WASHINGTON - A video posted to Instagram shows a 30-foot-high inflatable Mars blown away from the Kennedy Center's newest display.
"Just a normal Thursday in our Nation's Capital!"
What Happened:
The popular Instagram page washingtonianprobs, which covers all things DMV, posted the video captioned "Mars Escapes the Kennedy Center."
The video shows several different angles of the inflatable rolling away from the building before landing in the roadway.
What they're saying:
Many people weighed in on the video, joking that it's a sign of the times.
"I get it, Mars. I get it," one person said.
"Great representation of how everyone in DC is feeling right now," said another.
"Mars said "I had enough of 2025, I'm outta here!"
The Metropolitan Police Department says it didn't receive any calls about the incident and the Kennedy Center tells FOX 5 the inflatable is safely on their grounds.
"Celestial Bodies" Display
'Out of This World':
The inflatable Mars is part of the latest display at the Kennedy Center titled "Celestial Bodies: Earth, Moon, Mars."
The installment features three 30-foot-high inflatable models of the Earth, the Moon, and Mars, located on the REACH Plaza and around the REACH grounds.
"It’s an ‘out of this world’ photo op!" the Center says.
The installation was put up on March 28 and will remain at the Center until April 20. The Kennedy Center says it was created by Kubíček Factory of the Czech Republic.
Turmoil at Kennedy Center due to leadership changes
The backstory:
The Kennedy Center has been in turmoil since President Donald Trump ousted much of its leadership and assumed the role of chair of the Board of Trustees.
In February, the president announced his plans to remove multiple members of the Kennedy Center’s Board, including Chairman David M. Rubenstein.
Trump has criticized past programming, specifically highlighting drag performances hosted at the venue.
Following the president's changes to the leadership of the arts institution, several shows and performances have been canceled or moved.
The Kennedy Center’s history
Dig deeper:
The Kennedy Center, established as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, has long been a pillar of the nation’s cultural scene.
In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation creating a National Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. President and Mrs. Kennedy launched a $30 million fundraising campaign in 1962 to support its construction, with bipartisan backing from former President Eisenhower. '
Following President Kennedy’s assassination, Congress renamed the center in his honor, with President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the designation into law in 1964.
The Source: Photo and Video Credits: @washingtonianprobs, @elizabeth_oien, @noelleolol