This morning, my roommate was celebrating his day off by catching up on Mad Men. And plenty of people are spending Emancipation Day taking an extra 24 hours to pay their taxes. 150 years ago—-nine months before he signed the Emancipation Proclamation—-President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves living in the District of Columbia. The Emancipation Parade began this morning at 11 a.m. and 3rd Street and Pennsylvania Ave. NW and ends at Freedom Plaza. Hurry! You can still catch it. And this afternoon, there are a number of sitdown events at the Capitol Visitor Center and the Historical Society of Washington.

BALDWIN

Alec Baldwin‘s appearance tonight at the Kennedy Center—-he’s giving the 25th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy—-is sold out! But if you show up in person and there are no-shows, you might get in. At 6:30 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, 2700 F St. NW. Free, if you’re lucky.

MUSIC

Although I am suspicious of any band that self-identifies as chillwave, local ensemble Redline Graffiti‘s washed out, busted-synth fuzz pop ain’t bad at all. With Jeff Beam and Is and of The at 9 p.m. at Velvet Lounge, 915 U St. NW. $10. (202) 462.3213.

BOOKS

Christopher Moore discusses his novel Sacré Bleu, in which a group of artists helps uncover the circumstances surrounding Vincent Van Gogh‘s death. At 7 p.m. at Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free. (202) 364-1919.