The Silver Spring Penguin

Photo: A free gig in May. Credit: R. Pace/SSP.

A ratty wall calendar hanging in the Penguin newsroom tells me its mid June. And that means it’s free concert season on Ellsworth Drive!

Ah, the thick beats and luscious grooves. The chill setting in which hippies, yuppies and emos all speak the universal language of music.

Of course, getting down depends entirely on the weather. As of Thursday afternoon, the meteorology gurus at NOAA are calling a 50-50 shot at rain over the next few days. (Read: They have no idea what’s going to happen.)

That leaves open a couple of options: 1) Pack an umbrella and be ready to call it a night in case of torrential downpours; 2) Sacrifice a small animal to appease the meteorologic gods; 3) Stay home, play “Rock Band” and throw a “free concert” of your own.

Your choice. Or you can check out some of the other things kicking in Silver Spring:

Thursday

7:00 p.m. Celtic and folk-rock band Jennifer Cutting and the Ocean Orchestra perform a free outdoor concert on Silver Plaza (Ellsworth Dr near Georgia Ave). The event is part of the Silver Spring Swings summer concert series, sponsored by the Silver Spring Regional Center.

Friday

12:00 p.m. The AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Rd) screens short documentary films on the subject of displacement as part of the annual SilverDocs film festival. Tickets to this free event are available immediately before the screening on a first-come, first-serve basis.

7:00 p.m. Jazz and blues trombonist Fred Wesley performs on Silver Plaza (Ellsworth Dr near Georgia Ave) as part of the SilverDocs film festival. This free event is open to the public.

7:10 p.m. Author James H. Daugherty talks about his experience with the 92nd Army Infantry, a segregated military unit, during World War II. This free event takes place at Kefa Cafe’s Space 7:10 (963 Bonifant St) and is open to the public.

9:00 p.m. The SilverDocs film festival presents the film “For All Mankind” (1989), which documents the experiences of 24 astronauts who traveled to the moon. This free event takes place on Silver Plaza (Ellsworth Dr near Georgia Ave).

Saturday

9:00 a.m. Freshfarm Markets holds its weekly farmers market on Ellsworth Drive, between Georgia Avenue and Fenton Street, until 1:00 p.m. There is no admission fee.

11:30 a.m. Performance artist Bill Grimmette portrays abolitionist Frederick Douglass to commemorate the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. This free performance takes place at the Silver Spring library (8901 Colesville Rd) and is open to the public.

6:30 p.m. The Unity Reggae Band performs on Silver Plaza (Ellsworth Dr near Georgia Ave). This free event is part of Downtown Silver Spring’s summer concert series.

Sunday

8:00 p.m. Experimental musicians Novi_sad, Soft Pieces and Acheronian perform at the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center (8230 Georgia Ave) as part of the Sonic Circuits Festival of Experimental Music. Admission is $7 per person.