Ebenezer Scrooge is back. So are the area’s biggest holiday market and a pair of walk-through holiday light displays. This is the weekend when it really begins to look a lot like you-know-what. And while there are markets and festivities galore, don’t overlook the other options, including Enchanted Pages Community Day at Planet Word, a community celebration in Petworth, major new exhibitions at Glenstone and the National Gallery of Art, a celebration of Dolly Parton, the screening of an iconic hip-hop film, a pre-Thanksgiving wine tasting, and a dance party with one of the region’s finest salsa bands.
Thursday, Nov. 16
‘Iconoclasts: Selections From Glenstone’s Collection’ at Glenstone
Glenstone’s new permanent exhibition is sure to live up to its “Iconoclasts” name, thanks to the inclusion of masterworks by the likes of Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Alexander Calder. The Potomac museum’s “Iconoclasts: Selections From Glenstone’s Collection” opens with a complete set of five bronze busts by Henri Matisse, which, along with paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Jasper Johns, represent the exhibit’s theme of experimentation and innovation within a specific medium. The show includes works that haven’t been shown at Glenstone since the opening of the Pavilions in 2018, as well as newly acquired pieces like Swedish abstract artist Hilma af Klint’s “Tree of Knowledge” suite of eight works on paper. “Iconoclasts” will remain on view in Glenstone’s Gallery building long-term, though the pieces will rotate occasionally. Open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free; timed tickets generally required. Learn more about reservations and guaranteed entry programs on the Glenstone website.
Blind Wine(d): Thanksgiving Edition at Lulu’s Winegarden
Are you in charge of finding something to sip with the turkey at Friendsgiving next week? Don’t just randomly grab something off the shelf at Trader Joe’s the night before. Sommelier Daniel Runnerstrom leads a blind tasting of three carbonic wines — fruit-forward, not too heavy — that pair well with food. Join Runnerstrom to sample the mystery wines alongside snacks from the kitchen, and learn what kind of wine you should be bringing to the table. 6 to 7:45 p.m. $60.
A2B: ‘Midnight Marauders’ at the Eaton
A Tribe Called Quest faced pressure after the commercial breakthrough of 1991’s “The Low End Theory”: Could the group, now straddling hip-hop’s alternative underground and a mainstream breakthrough, pull off another album based around vintage funk and jazz samples with deep, humorous and dexterous vocals? “Midnight Marauders” answered any questions in the affirmative. To mark the 30th anniversary of the group’s best record, TheGrio’s Panama Jackson shares stories about “Midnight Marauders” and what it means to him, and to hip-hop. 7 to 9 p.m. Free.
Tiff Der from ‘Ultimatum: Queer Love’ at League of Her Own
From “Love Is Blind” creators Nick and Vanessa Lachey, “Ultimatum” is a self-proclaimed social experiment meant to help couples finally tie the knot. Though the promise of the reality show didn’t quite pan out for Tiff Der, they’re making a meet-and-greet-plus-drag-show appearance at Adams Morgan lesbian sports bar A League of Her Own. Fans should line up early and note that the event is limited to those 21 and over. 9 p.m. Free.
