| EVENT REPORT 09.26.08 1:42 PM |
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Washington's Top Arts & Entertainment Events 2008
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 | A Liz Lerman Dance Exchange performance during the Capital Fringe Festival
Photo: Courtesy of Capital Fringe Festival |
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1. Kennedy Center Honors
Steve Martin, Martin Scorsese, Diana Ross, former Beach Boy Brian Wilson, and pianist Leon Fleisher were honored with awards for artistic achievement at this black-tie gala in December 2007. Traditionally attended by the president and first lady, the gala is broadcast on CBS, and Restaurant Associates caters the dinner. Independent event producer Carolyn Peachy of Campbell, Peachy & Associates is planning this year’s December 7 event with co-chairs Buffy Cafritz and Ann Jordan.
2. Ford’s Theatre Annual Gala
The historic theater has been under renovation for most of 2008, so the 28th annual gala was temporarily relocated to the National Theatre this June. The gala featured performances by Tricia Yearwood, Clay Aiken, and Hal Holbrook. The president and first lady were among the 575 attendees, and Lincoln Medals were awarded to Maya Angelou and actress Ruby Dee. Produced by the theater’s associate director of development and special events, Jennifer Kiefer, the gala will return to Ford’s in June.
3. SilverDocs Film Festival
One of the nation’s largest documentary film festivals comes to the American Film Institute in Silver Spring, Maryland, each June. This year’s sixth annual festival expanded to eight days, 21,000 attendees, and more than 100 film screenings and panels, including the Charles Guggenheim Symposium, which honored director Spike Lee, and the opening-night party, held at the nearby Discovery Channel headquarters. Festival director Patricia Finneran oversaw the event with director of programming Sky Sitney and Discovery Communications director of global events Elika Hemphill.
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RELATED TOPICS
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| NEWS 08.29.08 8:00 AM |
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AARP Convention Reels in Gene Simmons, Paul Simon, Chaka Khan
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Next week, AARP kicks off its 50th anniversary conference—Life @50+ National Event & Expo—at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. More than 25,000 attendees will converge on the city September 4 to 6, bringing an expected $28.5 million in spending and 8,500 hotel rooms booked. AARP is offering a trade show with some 400 exhibitors, including Home Depot, Google, Nintendo, and Microsoft, as well as a packed schedule of educational sessions and performances, featuring assorted notables and celebrities.
Thursday kicks off with an opening show from Regis Philbin, an AARP anniversary event at the Lincoln Memorial, and a concert with Natalie Cole and Chaka Khan. Maya Angelou and Quincy Jones will be closing the conference on Saturday. Kiss singer Gene Simmons will speak in the afternoon before a Paul Simon performance at the convention center. —Danielle O'Steen
RELATED TOPICS
AARP, Home Depot, Google, Nintendo, Microsoft, Regis Philbin, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, Maya Angelou, Quincy Jones, Gene Simmons, Paul Simon |
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