Washington DC Events |
June
Carnival Extravaganza
This annual Caribbean carnival brings out Washington's Caribbean enthusiasts in elaborate costumes and headdresses for a day of celebration at Emery Park.
Museum Walk Weekend
With exhibitions, live music, food and fun, the Dupont Kalorama Museums Consortium invites walking exploration of Dupont Circle, home to museums, galleries, embassies, restaurants, and more.
Marine Band Summer Concert Series
From June through August, Marine Band Summer concerts take place on Wednesday and Sunday evenings at the U.S. Capitol's west terrace and White House Ellipse Visitor Pavilion.
Barbecue Battle
Safeway’s Barbecue Battle, the last weekend in June, celebrates great food, music and family fun as contestants vie for the National Pork Barbecue Championship title and $25,000 in cash prizes. More than 30 national and regional bands perform on three stages, and NBA players lead kids’ basketball games all weekend.
Soap Box Derby
Area youth from age 8 to 17 race gravity-powered vehicles down Capitol Hill in a Soap Box Derby competition where division winners move on to compete in July's All American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio.
Shakespeare Theater Free-For-All
Free professional performances of Shakespearean masterpieces unfold during a two-week period drawing enthusiastic crowds to the Carter Baron Amphitheater.
KOL Kids’ Extravalooza
Free family fun at the National Children’s Museum, presented in conjunction with AOL, includes celebrity appearances each year.
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July
Bastille Day
A Gallic Independence Day celebration features live entertainment and waiters running tray races to the Capitol and back.
Festival of American Folklife
American folklife heritage plays out in lectures, concerts, working villages and exhibits at the National Mall.
Fourth of July Celebration
Fourth of July on the National Mall, between Independence and Constitution avenues, includes a parade, colonial military maneuvers, concerts at the Sylvan Theatre, and a performance by the National Symphony Orchestra on the U.S. Capitol’s west steps. Fireworks, viewed from both sides of the Potomac River, cap off festivities.
Latin-American Festival
Latin-American music, dance, art, food and more star at this two-day heritage festival at the National Mall.
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August
Arlington County Fair
Arlington County’s four-day fair includes crafts, exhibitors and food at the Thomas Jefferson Center.
Georgia Avenue Day
D.C.'s longest business corridor features a parade, carnival rides, foods and live music along Georgia and Eastern Avenues, NW.
U.S. Army Band "1812 Overture"
Tchaikovsky's “1812 Overture” performed by the U.S. Army band gets firepower backing from the Salute Gun Platoon of the 3rd U.S. Infantry on the White House Ellipse Visitor Pavilion.
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September
Arlington County Fair
Arlington County’s four-day fair includes crafts, exhibitors and food at the Thomas Jefferson Center.
Georgia Avenue Day
D.C.'s longest business corridor features a parade, carnival rides, foods and live music along Georgia and Eastern Avenues, NW.
U.S. Army Band "1812 Overture"
Tchaikovsky's “1812 Overture” performed by the U.S. Army band gets firepower backing from the Salute Gun Platoon of the 3rd U.S. Infantry on the White House Ellipse Visitor Pavilion.
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October
Adams Morgan Festival
Expanding from a day into a weekend, Adams Morgan celebrates with multicultural music -- reggae, jazz, R&B and salsa -- as well as international cuisine.
Ambassador’s Ball
The Ambassador’s Ball, which has raised more than $8 million for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, kicks off Washington’s glittering social season, at the Grand Hyatt Washington at Washington Center.
National Black Family Reunion
Attracting more than 500,000 to the National Mall and supported by the National Council of Negro Women, the two-day Black Family Reunion celebrates with free gospel concerts, health screenings, food, fun and an international marketplace.
Hispanic Designers Gala Fashion Show
Drawing Hispanic entertainers and politicians, this fashionable gala helps fund scholarships for Hispanic design students.
Kalorama House and Embassy Tour
Tours begin at the Woodrow Wilson House, a museum property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and include the Kalorama Guest House at Kalorama Park.
Kennedy Center Open House
The annual open house of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington's premier performing arts center, includes free concerts and performances.
Rock Creek Park Day
Environmental, recreational and historical programs dominate this daylong tribute to Rock Creek Park, one of the world’s largest urban parks.
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November
Marine Corps Marathon
In a race that begins and ends at the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, thousands of runners snake through downtown streets and parks in one of the nation's most prestigious marathons.
Veterans Day Ceremony
Military brass, veterans and the public gather at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in a salute to men and women serving their nation.
Waterfowl Festival
The town of Easton, MD hosts celebrated waterfowl artists and craftsmen in a variety of venues throughout the city, with lots of food, presentations and activities for the kids.
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Decmeber
Washington Jewish Film Festival
With titles over the years including Jericho’s Echo: Punk Rock in the Holy Land, the Washington Jewish Film Festival, presented by the Morris Cafritz Center for the Arts at the District of Columbia Jewish Community Center and other venues, entertains and informs with thought-provoking works, some in Hebrew or other languages with English subtitles.
Capital Area Auto Show
Capital Area Auto Show at the Washington Convention Center introduces the public to next year's models as well as to concept cars that some day may hit the market.
International Human Rights Day Dinner
Commemorating the International Human Rights Day set by the United Nations, this dinner at the Capital Hilton provide supporters with insider perspective on current human rights issues.
Christmas Celebration and Services
Washington National Cathedral conducts a Christmas celebration and services, with passes required for Christmas Eve services at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.
National Christmas Tree Lighting
The nation's chief executive opens the holiday season with lighting of the National Christmas Tree accompanied by the Pageant of Peace. From early December to New Year's Day, the White House Ellipse Visitor Pavilion features lighted trees from each state and territory, a nativity scene, live reindeer, a burning yule log and choral concerts.
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January
Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday
A military color guard salutes memory of the slain civil rights leader at the Lincoln Memorial, where Dr. King delivered his "I Have A Dream" speech.
Chinese New Year Parade
In January or February, depending on the moon, Washington's Chinatown takes on renewed life in the streets with traditional firecrackers, drums and colorful dragon dancers. Action concentrates on H Street NW, between 5th and 8th streets.
Robert E. Lee’s Birthday Celebration
The doors of Robert E. Lee's Arlington, Virginia house open for an afternoon of 19th-century music and displays in a tribute to one of the South's military heroes.
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February
Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday
A wreath-laying ceremony and a reading of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address highlight this salute to the nation’s 16th president at the memorial bearing his name.
Washington Boat Show
This five-day event at the Washington Convention Center showcases upcoming models from dinghies to yachts, along with nautical accessories.
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March
National Cherry Blossom Festival
Depending on nature’s whim, the capital’s fabled cherry blossom trees bloom from late March through early April. Festivities are capped by the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, often the 1st Saturday in April.St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Green prevails at this downtown parade featuring floats and bagpipers on a route from 7th to 17th Streets and Constitution Avenue NW.
Smithsonian Kite Festival
Next to the Washington Monument, colorful kites signal arrival of spring with kite designers and flyers of assorted ages competing for trophies and other prizes.
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April
Earthday Celebration
On April 22, international musicians are featured in a concert of jazz fusion and world rhythms to celebrate global awareness.
America Online Make-A-Wish Scavenger Hunt
Aiding Make-A-Wish Foundation, AOL’s hunt involves three- to six-person teams sleuthing for people, places and things in D.C. Teams must each raise minimum $100 pledges to help finance wishes, averaging $7,000. Registration includes breakfast, clues, all-day Metro card, lunch coupon, t-shirt, and post-reception.
Easter Sunrise Service
The Memorial Amphitheatre at Arlington National Cemetery serves as an inspiring setting for Easter worship conducted by prominent Washington ministers.
Filmfest D.C.
The two-week Filmfest D.C., also known as the Washington International Film Festival unfolds at various theaters and reception halls.
Shakespeare Birthday Celebration
This birthday fete for the bard at Folger Shakespeare Library includes theater, music, children's events, food and exhibits.
Fair Housing Symposium
Celebrating Fair Housing month, the Equal Rights Center, the D.C. Office of Human Rights, and the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development present the Fair Housing Symposium to further fair housing in the District of Columbia.
Smithsonian Washington Craft Show
More than 100 juried exhibitors show crafts of ceramics, glass, jewelry, wood, leather and more, at the National Building Museum.
White House Spring Garden and House Tours
Tours include the Jacqueline Kennedy Rose Garden and the West Lawn Gardens, commencing from the White House Visitor Center.
White House Easter Egg Roll
Children and their parents gather on the White House South Lawn for the annual Easter Egg Roll. Festivities include concerts, storytelling and costumed characters.
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May
Arlington Cemetery Memorial Day Ceremony
Wreaths are placed at the John F. Kennedy grave and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier followed by a service at the Memorial Amphitheatre with the keynote address often given by the President.
Georgetown Garden Tour
Private gardens from this renowned neighborhood are showcased on guided and self-guided tours.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Day Ceremony
Military bands and keynote addresses mark this day of remembrance at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Washington National Cathedral Flower Mart
Each year the mart salutes a different country with themed entertainment, demonstrations and booths, on the grounds of the Washington National Cathedral.
The Commandant’s Own
From May through August at the U.S. Marine Corps Barracks, Friday nights bring performances by the United States Drum and Bugle Corps and the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon starting with United States Marine Band concerts. Tuesdays at sunset, May through August at Arlington National Cemetery’s Iwo Jima Memorial, attract visitors with blankets and picnics to enjoy the Drum and Bugle Corps and the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon. The Potomac River serves as a backdrop.
The President’s Own
Throughout May, free concerts are presented by the U.S. Marine Corps Chamber Orchestra, known for performing at diplomatic receptions and state dinners.
National Memorial Day Parade
Organized as a tribute to veterans and war dead from the American Revolution to Iraq, the National Memorial Day Parade includes floats, celebrities, equestrian units, and more, moving from 5th and Constitution toward the White House.
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