Summer Preview: Random Fun

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IF IT'S NOT arty, sporty or recreational, what is it? We're calling it "random," a word used incorrectly billions of times each day. It doesn't mean odd, weird or unusual, people, it means "chosen without method or conscious decision." So we used the newsroom supercomputer to select these items in just such a manner. Kidding! We're using the word wrong, too, because we very consciously culled this list from a vast universe of possibilities. Just don't ask us how.

» 17) FOLK ROCKS: One of the highlights of summer is experiencing the Smithsonian without going into a dark museum, thanks to the folklife festival, a giant outdoor celebration of American and international culture. Started in the 1960s, the event focuses this year on Wales, Latin music and "the power of words in African-American culture" — an exploration of black oratory from the barber shop to the pulpit to the political arena. A full schedule of the two-week-long affair will be available in June.
» National Mall between the U.S. Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial; June 24-28 and July 1-5, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with some evening events, free; Festival.si.edu. (Smithsonian) F.Z.

» 18) PULLING FOR PORK: It's like that George Thorogood song, but with meat: 60 varieties of bourbon, 40 types of beer and a whole lotta barbecue. Booze sipping and pulled-pork slurping are the main objectives at the Beer, Bourbon and Barbecue Festival, but barrel-rolling contests, the "World BBQ Bean Eating Championships" and a "Ms. Bar-B-Q Babe" pageant offer additional eye candy. And there's a mechanical bull! This year's new, larger location at National Harbor means it's twice the size of 2008's bash.
» 137 National Plaza, National Harbor; June 20, noon-6 p.m., $20-$40 (barbecue not included in ticket price); 800-830-3976, Beerandbourbon.com. J.B

» 19) A BALE OUT WE LIKE: The phrases "laser tag" and "fresh air" usually aren't used in the same sentence. The virtual zap gun game was all the rage in the '90s, when indoor labyrinths with futuristic monikers like "Laser Zone" reeked of teens and cheap pizza. Welcome to 2009! Take a quick day trip to Bluemont, Va.'s Great Country Farms to shoot up friends and foes at the location's new Laser Tag & Farm Adventure. Day or night, you'll have three acres on which to take cover among hay-bale obstacles. Want to leave the battleground heroics to others but still savor the sweet taste of victory? Cross the street to Bluemont Vineyard for a glass of peach wine.
» Great Country Farms, 18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont, Va.;
April 1-Oct. 31, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., 6-8 p.m., $15 for 30 min. $20 per hour;
540-554-2073, Greatcountryfarms.com. K.C.

» 20) HERE COMES THE PRIDE: What does pride look like? Dance, comedy, concerts, decked-out parade floats carrying even-more-decked-out people, and much more. The annual week-long Capital Pride festival — this year's theme is "Generations of Pride: Celebrate and Remember — Stonewall at 40"— features exhibits and speeches around the city, as well as the crowning of Mr. & Ms. Capital Pride Leather and a performance by the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington. On Saturday, June 13, at 6:30 p.m., push your way past the crowds to get a glimpse of the flashy parade through Dupont Circle. At Sunday's celebration, see live performances, check out a variety of GLBT groups (like D.C.'s Different Drummers) or simply roam.
» Various locations; June 5-14; Capitalpride.org. R.M.

» 21) MUTT STRUT: Work that bandana, Fido! Watch fashionable pooches parade their way through Bethesda at the annual Strut Your Mutt festival, which boasts a doggie fashion show, rescue shelter adoptions, raffles and, for non-dogs, face-painting and a moonbounce. If canine couture isn't your thing, how about dogs in flight? Visit hourly training demonstrations by former Disc Dog World Champion Melissa Heeter. (Check out Melissaheeter.com for a preview of the aerial artistry that will be on display.)
» Downtown Bethesda; May 16, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., free; Strutyourmuttbethesda.org. (Bethesda) R.M

» 22) THAT INKING FEELING: Pick up some of coolest local comics in the area — as well as zines and artwork — at the fourth annual Counter Culture Festival. Thrown by DC Conspiracy, this daylong love affair with D.C.'s alternative artsy crowd features music by musicians Rifle Recoil, Jason Mullinax (aka Pilesar), and Donald Keesing. Also on the lineup: stand-up comedians Geeks of Comedy, lessons in how to make comics by DC Conspiracy's Matt Dembicki and the debut of Conspiracy's new comic anthology, "Dr. Dremo's Taphouse of Tall Tales and Short Stories" (shown above).
» The Soundry, 316 Dominion Road, Vienna, Va.; May 24, 10 a.m.-10 p.m., free; Dcconspiracy.com. R.M.

» 23) RICE, RICE, BABY: Come hungry to this multicultural street fair held downtown. Along with live acts — such as world-class martial artist Anji Zhang, Laotian Reggaeton singer Alex San Dinero and international dance troupe Xixia — the National Asian Heritage festival has a wealth of pan-Asian fare from local establishments to snack on. Also for the epicurious: a marketplace where you can find fresh sugar cane juice, bulgogi (a beef dish) and halo-halo (a Filipino dessert), plus cooking demonstrations that show exactly what to do with your recent purchases. If food isn't what you require, bring an appetite for cultural learning: Sixty performing groups from 20 cultures are spread across three stages.
» Pennsylvania Avenue NW between Third and Sixth streets; May 16, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., free, Asiaheritagefoundation.org. (Archives-Navy Memorial) R.M.

» 24) GRAPE DEALS: Let's be honest: "Wine festival" is really just a more sophisticated name for a daylong drinking bash. Vintage Virginia is no exception. More than 50 Virginia wineries set up shop in Bull Run Regional Park and dish out samples along with anecdotes and tasting notes about their reds and whites. While well-versed oenophiles can find themselves sniffing reserve vintages, most festival-goers spend the day flitting from vineyard to vineyard, slurping the freebies. Live music — mostly of the funk and blues varieties — provides the soundtrack for the weekend.
» 14925 Compton Road, Centreville, Va., May 30-31, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., $16-$30; 540-745-3378, Vintagevirginia.com. J.B.

» 25) ARMS RACE: Lovely days are upon us — too bad our wallets aren't as forthcoming as our margarita-slurpin'-induced sunny dispositions. So, why not spend some time and money on something other than the next round? Amble over to the Washington Monument on the last Saturday in May and, there among the tourist throngs, you'll see D.C. Habitat for Humanity volunteers wearing "Hugs for Homes" tees. Those are your targets. The mission? Wrap your arms around one of 'em and donate whatever sum you want to their hug fundraiser.
» National Mall, May 30, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (Smithsonian) K.C.

Written by Express' Kris Coronado and Fiona Zublin; Express contributors Julia Eeizerand Robyn Mincher
Photos by Richard A. Lipski/The Washington Post; courtesy Strut Your Mutt, Counter Culture Festival, National Asian Heritage Festival