Friends of the Woodridge Library Book Sale this Saturday

The Friends of the Woodridge Library is having its fall used book sale this Saturday, November 17, from 9:30 am until 4:00 pm, at the library (located at the corner of 18th Street and Rhode Island Avenue NE).

Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit organization, which in turn supports the branch library's programming.

This is possibly the last FWL book sale before the current branch closes and an interim building is set up to make way for the new Woodridge Library. You can keep up with the details of the transition, and provide your feedback, on the project's site. A heads-up, the next community meeting is coming up on December 3 January 7, 2013, 6:00 pm, at the library.

Hope you'll come out, find a deal or three on some books, and support a great cause - see you there!

This Saturday - the first FoRIA Fall Fest

Different commercial districts around the city have had fall festivals for years, taking advantage of what is usually good weather to invite people from around the city and the region to see the great things available in those neighborhoods. Adams Morgan Day has been the granddaddy of these festivals for some time now, but thanks to increased buzz (and a lot more space to work with), the H Street Festival is quickly becoming one of the bigger ones in the city.

Thankfully, another festival is being added to the mix. A stretch of Rhode Island Avenue NE that runs through Woodridge will be hosing the first Friends of Rhode Island Avenue (FoRIA) Fall Fest this Saturday, September 22, from noon to 4 p.m.

"Downtown" Woodridge is an underutilized, under-appreciated, and under-capitalized diamond-in-the-rough. It has the bones that are required for a great commercial strip - tree-lined wide sidewalks, nearly continuous commercial frontage, lots of people within walking distance, and the proposed return of a streetcar line will give it the premium transportation that it needs to shine.

If you haven't been to Woodridge lately, head over there on Saturday and check it out, and consider joining FoRIA (it's free!) and lending a hand to their great momentum.

Neighborhood clean-up and art show in Woodridge this Saturday

One of our favorite places in Ward 5 is Art Enables, an art studio and gallery on Rhode Island Avenue in Woodridge. We've written about it before, and want to draw your attention to an event they're hosting.

As you can see in the flyer below, the opening reception for their spring show will be this Saturday, May 12, from 2 to 4 p.m. at 2204 Rhode Island Avenue NE.

If you're up for spending even more time in Woodridge, check out the transformation beginning on that stretch of Rhode Island Avenue by meeting up earlier (at 10 a.m.) at the corner of 20th Street NE and Rhode Island Avenue NE for the Friends of Rhode Island Avenue's monthly clean-up. It's a easy way to do some good and meet some fun people!

Come to Art Enables' 10th birthday party, February 25

Artwork by Nonja Tiller.

Art Enables, a fantastic art studio and gallery on Rhode Island Avenue in Woodridge, DC, will be throwing a 10th anniversary party next Saturday, February 25. Please consider stopping by the studio at 2204 Rhode Island Avenue NE (easily reachable by bus if you're using public transportation) between 2 and 4 p.m.

From their release:

Art Enables is a 501(c)3 nonprofit gallery and supported employment program for adult artists with developmental disabilities from around the Washington Metropolitan area. Art Enables’ mission is to offer participants in the program the opportunity, the environment, the materials, and the marketing support they need to succeed as professional artists.

For more information on the anniversary party or on Art Enables, call (202) 554-9455.

We're proud to have a fantastic painting of the John A. Wilson Building by John Simpson that we purchased at Art Enables hanging in the entryway of our house. They're a fantastic organization full of wonderful people, and they richly deserve your support.