiere productions and the return of the Hothouse New Play Block Party, the 20252026 season continues Theater Alliance’s commitment to socially conscious theater. Here’s the lineup: Fire Work, Aug. 28 to Sept. 21--A dystopian comedy blazing with humor and revolutionary spirit; Furlough’s Paradise, Oct. 30 to Nov. 23--A lyrical homecoming about what we carry, who carries us, and the freedom we dare to imagine; and Hothouse New Play Block Party, spring 2026—A festival of new plays. theateralliance.com.

DC Quitline

The Quit for Life Program is a free program offered by

the DC Department of Health to help residents of Washington DC quit tobacco for good. The program combines evidence-based approaches to quit smoking and staying tobacco-free. They personalize your Quit Program to give you the best chances of beating tobacco. This plan includes a combination of medications (the “patch,” gum, and lozenges), counseling, and daily advice and support. Your chances of quitting successfully are eight times better with the program. Call 800-QUIT-NOW. dcquitnow.com.

DC Heat Alerts and Shelter Hotline

When the temperature or heat index in the District reaches 95 degrees, District Government, through DHS and the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, implements the Heat Emergency Plan and activates cooling centers for residents to seek relief. For transportation to a shelter, call 311 or the Shelter Hotline 202-399-7093. For more information, and for a list of District cooling centers, visit heat.dc.gov.

Google Arts & Culture at NGA

To support its mission of making art accessible to all, the National Gallery’s Google Arts & Culture hub features over 60,000 works spanning Western art from the Middle Ages to today. Visitors can explore 16,000 newly available images, curated stories, an interactive game, and guided Street View tours of the East and West Buildings and the Sculpture Garden. The hub offers digital access to works by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Vermeer, Vallayer-Coster, and David—available from home, classrooms, or on the go. Explore more at: artsandculture.google.com/ project/national-gallery-of-art-dc.

Vincent van Gogh, Green Wheat Fields, Auvers, 1890, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 2013.122.1.

8 Mindfulness Activities at Asian Art Museum

An activity is considered “mindful” if it helps you slow down and feel more present, often by focusing on the senses like sight or sound. Today’s concept of mindfulness draws from ancient Hindu and Buddhist traditions, as well as broader Asian cultural practices that value intentional, meditative experiences. The National Museum of Asian Art, 1050 Independence Ave. SW, offers spaces to explore these traditions through art and history. Mindfulness opportunities include online meditation, slow-looking activities, sketching tours, music and art pairings, coloring, classroom resources, garden reflection, and book recommendations. Learn more: asia.si.edu/whats-on/ blog/posts/8-mindfulness-activities-at-nmaa.

The Mid-city DC Bulletin Board includes event notices, volunteer opportunities and other community news. Do you have a notice for the Bulletin Board? Send it to bulletinboard@hillrag.com. u

CHANGING HANDS

Changing Hands is a list of most residential sales in the Midcity DC area from the previous month. A feature of every issue, this list, based on the MRIS, is provided courtesy of Don Denton, manager of the Coldwell Banker office on Capitol Hill. The list includes address, sales price and number of bedrooms.

Photo: Sonya Pencheva