When: Through Aug. 30

Info: Free; 202-332-7757; washingtonprintmakers.com

2. “Black Box: Guido van der Werve”: Dutch Renaissance Man Guide van der Werve’s surreal short “Number Acht (#8) everything is going to be alright” shows us a nonchalant van der Werve strolling calmly toward the camera as a massive ice-breaking vessel grinds its way through Finland’s Gulf of Bothnia, seemingly just a few feet behind him.

Where: Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW

When: Through Oct. 11

Info: Free; 202-633-4674; hmsg.si.edu

3. “East of the River”: “Beauty and the Beast” in the theme of this third annual show featuring photography, painting, digital prints, and installations by artists from Wards 7 and 8.

Where: Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Road SE

When: Through Sept. 26

Info: Free; 202-580-5972; honfleurgallery.com

4. “Portraying Lincoln: A Man of Many Faces”: The Great Emancipator, Preserver of the Union, keeper of a most excellent wit and a most excellent beard: Ladies and Gentlemen, President Abraham Lincoln. This show of mixed-media portraits dating from the early 19th century through the present day captures the many hues of his persona, and probes his role in contemporary American iconography and social thought.

Where: Historical Society of the District of Columbia, 801 K St. NW

When: Through Nov. 8

Info: Free; 202-383-1850; historydc.org

5. “Ryan Hill: Everything Must Go”: L.A.-born, D.C.-based Ryan Hill “curates content from the ‘digital museums’ of Goggle, YouTube, and Flickr,” and recontextualizes it for exhibition.

Where: Civilian Art Projects, 406 Seventh St. NW

When: CLOSING SATURDAY

Info: Free; 202-347-0022; civilianartprojects.com

Gatherings

1. Alexandria Irish Festival: Christmas in July? St. Patty’s Day in August? At least that’s the thinking in Alexandria, where they’ll be painting the town green next Saturday. Bagpipes, dancers and cold beverages. Hop off at the King Street station and stroll east along historic King Street to take in the sights on your way to Waterfront Park, or jump aboard a free Old Town trolley.

Where: Waterfront Park, Jay Ambrose,Conservatives,Liberals,Democrats,Politics,Republicans:27150714:27150714:Jay Ambrose Prince Street, Alexandria

When: 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday

Info: Free; 703-746-4000; alexandria.gov

2. Chocolate Tasting with a Professional Chocolatier: Chocolate lovers, learn how to taste and pair the sweet stuff from chocolate-maker Larissa Ormsby Gibson.

Where: First Class Learning Center, 1726 20th St., NW

When: 6 to 8 p.m. today

Info: $49; 202-797-5102; takeaclass.org

3. Signature Theatre Open House: This fun-filled event is 9 1/2 hours of performances, master classes, demonstrations and exhibits. Events begin every 15 minutes. Attendees can go behind the scenes, hear musical highlights from the upcoming season, hear reunion concerts of past Signature shows, learn new dance steps from a Helen Hayes-award-winning choreographer, pick up performance tips from master artists, attend a Broadway concert, hear live rock music on the Plaza, and more. Special children’s activities will include a moon bounce and crafts, mask- and puppet-making.

Where: Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington

When: noon to 9:30 p.m. Saturday

Info: Free; 703-820-9771; www.signature-theatre.org

4. Summer Spirit Festival: Featuring Erykah Badu, Raphael Saadiq, Mike Eddes and more.

Where: Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia

When: 5:30 Aug. 8

Info: $42 to $100; 410-715-5550; merriweathermusic.org

Movies

‘Julie & Julia’

Stars: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams

Director: Nora Ephron

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and some sensuality

Running Time: 122 minutes

A woman verging on thirty and frustrated in a temp secretary job takes on a yearlong culinary quest: cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” She chronicles her trials and tribulations in a blog that catches on with the food crowd.

‘G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra’

The film is set at Brussels-based GIJOE, an acronym for the Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity, and revolves around an international co-ed force of operatives who use high-tech equipment to battle Cobra, an evil organization headed by a Scottish arms dealer.

‘Soul Power’

Though the eyes of the world were on “The Rumble in the Jungle” in 1974, their ears should have been on Zaire ’74, the mammoth music festival that took place in the shadow of the battle between Mohammad Ali and George Foreman. This documentary takes the stellar cut footage and chronicles the concerts from big names such as James Brown, B.B. King, Bill Withers, and Celia Cruz.

‘A Perfect Getaway’

A Hawaiian honeymoon turns dangerous for two lovers when they discover they are being stalked by a pair of killers.

‘Not Quite Hollywood’

In 1971, with the introduction of the R-certificate, Australia’s censorship regime went from repressive to progressive virtually overnight. This cultural explosion gave birth to arthouse classics, but also spawned a group of demon-children: maverick filmmakers who braved assault from all quarters.

‘Paper Heart’

The film is about the real-life relationship between Michael Cera and his girlfriend, actress, Charlyne Yi.

‘The Cove’

Using state-of-the-art equipment, a group of activists, led by renown dolphin trainer Ric O’Barry, infiltrate a cove near Taijii, Japan to expose both a shocking instance of animal abuse and a serious threat to human health.

Music

1. Johnny Mathis: The legendary Grammy-winning gold and platinum record artist croons some of the romantic ballads that earned him the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award for more than a half-century of “Wonderful, Wonderful” hits.

Where: Wolf Trap Filene Center

When: 8 p.m. Sunday

Info: $22 lawn, $45 in-house; 877-965-3872; wolftrap.org

2. Puccini’s “La bohme”: The Wolf Trap Opera Company collaborates with The Choral Arts Society of Washington, the Alexandria Choral Society Children’s Chorus and the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Stephen Lord for a multimedia presentation of the melodic opera about ill-fated, struggling artists.

Where: Wolf Trap Filene Center

When: 8:15 p.m. Friday

Info: $10 lawn, $35 to $60 in-house; 877-965-3872; wolftrap.org

3. The Freddy Cole Quartet: The singing, swinging baby brother of Nat tickles the ivories and demonstrates why he was named Playbill’s 2008 Outstanding Jazz Vocalist.

Where: Blues Alley

When: 8 and 10 p.m. through Sunday

Info: $25; 202-337-4141; bluesalley.com

4. The Neville Brothers: New Orleans’ first family of funk sing their soulful songs.

Where: The Birchmere

When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday

Info: $49.50; 703-549-7500; birchmere.com

5. The Galen Kipar Project: The Ashville-based guitarist and his group explore the fusion of blues, soul, classical, jazz and folk sounds to promote peace of mind.

Where: Kennedy Center Millennium Stage,

When: 6 p.m. Saturday

Info: Free; 202-467-4600

Theater

1. “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”: The famous1960s novel by Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, left an indelible mark on the literature, theater and film of our time. Boisterous and ribald, this theatrical telling of the story is an unforgettable look at a mental hospital and its inhabitants, in a world where sanity means conformity and following the rules is the only way to survive.

Where: Keegan Theatre, Church Street Theatre, 1742 Church St., NW

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday; through Aug. 15

Info: $25 to $30; 703-892-0202; keegantheatre.com

2.“The Color Purple”: American Idol winner Fantasia reprises her starring role in the family saga that tells the story of a woman who triumphs over adversity.

Where: The Opera House, The Kennedy Center, 2700 F St., NW

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 1:30 Saturday and Sunday; through Aug. 9

Info: $25 to $95; 202-457-4600; kennedy-center.org

3. “Ain’t Misbehavin”: The unforgettable Harlem of the Golden Age and the unforgettable music of Fats Waller are brought to life is this high-energy, exuberant musical.

Where: Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 6:30 p.m. Sunday; 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; through Aug. 9

Info: $26; 301-924-3400; olneytheatre.org

4. “Seascape”: On a Long Island beach, Edward Albee’s troubled American couple faces tensions in their relationship as they contemplate retirement. They are joined by another couple-who just happen to be large, scaly, humanoid sea-lizards.

Where: American Century Theater, Theater II, Gunston Arts Center, 2700 S. Lang St., Arlington

When: 8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; through Aug. 22

Info: $25 to $32; pay-what-you-can 8 p.m. Aug 12 and 19; 703-998-4555; americancentury.org

5. “F*cking A”: In a modern take on “The Scarlet Letter,” Suzan-Lori Parks’ play deals with an outcast abortionist who will do anything to reclaim her lost son.

Where: Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW

When: 8:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 7:30 p.m. Sunday; through Aug. 9

Info: $33 to $38 (discounts available); 202-332-3300; studiotheatre.org