May 13, 2021
Washington, D.C. – The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) and Shaolin Jazz will host their fourth annual DowntownDC Summer Flicks – CAN I KICK IT? movie series on the recently reopened National Building Museum’s West Lawn. The outdoor, cinematic experience starts Tuesday, May 25, 2021, and will be accompanied by a social distancing lawn design.
The free movie series will run for 10 consecutive Tuesday nights from May 25 through July 27. Movies will begin at sunset and attendees are encouraged to arrive at 7:30 pm for best seating.
“We are excited to bring DowntownDC Summer Flicks back to our community for a fourth season after a year of navigating challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said BID President & CEO Neil Albert. “We are grateful for the support of the National Building Museum in allowing us to transform their lawn into a safe, socially-distanced movie theater for all to enjoy throughout the summer.”
The National Building Museum’s West Lawn will feature an attractive art installation designed with typical pandemic-era social distancing guidance in mind. The installation entitled Equilateral Network: An Artistic Social Distancing Lawn Design will be created by Lisa Marie Thalhammer, best known for her LOVE mural in Blagden Alley.
“The National Building Museum is beyond excited to offer our West Lawn for the BID’s Summer Flicks series, a beloved warm-weather tradition for the neighborhood,” said Aileen Fuchs, the Museum’s Executive Director. “And the compelling and beautiful lawn design will provide residents and visitors reason to visit not just once a week, but every day of the week. As the city reopens over the coming months, we are glad to serve as a communal space.”
“Inspired by Pierre Charles L’Enfant’s original city plan for Washington DC, I arranged a series of equilateral triangles with intention to help balance and harmonize the energy of our nation’s capital,” said Thalhammer. “The triangles piece together creating comfortably spaced areas to sit and paths to walk. This balanced, steady and strong geometry is highlighted in a proud pink amongst a healing color spectrum. It is designed to inspire feelings of calm, unity, peace, equity and joy.”
This year’s theme is The Future and weekly screenings will travel through time and space for a lineup that includes:
- May 25 – Star Trek
- June 1 – Ready Player One
- June 8 – Aliens
- June 15 – Tenet
- June 22 – Starship Troopers
- June 29 – Solo
- July 6 – Minority Report
- July 13 – Tron: Legacy
- July 20 – I-Robot
- July 27 – Mad Max: Fury Road
Each film will be scored with an original music soundtrack of hip-hop, soul, and more mixed by weekly guest DJs, including Shaolin Jazz’s own DJ 2-Tone Jones.
“We can’t wait to finally bring our CAN I KICK IT? movie experience back in-person, and to once again work with the DowntownDC BID to present another cool theme for this year’s Summer Flicks Series, said DJ 2-Tone Jones, co-creator of SHAOLIN JAZZ.”
The DowntownDC BID is partnering with local restaurants like HipCityVeg in Chinatown and Carving Room Kitchen & Bar on Massachusetts Avenue NW to offer moviegoers special discounts for weekly showings.
Fun swinging tables will be provided by the BID at each screening for viewers to enjoy while dining and watching movies. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own blankets; chairs not permitted on the lawn.
The DowntownDC Summer Flicks – CAN I KICK IT? movie series is intended for all ages.
Only service pets/animals are permitted.
Alcohol is not allowed.
Accessibility Update:
The DowntownDC BID’s priority is to make our events accessible to all residents and visitors. We want to assure you that the Summer Flicks event allows for mobility devices and/or wheelchairs on the lawn. Chairs of any kind are only permitted for wheelchair users and/or individuals with limited mobility.
If you require special accommodations please contact Remi Wallace at 202.412.2841 or remi@downtowndc.org 72 hours before the scheduled event.
For more information, please click here.
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About the DowntownDC Business Improvement District
The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) was founded in 1997 and is a private non-profit organization that provides capital improvements, resources and research that keep the BID area clean, safe, economically and environmentally strong and accessible. The DowntownDC BID is a catalyst, facilitator and thought leader in diversifying the economy, promoting public/private partnerships and enhancing the DowntownDC experience for all. This special district, where property owners have agreed to tax themselves to fund services, encompasses a 138-block area of approximately 520 properties from Massachusetts Avenue on the north to Constitution Avenue on the south, and from Louisiana Avenue on the east to 16th Street on the west. For more information, visit DowntownDC.org or follow us on Twitter @downtowndcbid.
About Shaolin Jazz
SHAOLIN JAZZ is a boutique creative group, founded by Gerald Watson and DJ 2-Tone Jones, that specializes in the development of content and production of multimedia engagements that highlights the cultural parallels and similarities between hip-hop, jazz, and martial arts. SHAOLIN JAZZ also serves as a transmedia consultancy for brands and agencies. For more information, visit shaolinjazz.com.
About the National Building Museum
The National Building Museum inspires curiosity about the world we design and build. We believe that understanding the impact of architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, construction, planning, and design is important for everyone. Through exhibitions, educational programs, and special events, we welcome visitors of all ages to experience stories about the built world and its power to shape our lives, our communities, and our futures. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448, info@nbm.org, or visit www.nbm.org. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.