Posts Tagged ‘Silver Spring’

Adoptable Pets Invade Discovery Headquarters on Thursday; Expected to Disarm All With Cuteness

October 8, 2012 | by kdelmonico

Adopt-A-Palooza Event Flyer Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month continues here at One Discovery Place, as we gear up for Thursday’s R.O.A.R. event, Adopt-A- Palooza, with the Animal Planet and Petfinder teams.

More than 30 adorable, adoptable cats and dogs will be here at the Discovery Communications’ Sensory Garden in Downtown Silver Spring, hoping to find their fur-ever home. The event is open to the public so, if you or someone you know is looking to adopt a pet, come join us! Adoption events are a great way to meet a variety of pets and get a feel for the animal’s personality, and honestly, what better way to spend an afternoon than getting to know adorable animals?

Even if you’re not planning to adopt a pet any time soon, you can shop pet products, snack on tasty treats and win prizes. Swing by Adopt-A-Palooza on Thursday, October 11, from 4-6 pm — we hope to see you there!

Chompie Descends on Silver Spring, Discovery Plans Local ‘Shark Week’ Activities

July 27, 2012 | by aharris
Chompie on Discovery Communications Headquarters in 2010

Chompie on Discovery Communications Headquarters in 2010

After a cross-country trip, our beloved Chompie has returned to Silver Spring and this weekend crews will help him take his rightful place — on our company’s headquarters, One Discovery Place, in Silver Spring. In conjunction with his return and in anticipation of the 25th annual Shark Week (premiering on Sunday, August 12 on Discovery Channel), we have several ways for our neighbors in the D.C. area to celebrate the most jawsome time of the year:

  • Enter Our #ChompiePic Contest: Simply follow @DiscoveryComm on Twitter, snap a photo of Chompie (we’re looking for quality, originality and humor) and tweet it using the #ChompiePic hashtag. We’ll pick four winners across three weeks to win delicious burrito packs from our friends at California Tortilla! (Download the full rules.)
  • Request a #ChompieAttack at Work: Chompie’s little brother, Chompie Jr., will be making his way around the metro area, bringing a California Tortilla feast for 20 to local businesses the week of August 6. Simply tweet @DiscoveryComm letting us know where you work and that you’d like a #ChompieAttack, and we’ll pick several people to surprise!
  • Join Our Community Screening: Mark your calendar for Friday, August 10 at 8:30pm! We’ll be hosting a screening of Shark Week‘s Sharkzilla in downtown Silver Spring on the Fountain Plaza (Ellsworth Drive). Bring your own chair, blanket or beach towel and be prepared for fin-tastic fun, including pics wit Chompie Jr., prizes and more!

We’re clearly ready for Shark Week…are you?

Shark Week Screening Evite

He’s Baaaack! Chompie Returns to Discovery HQ in Silver Spring

June 27, 2012 | by aharris

The 25th anniversary of Discovery Channel‘s Shark Week (returning August 12) is going to have more bite than ever this year — on TV, online, across social media…and in Silver Spring! Fan-favorite Chompie, a 446-foot long inflatable shark, will be returning to Discovery Communications‘ headquarters next month in anticipation of the longest-running cable event. Local residents should stay tuned for additional Shark Week festivities coming to the D.C. area later this summer.

As our friend Tracy Jordan says, “Live every week like it’s Shark Week.”

Chompie on Discovery Communications Headquarters in 2010

Chompie on Discovery Communications’ Headquarters in 2010

Fast Facts About Chompie

  • Chompie is 446 feet long from the tip of his nose to the back of his tail, 113 feet tall from his belly to his dorsal fin and 200 feet wide from tip to tip of his side fins. If he were a real shark, he would weigh 84,000 pounds!
  • It took 11,720 yards of fabric to make the shark – that’s 6.65 miles of fabric! It also took 36.7 miles of thread and 3/4 of a mile of seatbelt webbing to build the shark. The only non-fabric part of the inflatable shark is the rings that are used to attach the shark to the building.
  • The five pieces (head, two side fins, dorsal fin and tail) will be hoisted into place by a crane and tied down by cables and ropes.
  • Chompie must be continuously inflated by air while he is installed. It takes 10 air blowers blowing 2,000 cubic feet of air per minute to keep the five pieces inflated.

Silver Spring Gets Ready for the Return of Silverdocs

June 13, 2012 | by kdelmonico

Am I the only one who feels like summer snuck up on me this year? I still can’t believe it’s already mid-June…meaning it is also Silverdocs season here in Silver Spring! The AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Film Festival is an annual summer event in its 10th year, celebrating excellence in documentary films with a 6 day film festival. This year, Silverdocs will present 114 films, selected from 2,018 submissions, representing 44 countries with seven World, three North American, seven U.S. and eleven East Coast premieres, plus seven retrospective films and an outdoor screening.  Over the course of the 6 day festival, the Documentary Conference will attract over 1,200 filmakers and industry professionals. We are so excited to kick off the festival on Monday, June 18th, as the event represents such a great celebration of storytelling, which is, of course our mission here at Discovery.

There are many perks of working at Discovery, but being encouraged to check out some of the amazing films at Silverdocs is just one of them. Best job ever? I say yes (though, I may be biased). Though this year, I may have trouble choosing which film I’d like to see. Between Under African Skies, about Paul Simon’s famed Graceland album, and Big Easy Express, following the train tour of Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show, I may have to take full advantage of the 6 day festival. For a full schedule of spotlight screenings, check the AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Film Festival website.

 

Penguin Spotting and Free Fro-Yo Coming to DC Area

March 5, 2012 | by aharris

Frozen Planet Facebook Profile PicWe’ve been counting down to the premiere of Frozen Planet in the U.S. at Discovery for a while, and now we’re ready to take to the streets (and Metro) in the Washington, D.C. area to spread our excitement!

If you’re riding the Metro on Friday afternoon (March 9), keep your eyes open for one of the tuxedoed stars of Frozen Planet. Feel free to challenge him to a dance off, waddle together or share a hug. You can also enter our Frozen Planet Penguin Spotting Contest by:

  1. 1. Following @Discovery on Twitter AND
  2. 2. Tweeting about your Penguin sighting using the #FrozenPlanet AND #PenguinSpotting hashtags

We’ll pick one person (at random) to win a special Frozen Planet Prize Pack, including a Discovery-branded Bloggie® HD camera!

And, if you’re around Downtown Silver Spring on Saturday, March 10, our penguin will be at the Farmers Market from 11am-2pm giving out vouchers for free FroZenYo and Frozen Planet hats to keep you warm before spring officially hits. If that’s not enough penguin for you, make sure to check out Penguin Cam and tune into Frozen Planet when it premieres on Discovery Channel on Sunday, March 18 at 8pm ET/PT!

Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership’s ‘Inside Story’ Makes North American Premiere

January 16, 2012 | by aharris

Last week, Silver Spring rolled out the red carpet for the North American premiere of a new film that seeks to revolutionize HIV/AIDS education for millions in sub-Saharan Africa, Inside Story: The Science of HIV/AIDS. Hosted at the beautiful AFI Silver, the event brought together several members of the pan-African cast and crew, leaders in the eradication of HIV/AIDS — including Ambassador Eric Goosby, United States Global AIDS Coordinator, African dignitaries and partners who helped bring the project to fruition.

The message of the film is simple: knowledge is power. It’s a message shared by the film’s protagonist, Kalu, as we follow his soccer ambitions and struggles along the way. The idea for the film, produced by Curious Pictures South Africa, came about when Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership was assessing community and educational needs among its Learning Centers. Six years later and thanks to the support of generous partners, including the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Chevron, Discovery Communications, Access Bank, the South African Department of Trade and Industry, SEACOM and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the team is firming up plans for an expansive distribution — from African cinemas, free-to-air broadcasts and DVDs paired with teaching guides.

You can watch the extended trailer for Inside Story online and keep up with the film here and by liking the Inside Story Facebook page. We’ve also included a look at the North American premiere, which followed a warm reception in Johannesburg lat month, below.

Ambassador Eric Goosby, United States Global AIDS Coordinator, Addresses the Audience at the AFI Silver

Ambassador Eric Goosby, United States Global AIDS Coordinator, Addresses the Audience at the AFI Silver

'Inside Story' Makes Its North American Premiere

'Inside Story' Makes Its North American Premiere

The Producers, Director & Cast Address the Audience After the Premiere

The Producers, Director & Cast Address the Audience After the Premiere

Discovery Channel Global Education Partnerships Aric & Tammy Noboa (Left) Joined by Partners from Chevron

Discovery Channel Global Education Partnerships Aric & Tammy Noboa (Left) Joined by Partners from Chevron

Cast Members Kevin Ndege Mamboleo, Kendra Etufunwa & Sdumo Mtshali with Director Rolie Nikiwe

Cast Members Kevin Ndege Mamboleo, Kendra Etufunwa & Sdumo Mtshali with Director Rolie Nikiwe

Embassy Staff with the 'Inside Story' Cast

Embassy Staff with the 'Inside Story' Cast

Kendra Etufunwa, Who Plays Ify, Brings Sparkle to the Red Carpet

Kendra Etufunwa, Who Plays Ify, Brings Sparkle to the Red Carpet

The DCGEP Team and 'Inside Story' Cast & Crew

The DCGEP Team and 'Inside Story' Cast & Crew