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All Weekend
Alliance Space core worlds always have something shiny, especially if you want to misbehave under the purple bellies’ noses!! It makes it a whole lot more fun! Refer to the Browncoat Ball 2018 Guidebook to keep you on course.- The National Mall!
- Downtown, Potomac River, and Georgetown
- Shopping and Eating
- Safehouse Hospitality Suite – join us in the Capitol and Senate rooms to visit with Browncoats from all around the ‘Verse, get snacks, play Firefly games, or just hang out and relax!
Friday
Drift in to Washington DC – our contacts suggest passage through Union Station. Pick up your Full Weekend Passes or Friday Passes.Registration will open at 8:00am in the Capital and Senate rooms of the Washington Court Hotel. The Capital and Senate rooms are exclusive to all Browncoats and are your designated safehouse for the weekend.
Upon check in you will receive your cover IDs, shipping manifest, and other goodies to start a whirlwind DC adventure! Once your gear is stowed and your Ball tickets acquired, we suggest heading off to the National Mall to start the first Track of the day. Stay shiny, there’s nothing to fret, local Browncoats will be around to make sure you have and know everything you need to maximize your time and fun!
The National Mall is a large rectangle book-ended by the Capitol Building (which you can see from your room) and the Washington Monument. Along its length are several Smithsonian Museums – full of national and international treasures, stories from history, engineering marvels, or pretty pretty art. You can take the Circulator bus to the Mall for $1 or walk the four blocks if you want to see more of DC along the way. This is technically a free wander so you can head out to as many or as few museums or monuments as you like. See Saturday Tracks for more information on the Mall.Since crew will be drifting in at different times you can head out with crew you meet at the hotel, or head out on your own and link up as you spot each other. Friday and Full Weekend tickets come with a special Browncoat Ball Friday t‑shirt. We suggest wearing your Browncoat Ball shirt or other eye-catching Firefly gear (Jayne Hat) so you can find your group or a new group if ever you get separated or want to switch to a new museum. You won’t get lost as long as you stay in the Mall area – so, just range freely and enjoy. Don’t be shy about joining a group. We’re all one crew and the Browncoat Ball is 150 new best friends you just need to meet.
Below are the designated Friday entertainment tracks, either because they are not open on the weekend or because private tours have been arranged for Friday (2nd list). Click on all the links and pictures to learn more about these incredible institutions! Links open new tabs. Pictures open in same tab, so use the browser’s back button.
Please note that you may visit the Library of Congress, Botanic Garden, or Folger Shakespeare Library on other days or at other times if you wish. However, the private tours are only available on Friday at the scheduled times listed. Library of Congress is closed on Sunday.
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Open Sightseeing Tracks Included with Full Weekend or Friday Ticket No time or space limits. Visit any time venue is open. |
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Supreme Court Self-Guided Visit Open 9:00am-4:30pm M-F “Established by the Constitution, the Supreme Court began to take shape with the passage of the Judiciary Act of 1789 and has enjoyed a rich history since its first assembly in 1790.” |
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DC Fire/EMS Museum Self-Guided Visit Open: Hours vary. Artifacts and memorabilia of firefighting in DC dating back to the volunteer companies, over 125 years ago. Restored fire house DC Engine Co. # 3. |
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Dept. of Interior Museum Self-Guided Visit Open 8:30am-4:30pm M-F “Inspire and educate the public about stewardship of the nation’s public lands, natural resources and cultural heritage.” |
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Reserved Private Tours for Friday Tracks Included with Full Weekend or Friday Ticket You must register for private tours. Or, visit on your own. |
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Library of Congress Private Tour 1:00pm-2:00pm Limited to 60 people Largest in the world! Oldest federal cultural institution. Millions of books and multi-media collected. Main research arm of Congress. Home of Copyright Office. |
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United States Botanic Garden Private Tour 3:30pm-4:30pm Limited to 15 people Washington’s vision: botanic garden to promote importance of plants. Founded by Congress in 1820. Run by Architect of the Capitol since 1934. |
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Folger Shakespeare Library Private Tour 4:00pm-5:00pm Limited to 30 people World’s largest collection. “Shakespeare belongs to you. His world is vast. Come explore.” Archives of rare Renaissance books and art. 1932 gift from Henry & Emily Folger. |
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Rest and fuel up for your Friday afternoon adventures at the unique, award winning, Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe, located in the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). It’s one of the only museum cafes with truly great food. Prices start at $7 for a Buffalo Burger and range to $24 for the Grilled Bison Loin. There are great fish choices like the Cedar Planked Salmon and plenty of vegetarian options such as Wild Rice and Watercress Salad.Be on the lookout for Browncoat Ball t‑shirts, Jayne hats and other Browncoat gear. Introduce yourself and make some new Browncoat friends and memories. The address is: Independence Ave SW & 4th Street Southwest and the menu is here: mitsitamcafe.com/content/menus.asp. You may want to allow extra time to explore this amazing cultural museum.
Gather ’round Browncoats in the Senate Room of our safehouse at 5:00pm for some fun and prizes.Win some new gear, new friends, and bragging rights as we form teams to match wits at Firefly Trivia.
How well do you know our favorite show?
Dinner for all you hungry Browncoats will be served in the Capitol and Senate Rooms of our Safehouse Hotel (Washington Court Hotel). This meal is included with all Friday and Full Weekend tickets.So head on over and relax after a hard days travel. It’s an Independents-friendly establishment, so no worries there!
Be back at the hotel lobby at 7:20pm to join our recon of the local landscape. Monuments by Moonlight will regale you with local stories while traveling to the top DC monuments.Make sure your phone/camera has memory, pack an extra battery, and bring Kaylee’s sense of wonder as we tour Washington DC at night.
The guided trolley tour is 3 hours and is included with both the Friday and Full Weekend tickets, but you must register for this tour event.
After the trolley tour, tea and coffee will be served in Inara’s Shuttle (Hospitality Suite), along with a delicious selection of desserts. An assortment of other tasty beverages and snacks will be available as well.Enjoy, chill, and share tales of the day’s adventures.
There will always be Firefly games (and more), conversation, and fun with your fellow Browncoats at the Safehouse in the Capitol and Senate rooms.This is included with all Browncoat Ball 2018 tickets.
Saturday
Saturday is a day full of exploration and wonder, so get it started with a delicious, hearty breakfast. Our breakfast restaurant is still to be determined, but it will be in or near our hotel.Keep your eyes open for Browncoat Ball t‑shirts and other Browncoat gear. Introduce yourself and make some new Browncoat friends and memories. Chat with friends new and old before setting off for your Mall tour adventures.
If you read Friday’s briefing then you know the National Mall is a large rectangle book-ended by the Capitol Building (which you can see from your room) and the Washington Monument. Along its length are several Smithsonian Museums full of national and international treasures, stories from history, engineering marvels, and art that is so very pretty.You can take the Circulator bus to the Mall for $1 or walk the four blocks if you want to see more of DC along the way. As Independents, you are free to explore – so, head out to as many or as few museums or monuments as you like. However, we advise selecting one museum before lunch and then one museum after lunch.
Since a lot of wandering will take place, we have provided a Browncoat Ball Saturday t‑shirt with your ticket. We suggest wearing your Browncoat Ball t‑shirt or other eye-catching Firefly gear (Jayne Hat) so you can find your group or a new group if ever you get separated or want to switch to a new museum. It’s not possible to get lost so long as you keep to the Mall area – so, just wander, wonder, and enjoy!
Below are the designated Saturday entertainment tracks because private tours have been arranged for Saturday (2nd list). Click on all the links and pictures to learn more about these incredible institutions! Links open new tabs. Pictures open in same tab, so use the browser’s back button.
Please note that you may visit any of these museums on other days or at other times if you wish. However, the private tours are only available on Saturday at the scheduled times listed.
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Open Sightseeing Tracks Included with Saturday and Full Weekend Tickets No time or space limits. Visit any time the venue is open. |
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National Archives Museum Self-Guided Vist Open 10:00am-5:30pm Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights! – in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. Many more exhibits and galleries! |
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Holocaust Memorial Museum Self-Guided Visit Open 10:00am-5:20pm “A living memorial to the Holocaust inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity.” |
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Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Self-Guided Visit Open 10:00am-5:30pm National Museum of Modern Art. “We explore the art and artists of our time through groundbreaking exhibitions, performances, and collections.” |
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Reserved Private Tours for Saturday Tracks Included with Full Weekend or Saturday Ticket You must register for private tours. Or, visit on your own. |
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Smithsonian National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) Private Tour 10:20‑11:30am Limited to 15 people “To inspire conversations about the beauty, power, and diversity of African arts and cultures worldwide.” |
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National Air & Space Museum Private Tours 10:00am *Sold Out* 1:30pm *Moved to 2:15pm* 2:15‑3:45pm Limited to 20 people per tour Huge! 1903 Wright Flyer, Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, touch lunar rocks! Planetarium, IMAX® Theater, Observatory. |
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Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) Private Tours 11:30am-12:30pm and 1:00‑2:00pm No limit to people per tour “America’s visual culture from the colonial period to today.” Renwick – Art of Burning Man. |
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Freer|Sackler Galleries Private Tour 1:15pm‑2:15pm “Explore Buddhist Art” Limited to 60 people “Asia meets America at Freer|Sackler – Smithsonian’s museums of Asian art.” World-class collections. |
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There will be mighty fine food trucks along the Mall. Head over to the truck of your culinary dreams, grab some grub (usually $7-10) and meet up for the lunchtime picnic! (Museum cafes are overpriced and not as tasty.) The picnic location is roughly the middle of the Mall, in front of the Smithsonian Castle and near the Carousel.
If Mother Nature decides to tag along there’s one good cafe – at the American Indian Museum – details in Friday lunch section. Head there for our rain contingency.
Get ready for the Ball! Slip into those fancy duds or slinky dresses, primp and powder, style your hair, and prepare to make a grand entrance at the Ball.We will have a limited number of salon (hair and makeup) appointments available in the Capitol and Senate rooms. Ask us for the sign-up sheet when you arrive.
The concert will commence at 6:30pm in the hotel’s Atrium Ballroom – featuring the unequivocal song stylings of Sarah Stardust and her faithful stringed companion – Jean‑UKE Picard!Pro tip – be sure to brush up on your “Hero of Canton” lyrics.
Learn about beer, enjoy a Blue Sun cocktail, mix and mingle, and peruse all the shiny raffle items!
*The hotel bar is just outside the ballroom.
We’re not just regular attendees, we are dashing and naughty attendees slipping about on the raggedy edge – so, take us into the world and secure your cargo at Browncoat Ball 2018! Standards optional. Dinner and dancing fit for the social event of the season! Raffle at the meal’s conclusion.
Indulge in a mighty fine meal! Don’t forget to interrogate the buffet thoroughly.The menu is still in the planning stages, but it will certainly include a hot cheese dish and strawberries among the desserts! Pictured are some delectable samplings from the hotel’s marvelous chefs! We will post the menu here when it is finalized.
Maharal will entertain for both dinner and dancing with a delicious ancient future blend. Their soul moving sound whips through traditional Turkish folk music, tribal fusion, and original scores that touch the heart and soul.Brett Zwerdling will perform on the world’s only double-neck Turkish lute. Maharal is delighted to be coming out to the border planets to rock Serenity Valley!
Join us in the Atrium Ballroom for a lavish, black-tie preferred shindig!Our skilled and friendly dance caller will make us wise in the ways of Ball dances, before we segue to an old-fashioned Earth That Was Party!
The evening continues and transitions from Shindig to Earth That Was.Who knows when the party will end? Stay up late. Take a midnight stroll along the Mall. Play Cards Against Humanity with all of your Browncoat friends from around the ‘Verse. It’s your party!
Sunday
Everybody Wins Raffle
8:00am – 10:00am
Stop by the Senate room whenever you’re ready to exchange your raffle ticket for an item from the weekend (decorations, snacks, …). First come, first serve – so if there’s something you particularly want, set the alarm.
8:00am – 10:00am
Independents’ Breakfast
7:00am – 8:30am
Not included in ticket
Meet in the hotel restaurant to grab your genuine A-grade foodstuffs – protein, vitamins, immunization supplements – feed a family for a month – longer, if they don’t like their kids too well.7:00am – 8:30am
Not included in ticket
You’ll want some energy prior to venturing out, because the Sunday schedule is also packed with adventure and sights to see and explore.
Duel at Dawn
9:00am – 9:30am
The New Companions Medievalist Society will show you how it’s really done with the “Duel at Dawn”!9:00am – 9:30am
The location will be the Atrium Ballroom.
Marvel at the historically accurate costumes, armor, weapons, and combat techniques!
Harrow’s
Harrowing Quest
9:30am – 11:00am
Lord Warwick Harrow didn’t just need cattle moved. He’s so taken with your covert skills that he’s contracted you for another job.Harrowing Quest
9:30am – 11:00am
So, set off to try to secure some more cargo, but get it to him in time because he’s not known to wait. Get to the safehouse to pick up your job contract.
Sundays tracks are walking tours and museum tours. Groups of Browncoats will leave the hotel at 10:00am if you wish to launch with crew guides.If you want to head out earlier or later, everything’s shiny. Just head on over and keep an eye out for other Browncoats along the way and link up. Don’t be shy about joining any Browncoat group you see along the way. Remember to wear one of your Browncoat Ball t‑shirts or other cunning Browncoat gear.
Listed below are the designated Sunday entertainment tracks, because the walking tours are only available on Sunday and because you must register for the private tours that are scheduled for Sunday (2nd list). Click on links and pictures to learn more about these amazing museums and tours! Links open new tabs. Pictures open in same tab, so use the browser’s back button.
Please note that you may visit any of these venues on other days or at other times if you wish. However, the private tours are only available on Sunday at the scheduled times listed.
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Walking Tour Tracks Included with Sunday and Full Weekend Tickets Crew guides launch at noon from hotel lobby. |
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Chinatown – Track A Walking Tour Noon-1:30pm Explore the exotic streets of Washington DC’s Chinatown. |
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National Mall – Track B Walking Tour Noon-1:30pm Discover the treasures and secrets of the National Mall – our nation’s front yard. |
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War Monuments & Memorials – Track C Walking Tour Noon-2:30pm Learn and contemplate the incredible history remembered by these monuments and memorials. |
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Reserved Private Tours for Sunday Tracks Included with Full Weekend or Sunday Ticket You must register for private tours. Or, visit on your own. |
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National Postal Museum Private Tours 11:00am-noon and 1:00pm-2:00pm Limited to 20 people per tour Historic City Post Office-1914. 100,000 sq ft ! Stamp store & Museum shop. “Preservation, study, and presentation of postal history and philately.” |
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Post-Ball Outings
If you’re still in town, make your way to Chinatown for the post-ball celebration dinner. Enjoy food, drink, conversation, and companionship at Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant. They’ve been in Chinatown ever since it was just them and the Chinese restaurants.“Fadó (pronounced f’doe) is Gaelic for ‘long ago’ and is commonly used to start a story, similar to ‘once upon a time’. We chose it because we’re telling the story of Ireland’s rich and ever-evolving pub culture.”
New Plan! Old plan wasn’t smooth. 😉 We will be visiting two different speakeasy bars – first we’ll imbibe at Beuchert’s Saloon and then we’ll raise a glass at Harold Black. You can’t finish off a Spy Adventure weekend in a Alliance World without hitting a bonafide speakeasy.Beuchert’s Saloon (2.4 miles from hotel) is located at 623 Pennsylvania Ave SE. Beuchert’s pays homage to the speakeasy that operated there during Prohibition with its 1920s decor and rustic vibe. The narrow, cozy whiskey bar and restaurant has vintage, Western vibe. It’s exactly the sort of place you’d expect a cowboy to saddle up for a straight shot of whiskey. With wooden floors, brick walls, and leather, tufted booths with wooden chairs.
Harold Black (2.5 miles from hotel) located at 212 7th St SE. This 1920s-style speakeasy above Acqua Al 2 in Eastern Market is super hush-hush— drinkers have to know it’s there. There’s seating for around 30 inside. The menu features light fare like charcuterie and sweets like cheesecake. Accessed by a secret sliding wall, this snug, dimly lit space serves craft cocktails & snacks.
Buy Your Browncoat Ball 2018 Ticket Today!
