You can honor Veterans Day, take in a traveling circus, catch a college basketball doubleheader or hear some great jazz and roots music. Those are just some of the best things to do through Nov. 15.
Military b-ball
6-10 p.m. Friday
The Veterans Classic is a rare thing in college sports: a doubleheader that is not part of a tournament. Instead, the back-to-back men’s basketball games at the Naval Academy honor the service of U.S. military veterans. Both games are televised on CBS. This year is the 10th classic, and features Navy vs. Temple followed by College of Charleston vs. Duquesne. $25-$40 plus fees.
Under the big top
Daily; Friday through Nov. 19
Do Portugal Circus brings its big tent to the Westfield Annapolis parking lot for 10 days of “Cirque,” a new production featuring magic, stunts, trapeze and aerial acts, plus a clown. The century-old family circus has traditionally traveled through Mexico, but added a second tent in 2019 for shows in the United States. Monday through Friday shows are at 7 p.m., Saturday shows are at 2, 5 and 8 p.m., and Sunday shows are at 2 and 5 p.m. $20-$50, plus fees.
Part 2
Various times, Friday through Sunday
The Annapolis Roots & Jazz Festival enters its second and final weekend with acts on multiple stages around the city. Tabla player Enayet Hossain, keyboardist Greg Hatza and sitar player Hidayat Khan kick off three days of music with a fusion of Indian classical and American jazz at 7 p.m. Friday at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
At 11 a.m. Saturday, Maryland State Assistant Archivist Chris Haley will talk about “Indentured Servitude and Slavery” at Eastport-Annapolis Neck Library. Hazel Mitchell-Bell follows a few hours later with a Veterans Day concert of jazz at 4 p.m. at Eastport United Methodist Church.
The festival concludes at 4 p.m. Sunday with “Bossa Nova and Beyond” by Amoroso at St. Luke’s. The group features Dick Rausch on guitar/vocals and vocalist Elizabeth Melvin, accompanied by Brazilian brothers Leonardo Lucini on bass and Bruno Lucini on percussion, and pianist Harry Appelman. Tickets for the performance are $20 plus fees in advance, $25 at the door. All other performances are free.
Curtain up
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday through Dec. 10
Compass Rose Theater launches its newest production, “I and You” in the upstairs theater at Maryland Hall. Director Jerry Winters calls the play about college classmates a poem on our need for connections. The two-person show runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. $25-$55, plus fees.
Veterans Day
11 a.m. Saturday
At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, World War I ended. The United States uses that moment 105 years ago to remember military veterans and their service to the nation. In Annapolis, the annual ceremony at City Dock and the Fleet Reserve Club includes remarks by Mayor Gavin Buckley and an active service commander, a short parade of veterans and a drill team performance from the NJROTC at Annapolis High School.
Other 11 a.m. ceremonies and activities are planned at the Crownsville Veterans Cemetery, the World War II Memorial on the Severn River and during the home football between the Midshipmen of Navy and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. A 1 p.m. wreath-laying is planned at St. Mary’s Cemetery.
The Naval Academy Alumni Association will hold the 11th Honor Our Fallen Heroes weekend, welcoming the families of 32 academy alumni killed in service to their country at Memorial Hall.
Free, except for the game.
Favorite songs
8 p.m. Saturday
It’s the 50th anniversary of the Annapolis Chorale, and the group will perform some of its members’ choice songs in “Choral(e) Favorites” at Maryland Hall. The program features “Sunrise Mass” and “The Lake Isle” by Ola Gjeilo and Randall Thompson’s “Choose Something Like a Star.” $50 plus fees, with discounts for students, seniors and military.
A story to see
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday through Jan. 8
Maryland artist Ernest Shaw’s large portraits of Black American boys and literary heroes, such as Langston Hughes and James Baldwin, are on display in the exhibit “A Story to Tell.” Shaw’s portraits often depict his subjects as African masks that reconnect these individuals to their roots and traditions.
An opening reception and Kwanzaa celebration will be held on Dec. 9. The museum is closed on Veterans Day. Free admission.
