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LifestyleKelly Sawyers While on the Hilltop, it can be very easy to keep yourself confined to the Georgetown neighborhood, never venturing past the corner of Wisconsin and M for any reason. The fact is, however, our university is located in one of the most historic, diverse and vibrant cities in the country, and nearly every weekend the different neighborhoods of D.C. have some incredible events to offer. This weekend is no different. So take some time out this Saturday to attend the unveiling of the Columbia Heights Heritage Trail. You may know Columbia Heights as your go-to destination when you are in need of a Target run, but in fact the area has a very rich history and has become one of the Districts up-and-coming neighborhoods of late. Prior to the riots of 1968, Columbia Heights was one of D.C.s most elite suburbs an entertainment and shopping destination for much of the citys residents and the creation of the heritage trail strives to illuminate its importance to current residents. The Columbia Heights Heritage Trail Working Group has been working for quite some time to bring this new attraction together, highlight historic landmarks in the area and bring in local businesses and long-time residents. The unveiling on Saturday looks like it will be a great success. The group sponsoring the heritage trail and event on Saturday, Cultural Tourism D.C., describes their mission on their Web site as [strengthening] the image and economy of Washington, D.C., neighborhood by neighborhood, by linking more than 200 D.C. cultural and neighborhood organizations with partners in tourism, hospitality, government and business, [and also offering] an innovative model for maximizing the economic impact of cultural tourism in urban neighborhoods and [helping] residents and tourists discover and experience Washingtons authentic arts and culture. They have already created eight other heritage trails in other neighborhoods in the District. The Columbia Heights trail will highlight where influential punk bands got their start playing on the street, the place where Marriott International Inc. got its start and what places have inspired prominent writers in the neighborhood. One of those very writers, Marita Golden, will be present at the unveiling. Golden is a well-known D.C. novelist, essayist and professor whose work has won many awards over the years. Golden has commented on the importance of how both the District and specifically Columbia Heights have influenced her writing, and she is expected to give an impassioned speech about the new Heritage Trail at 1 p.m. on Civic Plaza. Another big focus of the event on Saturday will be music and dance. At 12:30 p.m. on Civic Plaza, one of the most celebrated Latin dance companies in the District, the Maro Montero Dance Company, will be giving a performance. The Malcom X Drummers and Dancers will be performing at 1 p.m., followed by a jazz revival from the group Rhythm Accents and finally Ghanaian drummer Kweku will provide some incredible African beats. Many local restaurants will also be providing food throughout the day. If you attend the festival and get a guidebook for the trail, you will automatically get access to some great deals all day. Make sure to stop by the Uptowner Caf for refreshments, grab some free chicken at Pollo Campero or free coffee at Columbia Heights Coffee, get a half-priced bottle of wine at Red Rocks Firebrick Pizzeria, and dont forget to stop by Wonderland for free waffles and lots of drink specials on Mimosas and Bloody Marys! The Heritage Trail itself also looks to be eye-opening, and a better way to spend the day than in Lau. Guided tours will be leaving from Civic Plaza all day, and Working Group members will also be stationed at various points throughout the trail to provide information. Some of these members have been residents of Columbia Heights for decades, and will provide personal histories about their experiences in the neighborhood over the years. The historic and recently restored Tivoli Theatre, The Mexican Cultural Institute, Josephine Butler Parks Centers 1927 mansion and the landmark that is the All Souls Unitarian Church are all also stops along the tour. Each landmark is distinguished by a numbered sign, all of which contain sculptures by artist Uzikee Nelson, who will be on hand near Belmont Street to discuss his work with the Heritage Trail. Various art and dance workshops will also be offered along the trail throughout the day, and are open to everyone, young and old, who have come out to celebrate the opening of the trail. In a city as culturally rich as Washington, D.C., it is a shame to let yourself become complacent in the few blocks around Georgetown and never experience the full breadth of what the city has to offer. Columbia Heights history covers everything from race, art, music, theater, activism and literature, and it is definitely a destination worth a visit. With the unveiling of the new Heritage Trail, Columbia Heights should begin to garner some of the attention, growth and artistic recognition it deserves. The Heritage Trail Unveiling is Saturday, Oct. 24, from 12:30 p.m. around the Columbia Heights neighborhood. The program will begin in Civic Plaza and then move throughout the neighborhood. Columbia Heights can be accessed on the Yellow or Green Metro lines. Matthew Gilmore H-DC list co-editor, web editor dc-edit@mail.h-net.msu.edu http://www.h-net.org/~dclist/ [list website] http://www.h-net.org/lists/subscribe.cgi?list=H-DC [subscribe to H-DC] Remember to check http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=lm&list=H-DC for past list messages.
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