Art & Entertainment Events Washington 2019

Presented annually since 1978, the honors continue to be one of the highest awards given in showbiz. The most recent recipients of the esteemed honor included Sesame Street, rock singer Linda Ronstadt, Oscar winning-actress Sally Field, composer/conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, and the R&B group Earth, Wind & Fire. The 42nd ceremony, which included performances from Carrie Underwood, John Legend and more, took place December 8 and will be broadcast on CBS on December 15. Next: December 2020

Funnyman Dave Chapelle took home this year’s Mark Twain prize, the 22nd recipient to do so since the award’s inception in 1998. World-class entertainers from the likes of singer John Legend, actor Bradley Cooper, and actress Tiffany Haddish flocked to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall to honor the veteran comedian. The award is given annually to a performer who embodies the values possessed by writer, social justice commentator, and satirist Samuel Clemens, a.k.a Mark Twain. The program will be broadcast nationally on PBS on January 7, 2020 Next: Fall 2020

Ford’s Theatre continues to honor President Abraham Lincoln each year with its annual gala, which drives funding for its theatrical and educational programs. Several dignitaries attended the benefit, notably President Donald Trump, who provided remarks, and first lady Melania Trump, who served as honorary chair for the evening. The gala remains one of the few D.C. social events the president consistently attends. During the presentation portion, the Lincoln Medal was awarded to General Colin L. Powell and Alma J. Powell, and to political humorist Mark Russell. Next: June 2020

The annual jazz music festival crushed its previous attendance records this year, boasting 170,000 patrons across various events. Over the course of 10 days, 125 shows took place at 40 venues across the city, including City Winery, the Anthem, the Hamilton Live, and more. Next: June 12-20, 2020

Members of Congress, Washington V.I.P.s, and professional actors performed in front of more than 700 attendees at this year's Shakespeare Theatre Company event. Reed Birney (House of Cards) and Constance Shulman (Orange is the New Black) led the cast that performed Good Morrow America, a satirical look at television’s morning news shows with odes to Shakespeare, written by local playwright Michael Trottier. Lawmakers including Senator Patrick Leahy (Democrat of Vermont) and Representative Ted Deutch (Democrat of Florida) took to the stage as well. Next: June 2020

An annual theater, dance, and arts festival spanning 20 days in the District, Capital Fringe Festival showcases the work of local performers. In 2019, Capital Fringe was once again held in Southwest D.C., with performances taking place in a mix of traditional venues, such as Arena Stage, and non-typical production spaces like the Waterfront Metro Station. Next: July 2020

Over the course of five days, the documentary festival held in Washington, D.C. and Silver Spring, Maryland, showed 72 films to some 12,000 attendees. In 2019, the Audience Award for Best Feature was awarded to Chasing the Moon, directed by Robert Stone. The Audience Award for Best Short went to St. Louis Superman, a film by Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan. Next: June 17-21, 2020

Up from #11
Pop-synth trio Chrvhes and singer-songwriter Melanie Martinez headlined the D.C. music festival, now held at Union Market’s Dock5. For the second year in a row, the two-day festival boasted a full day of all-female performers. The weekend kicked off with panel discussions dubbed “Classic Conversations,” featuring women from the music and journalism fields, such as like CNN White House and East Wing correspondent Kate Bennett and Grammy-winning recording engineer Ann Mincieli, among others. Next: Fall 2020

Since 2003, the DC Shorts Film Festival has aimed to draw attention to D.C.’s filmmakers. Now, the festival has become the largest short film event on the East Coast. In 2019, more than 9,000 people attended the festival where 156 films from 36 countries were showcased. Next: September 10-19, 2020

The 68th annual A. W. Mellon Lectures on fine arts were delivered by Wu Hung, a Harrie A. Vanderstappen Distinguished Service Professor of Art History at the University of Chicago, and director of the Center for the Art of East Asia and consulting curator of the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago. Hung spoke on the theme of Chinese art and its relationship to artistic production across six talks, collectively titled “End as Beginning: Chinese Art and Dynastic Time.” Next: March 22, 2020

Each year around St. Patrick’s Day, RFK Stadium transforms into a sea of shamrocks. Dubbed America’s largest St. Paddy’s Day festival, the annual bash is all about rock music and beer. In 2019, Brandi Cyrus (sister of Miley), James Kennedy (of Vanderpump Rules fame), and Vinny Vinsane Ventiera (a former Bachelorette contestant) were among the notable names on the lineup, which included over 30 acts across six stages. Next: Spring 2020