April Fools’ Day has arrived once again. Every place around the world will take part in this prank-pulling occasion in its own special way. In France, you could join schoolchildren in hastily taping paper fish cutouts onto classmates’ backs. In Germany, you could watch a broadcaster recount a preposterous tale on TV, only to shout “April, April!” at its conclusion. And in Northern Virginia … well, here are some many options over the weekend of April 1 for celebrating what Mark Twain once described as “the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other 364.”
1) April Fools: A Comedy Celebration at Jammin’ Java
It can be hard to keep up with all of the comedians in this area, so why not knock out a bunch of names in one go? On Saturday night, Jammin’ Java will invite a number of local talents, including Wes Martens from Burke and Jamel Johnson from Woodbridge, to share the stage in this comedy collective.
2) Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse
This Arlington venue will provide multiple options for Friday night live comedy on April 1. Raunchy stand-up Carlos Mencia will perform back-to-back gigs in the Drafthouse at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Meanwhile, in the nearby Green Room, the stars of the Three Guys On podcast—Randolph Terrance, Tim Miller and Andy Kline—will return for their weekly live show, The Final Draft, at 10 p.m.
Comedy Zone DC, a performance group headquartered in Arlington, will head down to Liberty Laughs for this Friday night funny bone quest. Veteran comedian-guitarist Kier—well-known for his mid-show History of Rock guitar riffs—and Delaware up-and-comer Keith Purnell will share the stage at this upcoming laugh-fest.
4) Old Firehouse Family Movie Night
On Friday, the entire family can enjoy a good laugh together at this outdoor screening of Pixar’s animated comedy Inside Out at the McLean Community Center. Unlimited free popcorn is provided.
5) Open Mic Nights
Open mic nights are always a blast, and on April Fools’ Day, you can bet on catching a number of humorous moments at one of these onstage events. The Green Room in Arlington on Saturday at 10:30 p.m. and O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub on Sunday at 7 p.m. are two of several open mic night sessions sure to keep audiences roaring this weekend.