Thursday, June 04, 2009

Cheap dates

Army Band’s Twilight Tattoo
Performed by ensembles of The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” and The 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard), the U.S. Army’s most popular outdoor ceremonial pageant, Twilight Tattoo is Wednesdays this year through July 1, except June 17.
Pre-ceremony pageantry begins at 7 p.m. and the pageant starts at 7:15 p.m. at Fort Lesley J. McNair. The closest Metro stop is Waterfront-SEU Station on the Green Line.
Twilight Tattoo is an hour-long sunset military pageant of Soldiers and ceremonial units, including The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, The U.S. Army Drill Team; The U.S. Army Blues, a soloist from The U.S. Army Chorus, and members of The U.S. Army Band, Downrange.
Performances are free and open to the public. Bleacher seating is available on a first-come, first-seated basis.
Information about inclement weather plans and group reservations is available by calling 202-685-2888.
More information is available from twilight. mdw.army.mil.

Air Force music
The U.S. Air Force Band’s Concert Band and Singing Sergeants perform Friday and June 19 at 8 p.m. at the Air Force Memorial, One Air Force Memorial Drive, Arlington.
The Airmen of Note perform at 8 p.m. June 17, also at the Air Force Memorial.
The Air Force’s Max Impact also has a scheduled performance at noon June 20, as part of Become a Pilot Family Day at Udvar Hazy Center, 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly.
Outdoor concerts are subject to cancellation due to inclement weather.
The event is free and tickets are not required. More information is available by calling 202-767-5658 or from usafband. af.mil.

Early summer plants
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, Va., hosts “Early Summer Tour of the Potomac Valley Native Plant Collection,” at 2 p.m. Sunday. 
People can observe and learn from this native plant collection, and see Baptisia, Coreopsis, bladdernut, black cohosh, viburnums and Rhododendron in bloom. The event is free.
The park also hosts “Perennials in the Garden,” at 10:30 a.m. June 13, when Chief Horticulturist Doris Rodriguez walks through the gardens to view perennials that perform well in the Mid-Atlantic region. Maintenance requirements, plant combinations and availability will be covered.
A “Mid Summer Tour of the Potomac Valley Native Plant Collection” is July 5 at 2 p.m., with perennials such as culvert’s root, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, bee balm, cone flower, wild petunia and Yucca. 
Information is available by calling 703-255-3631.

Jazz art
“The Fine Art of Jazz” photography exhibit opens June 18 at Alexandria Black History Museum. The exhibition highlights the names and faces synonymous with Kansas City’s tradition of American jazz.
The museum hosts a free opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. The event is open to the public, but reservations are requested and can be made by calling 703-838-4356.
The museum is at 902 Wythe St., Alexandria. The exhibit is open through Aug. 8.
The museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and suggested admission is $2.
More information is available from alexblack history.org.

Free Father’s Day Tours
Three Alexandria museums, Gadsby’s Tavern, Apothecary and Friendship Firehouse Museum offer free tours on Father’s Day, June 21.
From 1 to 5 p.m. at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, fathers can tour the historic tavern and City Hotel. On that day, junior docents, volunteers from grades 2 through 5, will be stationed at each stop on the tour. 
The Tavern Museum is at 134 North Royal St. Information is available by calling 703-838-4242 or from gadsby tavern.org.
From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., fathers can tour the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum.
The museum features a collection of medicinal herbs, shop furnishings, apothecary bottles and equipment, many still in their original location.
Visitors can learn about special properties of herbs and botanicals, like dragon’s blood and Job’s tears, while discovering the important role the apothecary played in early Alexandria.
The Apothecary Museum is at 105-107 S. Fairfax St. Information is available by calling 703-838-3852 or from apothe carymuseum.org.
The Friendship Firehouse Museum also offers free tours from 1 to 4 p.m. Every father with his children can be an honorary chief of the Friendship Fire Company Bucket Brigadedad, receive a certificate and have his picture taken with the Friendship fire engine.
Friendship Firehouse is at 107 S. Alfred St. Information is available by calling 703-838-3891, Fridays through Sundays, or from friend shipfirehouse.net/.