Announcements

Reserve your spot for an after-hour event with multi-disciplinary artist Sky Hopinka, Thursday, Nov. 5, 6–9 PM. Experience monumental nature-inspired artworks in the Water’s Edge exhibition, make your own artwork to take home at the National Museum of the American Indian.

Sky Hopinka’s photo and video art—including This is a mnemonic for Truman Lowe in the museum’s collection—shares Truman Lowe’s interest in Indigenous homelands, cultural knowledge, and traditional practices. Hopinka contributed to the exhibition catalog for Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe, writing on Lowe’s lasting impact on his work. Hopinka joins the museum for this special after hours event featuring a screening of three of his short video works followed by a discussion with Rebecca Head Trautmann, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art and exhibition curator, along with art-making activities, and time to enjoy Lowe’s work currently on view.   Sky Hopinka has been widely recognized for his experimental short films and photo-based works. A MacArthur Fellow, Guggenheim Fellow, and Forge Project Fellow, his work has been shown in major film festivals, museums, and international exhibitions and is in numerous prominent museum collections. Hopinka is currently an assistant professor in the department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies at Harvard University. 

Join artist Nora Naranjo Morse (Kha’p’o Owenge ([Santa Clara Pueblo]), creator of Always Becoming, and the community that cares for the museum’s ephemeral outdoor sculpture family, to learn about the project’s evolution over the past two decades, and what the future holds.

Learn about the art of clay, traditions of sustainability in Pueblo building techniques, and more. Visitors can enjoy family-friendly art activities, dance performances by the Zuni Olla Maidens, watch a short film, and multiple opportunities to hear from the artist, her family, and museum experts that have contributed to the care and revitalization of the sculptures.

GAITHERSBURG, MD.: Fit Club, a boutique personal training studio specializing in 15 minute adaptive resistance strength training, has officially opened its second location in the Kentlands at 60 Market Street, Suite 213, Gaithersburg. The new studio brings Fit Club’s personalized, coach-led training to residents of Kentlands, Lakelands and the surrounding Gaithersburg community.

Fit Club offers one-on-one ultra effective and efficient strength training sessions built around each client’s goals, schedule and fitness level. Every session is led by a certified trainer in a private, focused setting that suits beginners and experienced athletes alike. Fit Club’s state-of-the-art adaptive resistance technology adjusts in real time to your ability, so each movement is controlled, efficient, and tailored to you. This is strength training built for real life. No crowded gym floor. No long hours at the gym. No guesswork. Just personalized coaching in a comfortable private studio.

McMillan Pazdan Smith (MPS) is announcing its acquisition of Smolen Emr Ilkovitch Architects (SEI) of Rockville, Maryland. This partnership expands MPS’s presence into the U.S. Mid-Atlantic with a new studio and grows the reach of the firm’s K12 architecture, interior design, planning, and advisory practice to clients in Maryland, Northern Virginia, and the surrounding region. The addition reinforces the firm’s place among the top 25 K-12 architecture practices in the United States. 

“We are excited to welcome SEI to the MPS firm family. The SEI team shares our commitment to purposeful and expert design and project execution, exceptional client service, and deep community–centered relationships and presence,” says Chad Cousins, CEO, McMillan Pazdan Smith. “Together, we will support the continued growth, vibrancy, and sustainability of the DMV region with long term community investments, and industry-leading design, planning, and advisory value.”

Alexandria, Virginia – October 1, 2026 – Body Imperium, an Old Town Alexandria strength-training studio, has announced that it is rebranding as Imperium Strength and Longevity, known simply as Imperium.

The new name reflects the studio’s evolution from its Pilates origins into Alexandria’s only strength-training facility powered by ARX® (Adaptive Resistance Exercise) technology. The evolution of the business closely follows founder Victoria Azor’s personal experience building strength and longevity.

Olney, MD — September 29, 2026 — Olney Theatre Center, Maryland’s largest regional theatre, produces Boublil and Schönberg’s Les Misérables in the Roberts Mainstage (October 30, 2026 – January 31, 2027) in celebration of the musical’s 40th anniversary. This continues Olney Theatre’s tradition of providing popular musicals with multi-generational appeal to local audiences and visitors over the holiday season. This year, Tony Award-nominated director Stephen Brackett returns to direct the production, having last directed Cinco Paul’s critically acclaimed A.D. 16 at Olney in 2022. Trent Saunders, who garnered critical acclaim for his performance in the Broadway company of Dead Outlaw, stars as Jean Valjean, opposite Kevin S. McAllister, a veteran of multiple Broadway and Olney musicals, who recently directed Ford’s Theater’s heralded production of Come From Away. Christopher Youstra, Olney’s Associate Artistic Director of Music Theatre, again serves as Music Director, and William Carlos Angulo is the choreographer.

Tickets are available to the public from $57 – $118 and can be purchased at olneytheatre.org/lesmiz or by calling the box office at 301-924-3400. 

Celebrate the past, present, and future of North America’s largest land mammal. Through captivating films and hands-on activities, learn about the bison’s vital role in restoring grassland ecosystems and its deep spiritual connection to Tribal nations. “A Bison Celebration” is part of the Smithsonian Institution’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS   Level 1, Rasmuson Theater | 1–2:45PM | Film Screenings   Rebirth of the Range

Gather with us to celebrate family—both living and dead—and honor the cycle of life. Enjoy activities for all ages, including dance performances by Grupo los Tecuanes, making paper marigolds to be placed on a Catrina, and making papel picado (perforated paper decorations) with David Amorozo. Learn how pan de muerto (bread of the dead) is made with demonstrations by Neil Vargas, Jr. Interact with the iconic skeleton fashionista La Catrina as she roams the festival. Visitors are invited to leave photos and mementos of their loved ones on the ofrenda (altar) or commemorate them by writing their names on a butterfly to attach to the memorial arch.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

At The Head Spa by Bare, we believe that true beauty begins with a healthy scalp, its your unique wellness experience for the mind and body. Relax with aromatherapy and gentle massages while healing your scalp.

Head Spa Facial rituals are a unique and luxurious experience that focuses on relaxing and revitalizing the scalp and hair. These rituals combine traditional Japanese techniques with modern spa treatments to provide a holistic approach to wellness.