This two day event is jam packed with food, swag, prizes, drinks and all things BBQ. Follow the…read moresocial media to plan your day. Be prepared to stand in lines. Enter from 7th Street. There is a free bike valet. Archives metro is close by. Get a brochure from Giant and read about all the guests & vendors. Stay hydrated. The shopping bags that Giant handed out were appreciated and filled quickly with swag. Some guests brought wagons to hold all of their items. There were so many drink & food give a ways. The prizes were varied and fun. IKEA medium sized bags or Costco bags are perfect for hauling items. Bring a sweat towel. Wear comfy shoes. Have fun!

Freeeebies, freeebies, and well...more freeeeebies!!!…read more What a time to be had at the bbq battle!!!! Only thing I didn't sample was the bbq....sheeesh!! I really didn't want to BUT of all the freebies and samples, one would think bbq would be at the top of the list but only stubbs had bbq samples. I was surprised that there were healthy options at the battle - non dairy, gluten free, cauliflower pizza, salad....What a time I had! I couldn't carry all my freebies - and live music - yessssss!! DJ Jazzy Jeff - ok DC! I am not a native DC'er but I was happy Backyard Band and the Chuck Brown Band was in the building (dare I say I am getting acclimated to go-go music). For $20ish bucks a ticket, I felt it was well worth it. As others have said - more seating would be better, I had to exit for a bit to have a sit down (I got a stamp and was let back in with no issue).

This weekend, we have Mexico and Asian Pacific Americans spotlighted…read more.. It's hot. Crazy hot. The Shamans are working their curative magic on passers by (They accept cash tips.) There's a tequila tent (not for drinking, just for teaching, you boozer). There's oodles of music and great stuff at the marketplace which is in a nice shaded cool tent. The evening concert last night by two Haitian headliners was great. The party continues through Monday, then starts up again July 1st through the 5th. Oh! And there are cooking demonstrations! Yay!

Hey, it's free! Yep,…read morealways remember that with something like this. The tents weren't particularly interesting, they didn't give out free samples at cooking demos, and it really seemed like stuff was for kids. But it was free. It was like one of those street festivals, which they sometimes charge 5 or 10 bucks admission. So, the fact that we didn't have to pay was a good thing. Still, not the most interesting thing.

While the other review (at the time of this writing) is one of the least useful reviews I've ever…read moreseen on this site, I hope mine can shed some more light and encourage you to attend in future years. A brief overview: - The Festival is held on Walter Reed, between the Arlington Drafthouse/Bangkok 54 and Twisted Vines (which if you know Arlington well, should give you a good idea of the location). It stretches from the Pike to just before the library (where the stage is). I can't personally comment on the parking, but I heard it was tough, so Metro or rideshare. - While there are black folding chairs available, I recommend bringing a blanket (there's lawn space) or your own chairs. - You could bring a picnic, but they had interesting food options, such as Suya To Go (Nigerian kabob), Sloppy Mama's (BBQ), Mazagan (Morrocan), Cantina Mexicana, Carol's Jamaican Cuisine, Mac's Donuts, and some lame festival/fair concessions. - You can buy beer and wine, which is basically a necessity. Beer was from Yuengling and Twisted Vines did the wine. - There were a lot of stands to explore, but many were for timeshares, or doors, or windows. Quite boring. However, there were some fun vendors selling jewelry, arts, etc., and I appreciated that. There were also Arlington civic organizations. I had a fantastic time at this festival. While I was unfamiliar with the performers, I thought they were all great, and represented a mix of styles. There were a few traditional performers, and then some that had more a funk or R&B mix. The festival started at 1, but didn't really get busy until around 4 or so. For food, I tried Suya, Cantina, and Mac's. I had a pupusa from Cantina, but didn't love it. It's a little hard when pupusas are not straight from the griddle. Suya To Go was delicious, though you get a tiny portion for $14. The jollof was boring, but the chicken kabob was spicy and delicious. The plantains were an interesting blend of of tostones and platanos. Basically, they took a yellow plantain and fried like a green plantain. I've never had one like that, but I loved it. I've had Mac's Donuts before and those are always a good bet. I think this festival is a great way to showcase more Pike restaurants, so I'm not sure why only two were there. I'm super looking forward to following years, and definitely think this is a festival worth checking out.

The Columbia Pike Blues Festival is a perfect family friendly event. Located right off of Columbia…read morePike and S. Walter Reed. Music rocks and the food tents are pulling out all the stops.

One of the best conventions I've attended so far. Fantastic artists, vendors, and an overall great…read morecommunity. It's also in a great location in the city where you're able to take the Metro. However, I have to take off a point for its panel/guest organization. Popular panels and VA signings were a bit chaotic, with people RUNNING to get a good spot in line and not enough staff to manage and create order in the crowd. Despite this, I still think it's a great convention and a must-attend if you're an anime & gaming lover in the DMV area. If they fix their panel/VA management, I truly believe this would be a five star event.

I have attended many cons at the convention center. Each has their own theme and method of…read morestaffing. Otakon has volunteer "goffers" and their own team of people who staff an incredibly useful information booth. There are also people with "information" banners that are stationed throughout the building. If there is an app, download it and study it before you arrive. The convention center is easy to reach. Metro is directly across the street. Taxis and ride shares are always available. The garage is expensive but nearby (and reaches capacity at some point). Neighborhood metered parking is limited (download a parking app in order to pay when you might be standing in a line). There was a useful props/"weapons" check that inspected each item worn/carried by guests. The costumes are amazing. The event is usually extended into the Marriott. Hotels fill up months before the event. Don't decide on a Thursday that you want a hotel on Saturday. You will only find hotels at a premium if you delay your weekend plans. There are lots of panels, presentations, artists, merchandise, games and activities. Follow social media to learn what is going on. You won't be able to see everything. Make a list of your favorite activities/actors and pick the top choices. Have a back up plan. Suggestions for the day: Wear comfortable footwear. Guests are walking several miles. Stiletto heels are great for a photo opp. Bring flats (crocks work well on concrete floors in exhibit halls). Bring band aids, packets of Gatorade or electrolytes. Bring an empty water container. Have a "water plan." Not every area has refillable water station. Bring cash. There are few ATMs in the convention center. Each year it seems like some vendors have WiFi issues and have to shut down their credit card machines. Bring a roll up bag or something to carry merchandise, give aways, etc. Bring a gallon zip lock bag. You will see lots of stickers, buttons and small items. Guests trade pins and stickers. Have a meal action plan. There are limited food vendors in the convention center. Safeway is down the Street. Subway is nearby. There is a pizza shop near metro. City Center is a few blocks away. Otakon is a lot of fun. I think capacity should be limited. The convention center gets crowded. Check with Otakon about lockers or a place to check a bag. Otherwise you will be carrying everything with you while trying to get to your event.

Katsucon is for sure a great time waiting to happen!…read more This was my 2nd year going and just like the first, it was a real blast! If you are a cosplayer that's trying to get their foot in the door and make a name for themselves on the social media market, this a must go to convention! Reason being is the landscape and scenery has great locations for some amazing photoshoot spots both indoor and outdoor. Something to note is it can get a tad cramped at the con sometimes, but mostly just moving to different venues and not in it's entirety. For those note into the cosplay scene then never fear! Dealers room, game room and panels all hold up being intriguing places to pop up by. The only negative thing I can mention again is how cramped the con can be at times, so those with larger set cosplays or those with expensive cameras should watch their step.

Katsucon 2020 was overall a great experience with a variety of activities to experience. Some of…read morethe fun things you can do include shopping at the merchant's hall/artist alley, watching different types of shows (cosplay masquerade, street fashion show, AMV contests, etc) playing Japanese games in the video game room, attending different types of panels, and getting autographs from voice actors. The venue itself is great and there's an area with great lighting for cosplay photos. Katsucon seems to have more cosplayers than other cons because of the favorable lighting conditions and how the parking garages are fairly close by (less time suffering in the winter chill). I recommend downloading the Guidebook app as it's pretty convenient for organizing your schedule and provides maps of the convention center. Katsucon also implemented something new this year where they had pre-registrations available for "make your own plushie," a popular panel, and there was some space for walk-in waiting as well if you didn't pre-register. It was very convenient for us and it'd be great if they could further implement this system into other very popular panels. One major negative of Katsucon is how spotty the cell phone service is! There's no wifi to use for the convention and service is terrible almost everywhere, making it very difficult to text or call people. Another negative is that it can get very crowded, especially on Saturday. These cons should honestly take a leaf from Disneyworld's crowd control and have some staff on-site to help with directing traffic and organizing lines. However, Katsucon is nowhere near as terrible as Anime Expo (in California) is with their lines and crowds.

Had a great time at the Summer Snow Globe!…read more The food was appropriate for the intended temperature: lobster bisque, chicken pot pie, butternut squash soup, and a number of passed hors d'oeuvres like crab cakes and shredded duck crostini. While the sun made it a bit toasty to justify eating soup in the beginning, I skittered over to the soup stations as soon as the sun went down and the chill set in. The drinks were great! They had a boozy snow cone station that kept my wife sipping away. I focused on the Mint Julep cocktail, which they wisely made with the crushed ice from the snow cones. They also planned very well, and I didn't have to hear them say they ran out of anything. A major issue that I would normally need to point out at events like this is that the bars are usually packed, making it unreasonable to wait so long for one drink. I can't say that here! I never had to wait for more than one person ahead of me to get their drink. It wasn't an overbooked event, and that's a big deal for someone who is used to attending packed events and feeling like a canned sardine. The music was what I'd describe as "snow globe chill". There weren't any recognizable songs, but it was sufficient for creating a cool ambiance, similar to a lounge vibe. The only feedback I'd give for their future events is that the live band was pretty loud (not sure they need to mic the drums in such an enclosed space), which resulted in guests stepping outside so they could hear each other. BUT, with picnic tables, a waterfront sunset, and two corn hole sets waiting for us outside, it actually worked to add some variety to the night. It was a great event, all around! It also convinced my wife and I to return for one of their upcoming snow globe events. What can I say? I've been frost-bitten!

I wanted to love this, and I certainly didn't hate it, but I'd say I only just "liked" it well…read moreenough. The pre-opening party itself was good due to the tasty drinks and delicious bites being passed around, but I don't think I would pay for this exact experience on my own. Not because I'm cheap, but because it's only just o-k. A few pros and a few cons: Pros: - Unique idea - Bathroom trailer was surprisingly sufficient - Aesthetically pleasing decor, especially the chandeliers and trees - Outdoor seating and cornhole Cons: - EXTREMELY loud music -- if you want to talk to anyone, no. That's not happening. - Awkward sort-of lounge arrangement - Mystery snow -- as the foam snow fell into my drink, I thought, "I hope I'm not drinking something moderately to really toxic now..." - More snow would be nice - The dome was surprisingly hot and humid, definitely warmer the promised 64* - It's sitting in a rather unattractive asphalt parking lot. Maybe some AstroTurf would help. There's nice looking seating, but it's so loud that I'm not sure who's going to be able to make use of it; I'd prefer either a quieter space with more seating or no/less seating and more high tops for standing guests. This venue is a perfect example of "Man! This has SO MUCH potential! If only a few changes were made..." I'm crossing my fingers that some of those changes will be made and then this unique little National Harbor gem will really shine!

Every year the event gets better and better. This is a great family event and weather is usually…read moreperfect around the beginning of October. My family tries to go every year to see whats new in Annandale and to meet different vendors and try a bunch of food trucks. Who can say no to free pens and free samples. The lines can get long if you go later in the day but there ate plenty of restaurants around if you want a sit down place. The fire department and the police department has their usual chili cook-off and you can explore fire trucks at the fire station. They also have multiple children's activities like face painting, story time, and games so the kids won't get bored.

Love this event! We went last year and this year was just as great. Gets super busy so try and come…read moreearly. There are food trucks from empanadas to pho to bbq, lots of different options! Also food options in tents such a kbbq, bubble tea, lemonade and kombucha. There is also free cotton candy and popcorn. The fire station across the street has little fire hats for kids and balloons, little snacks and drinks! They also offer a free tour of a fire truck which my son enjoyed. The building next to the station also had outside activities for kids and inside and around are great picture opportunities with haystacks and pumpkins. There are restrooms located inside and an actual photographer that will take pictures of your kids in a fall setting (haystack and pumpkins display) and will let you keep a copy! Also activities for kids inside as well such as coloring and we were also offered a free book per child! As always, such an amazing event and we will be back next year!

The Millennium Stage within the Kennedy Center features a regular slate of free musical…read moreperformances at 6 PM, Wednesday to Saturday each week. Many otherwise obscure artists from around the world. There are a couple hundred seats set out (tickets for seating can be secured in advance or obtained on a walk-up basis - you have to give your email address to Kennedy Center can send you ads) We go several times a year. Yesterday's performance by Gilo Yalo, an Ethopian-Israeli singer, was first rate One gripe -- the ushers make you sit down if you want to dance at or near your seat -- if you want to dance you have to go up front. But the ushers have no compunction about boogie-ing themselves inn the aisles where they are stationed.