Best Music
1. Mary J. Blige & D’Angelo: Blige, winner of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards for her eight multiplatinum albums, joins forces with R&B singer D’Angelo for their Liberation Tour.
Where: Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW
When: 7 p.m. Sunday
Info: $50.55 to $171.05; 800-745-3000; ticketmaster.com
2. Al Green: The good reverend sings the soulful gospel hits that made him a star; with special guest Taj Mahal.
Where: Wolf Trap’s Filene Center, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Info: $45 in-house, $25 lawn; 877-WOLFTRAP (965-3872); wolftrap.org
3. Jason Mraz: The popular singer-songwriter performs “I’m Yours” and the other hits he’s sent soaring up the Billboard charts.
Where: Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia
When: Doors 6 p.m. Friday
Info: $40 to $60; 410-715-5550; merriweathermusic.com
4. Terence Blanchard: The Grammy Award-winning trumpeter spreads his joyful sound through the entire weekend.
Where: Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW
When: 8 and 10 p.m. Thursday to Sunday
Info: $40; 202-337-4141; bluesalley.com
Best Brainfood
1. Beyond the Parking Lot: The Change and Re-assessment of our Modern Landscape: Inspired by the Joni Mitchell song “Big Yellow Taxi,” which tells of how “they paved paradise and they put up a parking lot,” Beyond the Parking Lot will motivate the viewer to consider how we have used the land that surrounds us in our everyday life. The exhibit is curated by Artisphere Visual Arts Curator Cynthia Connolly.
Where: Terrace Gallery, Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
When: Friday through Nov. 4; opening reception 7 to 10 p.m. Sept. 6
Info: Free; 703-875-1100; artisphere.com
2. “The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814”: Anthony Pitch will discuss and sign his book on the War of 1812.
Where: William G. McGowan Theater, National Archives, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
When: Noon Friday
Info: Free; 202-357-5000; archives.gov
3. Genesis: The Baltimore arts collective EMP stages a vast multimedia project in which actors from Baltimore and Washington recorded excerpts from Eduardo Galeano’s “Genesis,” an epic description of the creation of the modern world. Artists of various disciplines then took one excerpt each to inspire a piece of art. The resulting pieces will be presented at D.C.’s Fridge on Friday. After the performance, the visual pieces will stay up at the gallery for a couple of days.
Where: The Fridge, 516 1/2 Eighth St. SE
When: 7 to 10 p.m. Friday
Info: Free; 202-664-4151; thefridgedc.com
4. “The Lost Prince”: Selden Edwards’ first novel, “The Little Book,” introduced Wheeler Burden, who suddenly time-traveled from 1980s San Francisco to 1897 Vienna. This sequel follows Eleanor Burden, who grew up in Boston in the 1890s and fell in love in Vienna, as she experiences an uncanny sense that she knows what’s just ahead.
Where: Politics and Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 7 p.m. Monday
Info: Free; 202-364-1919; politics-prose.com
5. “Secrets Of A Life On Stage … And Off”: Signature Theatre hosts a special, one-night performance and book signing featuring Broadway star Ed Dixon (Signature’s “Sunset Boulevard”). Dixon will perform original compositions as well as narrate a behind-the-scenes memoir.
Where: Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell St., Arlington
When: 8 p.m. Monday
Info: $20; 703-820-9771; signature-theatre.org
Best Outdoors
1. Boatrides on the Occoquan River: One-hour boat tour rides on the Occoquan River start at the Occoquan Regional Park in Lorton, pick up at the town of Occoquan Wharf, go downriver about 3 miles to the Belmont Bay Harbor Marina, turn around and return. There is a narrative tour given of local historical, bird, business and boating facts.
Where: Occoquan Regional Park, 9751 Ox Road, Lorton
When: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; boat available other times for charter
Info: $10, kids 4 to 12 $5, kids 4 and under free; 703-498-4348; missrivershorecharters.com
2. Odyssey Moonlight Cruise: Make your reservation now to step aboard the Odyssey and cruise under the full moon for three romantic hours. A three-course dinner is served alongside music and dancing.
Where: Pier 4, 600 Water St. SW
When: Boards 7 p.m., sails 8 to 11 p.m. Aug. 31
Info: $99.90; 866-306-2469; odysseycruises.com
3. Friday Night Live: Kick off your weekend with live music, good food and good beer. Friday Night Live is an outdoor concert for all to enjoy. This Friday: the Rovers (Celtic).
Where: Rockville Town Square, 200 E. Middle Lane, Rockville
When: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday
Info: Free; 301-998-8310; rockvilletownsquare.com
4. The Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run): The 150th anniversary of this bloody conflict includes living-history demonstrations, a re-enactor parade, historical demonstrations and a Blue and Gray Ball. Events occur at various locations throughout Old Town Manassas. Tickets required for Blue and Gray Ball ($30 to $75).
Where: Old Town Manassas Center, 9431 West St., Manassas
When: Various times Friday to Sunday
Info: Free; 703-361-6599; manassascivilwar.org
5. Maryland State Fair: The event features numerous blue ribbons, a midway, concerts and an attempt at building a world-record crab cake.
Where: Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road, Timonium
When: Friday through Sept. 3
Info: $8, seniors 62-plus $6, kids 6 to 11 $3, kids 5 and under free; 410-252-0200; marylandstatefair.com
Best Family
1. The National Zoo: The zoo has new additions all the time, from a flamingo chick to Cuban crocodiles. Visit and see an animal you’ve never seen before.
Where: The National Zoo, 3000 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Info: Free; 202-633-4888; nationalzoo.si.edu
2. Milkweed Safari: The whole family is invited to explore the milkweed jungle. From crawling caterpillars to prowling preying mantises to beautiful butterflies, a whole community lives in and on these native plants. For children ages 5 and older. Information: 703-228-3403.
Where: Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 Military Road, Arlington
When: 1 to 2 p.m. Sept. 9
Info: $5; registration required; 703-228-4747; program No. 612852-H
3. Super Spiders: Kids ages 3 to 5, come unravel the web of mystery surrounding spiders. Parents are invited to stay and observe, or those with younger siblings may visit the rest of the building during the program. Parents must remain on-site.
Where: Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 10:30 to 11:30 Friday
Info: $5; registration required; 703-228-4747; program No. 642912-U
4. BlackRock Center for the Arts: If you have never taken your family to a show at BlackRock, consider this your invitation. The center, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, will hold its annual open house on Saturday. The day of free events will highlight everything the center offers, from classes for children to the upcoming season of performances. Be sure to check out roving performer/juggler/clown Mark Lohr, crafts and a scavenger hunt.
Where: BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown
When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free; 301-528-2260; blackrockcenter.org
Best Gatherings
1. Festive Spanish Paella Dinner Made Easy: Learn to make a Spanish paella dinner with master chef Judy Harris.
Where: Judy Harris Cooking School, 2402 Nordok Place, Alexandria
When: 7 to 10 p.m. Friday
Info: $85; 703-768-3767; judyharris.com
2. War of 1812 Anniversary Celebration: The Bowie Baysox will commemorate the bicentennial of the war with fireworks, a flame show, cannon fire and a performance by the Chantymen. The team plays the Harrisburg Senators.
Where: Prince George’s Stadium, 4101 Crain Highway, Bowie
When: 7:05 p.m. Friday
Info: $7 to $15; 301-464-4865; milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t418
3. Battle of Bladensburg Visitor Center Grand Opening: This new visitors center is dedicated to Maryland’s involvement in the War of 1812. The opening weekend includes a Saturday afternoon full of reenactments, live music and family events.
Where: Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg
When: 10 a.m. to noon Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free; 301-779-0371; pgparks.com
4. “Romeo and Juliet”: The National Players give a new twist to the Bard’s classic tragedy, setting it in 1943 Verona.
Were: Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd., Olney
When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Info: Various prices; 301-924-3400; olneytheatre.org
5. Mini Golf: No need to travel to the beach to enjoy some minigolf action: for the rest of the summer, the National Building Museum will be turned into a putting green with holes designed by local architecture firms.
Where: National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; through Sept. 3
Info: $5 per round, $3 with museum admission and for members; 202-272-2448; nbm.org
Best Theater
1. “Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins”: Academy Award and Tony Award nominee Kathleen Turner brings her sizzling blend of sensuality and intelligence to the bravado of newspaper columnist Molly Ivins. A dyed-in-the-wool liberal from deep in the heart of Texas, Ivins’ rapier wit made her one of America’s highest-regarded columnists, satirists and beloved rabble-rousers.
Where: Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW
When: Through Oct. 28
Info: $94 to $109; 202-488-3300; arenastage.org
2. “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”: Miss Mona’s Chicken Ranch brothel comes to life in this gritty satire about moral hypocrisy and media sensationalism. When crusading television watchdog Melvin P. Thorpe ogles the whorehouse as his next moral target, Miss Mona, her bevy of working girls and Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd must buck the muckraker to keep the ranch open.
Where: Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell St., Arlington
When: Through Oct. 7
Info: $39 to $86; 703-820-9771; signature-theatre.org
3. “Body Awareness”: A touching comedy from Annie Baker about Body Awareness Week at Vermont’s Shirley College, where a photographer and his female nudes visit an unconventional family.
Where: Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW
When: Saturday through Sept. 23
Info: $60, seniors 65-plus and members $55, 35 and under $25; 202-518-9400; theaterj.org
4. “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson”: This rowdy, irreverent musical imagines President Jackson as a rock star, following Jackson from his boyhood home through an extraordinary life and into the White House.
Where: Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW
When: Through Sunday
Info: $40 to $50; 202-232-7267; studiotheatre.org
5. “A Maze”: A graphic novelist struggles to complete his 15,000-page comic book, a musician searches for the inspiration for his next hit, and a young girl strives to re-create her identity after years in captivity in this highly theatrical examination of creativity, addiction, love and power.
Where: Rorschach Theatre, Atlas Arts Center, 1333 H St. NW
When: Friday through Sept. 9
Info: $25, students, seniors and groups $15; 202-399-7993; rorschachtheatre.com
Best Galleries
1. Black Box: Jeroen Eisinga: Dutch artist Eisinga’s 19-minute black-and-while silent film “Springtime” shows his body being gradually enveloped by more than 250,000 bees. Eisinga’s work places him in the tradition of the saints and martyrs whose feats of physical endurance were taken as evidence of their religious faith. Eisinga planned the shoot for two years, obtaining instruction from bee handlers on how to keep his composure during the swarm.
Where: Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, 700 Independence Ave. SW
When: Now playing
Info: Free; 202-633-4674; hirshhorn.si.edu
2. Women Silversmiths: The National Museum of Women in the Arts celebrates its 25th anniversary with this collection of precious objects forged by British and Irish silversmiths of the 17th and 18th centuries, curated by founding member Nancy Valentine.
Where: National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW
When: Through Sept. 23
Info: $10, seniors 65-plus and students $8, youth under age 18 and members free; 202-783-5000; nmwa.org
3. Sondra N. Arkin: Pattern Transformation: Arkin’s mastery of encaustic and other wax techniques inform her experiments with walnut ink and shellac. The patterns that result are hypnotic.
Where: Long View Gallery, 1234 Ninth St. NW
When: Through Sept. 23
Info: Free; 202-232-4788; longviewgallerydc.com
4. Likeness/Interpretations of Portraiture: This compilation of portraits by regional artists ranges from near-photographic hyper-realism to pure abstraction, but each work features captures the essence of its subject.
Where: The Athenaeum, 201 Prince St., Alexandria
When: Through Sept. 23
Info: Free; 703-548-0035; nvfaa.org
5. Plein Air to Print: This solo exhibition of Hannah Phelps’s white-line woodcuts, derived from her plein air paintings, celebrate the natural landscape.
Where: Washington Printmakers Gallery at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, Second Floor, 3230 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring
When: Closing Sunday
Info: Free; 301-273-3660; washingtonprintmakers.com
