Things To Do In Green Valley

On this week’s agenda: the Maryland Seafood Festival, a Chinese film festival, DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist's tribute to Afrika Bambaataa, lamb meet-and-greets on Old MacDonald’s Farm, and The Fray at the National Zoo. Enjoy yourselves, and as always, check Groupon for even more great things to do in DC. Maryland Seafood Festival at Sandy Point State Park Annapolis | Saturday, September 6, and Sunday, September 7 The spirit of Chesapeake Bay inhabits this seaside festival, adding a little extra flavor to the crab cakes, oysters, and local craft beers served throughout. If you're not too full after the corn-on-the-cob-eating contest, check out local art and live music from regional bands including blues act Kelly Bell Band and rockers Bad with Names. (1100 E. College Pkwy., Annapolis, MD; $20; buy tickets here) Second Biennial DC Chinese Film Festival at Freer Gallery of Art National Mall | Through Sunday, September 7 Panel discussions and special events accompany screenings of films from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other Chinese communities across the globe. Our pick? Oscar-nominated The Missing Picture, which plays on Sunday and recounts the search for memories and innocence lost during the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror over Cambodia. (1050 Independence Ave. SW; free) DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist: Renegades of Rhythm Tour at the Fillmore Silver Spring Silver Spring | Monday, September 8 Instrumental hip-hop pioneer DJ Shadow and Jurassic 5 turntablist Cut Chemist dig deep into Afrika Bambaataa’s personal record collection in celebration of Universal Zulu Nation's 40th anniversary. The duo will explore the farthest reaches of the father of electro funk's library, intermingling genres ranging from breakbeat and hip-hop to disco and electro house. (8656 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, MD; $21; buy tickets here) Old MacDonald's Farm at StageCoach Theatre's Outdoor Stage Leesburg | Through September 14 In Old MacDonald's Farm, the StageCoach Theatre Company uses music and laughter to tell the story of a shy lamb who struggles to make friends with other wildlife. The show is part of StageCoach Theatre for Young Audiences, a season of original productions by local playwrights designed to help families connect with the performing arts. (20850 Oatlands Plantation Ln., Leesburg, VA; free) Rock-N-Roar with The Fray at the National Zoo Woodley Park | Friday, September 12 One night each year, the lions, elephants, and pandas of the National Zoo invite human animals over for a music-filled night of dancing and drinks. This year, Grammy-nominated pop-rockers The Fray will entertain crowds with their hits ''Over My Head (Cable Car),'' ''How to Save a Life,'' and tracks from their latest album, Helios. Friends of the National Zoo will also host animal demonstrations throughout the night. (3001 Connecticut Ave. NW; $55; buy tickets here) Photos courtesy of Maryland Seafood Festival, Cut Chemist, and the Smithsonian National Zoo

On this week’s agenda: Tony-winning musical Evita leaves the stage, families take in fall foliage, Taste of DC descends on Pennsylvania Avenue, the CW’s favorite magicians perform illusions, and the Wizards begin their season. Enjoy yourselves, and as always, check Groupon for even more great things to do in DC. Evita at the Kennedy Center Opera House Foggy Bottom | Through October 19 Andrew Lloyd Webber's Tony-winning musical about Argentina's beloved Eva Peron closes this week after a critically acclaimed stop on its national tour. Washingtonian theater critic Jane Horwitz applauds Caroline Bowman's turn as Ms. Peron, saying the star ''plays the difficult, vocally challenging role with skill and precision.'' (2700 F St. NW; $39; buy tickets here) Family Hike at Little Bennett Regional Park Clarksburg, MD | Saturday, October 11 Families meet at Wilson Mill parking lot on Clarksburg Road before taking a guided tour of the park to learn about local wildlife and native trees dressed in fall colors. During the morning tour, guides will add their own insights regarding the ways area wildlife changes and adapts during the arrival of autumn. (23701 Frederick Rd., Clarksburg, MD; $10, free for kids; buy tickets here) Taste of DC on Pennsylvania Avenue National Mall | Saturday, October 11, and Sunday, October 12 More than 40 restaurants will turn Pennsylvania Avenue into an open-air festival, setting up stalls to dispense lobster rolls, crepes, cuban sandwiches, and more. Between bites, guests can sip one of 50+ samples at the Stella Artois Beer Garden or the Wine Walk, or take in tunes from house musician Joe Maye and acoustic rockers the Dan McGuire Band. (Pennsylvania Ave., 9th–14th Sts. NW; $10; buy tickets here) Masters of Illusion at Warner Theatre Penn Quarter | Thursday, October 16 Based on the CW show, Masters of Illusion doubles up on the magic by taking time-tested tricks and making them more mind-bendingly crazy. For example, the magicians saw a woman in half, but this time, she's in a transparent box. During another trick, the performers make their participants float, and then levitate right alongside them. Expect more twists on the classic escape trick, and lots and lots of fire. (13th and E St. NW; $27.50; buy tickets here) Washington Wizards Preseason Game at the Verizon Center Chinatown | Friday, October 17 Building on last year's momentum—the Wizards blew past the Chicago Bulls in the second round of the playoffs—the same core team returns to the Verizon Center this season. The team includes familiar superstars John Wall, Bradley Beal, Marcin Gortat, Marcin Gortat's mohawk, and Drew Gooden, as well as new addition (and championship veteran) Paul Pierce. (601 F St. NW; $16; buy tickets here) Photos courtesy of Evita on Broadway and Masters of Illusion

On this week’s agenda: an adults-only water fight, the latest class in DC Wine Week’s Summer School, animated art history for kids and parents, and a theatrical exploration of pop sex advice. Finally, an epic round of Pokémon is played … by a symphony? As always, check Groupon for even more great things to do in DC. Splash Yards: Water Battle and Tiki Party at the Yards Navy Yard | Saturday, August 9, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Yards Park marks the spot of DC's first-ever 21+ water festival. The pool area will be stocked with water slides, an Instagram booth, and the makings of a massive water battle (AKA buckets and soakers). The Bluejacket tiki bar takes care of the drinks (for a price), and ‘90s tribute band White Ford Bronco and Rock Creek Social's DJ Jerome Baker III handle the soundtrack. (355 Water St. SE; free) Children's Film: Getting to Know Degas and Cassatt at the National Gallery of Art National Mall | Through Sunday, August 10 Children’s author Mike Venezia's book series Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists has been adapted—at least, in part—to two animated shorts about impressionist painters Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas. The films explore how the two iconic artists became friends and collaborators in late 19th-century Paris, and provides kid-friendly context for the gallery’s Degas/Cassatt exhibit. (West Building Lecture Hall at 6th and Constitution Ave. NW; free) Accounting for Taste: Pairing Wine with Food at DCanter - A Wine Boutique Capitol Hill/Southeast | Wednesday, August 13, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Got a wine-pairing conundrum? The latest course in DC Wine Week's Summer School series covers what to serve with cuisines from France to Thailand, as well as more sophisticated topics such as how wine interacts with various food textures and cooking methods. Be sure to fill up on bread ahead of time: the event includes six tastings and tempting discounts on those wines. (545 8th St. SE; $40; buy tickets here) World Premier of Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions at the Warner Theatre Penn Quarter | Friday, August 15 You don't have be a fan of Pokémon to appreciate its music, especially when the game's score is performed by a full orchestra. The symphonic experience explores the last 20 years of Pokémon's orchestral landscape and corresponds with the 2014 Pokémon World Championships, which are taking place in DC on August 16 and 17. (513 13th St. NW; $37.50; buy tickets here) The Campsite Rule, presented by The Washington Rogues Anacostia | Through Saturday, August 16 Famed sex columnist Dan Savage once coined the ''campsite rule'' for relationships: ''Always leave your partner better off than you found him or her.'' Washington Post humor columnist Alexandra Petri explores this concept in her story of an unexpected courtship between a career woman and an inexperienced college freshman. Tim Treanor of DCTheatreScene.com praises the work as ''a line of bon mots, witticisms, and tangents so delightful they will remind you of Charlie Parker improvising on a tune.'' (2020 Shannon Pl. SE; $20; buy tickets here) Images courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, the Pokémon Company, and DC Wine Week