PAST: Weekend Roundup from Freestylin' D.C. feature on the Washington City Paper Arts Desk this FRI, Jan 21st - SUN, Jan 23rd

Please note, due to unexpected circumstances, this weekend's Freestylin' D.C. feature was not able to go live on the City Paper Arts Desk blog, but I am happy to post it here for you all! Below you'll find the info covering free and low-cost events in DC this Friday - Sunday. Enjoy!

Friday

If you can make it over to 17th & M St from noon to 1 p.m., you can enjoy a free chamber music concert from the Friday Morning Music Club at the Sumner School. The performance will include works by Poulenc, Blake and Doran, featuring classical guitarist Charles Mokotoff flutist Heidi Schuller and others.

This Friday night's “Sounds of Hope” is sure to energize and uplift. If you haven't seen them play in the park before, you can see the Malcolm X/ Meridian Hill Park Drummers perform in the warmth indoors from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Get connected to the energy of the earth and your root chakra with the Friends of Meridian Hill/ Malcolm X Park, DC Drum Circle as they perform an evening of drumming and dancing at The Potter’s House in Adams Morgan. This event is all ages and donation based.

The Freer Gallery screens The White Meadows at 7 p.m., as part of the Global Lens 2011 Film Series. The film, directed by Mohammad Rasoulof and shot on a lake dotted with tiny islands and other-worldy salt formations, is an inventive collection of surreal stories. The Film, which was shot in 2009 and is 93min, in Persian with English subtitles, also screens on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Saturday

Like Lego? The Aviation Museum in College Park is hosting a LEGO Aircraft Building Day starting at noon. Design your own aircraft out of the LEGOS provided and take home a picture of your creation. Top designs will be displayed throughout the museum. Admission to the museum, which is walking distance from the College Park Metro, is just $4 for adults and $2 for those 2-18.

If you know artist Eve Hennessa - or saw her aluminum foil sculptures at Art-o-Matic - than you can imagine that you’ll be in or a more eccentric art opening this Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Art Registry Gallery at Todd Christofaro at 3146 Dumbarton in Georgetown. Not only will this event be the opening for her solo show, Like Vibration, featuring works on paper, it’ll also feature live drumming by Benito Lopez, playing timbale and congos, and a performance by the artist and perhaps even some audience participation.

Those interested in more holistic and new age practices may want to attend ULM's “Peace, Love & Harmony Celebration” featuring presentations, meditation, qi-gong and a vegan potluck in honor of MLK, Jr. Mikuak Rai will present on the 13 Moon Peace Calendar, Jewell Elliott will talk about the power of manifestation through language, word choice and intention, and Ivy Hylton will lead a sacred sound, sonic vibrational meditation with singing crystal bowls. The gathering will begin at 6:30 p.m. Westminster Church, 400 I St, SW, just one block from the Waterfront metro. Suggested donation is $5 and please bring something to share for the potluck.

Sunday

The Renwick Museum, located near the White House, hosts an artist talk with wood artist and 2009 James Renwich Alliance distinguished educator, Mark Sfirri, at 2 p.m. Sfirri’s work, A Revolution in Wood, is now on view at the Renwick.

Local guitarist and songwriter, Aaron Thompson, plays an unplugged set from 2 to 3 p.m. at a more unusual spot this Sunday, the Luce Foundation Center on the third floor of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Chinatown. Prior to the performance you can check out a gallery talk discussing Russell Gillespie's sculpture "House" at 1:30 p.m.

My friend Vincent Guang Hu kicks off a new, donation based “Meditation Made Easy” class at BloomBars on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

One Common Unity launches their new Open Mic Series “Common Folk: Voices of a Movement” which will be held on the 3rd Sunday of every month at Busboys and Poets 5th & K St location starting at 7 p.m. The theme for this month’s event is Poverty and Homelessness. The open mic is all ages, and by donation, suggested $5.