SW ArtsFest is Today!

Don't forget that today is the fifth annual SW ArtsFest, a day-long celebration of the arts in Southwest. Some of the events around the quadrant include the Jazz Preservation Festival at Westminster Church, Creatures from the Deep at Gangplank Marina Park, and the End of Summer event at the SW Duck Pond.

Also this weekend is the Landmark Music Festival in West Potomac Park, a concert series that's helping to raise funds to restore the National Mall.

Upcoming Events

There will be an Open House/Community Information forum tomorrow evening hosted by representatives from the District government, DC United, and developer Akridge to discuss the pending agreement to build a new soccer stadium for the team at a site in Buzzard Point. The Open House follows a forum hosted by SWNA earlier this month. At the SWNA-hosted forum, consultants stated that the existing housing north of the stadium site will be preserved and development in Buzzard Point will be oriented toward Potomac Avenue to connect the area with the rest of the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood east of South Capitol Street. According to the media advisory for tomorrow’s Open House, this is an opportunity for community members to receive the very latest planning updates and answers to any questions they may have about the project, all in an informal setting. Representatives, government officials and key consultants will be available to discuss planned traffic operations, housing, environmental clean-up, jobs, contracting and more. Capital Business and the DC Fiscal Policy Institute have articles describing a Community Benefits Agreement that the CBCC is negotiating with the city and DC United - the major component being a $5 million community fund to support recreational and educational programming for the community’s youth. Tomorrow’s Open House will be held at 100 M Street, SE, 8th Floor from 6-8pm. 

Rendering courtesy of DC United

The fourth annual SW ArtsFest will take place from October 2-5 at venues across Southwest. Events include (e)merge Art Fair, art installations at Nonuments Park, The Shoplifters at Arena Stage, the G40 art show at Blind Whino, and Pumpkin Lantern Palooza at The Wharf. Check the SW ArtsFest website for more information on which venues will be available and when. 

Image courtesy of SW ArtsFest

There will be a mayoral forum on Monday, October 6 at 7pm at Arena Stage, sponsored by ANC6D, SWNA, and the Navy Yard Civic Association. The forum will cover topics of importance to those who live south of the freeway and west of the Anacostia River. The moderator will be Shannon Vaughn, editor-in-chief of The Southwester. Vaughn hosted the Mayoral Forum that was held ahead of the April 1 primary. 

DC’s local chapter of DOCOMOMO, an international preservationist organization, is hosting a guided tour of modernist architecture in Southwest on Saturday, October 11. The press release states the following: The event will begin at 1:30 pm at Arena Stage with an introductory talk by Dr. Richard Longstreth of George Washington University, followed by two walking tours and a reception in the roof-top Club Room at the Chloethiel Woodard Smith-designed Harbour Square, which overlooks the Potomac River. The tour will also include access to unique interior spaces of the neighborhood's most noted projects, including Arena Stage, Waterfront Tower and River Park. Tickets are $15 for students, $25 for members of the DC Preservation League and DOCOMOMO-US/DC, and $35 for non-members.

The next DC Job Fair, hosted by Arena Stage and Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells' office will be held on Friday, October 17 at Arena Stage from 10am - 2pm. This year's event will feature a new partnership with the Office of Returning Citizens Affairs, which provides support and services to previously incarcerated individuals - the fair will be targeted toward these individuals. According to the press release for the event, recruiting companies committed so far include Big Bus Tours, Bread for the City, Building Futures, DC Central Kitchen, Fort Myer Construction Corporation, Giant Food, Harris Teeter, Specialty Hospital & Nursing Center of Washington, and the U.S. Postal Service.

 

ANC 6D will have their next monthly meeting on Monday, October 20 at 7pm. The meeting will be held in Near SE/Navy Yard/Capitol Riverfront at 200 I Street, SE.

Third Annual SW ArtsFest

 

September is the time of year in DC when several neighborhood festivals are held and Southwest will be hosting the third annual SW ArtsFest on Saturday, September 28. This year's theme is "Breaking New Ground" and the festival will include 10 venues throughout Southwest from 10 am to 11pm. All events are free except for a wine tasting event at Station 4. See below for a list of venues that correspond to the above map. 

1. Central Market (Grassy lot in front of Safeway – 4th and M streets) will have arts, crafts, food, exhibitors, interactive activities and live entertainment. 
2. Hand Dancing and Theater Tours (Arena Stage – 1101 6th Street) will include a panel discussion on The History of Lindy Hop and Hand Dance followed by hand dancing performances and workshops. There will also be guided tours of Arena Stage. 
3. SW Film Series, Performance Art & Yard Sale (Christ United Methodist Church – 900 4th Street) includes a feature film that explores the history of Southwest. In addition, there will be a performance art concert and a yard sale. 
4. Neighborhood Walking Tours (Waterfront Metro plaza – 4th and M streets) highlighting the following themes: Renewing Urban Renewal and Southwest Waterfront: From Watermen to Wreckers to “The Wharf.” Each tour will last 90 minutes each. 
5. Let’s Paint at the Duck Pond! (SW Duck Pond – 6th and I streets) Watercolor lessons and face painting for elementary school-aged children. 
6. Annual End of Summer Fair (St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church – 600 M Street) will include live music, arts & crafts, moon bounce & cupcake decorating. There will also be baked goods and other items for sale. Redskins tickets and other prizes will be offered at a raffle. 
7. Blues and Blowfish (7th Street Landing – 7th and Water streets) will include live blues and the ability to create blowfish as a work of art. Food and beverages will be available for sale. 
8. Virginia Wine Tasting (Station 4 - 1101 4th Street) will be held every half hour beginning at 11am. Seats are limited and registration is required. 
9. 12th Annual DC Jazz Preservation Festival (Westminster Church – 400 I Street) where crafts and food will be for sale. 
10. G40 Art Summit (Blind Whino SW Arts Club – 700 Delaware Avenue) will have 300+ pieces of art on display, along with live music and painting stations for all ages.

For more information about SW ArtsFest, check out their website.

Images from SW ArtsFest

Food vendor at Central Art Market

Central Art Market

Moon bounce at End-of-Summer Fair

Sign at End-of-Summer Fair

Sock puppets at Sock Puppet Art Studio

Stage at Jazz Preservation Festival

Stage at Central Art Market

SW ArtsFest 2012

On Saturday, September 29, the second annual SW ArtsFest will join the ranks of other Ward 6 festivals that take place in September, including those on H Street, NE and Barracks Row. This year, there will be 10 events occurring in SW and just over South Capitol Street at Nationals Park and Yards Park. Take a look at the above map for the locations of each event. Over at the SW waterfront, there will be a sock puppet art studio at 7th Street Landing from 11am - 5pm.  St. Augustine's Episcopal Church will host their annual End-of-Summer Fair with music, crafts, face painting, moon bounce, fried fish sandwiches, a bake sale, and a raffle from 9am - 4pm. Across the street at Arena Stage, there will be hand dancing performances and hourly theater tours from noon to 6pm. Westminster Presbyterian Church will have its 11th annual DC Jazz Preservation Festival with music, crafts, and food for sale from noon - 8pm. Across 4th Street from Westminster will be a farmers market and film series at Christ United Methodist Church. The farmers market lasts from 9am - 2pm and the film series from 2pm - 7pm. At the Waterfront Metro plaza in front of Safeway, there will be a Central Art Market with arts, crafts, food, and live entertainment from 10am - 6pm. Also in the vicinity of the Metro station will be two neighborhood walking tours by Washington Walks (Renewing Urban Renewal at 11am and Southwest Waterfront: From Watermen to Wreckers to "The Wharf" at 2pm). Each tour will last 90 minutes. Further down M Street at Second Union Baptist Church there will be a flea market from 10am - 3pm. From 1pm - 2pm, there will be a parade of Decorated Bicycles that will make its way from FIGMENT at Yards Park in Near SE west along M Street to 4th Street. Finally at Nationals Park, Don Giovanni will be performing in Opera in the Outfield - pre-opera entertainment will start at 5pm and the opera will be from 7pm - 10:30pm.  Admission to all events is free!

A Few Quick Items from Monday's ANC 6D Meeting

- The boundaries of Police Service Areas (PSAs) in MPD's First District will change next year. The PSA that falls in Southwest will change from PSA 104 to PSA 105. The PSA meets every third Thursday of the month, usually in the community room of one of the residential buildings in the neighborhood.

- As mentioned previously, the SW post office at Half & L Street will close once its lease expires at the end of 2012. The USPS is looking for a new location for the post office in the neighborhood. If one can't be found in Southwest, a temporary one may be set up in Near SE until an appropriate space can be found in Southwest.

- The Urban Forestry Administration will clean up Town Center East Park (adjacent to the SW Library at I Street and Wesley Place), do some general pruning of trees, and remove dead tree stumps (pending an environmental assessment since the site of the park was once a funeral home).  Jack Chapman, an arborist from the Urban Forestry Administration, said he would inspect the park soon and see which trees may need to be removed. He mentioned that the street trees bordering the park might be removed since they are impeding the growth of the trees in the park and would be replaced with understory street trees.

- The ANC unanimously approved the designation of a group called "Friends of Lansburg Park", which would allow the organization to join the Parks Partners program under DPR and use SWNA's 501c3 status to do fundraising to make improvements to the park. The underused park, located along Delaware Avenue behind First District headquarters and across the street from Greenleaf Gardens, has been thought of as a place for a community garden, dog park, skate park, and playground, among other ideas. The "Friends" would organize a charrette with the community to help plan its future. However, individuals have not identified yet who would run the "Friends" group.

- Joseph Dorsey from DDOT gave an update on the reconstruction of Maine Avenue from the 14th Street ramp to 12th Street. The project was originally supposed to last about three to four months, but close to six months later, construction has not been completed yet due to weather delays. Substantial completion of the project is near, though. About 97% of concrete has been poured, granite curbs are installed, lighting is in place, and the road has been paved. The road has been narrowed from two lanes to one and the sidewalk has been expanded to allow improved access between the Tidal Basin and the Southwest Waterfront. Parking will be restricted in this area. A bike lane will eventually be installed on the road and should serve as a traffic calming measure. New trees will be installed next spring since it is so late in the season. The project cost about $2 million and despite the delays, is still on budget.

- The organizers behind the inaugural SW ArtsFest this past September have filed for 501c3 non-profit status and are looking for a Treasurer. They plan to do another SW ArtsFest next fall and will coordinate with the other Ward 6 festivals that occur around September and October so their event doesn't overlap with other festivals.  

Inaugural SW ArtsFest this Weekend!

Don’t forget the inaugural SW ArtsFest will be held this weekend! The festival will take place from Friday-Sunday at 10 venues throughout Southwest, as shown in the cool map above that appeared in this month's The Southwester. On Sunday, admission will be free for the first 100 SW residents to enter the (e)merge art fair from 3:30pm - 5pm - the cost will be $15 if you want to go any other time during the festival.  All other events at SW ArtsFest are free.   For more information on the schedule of events, check out their website or Facebook page. I will not be around on Friday or Saturday, so if you attend and take photos, please submit them to southwest.tlqtc@gmail.com.  Thanks!

Get Ready for SW ArtsFest 2011!

I've been meaning to post about this for weeks, but better late than never!  From September 23-25, Southwest will host the inaugural SW ArtsFest at several venues across the quadrant. According to the press release, the collaboration will include:

• (e)merge art fair from Friday to Sunday at the Capitol Skyline Hotel
• Marcātus Creative Art Market on Saturday & Sunday
• Performances and children’s activities at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater
• 10th Annual DC Jazz Preservation Festival on Saturday at Westminster Presbyterian Church 
• Open House on Saturday at Christ United Methodist Church
• Amnesty International Human Rights Film Festival on Sunday at Westminster Presbyterian Church
• End-of-Summer Fair at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church
• Neighborhood Walking Tours on Saturday & Sunday by Washington Walks
• Children's activities on Saturday at 7th Street Landing
• Southwest Church Musical Showcase at Second Baptist Church Southwest

Admission to all events are free, except for the (e)merge art fair, which will charge an admission fee of $10.  For more information on SW ArtsFest 2011, check out their website.