Politics at the Newseum, AFI Docs Film Fest, Smithsonian Folklife Festival and more.
Feature films like “Contemporary Color” are showing at AFI Docs Film Festival (Photo Courtesy of AFI.com)
THE NEWSEUM’S “CNN POLITICS CAMPAIGN 2016”
INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT
Act like a political reporter and put yourself in the middle of this year’s fascinating presidential campaign. The Newseum’s new interactive exhibit, “CNN Politics Campaign 2016: Like, Share, Elect,” tells the story of the election in real time by using innovative digital media techniques. Explore how journalists have changed the ways they cover elections, how candidates campaign and how the public participates in the political process. The educational exhibit was created in partnership with CNN Politics, Facebook, Instagram, Zingal Labs and Pivit. Visit tickets.newseum.org to purchase tickets. $22.95 adult admission. Runs through Jan. 22, 2017.
CHILDREN’S THEATRE-IN-THE-WOODS
WOLF TRAP ENCHANTMENT
Parents and children alike will enjoy the enchantment of the outdoor theater and entertainment from world-renowned acts in music, dancing, puppetry and storytelling at this year’s outdoor festival, where the lineup includes Grammy-nominated singer Lisa Loeb (performing favorites from her recent album “Nursery Rhyme Parade!”), Dinorock, Serendib Dance Company and Jazzy Ash and the Leaping Lizards. Performances are offered Tuesday through Saturday mornings from late June to early August. Tickets range from $10 to $12 per show. Visit wolftrap.org for tickets or call 1-877-WOLFTRAP.
AFI DOCS FILM FEST
SPECTACULAR SCREENINGS
Nonfiction film fans won’t want to miss the annual AFI DOCS film festival. The 13th annual gathering in downtown Silver Spring has been called “the premier showcase for documentary films” by the Hollywood Reporter and a “non-fiction Nirvana” by Variety. In addition to five days of screenings that include the U.S. premieres of several international films, there will be opening and closing night galas and a Guggenheim Symposium featuring Werner Herzog in an in-depth conversation with filmmaker Ramin Bahrani. June 22-26, Tickets start at $10 per screening. Visit afi.com/AFIDOCS for more information.
SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL
BASQUE COUNTRY CULTURE
Since 1967, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival has honored contemporary cultural traditions by highlighting a different community each year in a two-weekend festival on the National Mall. This year, musicians, cooks, language experts and others from the Basque regions of Spain and France will be on the Mall to “explore themes of cultural sustainability, identity and migration” and showcase the food, crafts, music and poetry for which the culture is known. The Basque language, Euskara, was once on the brink of extinction but has been revitalized in recent years, with an estimated 1 million people now speaking it. June 29 through July 4 and July 7 through July 10, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with special evening events beginning at 6:30 p.m.; Free admission.
DC JAZZ FEST
SOULFUL CELEBRATIONS
The 12th annual DC Jazz Fest brings more than 100 acclaimed jazz artists and emerging Washington talent to the Kennedy Center, the Yards Park, Sixth and I Historic Synagogue and other venues in June. You’ll see acts like Kamasi Washington, The Chuck Brown Band and Igmar Thomas and the Revive Big Band (performing with Talib Kweli, Bilal and Ravi Coltrane) free of charge. June 10-19, dcjazzfest.org.
These picks appeared in the June 2016 issue of Washington Life.
