Your Guide to the Oscars

Whether you tune in to see your favorite films rack up acclaim or you watch simply to see what fabulous gown your favorite celeb is wearing, award show season is officially in full swing! The Academy Awards, possibly the glitziest and most glamorous of them all, is only hours away, and here are some ways to celebrate both at GW and around DC:

Viewing Parties—On-Campus

·      On the Mount Vernon Campus, watch the Oscars in Pelham Commons in West Hall. There will be photo ops, free food, and a chance to win prizes for correctly guessing the winning films!

·      Program Board is hosting Foggy Bottom’s Oscars watching party in Marvin Center 309, with food, red carpet trivia, and tons of prizes. Check out the event’s Facebook page for more information.

Viewing Parties—Off-Campus

·      Stuffy gowns and stiletto heels not your style? How about watching the Oscars at a pajama party instead? Billed as “DC’s only official Oscar experience,” ‘Snuggle with the Stars’ is broadcasting the show on a 2-story HD screen while providing drinks and snacks to munch on. The 21+ event takes place at the US Navy Memorial Burke Theatre and is hosted by DC Shorts. B basic tickets cost $50 (VIP tickets cost $100.) Visit the website to find out more!

·      If the sparkle and shine of the show appeals to you, check out Art Soiree Production’s viewing of the Oscars at the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown. Revel in the experience, which includes flashlights, cameras, interviews, live broadcasting, live entertainment, specialty cocktails, and more! The 21+ event is strictly black tie and tickets are selling out quickly!

·      To benefit a film-related cause, attend the Washington D.C. Film Society’s “And the Winner Is…” event at the Arlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse. The event, hosted by film critics Bill Henry and Tim Gordon, will feature art deco theatre, door prizes, Predict the Winners contests, and more! Proceeds from the event will benefit the work of the DC Film Society and FilmFest DC, DC’s International Film Festival. Reserve your tickets online now!

Preparing for the Big Day

·      Still not completely up to date yet on all the nominated films? Don’t despair! The National Archives is hosting free screenings of some of the nominated films in the best animated short film, documentary short subject, live action short film and documentary feature categories. Find out more information here.

Hosting Your Very Own Oscars Party

If you’d rather watch the Academy Awards from the comfort of your room or home, why not make it an event? Food, friends, and Oscars fun are all you need to turn the Oscars into a social event without ever having to step outside!

·      Food

You could have the requisite boring chips and dip, but why not pay homage to the occasion with Oscar-inspired food? Go French for Amour and Les Miserables, Indian for Life of Pi, Southern for Beasts of the Southern Wild, or Middle Eastern for Zero Dark Thirty. The possibilities are endless!

·      Games

Make a competition out of the show by competing against your friends! Download Oscars ballots and Oscars bingo templates from the Oscars website. To really ‘stir’ things up, make a drinking game out of the show! Ideas for sip-able moments can be found at the Huffington Post and Esquire, to name a few, or come up with your own!

Enjoy the Academy Awards!

• oscars 2013