Weekend Special Events

Saturday, September 27, 2008

National Book Festival
Time: 10 am - 5 pm
Location: National Mall; 4th Street NW between Madison and Jefferson Drives
Contact: National Book Festival (888) 714-4696; www.loc.gov/bookfest
Purpose: A festival which encourages American to read often and widely, and promotes making reading a lifelong practice.

Barracks Row Main Street Oktoberfest
Time: 11 am – 6 pm
Location: 500-700 blocks of 8th Street SE; 700-800 blocks of G Street SE
Contact: Barracks Row Main Street (202) 544-3188; www.barracksrow.org
Purpose: An event to promote business, community relations, fun, and friendship on Barracks Row.

Bike DC
Time: 8 am- noon
Location: Beginning and ending at Pennsylvania Avenue and 13th Street NW
Contact: DC Community Cycling (202) 558-7501; www.BikeDC.net
Purpose: A noncompetitive, community bike ride through 17 car-free miles of Washington, DC.


Sunday, September 28, 2008

Chinese Cultural Festival and Parade
Time: 11 am – 5 pm
Location: Festival: H Street NW between 6th and 7th, H Street NW between 7th and 8th
Parade: Beginning on I Street NW between 6th and 7th; Ending on 8th Street NW between G and H
Contact: Chinatown Community Cultural Center (202) 789-5466; www.dcchineseculturefestival.com
Purpose: A community day celebration showcasing Chinese-American culture and heritage.

American Kidney Fund "Steps that Count"
Time: 7:30 am
Location: Georgetown Waterfront; C & O Canal, Capital Crescent Trail
Contact: American Kidney Fund; (301) 881-3052; www.kidneyfund.org
Purpose: A walk benefiting those with kidney disease and raising the awareness of those at risk

Fiesta DC
Time: Parade: 10 am – noon
Festival: Noon - 7 pm
Location: Mount Pleasant Street NW between Argonne Place and Park Road
Contact: Fiesta DC (202) 232-4393; www.fiestadc.org
Purpose: An annual celebration of the culture and traditions of the Native Latino populations in the Washington DC metropolitan area.

Wilson Bridge Opening

The Woodrow Wilson Bridge will have a scheduled opening tonight from 8:00PM to 8:30PM for a ship to pass. Auto traffic will be stopped during this time.

Weekend Special Events

Saturday, September 20, 2008

H Street Festival
Time: 9 am - 7 pm
Location: H Street, N.E., between 12th and 14th Streets
Contact: H Street Main Street (202) 543-0161; www.Hstreet.org
Purpose: An event to promote and create business and community awareness of historical H Streets history.

George Washington Culture Dedication
Time: 10:30 am - 11:15 am
Location: 2100 block of Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Contact: Society of the Cincinnati (202) 785-2040; www.societyofthecincinnati.org
Purpose: A Ceremony unveiling and dedication of a statue of George Washington with a performance by the U.S. Army fife and drum corps.

Plymouth New Horizon Walk-A-Thon (sidewalks only)
Time: 11 am – 6 pm
Location: Beginning and ending at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ (5301 North Capitol Street, N.E.)
Contact: Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ (202) 723-5330; www.plymouth-ucc.org
Purpose: A walk providing healthy activity for the congregation and community and raising money for the church’s building fund.

Time of Remembrance
Time: Noon - 1:30 pm
Location: Washington Monument Grounds
Contact: The Commission on Remembrance (202) 783-4665
Purpose: A tribute is to bring together the families of America’s fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan and to acknowledge the sacrifice you have made.


Sunday, September 21, 2008

National Black L.U.V. Festival
Time: 9 am – 9 pm
Location: John Marshall Park; C Street, N.W., between 3rd and 6th Streets; North Curb Lane of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., between 3rd Street and Constitution Avenue
Contact: Black L.U.V. Festival (202) 413-6160; www.blackluvfest.info
Purpose: The Black L.U.V. (love, unity & vision) Festival informs and enlightens communities on social injustice, gentrification, healthcare and educational issues that disproportionately affect poor people in general and black people in particular in our communities and neighborhoods.

Capital Criterium
Time: 8 am
Location: Pennsylvania Avenue, .NW., between 9th and 14th Streets; 13th Street, N.W., between G Street and Constitution Avenue; 12th Street, N.W., between F Street and Constitution Avenue; 11th Street, N.W., between F Street and Constitution Avenue; 10th Street, N.W., between F Street and Constitution Avenue; F Street, N.W., between 11th and 14th Streets; E Street, N.W., between 9th and 14th Street
Contact: DC Velo Limited (202) 251-0454; www.dcvelo.com
Purpose: A circuit bike race held on a closed street course in the downtown business district.

Weekend Special Events

Saturday, September 13, 2008

South Washington/West of the River Community Health Fair
Time: 11 am-4 pm
Location: King Greenleaf Recreation Center/N Street/1st Street/Canal Street/Delaware
Avenue SW
Contact: South Washington/West of the River Collaborative (202) 488-7997;
http://www.swwr.org/
Purpose: Community events which provides increased awareness of and access to
community health organizations, mobile medical clinics, education, insurance
information (and eligibility requirements), physical, mental and nutritional health
and safety information for the residents of Southwest and Southeast Washington.

11th Annual National Press Club 5K
Time: 9 am
Location: Beginning and ending on F Street NW between 13th and 14th Streets
Contact: National Press Club (202) 662-7516; www.press.org
Purpose: A 5K race which provides college scholarships to minority students who aspire to
become journalists.

16th Annual Arts on Foot
Time: 11 am – 6 pm
Location: F Street NW between 7th and 9th Streets; F Street NW between 6th and 9th
Streets; 8th Street NW between E and F Streets
Contact: Pennsylvania Quarter Neighborhood Assoc. (202) 626-0011; www.artsonfoot.org
Purpose: One-day multimedia Arts Festival, showcasing the Downtown DC area as the
premier cultural destination in the region and kicking off the Fall arts season.


Sunday, September 14, 2008

The Nation’s Triathlon (bike and run segments)
Time: 7 am
Location: Beginning on Ohio Drive SW between Independence Avenue and West Basin
Drive; ending on Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 3rd and 6th Streets
Contact: The Nation’s Triathlon (202) 257-3472; www.thenationstriathlon.com
Purpose: An athletic event which promotes healthy lifestyles while benefiting the Leukemia
and Lymphoma Society.


30th Annual Adams Morgan Day Festival
Time: Noon - 7 pm
Location: 18th Street NW between Florida Avenue and Columbia Road; 1800 blocks of
Belmont Road, Wyoming Avenue, Kalorama Road and Vernon Street NW; 1700
block of Euclid Street
Contact: Adams Morgan Main Street, (202) 232-1960; www.ammainstreet.org
Purpose: A street festival celebrations the residents and businesses of Adams Morgan with
food, music, art, culture, and education in furtherance of its goal to revitalize the
local neighborhood business district.

Freedom Walk and the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial Dedication Event

On September 11, 2008, the Department of Defense (DoD) will officially dedicate the new Memorial honoring victims of the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon. The dedication ceremony will take place in the Pentagon South Parking lot and at the Pentagon Memorial site. You may visit www.defenselink.mil for information about the Pentagon Memorial Dedication Ceremony.

Several special events will take place on the Pentagon Reservation from Sunday, September 7 through Thursday, September 11. Some events will significantly impact parking and traffic surrounding the Reservation. A summary of the events and the impact on the Reservation follows:


SUMMARY OF EVENTS

Monday, September 8 and Tuesday, September 9: Pentagon Memorial will be open to 9/11 family members for a private viewing.

Thursday, September 11

The Pentagon Memorial Dedication Ceremony will begin at 8 am. Entrances will open at 6 am. This is a ticket and invitation only event and is scheduled to last until approximately 2:30 pm.

Viewing of the Pentagon Memorial for DoD employees will commence at 2:30 pm and until 6 pm on September 11 (Open viewing. No tickets required).

Pentagon Memorial will open to the general public at 7 pm with a Musical Tribute by the Navy Band and Sea Chanters Chorus that will last until 9 pm. The Memorial will remain open to the public 24 hours-a-day thereafter.


Impacts to Roadways on September 11, 2008

Major Road Closures, 2 am - 1 pm

o Washington Blvd (I-395 to Memorial Bridge)

o Eads Street into Pentagon, South Parking

o Fern Street into Pentagon, South Parking

o Pentagon, North South Connector Road

o Columbia Pike at Joyce Street

o Hayes Street ramp to I-395



Road Closures to Pentagon Reservation, 2 am – 11 pm

o Washington Blvd Ramp into South Parking (Lane 1)

o Columbia Pike into South Parking (Lane 1)

o Ridge Road Exit into South Parking (Lane 10)

o South Rotary Road (Fern St. to Wash Blvd)

o North Rotary Road (Fern St. to Columbia Pike), (between Lane 1 and Fern Street), 2 am -11 pm


HOV Access to Pentagon Reservation, 2 am – 1 pm

There will be no HOV/Slug Traffic to Pentagon South Parking lot (Pentagon Reservation Commuter Slug Drop-off to be relocated to Army Navy Drive)

Pentagon Transit Center (PTC - Metro Bus Platform) 2 am– 1 pm - Closed
Bus service (WMATA/DoD Shuttles/Commuter), is temporarily suspended and Rerouted. METRO trains will run normally

Facility Closures and Construction Suspension

The Remote Delivery Facility (RDF) and the Secure Access Lane (SAL) will be closed on September 11, 2008. Employees of the RDF area will be able to work in office and shop space in the RDF.

The Pentagon Athletic Center (PAC) will be closed until noon on September 11

Corridors 2 and 3 entrances will close, Thursday, September 11, 2 am Corridor 2 will open for normal business at 3 pm. Corridor 3 will open at 1 pm.

Special Note:

The pedestrian tunnel under I-395 will be closed on September 11 from 2 am to approximately 1 pm. Pedestrian access to the Reservation from Army Navy Drive will be via Fern Street.

There will be no pedestrian or vehicle access to the Corridor 5 or Mall Terrace parking areas via Memorial Gate on September 11, between the hours of 2 am to 1 pm. Access to the Mall Terrace will be from the Mall checkpoint off Route 110.

Sandbags Available for Residents in Flood-prone Neighborhoods

The District government has a limited number of sandbags available for residents of neighborhoods that experience flooding during heavy rains.

Sandbags are being distributed at 1241 W Street, NE from 12 noon to 9 pm on Friday, September 5 and from 7 am to 7 pm on Saturday, September 6. The limit is five bags per household.

Persons picking up sandbags must present a valid DC driver's license or non-driver ID.

Severe Weather Warning

National Weather upgraded the Tropical Storm Watch to a Warning for early Saturday morning through Saturday afternoon. Expecting; 4 to 8 inches of rain and wind gust 40 mph for the Metropolitan Area, including the District of Columbia.

District of Columbia Prepares for Possibility of Severe Weekend Weather

District of Columbia government agencies are mobilizing personnel, equipment and other resources in anticipation of possible severe weather this weekend. The National Weather Service reports that the District could be affected by wind and rain related to tropical storm Hanna. The current forecast indicates the possibility that the western edge of the storm may impact the District with minimal wind and rain on Saturday and Sunday.

In response to the current forecast, HSEMA has issued a citizen’s alert through the city’s Alert DC emergency text alert system and posted information on city websites, including 72hours.dc.gov and hsema.dc.gov, informing citizens about protective actions and referring them to additional sources of preparedness information. The agency is also conducting daily conference calls with lead District Response Plan (DRP) agencies to ensure that all agencies are prepared to respond to the storm if necessary and is developing a “storm plan” that outlines preparations and catalogs assets and resources that each agency will utilize if they need to respond.

All emergency response agencies are inventorying and staging supplies, equipment and other resources and developing personnel deployment schedules.

“Just as we advise citizens to prepare in advance for emergencies, the District government also is taking steps in advance to prepare in case the city needs to respond to the storm,” said HSEMA Director Darrell Darnell. “In addition to our daily calls with DRP lead and support agencies, we also have daily conference calls with the National Weather Service and with FEMA Region III, which includes the mid-Atlantic region. We are making certain we are ready to respond if the District is impacted by the storm.”

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is staging generators and portable stop signs for rapid deployment to critical intersection and other vulnerable locations. Traffic control officers are on stand-by in the event they are needed to direct traffic at critical intersections.
The DC Water and Sewer Authority (WASA) is checking and cleaning catch basins in neighborhoods with repetitive flooding issues such as the Bloomingdale neighborhood in northwest. The authority also has portable pumps and generators that will be pre-staged at problem areas.

The Department of Public Works has equipment ready to assist with debris removal and is stockpiling sandbags for possible distribution in the event of localized flooding.
Both the Metropolitan Police Department and the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department have personnel and apparatus on standby, including inflatable boats, in the event they need to perform water rescues or deal with other storm-related incidents.

City residents are encouraged to review their emergency plans and make sure all information is up-to-date and correct. They should also check the status of their emergency kit and replenish any items that may be low. Water and non-perishable food to last for at least 72 hours for each household member is recommended along with any medical supplies or other specialized items such as diapers. For more information about how to make an emergency kit or a family emergency plan, visit 72hours.dc.gov .

In the event of an emergency or for more information, citizens should call 311.

National Preparedness Month

D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) and Serve DC successfully kicked off National Preparedness Month in the District. HSEMA Director Darrell Darnell and Serve DC Director Amy Ward joined representatives from D.C. public safety agencies, including the Metropolitan Police Department, the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department and the D. C. Department of Health, to kick off the city’s observance of National Preparedness Month. Command vehicles and other apparatus was on display and fair goers were able to tour the vehicles and learn more about how the city responds to emergencies of all types, including natural disasters.

Agency representatives distributed public safety and preparedness information and HSEMA staff were on site to assist attendees in registering for the city’s emergency text alert program.

To learn more about how you can get prepared and to see a complete list of events for the month, visit 72hours.dc.gov.