February is a busy month filled with Black History-related events and vibrant activities to enjoy in the DMV.
From African American arts and archives, to fitness fun and community healing, stay active, social and connected with these engaging experiences, and keep the momentum going with the Washington Informer Calendar!
Thursday, Feb. 19
In Living Memory: A Conversation on African American Archives
6 p.m. | Free
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center, 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20001
The John Hopkins University Bloomberg Center will be hosting an intimate conversation with Lindsay Adams, Jason Reynolds, and Savannah Wood, coinciding with the Irene and Richard Frary Gallery’s exhibition, “Ceremony,” which highlights new works by Adams in conversation with never-before-seen objects from Johns Hopkins University Sheridan Libraries.
Moderated by Ceremony’s guest curator, Claudia M. Watts, the discussion will address each panelist’s relationship with archival materials, exploring the similarities and differences while underscoring the importance of archives and their afterlives.
For Adams, archives are sites of collective memory that inform her compositions and mark-making. To Reynolds, they are tangible moments from which he draws inspiration and feels called to preserve. Wood is also a steward, managing more than 130 years of the AFRO American Newspapers publications as she creates meaningful opportunities for community engagement.
Together, artist, collector, and steward will illuminate their spiritual connections to ephemera, the ways in which they navigate archival inconsistencies and biases, and the long-term impact they hope to create.
A reception with light fare will directly follow.
Black Arts In the Wake of Change: African American Women at the Helm of Community Arts Organizations
7 p.m. | Free
This event is virtual.
Hosted by curator and doll artist Camila Bryce LaPorte, “Black Arts In the Wake of Change” explores the historic contributions of Black women in education, art, and social activism.
Panelists include Kibibi Ajanku, founder of The Sankofa Project; Dinana Baird N’Diaye, artistic director for the African American Craft Alliance; Julee Dickerson-Thompson, director of Young Masters, Inc., and more –– among some of the first beneficiaries of the Civil Rights and Black Arts Movements.
Emerging as artists during AfriCOBRA and the Golden Age of Black Arts (GABA), these women, like their predecessors, continue to expand Black arts and arts education to encompass social advocacy, community engagement, civic responsibility, global lineage, and cross-cultural bridging.
There will also be a focus on the legacy of the Black Arts Movement along the Baltimore-Washington corridor, highlighting some of the greatest visionary leaders such as Harriet Gibbs Marshall, founder of the Washington Conservatory of Music, and Mary Cardwell Dawson, founder of the National Negro Opera Company (NNOC). Further, the virtual event will also include a discussion about the emergence of late 20th-century Black arts organizations and cultural enterprises.
Friday, Feb. 20
Postpartum and Prenatal Fitness Series with Barre3
11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.| $41.92+
Pink Moon, 7610 Old Georgetown Road Plaza Level (2nd Floor), Bethesda, MD, 20814
Bethesda-based community space Pink Moon is partnering with Barre3 to offer a special four-week prenatal and postpartum fitness series.
Participants will be able to connect with other moms and moms-to-be as they learn the safest and most effective ways to exercise during pregnancy and in postpartum. Each session includes feel-good movement, small-group instruction, and discussions that will deep-dive into common postures and how they can be modified during pregnancy.
After class, connect each week with Pink Moon preferred providers, the organization’s vetted network of local health and wellness experts who make it easier for moms to navigate motherhood.
Exoplanets: Exploring Outside the Solar System
6:45 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. | $25+
This is a virtual event.
The search for planets outside the solar system has found more than 6,000 such worlds, known as exoplanets, over the past 30 years. Now the race is on to find Earth-sized temperate planets, understand their atmospheres, and discover any signs of life on them.
Powerful NASA missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope and the future Habitable Worlds Observatory hold the promise of yielding breakthroughs revealing that humans are not alone in the universe. Learn how astronomers are carrying out this search and what they’ve been finding along the way.
Peter Plavchan, the NASA Landolt Space Mission’s principal investigator and associate professor of physics and astronomy at George Mason University, shares his research on exoplanets, describing how scientists determine their mass and details of their orbits.
Event highlights also include a Q&A; discussions of the 2029 NASA Landolt mission, set to improve common knowledge of exoplanets; and George Mason Observatory Director Rob Parks bringing the skies into your living room with remote control of the university observatory, weather permitting.
Saturday, Feb. 21
Davis Boxing Promotions Presents “Grind and the Glory”
6 p.m. | $64.08+
CareFirst Arena, 1100 Oak Drive SE, Washington, D.C., 20032
Davis Boxing Promotions brings an explosive night of championship boxing to Washington, D.C.: Grind and the Glory!
Topping the bill is Maryland’s undefeated standout Chris “The Blueprint” Glenn, who will defend his NBA Super Bantamweight Title in an eight-round showdown against dangerous Dominican Republic puncher Erick “El Flash” Rosado. Glenn enters the bout unbeaten and confident, but Rosado’s reputation as a heavy-handed finisher adds real intrigue to this title defense. With both fighters eager to shine on a big stage, fans can expect a high-stakes clash with championship implications.
The co-main event features a major welterweight collision as Greg “Sharpshooter” Outlaw, the #11 ranked fighter in the WBA and reigning NABA Welterweight Champion, steps into a 10-round battle against New Jersey’s tough and tested Micheal Lee. Outlaw’s precision and ring IQ will be put to the test against Lee’s grit and knockout power in what promises to be a fast-paced, competitive fight.
With championship bouts, regional rivalries, and rising prospects all on one night, Grind and the Glory is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated boxing events in the Washington, D.C. area.
Don’t miss this unforgettable night of relentless action and rising stars.
Crafted Dialogues: Fidget Jewelry + Neuroinclusive Communications with Tara Garwood
6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. | $15.90
Merry Pin, 7350 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20012
Join Merry Pin for “Crafted Dialogues,” a gathering where creativity meets meaningful conversation.
As participants craft fidget jewelry, the event hosts and tells the story of featured guest Tara Garwood, diagnosed with ADHD in her mid-40s and autism a few years later, who found community through co-founding and co-leading a neurodiversity employee resource group at her government agency – until all such groups were dismantled in early 2025.
In this discussion, Merry Pin will share tips for communicating with neurodivergent family, friends, and coworkers.
Fifty percent of ticket sales go to support the Autistic Self Advocacy Network.
Sunday, Feb. 22
Maryland Indoor 5K & Family Fun Run
Time depends on package selection | $32.80+
Arundel Mills Mall, 7000 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD, 21076
Warm up this winter with a one-of-a-kind racing experience at Arundel Mills!
Peake (Social) Events hosts an indoor 5K that takes place entirely inside the mall, giving participants the rare chance to run the mile-long loop of Arundel Mills without braving the cold.
Choose between completing multiple loops for the full 5K or opting for the family-friendly fun run or walk, which features a shorter distance perfect for kids and new runners. After participants cross the finish line, stick around for post-race activities including fitness demos, recovery stretches, training tips, and workout ideas for all ages.
Additionally, the event aims to benefit Girls on the Run Greater Chesapeake Chapter, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization designed to enhance young girls’ social, emotional and physical skills to successfully navigate life experiences.
Course distance and start times may adjust slightly based on registration numbers and logistics. Waved starts will help ensure plenty of space for running through the mall corridors.
Candlelight: From Bach to The Beatles
3 p.m. | $51.84+
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, D.C., 20024
Candlelight Concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Washington D.C.
“From Bach to The Beatles” will include the sounds of Mozart, Beethoven, and Claude Debussy, plus the Beatles’ 1960s classics such as “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Here Comes the Sun” and more.
Attendees – all of whom must be 8 years old or older – can expect an immersive and welcoming atmosphere, with numerous candlelights painting the arena with a bright, yellowish-orange hue and other visually appealing scenery.
The arrangement of classical music pieces played by exceptional musicians from the Listeso String Quartet will immediately captivate the ears and minds of listeners.
Doors open 45 minutes before the show, and there will be no entry once it starts. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Seating is first-come, first-served.