Christmas Caroling & Music

We all sing. In the car, in the shower, at the pub. But many of us are unsure about our ability to sing in front of other people. The Arlingtones Barbershop Chorus wants to help you get the most beautiful sound possible from your voice with the confidence to perform. We love to sing – that’s why we do it and have for over 60 years. Join us for a Tuesday evening and we'll show you what Barbershop Music is all about. No experience or materials necessary.

We are Metro Voices, the treble chorus associated with the Alexandria A Cappella Collective (The Collective). On Tuesday, March 17th from 7-9pm we will be rehearsing at the Fairlington Presbyterian Church at 3846 King St, Alexandria, VA 22302. Please visit and sing with us or just listen to our rehearsal...we love guests. We rehearse at the same time and place as The Harmonizers, the lower voiced chorus associated with The Collective who also welcome all guests. Here's an article about our success in a barbershop style convention. https://www.alxnow.com/2025/03/27/notes-alexandria-singers-win-top-honors-at-regional-contest/ Hope to see you soon.

Please join us every week for power networking! Our Chapter Passed $1,666,736 USD in the past 12 months! BNI members, on average, increase their business 20% the first year. Our chapter is a dynamic, committed group of business people who know how to refer business to each other. Come for our meeting -- stay for the referrals!!! We have open categories for individuals who will bring enthusiasm and integrity to our meeting. Just one person per professional specialty is allowed in each chapter. Visit a meeting to find out more and lock out your competition! Register Here: https://bninovanorth.com/va-nova-north-bni-mclean-business-connection--n136/en-US/visitorregistration?chapterId=16988

I'm not so sure about planning a St. Patrick's Day sip & stitch, but Chicken is totally down for it. Aslin doesn't have any events listed for Mar. 17, and it is a very big space so I'm sure we can make it work. Aslin has a large selection of craft beers and soft drinks, as well as a menu of pub-style food. I think I have one piece of green clothing, which I will probably forget to wear anyway. I don't have any green projects to work on. I'm focused on my red hat! Hope to see you there!

We've never read Eudora Welty here, so we're going to discuss her best-known work, the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Optimist's Daughter." This short novel, which began as a story in the New Yorker, is about a woman who travels to New Orleans to take care of her father after surgery. I've been meaning to read Welty for years, so I'm happy we're doing this now.

Join DC Metro Crafts for our mid-month meetup. Bring your own cross stitch, knitting, crochet, or other portable craft. The Southwest Library is half a block from the Waterfront Metro. We're upstairs in Conference Room 2 at 5:30pm. Take the elevator to the second floor and the room is on your left. If you take the stairs, take two rights and the room is on your left.

**It's here! Our first real event!** Carnival energy loading… Next up is **[Carnival Addiction – Annual Carnival Return Fete](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/carnival-addiction-2026-tickets-1983177303701)**[ ](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/carnival-addiction-2026-tickets-1983177303701)on **Saturday, March 21**. If Soca is your thing, this one should be a great night. This lineup brings together several hot DJs people have been waiting to see on the same stage, so the vibe should be strong all night. There will be **more Soca than Dancehall**, but the mix is right and the energy should be great. 📍 **Location:** 8844 Washington Blvd, Jessup, MD Doors open at **9PM**, but realistically we won’t start arriving until **around 10:30 / 11PM**. 🎟 **Early bird tickets are $15. Get tickets: [HERE](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/carnival-addiction-2026-tickets-1983177303701)** We’ll plan to meet up around **10:30PM** before heading in. I’ll share the exact meetup location with **RSVP attendees the day before the event and again on the day of**. And of course… if you’ve got a **flag**, bring it 🇯🇲🇹🇹🇧🇧🇬🇩 Coming solo is completely fine. These events are meant to be easy, fun nights out with people who love good music and a good vibe.

Each month Noah Gitlis teaches a different Jazz Standard with emphasis on melody, harmony, accompaniment, and rhythm. The goal of the class is to help students boost their jazz repertoire, and build the skills required to feel confident in a jazz jam session. These classes are a lot of fun and a great way to get out and play with other people while learning some really fun music. All instruments and skill levels are welcome but students should have basic proficiency on their instrument to get the most out of the class. Songs such as: Blue Bossa Autumn Leaves Footprints All of Me So what My Favorite Things Ages 14+ Register Here: https://square.link/u/e1yAgBNo

Judy Cook has been captivating audiences for well over 30 years by making the great ballads come alive, and by providing opportunities for rousing choruses. She knows a great many songs and continues to find new ones. On March 21st at 3:00pm, Judy will be returning to FSGW for a house concert featuring some of her favorite songs at Kathie Mack’s home in Takoma Park. Expect songs of love, supernatural beings, animals real and imaginary, strong women, songs of hope and encouragement, and songs about singing. Dennis will be adding his harmonies to a number of Judy’s songs. After the concert there will be a short break followed by a time to share songs in an open sing. Suggested minimum donation: $15. Contributions of food or drink to share would be most welcome. For further information, reservations or directions, contact Kathie Mack at [kpmack2@gmail.com](mailto:kpmack2@gmail.com), or call 301-270-5367 (leave a voicemail; landline doesn’t take texts). Accessibility info: Cats are in residence and there are 6 steps up to the front door.

Join the group for *TINA - The Tina Turner Musical* at Capital One Hall on Saturday, March 21 at 8PM. Folks will need to buy tickets on their own, though I will keep an eye on any 4-pack offers. Please use the comment section below to start forming a ticket block. This musical reveals a comeback story like no other, of a woman who dared to defy the bounds of racism, sexism and ageism to become the global Queen of Rock n’ Roll. TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL is a celebration of resilience and an inspiration of triumph over adversity. One of the world’s best-selling artists of all time, Tina Turner has won 12 Grammy Awards and her live shows have been seen by millions, with more concert tickets sold than any other solo performer in music history. Featuring her much loved songs, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical is written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall and directed by the internationally acclaimed Phyllida Lloyd. THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL is recommended for ages 14 and up. The show runs 2 hours and 40 minutes, including one intermission.

Join us on Wednesday, March 18, 8:00-10:30 PM. Robert Mills (guest caller from PA) leads the dancing while David Knight (fiddle), Elisabeth Epstein (flute), Liz Donaldson (piano) play Register: [https://www.fsgw.org/event-6562814](https://www.fsgw.org/event-6562814?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExN1VrTWpnbmdRSXFSVWh3anNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR79SGqH65Tb9IFcJbJJ6IsRwK1PFBrKB6y-hYQco5FUNNO87CTTAM0fR-2Bog_aem_1x2xPYAqQMqgd2UvL4ayuA) (Please note, you are not registered by responding on meetup, you must register through the FSGW website, or at the door if tickets are available) The FSGW weekly English Country Dance offers delightful dancing, led by talented callers, accompanied by top-notch musicians playing a wide variety of instruments. The crowd is friendly and enthusiastic; new dancers are always welcome and can get an informal lesson if they arrive around 7:30. You don't need to bring a partner, or dress up. * If you have not previously attended a Wednesday night English country dance at Glen Echo, you may select "first time free" when registering. New dancers are welcome. If you have no previous English country dance experience or would like a refresher, please arrive at around 7:30 for a lesson. Covid Protocol: masks and vaccinations are encouraged but not required. Some dancers are sensitive to fragrances, and they are grateful when you skip the perfume and scented after-shave. Additional information about this weekly event is available on the English Country Dance (in-person) web page. [https://www.fsgw.org/ecd](https://www.fsgw.org/ecd) **Pay at the door:** Admission - $15 FSGW Members, $8 Students and those with limited income, $17 Others. **Questions?** Email English Country Dance * **We look forward to dancing with you!**

Friday night Greenbelt International Folk Dancing has gone "virtual". As we all practice good social distancing, many in our folk dance community are feeling the absence of our usually scheduled local dances. In response, please join us for the Greenbelt Virtual Folk Dance Session. Let’s keep dancing! • Connect and dance in our own homes • Watch hosts leading familiar dances • See each other; listen and dance to our favorites How: We will be using the ZOOM video conferencing app to share music and live videos of the leaders and each other. This can be used on a desktop, laptop, or smartphone. What to Expect: Your hosts are Linda Mansdorf, Vita Hollander, Ben Hole, and John Robinson. Collectively they will play 25-30 dances, which should approximate the number of dances normally done on a Friday night in-person event. The hosts will do a quick teaching or demonstration of the steps to some of the dances that may be less familiar to you or just as a refresher, but the session is not designed as a workshop, so the majority of the evening will be spent playing dances that many of us already know and love to do. How To Join Us: Each week we will send an email with the Zoom Meeting link ID. Make sure John Robinson knows you would like to receive this email with the link. John's email address for Info: j_srobinson@verizon.net. https://www.facebook.com/GreenbeltInternationalFolkDancing/ Co-sponsored by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington

I hope you'll join me at [Carfagna's](https://carfagnas.com/) AMAZING complex on Gemini/Polaris. *Live, local acoustic music during dinner.* **Come by early for happy hour til 6pm.** Or, join us for dinner; show time is 6-9PM, Thursday. Reservation at 6pm for 12 under Michele Z (overflow can linger near the bar). Each Thursday they host live music in their beautiful upscale bar at **Carfagna's Ristorante**; but you need to check out everything this place has to offer Italian under one roof!!

Early-bird coffee and conversation at [Crimson Cup Coffee Shop - Clintonville](https://www.crimsoncup.com/about/location/clintonville)!

Kevin Rhodus from Lucy Deep Park Northside is coming to talk to us about his extensive neighborhood Christmas light display that is open in November and December every year north of Dublin. 9 houses over 12 acres and over 120,000 individual controlled lights that sync to music which you can tune into on your radio! Quite impressive! https://ldplights.com/ We'll dive into the tech that runs the show -- should be a blast to hear about this very elaborate display! While we continue to pursue a more permanent venue for this Meetup, we’ll be using public library facilities based on availability. This session will be at the Dublin Library in the Meeting Room 2

Ready for a night of music, laughter, and fun? Join us at Thunderwing Brewery for Music Bingo — a lively twist on classic bingo where songs replace numbers and good vibes are guaranteed! RSVP to secure your spot. Text Renee (614-257-9389). (Headcount needed to make sure staffing can accommodate the group) Arrive early to get a seat - **bring a camping chair for extra seating.** Often the brewery has food trucks or you can bring in your own food. Bonus - You can bring your dog!

# **Band and caller TBA** Beginner lesson at 1:30, regular dancing begins at 2:00 pm NOTE THAT WE ARE TEMPORARILY DANCING IN THE AFTERNOON INSTEAD OF EVENING. Dance with us in the afternoon then you can still go out in the evening! **Sponsor: All Soles Contra and Square Dancing, First Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W. Weisheimer Rd., Columbus OH 43214** WHAT IS CONTRA DANCING? Picture the Grand Ball scenes like you’ve seen in period films such as “Pride and Prejudice”, where the dancers are lined up in long lines, across from each other. That’s English Country Dancing, the predecessor of contra dancing. Now, add moves like “swing your partner” and “do-si-do,” like you’ve seen in square dancing. Set it to fabulous, high energy, live music with fiddles, guitars, percussion and more, alá “Riverdance.” Finally, set the whole scene down in the middle of Woodstock, with a hip, groovy atmosphere, a bit of tie-dye, and hints of counter-culture attitude. THAT’s Contra Dancing! Wear cool and comfortable clothes (you will get warm) and clean shoes that won't mark up our nice wood floor. Be sure to come for the beginner's lesson from 1:30 - 2:00, followed by dancing 2:00 - 430. All dances are taught; we will help you learn! Beginners always welcome, no need to bring a partner. Cost is $10.00 adults, $5.00 ages 12-26. Under 12 free. Free parking in church lot. Please bring your own refillable water bottle.

We thought of one of the interesting things that can be enjoyed at this time of the year. We will be meeting at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church for a "Fish Fry" in Marian Hall on Friday, March 27th at 5:00 PM. It might be fun for you to experience what has become a tradition on the Fridays before Easter. They will have fried fish or baked fish, French fries and Cole slaw, as well as beverages, all for $16.00 for adults. They will have other beverages and desserts available for sale, as well. We have never tried this, and sometimes there are quite a few people at these events so we hope that we will be able to find each other easily. I'll try to have signs outside Marian Hall that Identify our group. We hope to have you join us!