Out And About

With egg roll you get the president

The Easter Egg Roll has been a White House tradition since 1878, and marks one of the two times a year that children and adults can play in the grass on the South Lawn. This year’s roll takes place on Monday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets for the event are free and will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion on Saturday at 7:30 a.m. and Monday at 7:30 a.m. A maximum of five tickets will be issued per person and at least one child must be under 7. 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 202/456-7041.

Theater of the future

For more than 30 years, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival has helped improve the quality of college theater all over the country. With regional and national competitions, it gives up-and-coming actors, directors and writers a chance to be discovered. This year’s festival begins Monday and runs through April 18, with six of the nation’s best college shows on the Kennedy Center stages in the Theater Lab or the Terrace Theater. Times vary for individual shows. Tickets are $5 to $15. F Street and New Hampshire Avenue NW. 202/467-4600.

The end of the blossom

This year’s Cherry Blossom Festival goes out with a bang Saturday night. Beginning at 5 p.m., the U.S. Navy Band and Ceremonial Color Guard, along with the U.S. Army Field Band, will perform while the Washington Channel fills with boats for the boat parade. Then at 8 p.m., fireworks will light up the sky above the Southwest waterfront. All of the evening’s events are free. 600 Water St. SW. 202/661-7590.

Organic sounds

Hip-hop takes center stage at the 9:30 Club on Sunday and Monday, when N.E.R.D. and the Black Eyed Peas come to town. Both groups are known for their organic approach to hip-hop, and each brings along a live band instead of the much-used DJ format. Both shows start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. 815 V St. NW. 202/393-0930.

The cook’s book

Chef Emeril Lagasse has a daily cooking show, owns several restaurants and compiles cookbooks in his spare time. Mr. Lagasse will be at Olsson’s Arlington Courthouse location today, signing copies of his newest book, “There’s a Chef in My Family: Recipes to Get Everybody Cooking.” The free signing begins at 4 p.m. 2111 Wilson Blvd. 703-525-4227.

Zoo fun fest

The annual African-American Family Celebration takes place Monday at the National Zoo. As always, there will be animal demonstrations, an Easter-egg hunt and African drummers, along with many other family activities. Admission is free. The celebration runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202/673-4800.

A live Valentine

Gary Valentine has been a funny guy his whole life, but comedy didn’t become his vocation until he was grown and his mom entered him in a stand-up comedy contest. A regular on the hit television show “The King of Queens,” Mr. Valentine has also appeared on numerous late-night shows and has had his own Comedy Central special. He plays the DC Improv through Saturday night. Showtimes are 8:30 p.m. tonight, 8 and 10:30 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday. Tickets are $15 to $17. 1140 Connecticut Ave NW. 202/296-7008.

A second chance

Their first show at the MCI Center sold out in less than a day. Now Beyonce, Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys have another show back here in the District, on Sunday. The national tour is a rare chance to see three of the biggest female music stars on same stage in one night. Showtime is 7 p.m. Tickets are $67.50 to $77.50. Seventh and F streets NW. 202/432-SEAT.

Buy a band

Most bands rely on their record labels to pay for the production of their album, but Grey Eye Glances, a Philadelphia folk-rock band without a big-time label, found a different way to get their record made: They made the fans pay for it. About 40 investors bought shares in the band, each putting up $4,000 to $20,000. GEG, as their fans call them, play tomorrow and Saturday at Jammin’ Java. Both shows start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. 231 Maple Ave., Vienna. 703/255-1566.

— Thomas Walter