April is in full swing and as The National Cherry Blossom Festival officially comes to a close, there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate the beginning of National Poetry Month.
From free poem giveaways at Planet Word to the 2025 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, check out a handful of the many events happening to keep your spirit – and social life – lit.
To keep up with all the fun, don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar to stay up-to-date on DMV happenings year round.
Thursday, April 10
AS WE ARE: An Open BIPOC Art Making Group
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. | Free
1325 5th Street NE, Suite C, Washington, D.C., 20002
“As We Are” is a monthly open art-making group with a therapeutic intention that gives BIPOC (Black, indigenous, people of color) individuals an opportunity to be a community while engaging in art therapy interventions.
Hosted by Pre-licensed Art Therapist Imani Shanklin Roberts, this open group will be an opportunity to establish a deeper sense of awareness, build inner and group harmony and ultimately move toward individual and collective healing.
Using a variety of mediums, participants will utilize creative pathways to externalize, transgress, and transmute issues related to stress, isolation, fear, anxiety, safety, love and more in communion with others.
Planet Word Poem in Your Pocket Day 2025
Noon – 2 p.m. | Free
Planet Word, 925 13th Street, NW, Washington, D.C., 20005
Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day 2025 with Planet Word.
During the event, find staff in blue shirts with a basket of poems in Franklin Park during lunch to pick up a surprise poem. Then, visit Planet Word where its Short Story Dispenser has been stocked with lots of poems just for the day.
Guests are encouraged to print out a poem before they go, and immerse themselves in the sounds of poetry in the museum’s hidden Poetry Nook.
Friday, April 11
5 p.m. – 10 p.m. | Free
Metropolitan Park, 1330 South Fair Street, Arlington, VA, 22202
Enjoy an immersive art and music experience celebrating cherry blossom season.
As part of Art of Pink, Browse the BLOOM pop-up gallery featuring 90 DMV artists, enjoy local bites and makers at the Blossom Night Market and catch an electrifying breakdance showcase with beats by DJ Fleg (of Olympic breakdancing fame).
In addition, explore Metropolitan Park retailers, snap Instagram-worthy photos and soak in the vibrant nighttime atmosphere.
Imagining Joy with James Baldwin and the Kritikos Reading Group
Noon – 3 p.m. | Free
Mason Exhibitions Arlington, 3601 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA, 22201
A quick trip to Arlington will allow guests to imagine joy with James Baldwin in the current art exhibition, “Nothing Personal: A Collaboration in Black and White.”
This exhibition closely examines the book, “Nothing Personal” (1964), a collaborative artwork in book form by two legendary American artists, James Baldwin, the African American writer, public intellectual and civil rights activist, and Richard Avedon the Jewish fashion and portrait photographer.
Join Kritikos reading group at Mason Exhibitions in Arlington to examine the exhibit and unpack these legendary artists.
Saturday, April 12
2025 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade
10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | $25+
Constitution Avenue NW, between 7th and 17th Streets, Washington, D.C., 20004
In a high-energy celebration, the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade brings together fantastical helium balloons, dazzling floats, top marching bands from across the country, celebrity performances, and more in the nation’s beloved springtime parade.
This year’s lineup includes Grand Marshal Ken Jennings of “Jeopardy!,” dance diva Crystal Waters, American Idol season 19 contestant maryjo, Asher HaVon, the first LGBTQ+ winner of The Voice, Deejay Young from Broadway’s “Hamilton,” CAMEO, and Quad City DJ’s–all ready to get the crowd moving.
Plus, powerhouse vocalist Kathy Sledge of Sister Sledge and family will rock the street in an unforgettable performance.
Katie Mitchell – Prose to the People
6 p.m. | Free
Politics and Prose at Union Market, 1324 4th Street NE, Washington, D.C., 20002
Thoughtfully curated by writer and Black bookstore owner Katie Mitchell, “Prose to the People” is a great addition to the shelves of anyone who loves book culture and Black history.
Though not a definitive guide, this dynamic book centers profiles of over 50 Black bookstores from the Northeast to the mid-Atlantic, the South and the West Coast, complete with original and archival photography.
Mitchell will be in conversation with Glory Edim, a literary tastemaker, entrepreneur, and advocate for diverse voices in literature. In 2015, Edim founded Well-Read Black Girl, an online platform and book club dedicated to celebrating the works of Black women authors and creating a supportive online community for readers.
Spring Arts and Crafts Workshop
Noon – 2 p.m. | Free
Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Place SE, Washington, D.C., 20020
Join the Anacostia Community Museum for arts and crafts for the whole family.
Participants will be crafting items reflective of spring, from wooden tulips, to butterfly suncatchers, bunny masks for children and pinwheels.
The workshop will be led by local artist Tamara Thomas.
Sunday, April 13
The R&B Club Revisits the Legacy of Mariah Carey
Noon – 2 p.m. | $15+
Songbyrd Music House, 540 Penn Street NE, Washington, D.C., 20002
Songbyrd Music House will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of Mariah Carey’s album “The Emancipation of Mimi” through song and discussion.
Participants are encouraged to bring their karaoke chops and be ready to sing songs like Carey’s “Shake it Off” and “Fly Like a Bird.”
The R&B Club is a cultural gathering founded in 2018 that discusses the influence of R&B music. In other words, think of it as a musical book club-style meetup.
7 p.m. | $12
DC Improv, 1140 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20036
Enjoy great stand-up comedy in downtown D.C. at the New Wave Showcase.
This showcase features stand-up talents who are newer to the DC Improv stage–a wave of comics who are ready to show what they can do.
Attendees will see a variety of styles and get up close with some of the stars of tomorrow.
The lineup for April 13 includes: Stacey Axler, Benny Nwokeabia, Justine Morris, Victor Gonzalez, Patty Mata, Nelson Fuentes, Elizabeth Booker Houston and Pete Bergen.