5 Questions with Caroline Philips, Founder of the National Cannabis Festival
We had the opportunity to sit down with Caroline Philips to chat about the upcoming National Cannabis Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds on April 18, 2020. Check out what she had to say below.
Q: If you had to describe the National Cannabis Festival to someone during an elevator ride, what would you tell them?
National Cannabis Festival is the “Rock the Vote” event for the cannabis community celebrating progress on cannabis legalization in Washington, DC and across the nation. We use our platform to empower our more than 30 non-profit advocacy partners who are exhibiting at the festival to provide education and information to cannabis patients, business owners, enthusiasts and the cannabis curious interested in learning about drug policy reform.
Q: There are a lot of elements to the Festival – what should a first time attendee know in advance?
Pace yourself! The festival has a lot of attractions from educational programming, a munchie’s zone that rivals any food festival and a full day concert on the main stage, so leave enough time to take it all in. I would recommend arriving at least an hour before any main stage acts that you’d like to see and make sure to reserve at least 2 hours to explore our 4 education pavilions.
Q: What’s new at the Festival for 2020?
In 2020 we’re introducing the NCF Senior’s Lounge to provide a place for our 65 and over patrons to network and learn together. The pavilion will offer guests free refreshments and programming tailored to answer specific questions about cannabis and wellness.
We’re bringing back our Veterans Program for the second straight year and partnering with the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans America to produce special content for those who have served our country. In addition, we will be again distributing more than 200 free tickets for vets along with offering a 10% discount code for additional tickets.
Q: What part of the Festival are you looking forward to most?
My favorite part of the festival is looking across the ground mid-afternoon and seeing guests of all ages and backgrounds sitting together, talking and sharing their experiences. DC is a busy city. We don’t get much time to stop and learn about our neighbors, but for a few hours in the afternoon at every NCF we see folks coming together and that’s incredibly gratifying to watch happen.
My second favorite part comes after NCF. Last year we gave $10,000 from our ticket revenue to HIPS and Street Sense Media to support their important direct service work in DC. This year, we are doubling down (and then some) with the goal of donating $25,000.
Q: What should neighbors of the RFK Campus know about in advance?
I am born and raised in DC and I’ve been living by RFK since 2009. I very much understand how large events impact our community and work hard with my team to ensure any inconveniences are minimal.
We welcome the opportunity to meet with community members and do our best to attend all local ANC meetings so we can be available to answer questions about NCF – or Cannabis – for anyone curious.
We’ve enjoyed a close working relationship with Events DC and I personally remain extremely grateful for the support that the organization has shown to our community-funded, locally produced program.
Community Spotlight: Rosedale Library Friends
Rosedale Library Friends is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting the cultural and educational significance of the Rosedale Neighborhood Library to the local community.
In support of the resources and services that the DC Public Library provides, Rosedale Library Friends work diligently to highlight its accessibility to all members throughout the community.
The Rosedale Library Friends hosts fundraising events, youth engagement activities and special programming, while also advocating for the DC Public Library’s budget and providing a vast array of volunteer opportunities. With the purpose to enrich literacy, membership dues enhance and promote adult and children’s programs, summer reading, book discussion groups, bilingual programming, and much more!
Want to get involved? For more information on Rosedale Library Friends, visit them at https://www.dclibraryfriends.org/Rosedale, and follow @RosedaleFriends.
It’s…..#CookieSeason!
The wait is over! On Friday, January 31, Girl Scout Nation’s Capital adult volunteers were joined by WJLA ABC 7 News on the RFK Campus to debut this year’s anxiously anticipated delectable treats.
Volunteers arrived in trucks, mini-vans, and cars to receive over 150,000 boxes of cookies. In addition to everyone’s favorite traditional flavors of Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, Trefoils, Do-Si-Dos, Smores, and Toffee-tastic, this cookie season features a brand-new cookie – Lemon-Ups!
You can purchase your Girl Scout cookies NOW online, and in person! To find the cookie booth nearest you, visit www.girlscoutcookies.org.
All proceeds from the Girl Scout Cookie Program support the local community and Girl Scout troops throughout the region.
For more information on Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital, visit www.gscnc.org.
Plan Your Next Date Night on H Street
Live near H Street and looking for something fun to do on Valentine’s Day? From wine bar happy hours and dangerously delicious pies to giant Jenga and mini-golf, the H Street Corridor has it all! Visit here to start planning your Valentine’s Day date night, today.
Arts at the Center – DC’s Best Kept $4 Million Secret
Mounted in 2003, the permanent art collection at Events DC’s Walter E. Washington Convention Center is the largest public art project in any U.S. convention center and one of the largest public art collections in the District of Columbia outside of a museum. During construction of the Convention Center (1998-2003), art was programmed into the building’s architectural design to humanize the larger than life 2.3 million square-foot interior.\
Close collaboration with Convention Center community leaders and varied constituencies – the art curators, the building architects, the local community, and the arts program committees, which included members from several of the city’s museums, resulted in a collection comprised of works by both local and international artists. To honor our local community, more than 50% of the artists are from the Washington, DC-area.
The public can get a peek at the $4 million collection during one of the free curator-led public tours highlighting a selection of the 130 works of art.
Schedule below:
Art at the Center – 2020 Public Art Tours
Check-in for art tours is at 6:15 p.m.
Tours will begin at 6:30 p.m. promptly. No admittance after 6:45 p.m.
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Wednesday, July 1, 2020
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Tours are free, but participants must RSVP at community@eventsdc.com.
Rock n’ Roll Marathon Returns to the District
The Rock n’ Roll Washington, DC Marathon returns to the District on March 28, 2020! Prior to race day, the DC Armory will host a two-day Health & Fitness Expo, which all participants must visit to pick up their race packets. Free and open to the public, this expo features the latest in running technologies, fitness apparel, health & nutrition information, and interactive displays. There will be a number of local street closures and parking restrictions during the race. For more information, click here.
Events DC Community Grant Application Deadline is March 1st
Calling all District of Columbia-based nonprofit organizations that work with children or youth in the areas of sports, performing arts or cultural arts! We are proud to announce Cycle 2 of our Fiscal Year 2020 Events DC Community Grant Program. Grants totaling up to $100,000 are awarded in two cycles each fiscal year with awards ranging from a minimum single grant of $2,500 up to a maximum single grant of $25,000.
Applications for this cycle of the one-year semi-annual grant are due no later than March 1, 2020. Applicants will be notified of their award status by May 15, 2020.
To be considered, applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Be a DC-based non-profit organization certified as tax exempt in accordance with criteria set forth by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Tax Code and granted an exemption from District of Columbia income and franchise taxes, pursuant to DC Code § 47-1802.01;
- Utilize grant funding for programs or projects that support youth-focused sports, performing or cultural arts in the District of Columbia; and
- Present a copy of an annual financial audit conducted by a certified public accountant for the organization’s most recent fiscal year; or if the organization has not conducted an annual financial audit, a copy of the organization’s IRS Form 990 for the most recent tax year.
To learn more about the Events DC Community Grant Program including a downloadable application, guidelines, checklist and past grant award recipients, visit eventsdc.com/AboutUs/Community.aspx.
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Gordon Sterling Presents: The People’s Jam
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At Navy Yard’s New Rooftop Bar, Italian Finger Foods Come With a View
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Week One Recap and XFL Standings
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