On Saturday May 5, the Around the World Embassy Tour kicks off Passport DC from 10 am to 4 pm. On that day more than 40 embassies representing six continents invite DC visitors and residents to travel the world as they enjoy the culture of different countries.  This year, participants can purchase a commemorative souvenir passport and have it stamped at the embassies.

In addition to the Around the World Embassy Tour, Cultural Tourism DC’s Passport DC features four other signature events:

• Meridian International Children’s Festival, May 6 — This festival introduces the next generation of global travelers to cultures around the world with children’s activities and an international performance stage. Short Cut to Europe: European Union Embassies’ Open House, May 12 —  The embassies of the European Union member countries showcase their distinctive cultures and historic houses. Presented in partnership with the European Union Delegation to the USA.
• National Museum of Women in the Arts’ Global Market Place, May 13 and 14 — The artistic shopping event features products created by women of emerging economies.   
• National Asian Heritage Festival: Fiesta Asia Street Fair, May 19 — The National Asian Heritage Foundation outdoor street festival honors the diverse cultures of Asia with music, art, food, and crafts

All Passport DC signature events are free. Dozens of other exhibits, special events, performances, lectures, and more round out the Passport DC month. A complete list is available at www.CulturalTourismdc.org

• Honorary Marshals Marie Osmond and Olympians Benita Fitzgerald Mosley and Kristi Yamaguchi
  
• Haley Reinhart, American Idol season 10 finalist whose debut album, Listen Up!, is released May 22
• Javier Colon, 2011 winner of The Voice
• Mary Mary, the gospel sister duo of Erica Atkins-Campbell and Trecina Atkins-Campbell
• “We are Family’s” Kathy Sledge and Family
• Pop icon Debbie Gibson
• Siobhan Magnus, American Idol finalist
• Tenor and DC-native Nathan Pacheco
• International dance music icon Kristine W
• Leonard, Coleman & Blunt, featuring Glenn Leonard (formerly of the Temptations), Joe Coleman (formerly of the Platters), and Joe Blunt (formerly of the Drifters)
• Tamagawa University taiko drummers and dancers, returning for the seventh year
• Yamakiya Taiko Club from Fukushima, Japan
• Modern taiko drumming from TAIKOPROJECT
• 10 marching bands, including the first ever Blossom All-Star Band featuring 350 members from 12 marching bands across the country

Additional special events through April 29 showcase the National Gallery of Art’s offerings during the Centennial Celebration:

• Sunday, April 29, 2:00pm – Lecture by Yukio Lippit, professor of Japanese art, Harvard University: Itō Jakuchū’s Colorful Realm: Juxtaposition, Naturalism, and Ritual (Location: National Gallery of Art, East Building Auditorium)
  Book signing of Colorful Realm: Japanese Bird-and-Flower Paintings by Itō Jakuchū follows.
• Sunday, April 29, 6:30pm – Concert: Kioi Sinfonietta Tokyo with Yu Kosuge, pianist; Thierry Fischer, conductor (Location: West Building, West Garden Court)
  Music by Mozart and Beethoven. This concert is made possible in part by Nippon Steel Corporation.
• Films including Early Summer (April 28 at 2:30pm in the East Building Concourse, Auditorium);  Tokyo Twilight (April 29 at 4:30pm in the East Building Concourse, Auditorium); and  The Thousand Year Fire (April 29 at 11:30am in the East Building Concourse, Auditorium, ages 9 and up)
• Family Activities, April 29 at 2:00pm (Location: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Sublevel 2) Create your own printing block using Styrofoam. Then print landscapes that convey the soft light of early dawn, just as Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai did in his series 36 Views of Mount Fuji. Ages 8-14.

The Family Stone electrifies the plaza with legendary hits of Sly & The Family Stone such as “Dance to the Music” and “Everyday People.” Original founding members Jerry Martini, Cynthia Robinson, and Greg Errico are Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees and R&B Pioneer Award Winners. They collaborate with the powerful voices of Alex Davis and Trina Johnson to bring messages of peace, love, and social consciousness. Nate Wingfield on guitar and Musical Director Blaise Sison on bass add an interesting dimension to the raw Family Stone sound.

Opening the show with a style described as “Classical: Shaken and Stirred,” Chelsey Green (The Green Violinist) and The Green Project give the violin a new voice and bring the unmatched tone, richness and vibrancy of acoustic music to the stage. Green has recently performed for the NAACP National Convention and Leadership 500 Summit, and at the Millennium Stage at The John F. Kennedy Center, the BET Studios, the famed Blues Alley nightclub, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, and more.

Creating an atmosphere reflective of the past five weeks, winning entries of the second annual National Cherry Blossom Photo Contest produced by the Festival and FotoDC are displayed at PetalFest. See the striking images from a variety of categories that explore all elements of the Festival. PetalFest is supported by Trade Center Management Associates and American Airlines with media partner Comcast.

• Grab 20 friends for Box Suite tickets to the Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw Brothers of the Sun tour on August 12 (includes VIP parking passes, soft drinks and snacks).
• The perfect girls night out: Queen Bee Designs will help host a private champagne jewelry trunk show for you and all your friends! Enjoy complimentary champagne and get jewelry at wholesale prices. Bring the group to the Queen Bee’s Alexandria studio or the City Tavern Club in Georgetown. The winner of the party package will also receive a $100 gift certificate toward Queen Bee jewelry.
• Is a trip in order?  Bid on two-night stay at Renaissance New Orleans Pere Marquette.
• In the mood to relax? The Lake Anna Wine Experience is just the ticket.
• Need something practical? Find electronics accessories including the Sharp iPod Docking Station.

Items are going fast, so bid today for great deals, and support the Festival, a non-profit, to help keep events  primarily free and open to the public.

Speakers included Diana Mayhew, President of the National Cherry Blossom Festival; Dr. James Ulak, Senior Curator of Japanese Art at The Freer Gallery of Art; Dr. Ryuji Ueno, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Scientific Officer, and Founder, Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Counselor Toshihide Ando, Head of Public Affairs Section at the Embassy of Japan; and Heather Rogers, an alumna of the Festival’s Goodwill Ambassadors Program. They emphasized the importance of continued strong relations between the US and Japan, and encouraged younger generations to learn about Japanese language and culture.

A wide variety of organizations and universities participated, including the Fulbright Association & Fulbright Association Young Professionals, The Japan-America Society of Washington DC, Japan-America Student Conference, Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, Japanese American Student Association at American University, Japan Network of Georgetown University, JET Programme Alumni Association of DC, Silk Road Society, U.S.-Japan Council, American University, Georgetown University, The George Washington University, George Mason University, and Howard University.