inTown: August Events in DC
So, summer is almost over, isn’t it hard to believe? The muggy nights are already starting to cool off (if that’s wishful thinking, don’t tell me) and almost everyone is on vacation. Since many of you have more time on your hands this month, we thought it would be helpful to curate a list of the August events around Washington D.C. The Washington Independent Review of Books has a nice calendar of all the area events. Also, don’t forget to check out the calendar on WETA, since it has lots of information about things to do and see this month. Here are some highlights:
On August 9th, the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center continues its popular Benjamin Botkin lecture series, which “presents the best of current research and practice in Folklore, Folklife, and closely related fields. The series invites professionals from academia and the public sector to present findings from their research. The lectures are free and open to the public.” This month’s lecture is given by Simon J. Bronner, (his blog can be seen here) a professor at Pennsylvania State University upon the topic ”Campus Traditions: Folklore from the Old-Time College to the Modern Mega-University.”The blurb introducing the lecture describes it as follows:
From their beginnings in American history, college campuses emerged as hotbeds of expressive traditions fitting under the rubric of folklore (although scowling critics would dismiss these traditions as high jinks). This became more true, rather than less, as universities have become engines of mass society. Rather than deride campus traditions as cases of boys and girls ‘gone wild,’ Bronner interprets the uses of play and ritual for students in different eras to work through tough issues of their age and environment. More broadly, campus traditions are shown to function centrally in the development of American culture.
Busboys and Poets, the popular restaurant, bookstore, and poetry reading location, continues its tradition of open-mike nights and other events. Highlights from the August calendar include a poetry slam the night of the 10th, a story contest on the 15th, and an author talk by Susan Naimark on the 27th. View the full calendar to find out more about these events and others you may be interested in.
The Writer’s Center in Bethseda also has several things planned for this month. TWC provides writing workshops both on-location and online. The group also hosts more than 50 outstanding literary events each year, featuring authors of local, national, and international renown. This month’s calendar lists quite a variety of workshops, so go check out what they have to offer and see if it interests you.
One of the most vibrant locations for literary and cultural events in DC is the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue, which hosts some pretty cool events. Many of them are Judaic, but there are a number of events for the general public such as a grilling workshop (Man Meats Grill), a concert by folk singer Rodriguez, and a trivia night. Check out the full event calendar here.
Finally, one of the best-known venues for book readings in the DC area, Politics and Prose, has a juggernaut lineup planned for August. There are at least three or four events planned per week! Standouts include Monica Wood reading from her book, When We Were the Kennedys: A Memoir from Mexico, Maine (8/14), and Selden Edwards reading from his book, The Lost Prince (8/27).
Let us know in the comments if you have events to add to this list! Also, if you attend one of the events, please let us know how you liked it. Have a great August!
About The Author:
Jane Jonas
Jane Jonas is the CEO of Eyeth Studios, LLC (http://www.eyethstudios.com). Jane grew up in the Bay Area, and has always been somewhat obsessed with technology and literature. Her first efforts at entrepreneurship came in elementary school. At age seven, she used her Apple IIc to write up newsletters with stories and jokes, and then peddled them to the neighbors. That early drive for independence and creativity has never faded. Throughout her career, she has been involved with establishing underground newsletters with groundbreaking journalism stories, interviewing, filming and editing videos, designing and producing websites, and administrating employees. This diverse background led to the formation of Eyeth Studios in 2006. In her spare time, Jane enjoys mothering her two rhodesian ridgebacks, cooking gourmet messes, and reading as much as possible. Her personal website and CV may be found at janejonas.com.
