SAT, FEB. 22: Salsa Dance Party at ArtsWestchester

This Saturday, ArtsWestchester will host a Salsa Dance Party in its gallery with the Carlos Jimenez Mambo Orchestra. The event will begin with a salsa lesson by dancers Nilsa De La Luz and George Acevedo, which will provide even beginners with an opportunity to get involved. The party will continue with a live performance by flutist, vocalist and bandleader Carlos Jimenez and his 7-piece salsa band. Begins at 7pm.

SAT, FEB. 22: Jake Shimabukuro

The Emelin Theatre will present a concert from ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro this Saturday. Shimabukuro performs a mix of soulful originals and masterful covers that has captivated audiences from the Sydney Opera House to his home in Honolulu. Shimabukuro will be playing from his new record Trio, released just last week, with support from bassist Nolan Verner and guitarist Dave Preston. Begins at 8pm.

SUN, FEB. 23: Harlem Blues & Jazz Quartet

This Sunday, New Rochelle Public Library will present the Harlem Blues & Jazz Quartet in the Ossie Davis Theater. Founded by trombonist and blues singer Clyde Bernhardt and music aficionado Al Vollmer, the band has been setting the standard for standards for almost 50 years. The show will be followed later in the day by a reception for the ongoing exhibition We’ve Come a Long Way Together, which tells the story of the Charles W. Dickerson Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps. The show begins at 12pm and the reception begins at 5:15pm.

 SUN, FEB. 23: George Washington’s 288th Birthday

White Plains Historical Society will host a celebration for the 288th birthday of founding father George Washington at the Jacob Purdy House this Sunday. The event will include a flag raising from the Revolutionary honor guard and a presentation from historian Michael J. Grillo speaking on “A Celebration of the Life of George Washington.” Admission to the event and refreshments will be free. Begins at 1pm.

WED, FEB. 26: Film Screening of The Inner Eye of Alexander Rutsch

On Wednesday, Pelham Art Center will present a gallery screening of the film, The Inner Eye of Alexander Rutsch. Rutsch, a contemporary of Picasso and Dali, was a sculptor, philosopher, musician, singer and poet, whose multitude of artistic interests culminated in the world of painting. There will be a panel following the screening, with members of the Rutsch family, who will discuss the film and the Pelham Art Center’s annual Alexander Rutsch Award Program. Begins at 7pm.

Musings on Presidents’ Day

Somewhere between first and second grade at P.S. 104 in Bayswater, Queens, we kids Iearned that George Washington as a boy chopped down a cherry tree. With pre-made stencils, we all crayoned an ax to bring home to our mothers. Later, perhaps in third grade, we learned that George Washington could not tell a lie…