Folklore

Curl up with a good book and a hot cup of your poison of choice. Maybe start a book club to talk about your favs and read together.

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Fake News and *War of the Worlds*,”** a look at an infamous Orson Welles broadcast as an early lesson on mass media’s dangers, with Daniel H. Foster, associate professor and chair of liberal arts at Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-war-of-worlds](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-war-of-worlds) .] On the evening of October 30th, 1938, somewhere between 6 and 12 million Americans tuned in the radio version of New York City’s experimental Mercury Theater. It was a decision that some, no doubt, came to regret. What they heard was an all-male chorus of talking heads—scientists, journalists, politicians, and military experts—repeatedly telling them that New Jersey was being invaded by Martians. The ensuing hours were alarming ones for those who did not realize they were listening to Mercury Theater on the Air’s adaptation of the classic H.G. Wells science fiction novel *War of the Worlds*. The performance, directed by and starring Orson Welles, pushed the still young medium of radio drama further than many had pushed it before. Its masterful use of music, sound effects, and especially silence showed how radio could ignite the imagination and make listeners fear the worst. Revisit that classic moment in media history, and learn what lessons it holds for us today, with Professor Daniel Foster, who over the years has taught the “War of the Worlds” broadcast as part of courses in radio, theater, and sound studies at several universities. His talk will go beyond the trivia and urban legends surrounding the broadcast and focus on the broadcast itself, to reveal what really happened and why it mattered. He’ll look at the broadcast not just as a moment of public panic, but a daring work of art. Aired during a period of rapid modern change, marked by the rise of dictators in Europe to the recent fiery destruction of the Hindenburg, the “War of the Worlds” broadcast tapped into widespread anxiety about new technologies and invading forces. Often labeled as an early case of “fake news,” it exposed deep questions about the institutions listeners trusted: education, the media, government, and the military. To emphasize the mischief radio can bring to the world, Orson Welles, at the end of the broadcast and in person, compared the radio to a jack-o-lantern and warned us to beware this “invader of the living room.” Answering questions about the performance, its historical context, and radio as a medium—new, blind, and global— isn’t merely an academic exercise. It can help us better understand how fake news works today and how to detect such lies before they cause irreparable harm. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: A Henrique Alvim Corrêa illustration from a 1906 edition of *War of the Worlds* (Wikimedia Commons).

GRASP started on April 27, 2022 - exactly 4 years to the day and at this very location! (formerly Mod Pizza) Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate our community and see friends old and new while enjoying pizza that has become quite a hit in the DMV area! Andy's serves pizza by the slice and also wine by the glass or bottle. Two slices of pizza and a coke cost about $12. It all started with a ball of Trader Joe’s pizza dough. Over nearly a decade, Andy Brown has refined his recipe from semihomemade to a from-scratch crust that ferments for 72 hours before it’s baked in a hot stone oven. This location, in Kentlands, is the newest but Andy’s is quickly mushrooming around DC and NoVA. With its pliable crust, tangy tomatoes, and high-quality cheese, this is one of the most awarded pizzas in the DMV.

Specifically catering to those in the LGBTQIA+ community (though Allies are welcome), Queer Circle is a place to gather safely where space is held for everyone. Led by Ginny, the circle focuses on empowerment, individuality, and how our practices entwine with it all. Prepare to work with queer/androgynous deities and beings, and our queer/trans-cestors! HATE HAS NO HOME HERE. Please be conscious of shared experiences and how it may impact fellow circle members. 🏳️‍🌈 fee is $25 🏳️‍⚧️

Games night is back! With our favorite local game store opening back up, Games night will come back starting Monday June 7th! We are an lgbt+ games group that’s been going for nearly 3 years now! We welcome anyone in the lgbt+ community to come play board games every Monday with our fun and chaotic crew! If you’re brand new to board gaming and looking to make some friends or if you love playing 4 hour space operas and are looking to make some rivals, we’re the group for you! We are an lgbt+ group that focuses on creating a safe lgbt+ community. Non-lgbt+ individuals are welcome when attending with an lgbt+ friend, family member, or partner. Huzzah hobbies currently follows cdc guidelines, where customers who are vaccinated are allowed to not wear masks indoors. With their current hours on Mondays, they are open until 9pm; if they change hours and remain open later, games night will continue until close. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to message us here!

Walk among the largest stand of large-flowered trillium in Virginia at GR Thompson Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Linden, VA. These iconic woodland wildflowers are identified by three large petals, which start white and deepen to rose as they age. A great many other spring ephemerals growing in this area promise to delight both expert and beginner naturalists. On this 5.5 mile hike we will gain about 1000 ft of elevation, and we will hike about 2.0 mph when moving. Photos encouraged! **Hike Route:** Trillium 5.5/1000 (UpperTedLake) on AllTrails https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/trillium-5-5-1000-uppertedlake-92262bf **Time to Meet:** Please meet 15-20 min prior to hike start for introductions and liability waiver sign in. **RSVP:** RSVP to register for this hike. If your plans change, please edit your RSVP 24-48 hours before the hike to open a spot for another hiker. This request also applies to hikers on the Waitlist. RSVPs close at 6 PM the evening before the hike. **Meeting Location/Parking:** 3750 Freezeland Road, Linden, VA. Room for 10-12 cars. **Carpooling strongly recommended.** If we should fill available parking, we will shuttle hikers from a small park (a minute or two away). **GPS 38.93950, -78.03943** **Group Size:** 20 hikers **Facilities:** Privy at Manassas Gap shelter, a mile or so into the hike. **Access Fee:** Hike leader will secure WMA group access permit and pay daily access fee for hikers. **For this reason, NO SHOWS and last minite RSVP updates are discouraged.** **Contact Information:** Please use the comments feature for comments and questions. The hike leader is Lisa P. **Cancellation:** In the unlikely event that the hike needs to be cancelled, hikers will be notified through comments on this posting. Please check Meetup for updates before leaving for the hike. **What to Bring:** Water at least two liters, emergency contact information, medications, snacks/meal, insect repellent, sunscreen/protection from weather, and personal first aid kit. Trekking poles if you use them, sturdy hiking footwear. Please leave pets at home. Thanks! **PATC:** * To find out more about PATC, [click here](https://www.patc.net/)**.** * Consider becoming a member of PATC. To join, [click here](https://www.patc.net/membership) Attendance is limited at the discretion of our hike leaders. PATC rules do not permit children under 18 years to participate in a hike without a parent or guardian present.

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“The Twister Talk,”** on tornadoes and advances in our understanding of them, with Jeffrey Halverson, professor of geography and environmental systems at the University of Maryland Baltimore County and author of *An Introduction to Severe Storms and Hazardous Weather.* [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-twister-talk](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-twister-talk) .] Springtime brings tornado outbreaks and devastation across the United States. The good news for those of us who anxiously eye the skies: Tornado science is rapidly evolving and improving, as are the means by which we detect funnel clouds and warn of their approach. Get up to speed with what’s known about tornadoes with the help of Dr. Jeffery Halverson, a severe storm expert with the *Washington Post* Capital Weather Gang who previously has given excellent Profs and Pints talks on hurricanes and snowstorms. He’ll describe how, with the help of research conducted by tornado hunters, meteorologists are using ever more sophisticated computer simulations and datasets to try to “crack the code” when it comes to how and where tornadoes form. We’ll look at how science teams wielding Portable Doppler Radars on small trucks are learning that tornado wind speeds are much stronger than once presumed. We’ll consider how decades of data are changing how we think about “Tornado Alley,” and we’ll review what’s known about the relationship between tornadoes and climate change. Professor Halverson will conclude by discussing the technological strides being made in terms of tornado warning and detection, and how tornado scientists are teaming up with social scientists to gain a better understanding of what leaves us vulnerable to natural hazards. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: An F5 tornado over Elie, Manitoba in June 2007 (Photo by Justin Hobson / Wikimedia Commons).

Are you missing the feel of a cold breeze; the chill down your spine? The sound of steps down a darkened hallway, wings of bats in the moonlight, and the whispers on the wind? **It’s time to share Ghost Stories!** This event is geared towards those with tales of experiences from the great beyond. Come with an open mind and a story of your own, and we will together explore and hold space for sharing experiences and embracing the spooky side of life…. And death! We will provide popcorn – but please feel free to bring a spooky treat of your own to share with the group! Additionally, you can also bring a blanket or something cozy to sit on while we share. Event cost: $5

The Glen Echo Folk Dancers will be meeting in-person every Wednesday evening at Glen Echo Park (7300 MacArthur Blvd). **7:30 pm: beginning/intermediate/advanced teaching** **8:30-10 pm: open request dancing** Admission: $10 We strongly urge everyone to be vaccinated and fully boostered, but do not require it. If you have not done so already, please send your email address to [dancingplanet@erols.com](mailto:dancingplanet@erols.com). Note: if you are having symptoms, or if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, or may be positive, please attend the class via Zoom for the next week or 2. If you attend the class and then test positive, please let me know immediately, so I can inform those who attended the class (without identifying you). See the website for more information and for Zoom link: [dancingplanetproductions.com/folkdance](http://dancingplanetproductions.com/folkdance)

Its Summerween! We're halfway to Halloween and kicking off hot ghoul summer, so let's have a party! Same spooky atmosphere with a pool party twist. Costumes strongly encouraged, candy included! Join us for divination, light fare, games, and face painting! Fee: $15 *No Admittance Under 18* SOBER EVENT

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

Merry Meet! Teach a witch a spell and she can do that spell. Teach a witch *The Craft* and she can do magick! GrannyMoon, Teaching the Craft for over 20 years! Please be sure to RSVP each week so I can order enough supplies for everyone! Thanks! • Basic Magickal Skills • Sacred Space • Magickal Correspondences • Casting a Circle • Magickal Working • Phases of the Moon • Crystals and Stones • Candle Magick • Herbs and Oils • Creating Your Own Spells and Rituals And much much more!!! Hands-On! Learn something new in every workshop and take home your project! Instructor: GrannyMoon grannymoonsmail@yahoo.com $25.00 per workshop - Includes herbs and all items needed for projects!

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Terrors of Irish Fairylore,”** an introduction to Ireland’s strange and unsettling folkloric “Good People,” with Brittany Warman, former instructor at Ohio State University, co-founder of The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic, and co-author of the new book *Fairylore: A Compendium of the Fae Folk.* [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-terrors-of-irish-fairlylore2](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-terrors-of-irish-fairlylore2) .] Today it is common to think of fairies as small, childlike, sparkly creatures with glittering wings and dresses made from flower petals. But the fae of traditional Irish folklore were no such things. Amoral, capricious, even malicious when they chose to be, the too-frequently forgotten fairies of times long past would, more often than not, haunt nightmares. Join Brittany Warman, a folklorist who has earned a devoted following among Profs and Pints fans, as she explores the darker side of Irish fairylore. The figures she'll discuss include: The Leanan-Sidhe, a vampiric fairy who gives artistic inspiration in exchange for your mortal spirit. The Dullahan, a fairy with a human spine for a whip and a habit of hurtling across fields in a death coach made from human skin. The Banshee, a mournful fairy whose cry signals a death in the family to which she's attached herself. Dr. Warman also will examine the surprising impact of fairy folklore on two classics of Irish Gothic literature, Oscar Wilde's *The Picture of Dorian Gray* and Bram Stoker's *Dracula.* It’s a talk that will remind you that the relationship between the Irish and the spooky stretches well beyond Halloween. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: “The Banshee Appears,” an 1862 illustration by Robert Prowse (Wicklow Heritage / Public domain).

The Glen Echo Folk Dancers will be meeting in-person every Wednesday evening at Glen Echo Park (7300 MacArthur Blvd). **7:30 pm: beginning/intermediate/advanced teaching** **8:30-10 pm: open request dancing** Admission: $10 We strongly urge everyone to be vaccinated and fully boostered, but do not require it. If you have not done so already, please send your email address to [dancingplanet@erols.com](mailto:dancingplanet@erols.com). Note: if you are having symptoms, or if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, or may be positive, please attend the class via Zoom for the next week or 2. If you attend the class and then test positive, please let me know immediately, so I can inform those who attended the class (without identifying you). See the website for more information and for Zoom link: [dancingplanetproductions.com/folkdance](http://dancingplanetproductions.com/folkdance)

This meeting we will be discussing our Crone superpowers. What we have gained or like to in this stage of life. How it is the same or different than we thought it would be. We need a name. Lets name our group. Welcome to all who identify as women—those in their wisdom years and those journeying toward them, embracing cycles of growth, transformation, and deepening self-awareness. This space honors women celebrating the strength, creativity, and wisdom that unfold through each season of the feminine path. In this circle, a crone is not defined by age but by attitude - someone who carries or seeks the wisdom, courage, and self-knowledge that comes with lived experience. You are invited to join the Crone’s circle of women coming together to share wisdom, experience, and inspiration. This gathering offers a welcoming space for reflection, storytelling, and meaningful conversation about life’s journeys, challenges, and triumphs. Whether you seek connection, personal growth, or simply a moment of peace among kindred spirits, this meeting is an opportunity to nurture your inner strength and celebrate the wisdom within us all. Come as you are. To guide and enrich our time together, we will be using books and other creative means—such as rituals ceremonies, journaling, art, and shared activities—to spark insight, deepen connection, and inspire personal growth. Naming of the group will be done in circle. Please bring a journal for our journey. Books can be bought through Sticks and Stones. The first book will be: The Crone Zone: How to Get Older with Style, Nerve, and a Little Bit of Magic by Nina G. Bargiel Host: Cat Entrance cost: $15 Cat Cat began her spiritual journey in her late twenties, drawn to the transformative power of self-discovery and holistic healing. Trained in meditation, earth-based spirituality, yoga, massage, and energy work, she weaves together practices that nurture balance and connection. Her creative spirit finds expression through continued learning, ceremony, rituals, movement, art, crafts, and journaling, which she uses as tools for reflection and transformation. Deeply committed to creating community, Cat fosters spaces where individuals can share, heal, and grow together. Through her work, she continues to explore the harmony between energy, creativity, and the natural world.

Romanians of DC and the Glen Echo Folk Dancers invite you to a Romanian folk dancing workshop/party on Saturday, May 9, from 4 until 6 pm. The event will take place in the Ballroom Backroom of the Glen Echo Park located at 7300 MacArthur Boulevard in Glen Echo, Maryland. 3 - 6pm Picnic (Please bring a dish/snack/beverage to share) 4 - 5pm Workshop of easy Romanian dances 5 - 6pm Romanian dance party led by the Glen Echo Folk Dancers (recorded music) The event will begin with a one-hour workshop led by Jamie Platt, who will introduce participants to several Romanian folk dances and traditional steps. The workshop will be followed by another hour of dancing with the Glen Echo Folk Dancers, featuring a broad range of Romanian folk dances. No prior dance experience is required, and everyone is welcome to join in the celebration. The Glen Echo Folk Dancers have been an active part of the Washington area’s international folk dance community for over 40 years, welcoming dancers of all ages and skill levels to their weekly events at Glen Echo Park. Their repertoire includes folk dances from Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, and many other countries. To learn more, please visit: [https://dancingplanetproductions.com/folkdance/](https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdancingplanetproductions.com%2Ffolkdance%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExSVVoQkJZbEl0M21CdThBZHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4tz8zX3bV-SoD-zdmB7mY0jUgC_L6lQaVGPtX3vtSebeCu205uQB4LdRbj9Q_aem_vfjQyGPAeDNj5EANK-6Krg&h=AT5Nbo5gM-9b07UhxWouggWPpd0XSMhJEBXjrUThMDsJ2VS5Hfc-27V5HAuom8XViMeOMwWsfoqaNp2DbKV4sTvFMH2kBWsVaKt2XZt9soBCnlfLTlFlaQ1trtTesryFs4dWFRXHXgHe1FYM6zPqXowFvz6PAM1cwWeuog&__tn__=q&c%5B0%5D=AT74b69kPEoo1LZU5c1jxl6vGAlywta_QGGrkoUDm3RyHNnAkh_TELSJCMTvLiM4jboCsdD23_9Z1DVma9SjYzyaJjA-S4ERcfxaeWUklWGOnP4KgzVk-PERj_uQuk9SEfhih32YAmy5AjTZNbAbAVBkAXwF3l2ZH5A) Jamie Platt, a respected instructor and founder of Dancing Planet Productions, has been teaching international folk dance for nearly five decades. His experience, enthusiasm, and deep love of dance have made him a beloved figure in the local folk dance scene. Admission is $10 per person (cash) and is payable at the door. Bring shoes suitable for dancing. Feel free to invite friends, whether they have Romanian roots or are just curious to learn. Come learn a few new steps, celebrate Romania’s rich traditions, and enjoy an afternoon of community and joy through dance!

Come join us for a night of honoring our ancestors! Many cultures celebrate their ancestors and look to them for support and guidance. Our evening will help us strengthen our bond with them by creating a space to share time with them, and for us to share stories and images of them with each other. There will be space to ask for messages with our loved ones who have passed. Bring a photo of the ancestors you wish to invite into this space for the altar. As food is a wonderful way to venerate, please bring a dish to share, especially a favorite of your ancestors. Facilitated by Sarah Jane and the mediumship crew