Family
1. Book signing: “Hell Hawks and Air Force One”: Author Robert Dorr is a retired Air Force veteran (Korea 1957-60) and retired senior diplomat. He has written thousands of articles about air warfare and the Air Force.
Where: Air and Space Museum, Boeing Aviation Hangar, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly
When: noon to 4 p.m. Friday
Info: Free; 202-633-2214; nasm.si.edu
2. Star Story Time: Children of all ages are invited to the Planetarium to look for animals and figures among the stars in the heavens.
Where: Rock Creek Park, 5200 Glover Road NW
When: 4 p.m. Thursday
Info: Free; 202-895-6070; nps.gov/rocr
3. “Cowardly Christopher Finds His Courage”: Poor Christopher is anything but courageous but all that changes when he embarks on a world-wide journey to find his courage.
Where: Classika Theatre, 4041 Campbell Ave., Arlington
When: Through Oct. 31
Info: $12 to $15; 800-494-8497; classika.org
4. Spot’s Birthday Party: Spot is everyone’s favorite puppy – and today it’s his birthday! It’s party time! And you’re invited! Spot’s friends Tom the crocodile, Helen the hippo, and Steve the monkey will be there for fun, games, songs and magic. Spot hopes to see you too! For all ages.
Where: Adventure Theatre, Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd.
When: Through Nov. 2; see Web site for days and times
Info: $15; 301-634-2270; adventuretheatre.org
5. Civil War Artillery: Learn to work as a team to lead and aim a replica Civil War cannon. You’ll hear about the various artillery pieces used in the Civil War and “bombard” a replica fort.
Where: Fort C. F. Smith Park, 2411 N. 24th St., Arlington
When: 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 22
Info: Registration required at 703-228-4747; program 613620-B
Galleries
1. Argentina in Focus: Visualizing the Concept — Cristian Segura / Sergio Vega: Sergio Vega represents the Argentine diaspora in the United States while Cristian Segura remains active at home in Argentina. Together, these multimedia artists offer a fascinating window into a fertile and underrepresented breeding ground for visual and conceptual art.
Where: Art Museum of the Americas, 201 18th St. NW
When: Through Nov. 21
Info: Free; museum.oas.org/exhibitions.html
2. “James Rieck: Mead Hall and Jonathan Monaghan: Life Tastes Good in Disco Heaven”: James Rieck’s five-painting, Beowulf-and-Tolkein-inspired series “Mead Hall” explores the eroticization of mortality, while Jonathan Monaghan’s pieces combine corporate and religious imagery, interrogating our assumptions of eternity.
Where: Hamiltonian Gallery, 1353 U St. NW
When: Through Oct. 30
Info: Free; 202-332-1116; hamiltoniangallery.com
3. Phil Nesmith: Flow: Phil Nesmith’s photos of the Gulf Coast printed on black glass use a photographic process — collodion — that dates from roughly the same era the artist determines the United States’ petroleum dependency began. Pointed and memorable.
Where: Irvine Contemporary, 1412 14th St. NW
When: Through Oct. 30
Info: Free; 202-332-8767; rvinecontemporary.com
4. John Stark: Mercurius Duplex: John Stark’s oils on wood panel incorporate traditional landscapes and sci-fi paperback covers to create something original and provocative. It’s the London artist’s first solo show in the United States.
Where: Conner Contemporary Art, 1358-60 Florida Ave. NE
When: Through Oct. 30
Info: Free; 202-588-8750; connercontemporary.com
5. Rebecca Key: Archetype: Another U.K. artist making her Amerian debut, Rebecca Key uses the set dressing techinques she employes in her career as a film and television art director to interrogate the textures and spaces of the gallery itself.
Where: Transformer, 1404 P St. NW
When: Through Oct. 15
Info: Free; 202-483-1102; transformergallery.org
Gatherings
1. David Ropeik: The international consultant discusses and signs his latest book, “How Risky Is It, Really?: Why Our Fears Don’t Always Match the Facts,” as part of the Relevant Writers Series.
Where: Reiter’s Scientific and Professional Books, 1900 G St. NW
When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday
Info: 202-223-3327; reiters.com
2. Cave Canem and Letras Latinas: Poets from the literary organizations Cave Canem and Letras Latinas will read from their work in a series aimed at promoting a dialogue and awareness between the Latino and black American communities, with a joint reading by Brenda Cardenas and Paul Martinez Pompa with Cave Canem poets Teri Cross Davis and Gregory Pardlo.
Where: The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda
When: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday
Info: Free; 301-654-8664; thewriterscenter.org
3. Golden Dragon Acrobats from China: The company debuts at Wolf Trap, showcasing acrobatics combined with dance.
Where: Wolf Trap, Filene Center, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Info: $15 to $38; 703-255-1868; wolf-trap.org
4. Fiesta Musical: Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with an annual fiesta at the National Zoo featuring animal demonstrations, Hispanic and Latino music, costumed dancers, traditional crafts, and Latin American foods.
Where: National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
Info: Free; nationalzoo.si.edu
5. Lunchtime Tour of the Conservatory: What do manila folders, Chanel No. 5, vanilla, and fossil fuels have in common? The answer is that they all come from plants on permanent display in the United States Botanic Garden Conservatory. Take a tour with a knowledgeable guide who will connect the exotic plant world to everyday life. You might see bananas, cacao, and coffee ripening on the tree or learn about the next big breakthrough in medicinal plant research.
Where: United States Botanic Gardens Conservatory Garden Court, 100 Maryland Ave. SW
When: noon to 1 p.m. Sept. 20 and 27
Info: Free; no pre-registration required; usbg.gov
Music
1. ABBA — The Music: The Swedish quartet disbanded, but “Mamma Mia” revived the music that propels audiences to dance in the aisles. Waterloo, the ABBA tribute group, revisits the magic of the “Dancing Queen.”
Where: Wolf Trap Filene Center
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Info: $38 in-house, $25 lawn; 877-965-3872; wolftrap.org
2. Golden Dragon Acrobats: The 21-member acrobatic troupe from China are the finest that nation offers with choreographed routines performed to traditional Chinese music created for the New Age.
Where: Wolf Trap Filene Center
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Info: $38 in-house, $17 lawn; 877-965-3872; wolftrap.org
3. Mose Alison Trio: The quintessential blues and jazz pianist settles in again for four days of musical bliss.
Where: Blues Alley
When: 8 and 10 p.m. Thursday-Sunday
Info: $25; 202-337-4141; bluesalley.com
4. John Jorgenson Quintet: The legendary musician celebrates the 100th birthday of gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt with two new albums.
Where: Virginia Wine Festival, Bull Run Park, Centreville
When: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday
Info: $25 in advance, $30 at the gate
5. Bilal: The jazzy soul singer from Philadelphia introduces his latest album, “Air Tight’s Revenge.”
Where: The Birchmere
When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday
Info: $32.50; 703-549-7500; birchmere.com
Theater
1. “All’s Well That Ends Well”: Artistic Director Michael Kahn directs this adventure story that examines how far one will go to obtain the object of her heart’s desire. In Shakespeare’s moving comedy, Helena wants Bertram, and Bertram wants anything but marriage. With resourceful deception and ample persistence, Helena overcomes one obstacle after another. Marsha Mason, star of stage and screen (four-time Academy Award nominee), makes her STC debut.
Where: The Shakespeare Theatre Company, 450 Seventh St. NW
When: Through Oct. 24; see Web site for dates and times.
Info: $48 to $88; 202-547-1122; shakespearetheatre.org
2. “The Talented Mr. Ripley”: This subversive, psychological thriller explores the mind of one of literature’s great anti-heroes; an intelligent, suave, charming psychopath whose amorality is at the center of a plot about duplicity and murder.
Where: Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda
When: Through Sept. 26
Info: $25 to $60; 240-644-1100; roundhousetheatre.org
3. “El Caballero de Olmedo” (“The Knight from Olmedo”): Lope de Vega’s romantic story of love, desire, passion, violence and death embodies all the originality and universality of Spanish classics.
Where: GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW
When: Through Oct. 17
Info: $32 to $36; 800-494-8497; galatheatre.org
4. “The Tenth Man”: American Century Theater presents Paddy Chayefsky’s romantic comedy abound a Jewish exorcism of a young woman, which spins a parable about the power of faith, humor and love.
Where: Theatre Two, Gunston Arts Center, 2700 S. Lang St., Arlington
When: Through Oct. 16
Info: $16; 703-998-4555; americancentury.org
5 . “The Scarlet Letter”: The National Players kick off Tour 62 with Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic exploration of sin, hypocrisy and society.
Where: The Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney
When: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15 and 16
Info: Pay-What-You-Can; 301-924-3400; olneytheatre.org
