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SUNDAY

Sure, Mount Pleasant is home to an entire record label’s worth of indie rock bands, a Rockefeller, and some of the best pupusas north of San Salvador. But what really makes this Northwest neighborhood distinctive is its hometown pride. Think about it: When’s the last time you heard someone defend the honor of Dupont Circle or Cleveland Park? Last week, in the electronic newsletter the Mount Pleasant Forum, a new resident wondered what makes the neighborhood so damn special. Whoa, Nelly: The letter attracted heaps of passionate responses—almost as much e-mail, in fact, as the discussion surrounding the dismissal of Mount Pleasant’s favorite bartender, Jesse, formerly of the Raven. Come see that pride for yourself when neighbors and local businesses strut their stuff at the seventh annual Celebrate Mount Pleasant Festival, an alcohol-free celebration featuring an eclectic assortment of artists, food vendors, musicians, and children’s performers, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mount Pleasant Street between Irving Street and Park Road NW. Free. (202) 588-5272. (Elissa Silverman)