Rachel's Washington, DC Blog

The National Museum of Crime and Punishment opens on May 23, 2008! Co-owned and operated by Orlando businessman John Morgan in partnership with John Walsh, host of America's Most Wanted, the museum features historical artifacts combined with interactive exhibits encompassing everything from pirates, Wild West outlaws, serial killers and gangsters, to white-collar criminals hiding behind computer technology. Opening day admission is half-price and free for law enforcement.

Special Opening Day Activities

• 9-11 am and 1-3 pm - Meet world-famous Crime Fighting Dog McGruff and learn "how to take a bite out of crime".
• 10 am-noon - Meet museum owner and creator, John Morgan and John Walsh, host of America's Most Wanted.
• 2-4 pm - Age progression and facial reconstruction demonstrations by the experts from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

American Idols Live 2008 tour is coming to the Verizon Center in Washington, DC on Thursday, August 14, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. The top ten finalists of season seven's popular television show will be hitting the road this summer including David Cook, Brooke White, Carly Smithson, Jason Castro, David Archuleta, Syesha Mercado, Kristy Lee Cook, Michael Johns, Ramiele Malubay and Chikezie Eze. Tickets go on sale May 17 at 10:00 a.m. Tickets will be available through Ticketmaster . You may also find some premium seating at TicketsNow.com.

If you are a 007 fan, you are in luck! There are two James Bond Film Festivals going on in the DC area this summer. The NoMa Summer Film Festival in Washington, DC offers free films on Thursday evenings at Florida and New York Avenues, NE. The film series will take place on the future site of MRP Realty’s Washington Gateway project, a one million square foot mixed-use project that will begin construction later this year. On Monday evenings, James Bond films will be screened at the Crystal Screen Outdoor Film Festival in Crystal City, Virginia. Both film festivals began in early May and run through the summer.

Here's a new way to explore the DC metropolitan area. Beginning May 17, 2008, DC Metro Food Tours will offer unique walking tours combining a guided stroll through historic neighborhoods with food tasting of cuisine from locally owned and operated restaurants. The first tour available will highlight Old Town Alexandria and will operate each Saturday from 1-4:30 p.m. The tour begins at City Hall and includes a discussion of the history, culture, architecture and entertainment of Old Town. Tickets are $50 per person (plus a $2 ticketing fee). DC Metro Food Tours will also offer a tour of Capitol Hill beginning this summer.

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If you haven't had a chance yet to check out Washington's new Passport DC events, you've got a few more days. This week, May 11-16, 2008 is World Week featuring special programming from the embassies of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. Don't miss the Asian Heritage Festival on Saturday, May 17, an Asian street fair with Pan-Asian cuisine, live performances, a marketplace and much more.

The smash hit musical Mamma Mia! returns to the National Theatre in Washington, DC for a limited engagement June 24 and run through July 13, 2008. Inspired by the storytelling magic of ABBA's songs from "Dancing Queen" and "S.O.S." to "Money, Money, Money" and "Take a Chance on Me," Mamma Mia! is a celebration of mothers and daughters, old friends and new family found. Tickets are on sale now at telecharge.com and TicketsNow.com

_{Mamma Mia! National Tour 2008
© Joan Marcus}

In its second year, the GI Film Festival , a unique event held in Washington, DC honors the courage and selflessness of American troops. The festival runs from May 14-18, 2008 and will present both classic and premier films celebrating the heroic stories of the American Armed Forces and the worldwide struggle for freedom and liberty. See film screenings and presentations by award-winning Hollywood actors and directors and participate in panel discussions with soldiers, journalists, authors, and filmmakers.

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During National Police Week, May 11-17, 2008, nearly 40,000 officers and supporters will honor the thousands of law enforcement officers from around the country who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Throughout the week a series of ceremonies, services and other related events will be held, including the 20th Annual Candlelight Vigil and the 27th Annual Peace Officers Memorial Service. The names of more than 17,500 officers who have been killed in the line of duty (dating back to 1792) are inscribed on the walls of the memorial. Each May, during National Police Week new names of fallen officers are added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

National Police Week events are open to the public. The highlights include:

• May 13, 8 pm. Candlelight Vigil at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
• May 14, 6 pm. March of Bagpipers (the procession travels from New Jersey Avenue & F Street en route to the Officers Memorial)
• May 15, noon. National Peace Officers Memorial Day Service at the U.S. Capitol
• May 16, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. National Police Survivors' Conference at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center

Artomatic 2008 opens in Washington, DC just in time for Mother’s Day and runs May 9 through June 15. The one-of-a-kind art extravaganza involves hundreds of regional artists, performers and volunteers. If you love the arts this is a great event to see visual arts, live performances, films, educational presentations and children’s activities. Highlights of the opening weekend include:

• A Latin dance workshop with professional dance instructor Ibis Villegas, featuring salsa, merengue, samba, and other styles at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 10.
• Progressive rock by Guardians of Iridescence at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 10.
• “The Road to Success,” performance art by Carolina Mayorga in the form of a new TV game show at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 10.
• New wave/indie rock by Plastiq Passion, an all-girl band from Union City, New Jersey at 11 p.m., Saturday, May 10.
• An expressive drawing workshop with Giliah Litwack at 1 p.m., Sunday, May 11.
• "In-your-face" jazz/jam music "with a touch of funk" by Bethesda, JD-based Bassment Breaks at 4 p.m., Sunday, May 11.

_{© Artomatic, Inc.}

See Photos and Read More About Artomatic

Beginning on May 10, 2008, Seadog Cruises will offer speedboat cruises (high speed sightseeing tours) on the Potomac River departing from a new dock at National Harbor, Maryland near Washington, DC. Seadog will offer a 45-Minute Speedboat and Sightseeing Tour including informative descriptions of notable DC area landmarks such as Old Town Alexandria, the Wilson Bridge, Jones Point Lighthouse, Ft. Washington and Mount Vernon. Read more about the new Seadog Speedboat Sightseeing Tours.