Sink into the August haze with an R & B fest headlined by Lauryn Hill, or watch one of Shakespeare’s most mystical plays under the stars. Colin Powell shares his insight on the politics of war, Brooklyn authors read poetry and fiction, and the first-ever Puppet Fest invites guests to BYOP. And as always, check Groupon for even more great things to do in DC.
Summer Spirit Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion
Columbia | Saturday, August 2, 3 p.m.
The Summer Spirit Festival always brings forth major names in hip-hop and R & B, but this year's fest stands out for marking the return of Lauryn Hill. The singer has spent the last year in the midst of a massive comeback and is expected to perform several tracks from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and the Fugees' The Score while backed by her reggae band. Joining Ms. Hill is Electric Lady Janelle Monae, rapper Talib Kweli, and neo-soul crooner Raheem DeVaughn. (10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia, MD; $46–$125; buy tickets here)
Bring Your Own Puppet to Imagination Stage Puppet Fest
Bethesda | Sunday, August 3, 1:30 p.m. or 4 p.m.
For the first-ever Puppet Fest at Imagination Station, guests are invited to BYOP, or bring your own puppet, to one of two productions of Roald Dahl's The BFG. More than 20 different puppets tell the story of one friendly giant: a 35-pound, 13-foot-tall puppet who can’t help but love to eat children. If you opt to BYOP to the show, you'll receive a lap pass for your puppet, storage space, and a chance to interact with the professional puppeteers. (4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, MD; $10; buy tickets here)
Shakespeare's “The Tempest” at Olney Theatre Center
Olney | Through Sunday, August 3
On the outdoor Root Family Stage, the National Players are ending their summer run of Shakespeare's classic tale about a magician who is shipwrecked on a mystical island with his daughter. This is the National Players' 65th consecutive year of touring, and like many of their shows, The Tempest is a labor of love divided between veteran cast and novice players. Theater-goers are invited to bring a picnic blanket and lawn chairs, as well as their own snacks to enjoy under the stars. (2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd., Olney, MD; $20, free for children; buy tickets here)
Colin Powell: On Life and Leadership at George Washington University
Foggy Bottom | Monday, August 4, 7 p.m.
In support of his new book, It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership, Colin Powell discusses what he's learned as a ground soldier in Vietnam, four-star general, and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Persian Gulf War. Frank Sesno, director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, will interview General Powell during the lecture, which will conclude with a book signing. (730 21st St., NW (21st & H); $45; buy tickets here)
A Reading Is Sexy Experience at Busboys and Poets
U Street Corridor | Thursday, August 7, 6:30 p.m.
Brooklyn's indie publisher Papercut Press hosts a night of music, readings, and a Q&A to promote what it considers the new American author: ''socially responsible, politically invested, and staunchly anti-corporate.'' Participating writers include m. craig––author of queer, dystopian fantasy The Narrows––and Rami Shamir, who is the co-founding editor of Underground Editions. Busboys and Poets will serve up its signature vegan bar snacks throughout the evening. (5th and K St.; free)
Images courtesy of Ms. Lauryn Hill’s official tour site, The National Players’ official Facebook, and General Colin L. Powell’s official Facebook
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Things To Do In Green Valley
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PB Dye Golf Club
18-Hole Round of Golf with Cart and Bucket of Range Balls for Two or Four at PB Dye Golf Club (Up to 65% Off)
Course designed by famed links architect, P.B. Dye, challenges golfers with a 72.2 Rating and 136 Slope
Ijamsville
$146 $55
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At Adventure Park USA, visitors amble, shriek, and laugh through a sprawling 17.5 acres replete with Old West?themed rides and attractions such as the Wildcat roller coaster, which dips and curves around a track in order to elicit screams of joy. Outdoor diversions such as bumper boats and go-karts stoke competitive fires, and a collection of little tykes rides invite pintsize riders to spin in teacups or gallop on carousel horseback. Open year-round, a 22,000-square-foot indoor frontier playzone thumbs its nose at inclement weather with laser tag, an arcade, Spin Zone bumper cars, the Gold Rush playground, a ropes course, and a climbing wall. Owner Larry Stottlemeyer continues to expand this already extensive list of family-friendly diversions.
11113 West Baldwin Rd
New Market,
MD
US
The Original Playhouse Children's Museum was once the opposite of a playhouse?it was an empty house. That is, until founder Ellen Przybocki came along. She had spent the previous decade teaching in local elementary schools and, with skills and the building's potential, drew on her experience to transform the house into an hands-on, educational playground.
- Size: six rooms, each designed to?foster creativity in kids?age 3?8
- Eye-Catcher: the table in the Art 101 room, whose tabletop?which kids paint, draw, and sketch on?looks like a massive green iguana
- Permanent Mainstay: the Wonders of Water room, where youngsters create?human-size bubbles and?stage experiments in?troughs of water as they discover what floats, what sinks, and what dons a snorkel
- Don't Miss: the Nature Nook, where kids learn about animal biology?and befriend a slew of stuffed animals
4 W Main St.
New Market,
MD
US
As the son of a couple famed for their course designs, P.B. Dye works hard to honor his heritage. To create PB Dye Golf Club, he spent 120 days on the grounds, working the bulldozer himself and instilling the fairways with the sweat and tears that has filled Dye water hazards for generations. Likewise, the course itself honors the attributes of the land on which it stands. Sharing its 6,724 yards from the back tees, the 18-hole course also acts as an Audobon International Cooperative sanctuary, serving as a safe haven for the D.C. area's abundant wildlife.
9526 Doctor Perry Rd.
Ijamsville,
MD
US
The white pillars and wrap-around porch of the Worthington Manor Golf Club's colonial-style clubhouse greet guests as they arrive to the club, which serves as an elegant gatekeeper to the luxurious grounds. Stealing a peek at the course is worth a visit in itself, as bent-grass tees, fairways, and greens unfurl amid a rolling patchwork of wetlands and woods. But the course offers more than cosmetic appeal, as evidenced by its perennial role as a host to events such as the U.S. Open Qualifier, U.S. Amateur Qualifier, and the U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifier. The par-72 circuit measures a fierce 7,034 yards from the tips, but offers four tee options to cater to golfers across the handicap spectrum.
The Club's practice facilities include a natural grass driving range that nestles in the shadows of an old barn-like structure, which helps golfers reminisce about the days when clubs had fun names, like "mashie niblick." The club also hosts private and group instruction to help players improve in all facets of the game, from chipping and putting to not pronouncing the E at the end of "fore."
Course at a Glance: * 18-hole, par 72 course * Length of 7,034 yards from the tips * Course rating of 74.4 from the tips * Slope rating of 144 from the tips * Four tee options
8329 Fingerboard Rd
Frederick,
MD
US
