The Connection

Ongoing

Sci-Fi Book Club. Third Wednesday of each month, 7-8:30 p.m. at Java Shack, 2507 N. Franklin Road. Free. Visit www.library.arlingtonva.us.

Spark Fitness. Fridays in April, 6:30 p.m. at 2121 Crystal Drive. The 5K Fridays race route is flat and fast traveling through the heart of Crystal City along Crystal Drive and up past Long Bridge Park, the County’s newest regional park. Also along the way, runners will pass the Boeing Company’s regional headquarters, this year’s event sponsor. After the race, runners can stick around for a collection of area bar and restaurant specials exclusively for runners. Registration is $20 per race, $75 for the entire series. Visit www.crystalcity.org for more.

“King of the Forest: Adventures of BioPerversity.” Through April 3, gallery hours at Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd. This exhibit features the work of 13 contemporary artists from the mid-Atlantic region whose work explores the interactions between humans and non-human species. Free. Visit www.arlingtonartscenter.org for more.

“Daydreams in the Anthropocene.” Through April 3, gallery hours at Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd. Artist Rachel Schmidt examines the role humans play in the environment. Free. Visit www.arlingtonartscenter.org for more.

Instructor Select. Through April 3, gallery hours at Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd. In the Jenkin's Community Gallery, Arlington Arts Center will present Instructor Select 2016, featuring work by both students and instructors. Free. Visit www.arlingtonartscenter.org for more.

“The Flick.” Through April 24, various times at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave. “The Flick” follows the story of three employees at a crumbling Massachusetts movie theatre. Tickets start at $40. Visit www.sigtheatre.org for more.

Wednesdays in the Garden. Wednesdays in April, 7-9 p.m. at Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St. This series, taught by Arlington Food Assistance Center volunteers and by VCE Master Gardeners, is designed to teach gardening skills to a wide audience. Topics are: April 6, Growing Superfoods; April 13, Container Gardens for Edibles; April 20, Edible Landscaping & Fruit in the Garden; April 27, Water, Irrigation, Ollas & Rain Barrels. Free. Visit library.arlingtonva.us/ or call the library at 703-228-5990.

Films on Israel/Palestine. Sundays through May 1, 2:30-4 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, 4444 Arlington Blvd. A film series exploring the complex and emotional issues preventing peace in Israel/Palestine will be presented. Free. Call 703-524-7630 for more.

Call for Entry: The Athenaeum Invitational 2016. Through Aug. 28. The theme asks artists to reflect on a moment of pure joy. It is inspired by the Lewis and Clark's expedition across the uncharted North American continent to reach the Pacific Ocean. After an arduous, two-year trek, William Lewis crested a hill, saw the vast body of water and cried, "The Ocean in view. Oh! The joy!" The entry fee is $35. Visit www.nvfaa.org for more.

Post-Graduate Residency Studio. Through Nov. 17, gallery hours at The Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St. The Torpedo Factory Art Center welcomes four emerging artists to participate in the Post-Graduate Residency Program. Jihee Kang, Paulette Palacios, Anne Smith, and Danielle Smith, were juried by Paul Shortt, new media curator for Arlington Cultural Affairs. Artists can create and sell work, interact with the public, and network with other artists. The program will culminate in a group exhibition in the Torpedo Factory’s contemporary exhibition space, the Target Gallery. Free. Visit www.torpedofactory.org for more.

March 31-April 9

“Idle Playthings” and “Crimes of Fashion.” Various times at Gunston Theatre One, 2700 S. Lang St. First, in “Crimes of Fashion,” superheroes fight fashion designers bent on world domination. Then, a group of toys come to life and team up to save a family-owned toy store in “Idle Playthings.” Silver Spring-based Inclusive Theatre Companies are directed by trained theatre professionals and feature actors who have intellectual disabilities or learning disabilities, or are on the autism spectrum. Tickets are $12.50 in advance, $15 at the door, and $5 for ArtStream students. Visit www.art-stream.org for more.

Friday/April 1

Lecture: El Salvador. 12:30-2 p.m. at Marymount University’s Reinsch Library, 2807 N. Glebe Road. The public is invited to hear NPR reporter Armando Trull discuss the root causes of contemporary migration from Central America. Free. Email mbakker@marymount.edu for more.

Meet Cinderella and Snow White. 3:30 p.m. at Kinder Haus Toys, 1220 N. Fillmore St. Children are invited to listen to stories, engage in other princess activities, and have photo ops for parents to snap their kids with the princesses. Free. Call 703-527-5929 to reserve your spot.

Friday-Saturday/April 1-2

Active By Design-athon. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at Marymount University, 2807 N. Glebe Road. Marymount University is asking area residents to attend its Active By Design-athon and help interior design students find practical solutions for creating active environments that improve well-being. A $30 registration fee covers participant entry and breakfast and lunch both days. To register, go to marymount.edu/designathon.

Saturday/April 2

Handmade Arlington. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Swanson Middle School, 5800 North Washington Blvd. The annual event will feature a record number of artisans debuting a range of arts and crafts including photography; pottery; jewelry; stationery; home accessories and cleaning products; bags, purses, scarves and other works made from fabrics. Free admission. Visit www.facebook.com/handmadearlington.

Build-Your-Own Rain Barrel Workshop. 10:30 a.m. at Walter Reed Community Center, 2909 16th St S. Rain barrels collect runoff from a downspout that can be used to water the lawn or garden. Tickets are $55. Visit http://nvswcd-velocitypayment-com.3dcartstores.com.

Vegetable Gardening Workshop. 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. at Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford St. The program, intended for new gardeners, will emphasize best practices for managing and maintaining a healthy garden. It will cover the importance of pollinators and other beneficial insects and how to identify them; how crop rotation and intercropping can help control garden pests; how to identify diseases and weeds; and how to maximize harvests with space-saving techniques. Free. Visit www.mgnv.org for more.

Sunday/April 3

Biodiversity Open House. 2-5 p.m. at Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road. Local resident David Howell has photographed the surprising diversity in Arlington around the Long Branch Nature Center and Glencarlyn, Bluemont, and Lubber Run Parks. View his photos and chat with him and other naturalists. Free. Call 703-228-6535.

Film Screening: “Al Helm: Martin Luther King in Palestine.” 2:30 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, 4444 Arlington Blvd. Watch a film about an African-American gospel choir that tours Palestine with a play about MLK’s dream of nonviolence. Free Visit www.uucava.org for more.

The National Brass Quintet. 7-8 p.m. at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St. Brass Quintet performs in tribute to veterans and military. Free, but donations accepted. Contact kfmail@verizon.net or chuckseipp@aol.com.

Monday/April 4

Sondheim Award Gala. 6-10 p.m. at The Embassy of Italy, 3000 Whitehaven St. NW, Washington DC. Arlington’s Signature Theatre honors Sondheim collaborator and writer John Weidman. Tickets are $150. Visit www.sigtheatre.org for more.

Tuesday/April 5

Reading and Reception: E. Ethelbert Miller. 1-2 p.m. reading, 2-4 p.m. reception and signing at The Reinsch Library at Marymount University, 2807 N. Glebe Road. The life work of Washington, D.C. poet E. Ethelbert Miller will be celebrated with a reading, reception and book signing. The author of eleven collections of poetry, Miller has also written two memoirs and was director of the African American Resource Center at Howard University. He is the board chairman of the Institute for Policy Studies, a board member of The Writer’s Center and editor of Poet Lore magazine. Free. Visit www.marymount.edu for more.

April 5-May 8

“The Mystery of Love and Sex.” Various times at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave. Playwright Bathsheba Doran returns to Signature with a play exploring intimacy and identity. Tickets start at $40. Visit www.sigtheatre.org for more.

Thursday/April 7

Arlington Reads: Anthony Doerr. 7-9 p.m. at Washington-Lee High School, 1301 N. Stafford St. as part of Arlington Reads 2016, author Anthony Doerr will speak on the human displacement of World War II. Free. Visit www.library.arlingtonva.us for more.

Friday/April 8

Legislative Breakfast. 7-9 a.m. at Army Navy Country Club, 1700 Army Navy Drive. Local legislators will give their insights on lessons learned from working in the Virginia General Assembly. This marquee event includes a moderated discussion as well as question and answer period with plenty of interaction with local and regional leaders. Admission is $45 for Leadership Arlington members and $55 for the general public. Visit www.leadercenter.org/legislative-breakfast.

Lecture: “One Hundred Years After the Longest Battle.” 3 p.m. at Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St. The Arlington-Aachen and the Arlington-Reims Sister City Committees of the Arlington Sister City Association invite the public to a presentation and discussion titled "One Hundred Years After the Longest Battle: The Puzzle of Verdun, 1916." Free. Visit www.arlingtonsistercity.com for more.

Electrify Africa Social. 7-9 p.m. at The Greene Turtle Ballston, 900 N. Glebe Road. Celebrate the passage of the Electrify Africa Act and learn about “Nutrition for Growth.” Free to attend. Visit www.act.one.org for more.

Of Wine & Words. 7-10 p.m. at W Washington DC Hotel, 515 15th St. NW, Washington, DC. Support Arlington-based, The Reading Connection through live and silent auctions. Also find food, drinks, and live music. Tickets are $150. Visit www.thereadingconnection.org for more.

Saturday/April 9

Arlington Home Show. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Thomas Jefferson Community Center, 3501 S. 2nd St. Find workshops, exhibits, and expert advice. Free. Visit www.arlingtonva.us for more.

Salad Bar Containers. 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. at Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford St. Salads can be grown on balconies, fire escapes, window sills, stoops, under skylights or in hanging baskets. This program will focus on selecting containers, choosing plants, meeting their horticultural needs and timing crop rotations. Free. Visit www.mgnv.org for more.

Sunday/April 10

Film Screening. 2:30 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, 4444 Arlington Blvd. Watch “Conflict in Israel/Palestine” a “crash course” on two conflicting historical narratives And “Life in Occupied Palestine”, eyewitness stories and photos by a Jewish-American woman. Free Visit www.uucava.org for more.

Moving Words Winners Poetry Reading. 4 p.m. at IOTA Club and Café, 2832 Wilson Blvd. The six winners of Arlington’s 16th annual Moving Words Poetry Competition will soon have their words read by commuters aboard Arlington Transit ART buses. Listen to them perform their own winning work. Free. www.arlingtonarts.org for more.

In Christy’s Shoes Sole Celebration. 4-7 p.m. at Clarendon Ballroom, 3185 Wilson Blvd. The 4th Annual Sole Celebration featuring a fashion show and silent auction benefits Doorways for Women and Families. Tickets are $60. Visit www.inchristysshoes.org for more.