January

Chinese New Year Celebration
Held New Years Day
Chinatown, Washington, DC

202-789-7000

Admission Free
Annual parade of marching bands, lion and dragon dancers, clowns and other entertainers.

Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Observance

Held on January 17

Lincoln Memorial

202-727-6306

Admission Free
Wreath laying ceremony accompanied by a recorded presentation of King's "I Have a Dream" speech, local choirs, speakers and military color guard.

Orchid Show
Held in mid-January

U.S. Botanic Garden, Washington, DC
202-226-4082

February

Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday Observance
Held in mid-February
Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC

703-619-7222 

Admission Free
Concerts by military bands, wreath laying and a dramatic reading of the Gettysburg Address.

Washington’s Birthday Ceremony
Held in mid-February
Washington Monument

202-619-7222

Admission Free
Observance with 202 speeches and music.

 

March

Cherry Blossom Festival

Late March – early April

1500 Maine Avenue
Washington, DC 20003
202-484-0206

Making their appearance in late March or early April, the beautiful pink and white lacelike flowers surround DC's Tidal Basin. This yearly sign of spring is one of Washington, DC's natural highlights. The two-week festival features concerts, special exhibits, a street festival, a parade, the Smithsonian Kite Festival, performances, athletic competitions and other events at various DC locations.

Washington Boat Show

Held in mid-March

Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC

804-425-6556

Admission Charged
Showcasing sailboats and motorboats.

Washington Flower and Garden Show
Held in mid-March
Convention Center, Washington, DC

703-569-7141

Admission Charged
Featuring blooming flowers and gardening tips.

April

Earth Day

Held in mid-April
Variety of venues

Admission Free
Annual event raising environmental awareness.

Smithsonian Craft Show
Held in mid-April
National Building Museum

401 F Street NW

Washington, DC

202-357-4000

Admission Charged
Exhibition and sale of contemporary American crafts from more than 100 artists.

Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday Observation
Held in mid-April
Jefferson Memorial, Washington, DC

202-426-6841

Admission Free
A commemoration with military drills and a wreath-laying ceremony.

White House Easter Egg Roll
Held at Easter Time
White House, Washington DC

202-456-2200

Admission Free
Annual event for children, ages 3 to 6, accompanied by an adult, on the South Lawn. Eggs and entertainment are provided.

White House Garden Tour
Held in mid-April
White House, Washington DC

202-456-2200

Admission Free
Tour the garden and public rooms of the White House.

May

Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival

Held in early May
Venues throughout Washington, DC
202-727-3120

Admission Free

Georgetown Garden Tour

Held in early May
Georgetown, Washington, DC

202-965-1950

Admission Charged

Tour beautiful public and private historic gardens.

Goodwill Embassy Tour

Held in early May
Held at the various embassies in and around Washington

Admission Charged
Tour of Washington, DC's embassies.

International Flower Mart
Held in early May
National Cathedral, Washington, DC

202-537-6200

Admission Free
Annual flower market with flower booths and entertainment.

Memorial Day at the Women’s Memorial
Held during Memorial Day weekend
Women's Memorial Ceremonial Entrance, Arlington National Cemetery

800-222-2294
Formal ceremony honoring all the men and women who defended this country.

 

Memorial Day Ceremony
Held during Memorial Day weekend
Vietnam Veterans Memorial and US Navy Memorial

202-426-6841

Admission Free
Events include speeches, military bands and keynote addresses.

 

Memorial Day Concert
Held during Memorial Day weekend
West Lawn of the Capital Building

202-225-6827

Admission Free
Concert includes the National Symphony Orchestra, actors and various bands.

Filmfest DC

Held in mid-May

4000 Wisconsin Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20016
202-244-0882

Tickets, popcorn, and politics: It's all in a night at the movies at Filmfest DC, where political landscapes and inventive cinema come together in late April. The international festival offers 12 days of more than 100 feature, documentary and short films from around the world in theaters throughout the city.

Taste of DC

Held over Memorial Day Weekend

Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20530

Admission Free

DC's annual culinary celebration is one of the areas most attended events.  Pennsylvania Avenue between Seventh and 14th streets N.W. is brimming with live music, kids' activities, chef demos and booths selling food and drinks at the three-day outdoor festival. Take time out from all the edible entertainment to check out what else is going on, from kids activities to crafts. The biggest inedible hit is always the multiple stages that are taken over by loads of musical acts throughout the afternoon.

June

Capital Jazz Fest

Early June

Held in the D.C. suburbs

Jazz lovers get an outdoor treat: The Capital Jazz Fest, which slants towards contemporary jazz but manages to keep just about everyone happy. The weekend festival typically includes a headline act with more than a dozen other musicians jamming throughout the weekend.

Capital Pride

Held sometime in June

DC's Capital Pride, which started in 1975 as a small block party, is now one of the largest pride festivals in the country. Highlights of the weeklong event include the street festival, a parade, a pageant, drag contests, film screenings, panel discussions and parties.

DC Caribbean Festival

Held at the end of June

Admission Charged

The DC Caribbean Carnival brings out the Washington-area Caribbean community and other cultures for dancing in the streets and an eye-popping parade. Performances at Crossroads Entertainment Complex in Bladensburg, Md., about a mile from the DC line, kick off the week, with a steel band jamboree featuring nationwide performers. On "Dimanche Gras" ("Big Sunday"), elaborate and flamboyant parade costumes are displayed and judged, and later in the week, calypso concerts take the stage. On both Saturday and Sunday, a street festival keeps everyone grooving.

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

15th Street at Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-426-6841

Held in late June – early July

The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage presents a living tapestry across the National Mall, introducing visitors to the grassroots cultures of different American regions and their cousins abroad.  The festival typically focuses on one to four countries or regions. After festival exhibits and food vendors close for the day, free concerts are held in the evenings. Events geared toward children are also part of the festival.

National Capital Barbecue Battle

Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20530

Visitors won't want to miss out on the area's biggest barbecue event of the year. Every June, the National Capital Barbecue Battle takes over the streets of DC for one smokin', fun-filled weekend all in the name of barbecue.  Plus, there are tons of other activities for all ages and interests. And if that's not enough, the Barbecue Battle hosts top national and regional rock, reggae, R&B, jazz and blues musicians.

Duport-Kalorama Museum Walk
Held in early June
Washington, DC

202-667-0441
Visit this neighborhood's six museums and enjoy demonstrations, interactive tours, hands-on workshops and concerts.

Shakespeare Theatre Free For All
Dates vary in June
Carter Barron Amphitheatre, Washington, DC

202-547-1122

Admission Free

Performances of the plays of Shakespeare featuring the performers and artists of the nation's premiere producer of classic theatre.

July

Army Blues Jazz Ensemble
Held on July 4

Washington Monument Grounds, Washington, DC.
703-696-3399

Admission Free

Independence Day Parade
Held on July 4 at 11:45 am
Parade featuring floats and entertainment, traveling down Constitution Ave. at 7th St.

July 4^th along the George Washington Memorial Parkway

703-289-2500

Admission Free
Celebrate July 4th along the shoreline of the Potomac River in Virginia, including fireworks.

 

U.S. Army Orchestra & the Washington Cathedral Choral Society
Held in late July
703-696-3399

Admission Free

August

Georgia Avenue Day
Held in late August
Washington, DC

202-723-5166

Admission Free
Parade, rides and ethnic cuisines highlight this neighborhood festival.

National Frisbee Festival
Held in late August
Washington, DC
World Frisbee champions and disc-catching dogs take part in this festival on the grounds of the Washington Monument.

September

Black Family Reunion

Held at the National Mall

15th Street at Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-426-6841

A massive gathering that takes place on the National Mall at summer's end, the Black Family Reunion was conceived of by legendary civil rights activist Dorothy Height in the early 1980s to show the world the positive side of black life in America. The two-day reunion is a mix of informative booths and musical performances.

Adams Morgan Day

Held in early September
Washington, DC

202-724-4091

Admission Free
Two-day event celebrating the ethnic diversity of this Northwest neighborhood.

Coming of Age: Elderfest
Held in early September
Freedom Plaza, Washington, DC

202-581-8100

Admission Free
A celebration of older Americans with food, crafts and entertainment.

Constitution Day Commemoration
Held in mid September
National Archives, Washington, DC

866-272-6272

Admission Free
The original US Constitution is displayed with a naturalization ceremony and concert.

DC Blues Festival

Washington DC
Held in early September

202-828-3028

Admission Free
Annual festival with a variety of blues music.

 

Fiesta Musical
Held in late September
Washington's National Zoo

202-673-4800

Admission Free
Annual Latin Fiesta celebrating Hispanic culture.

Labor Day Concert with The National Symphony
Held on Labor Day
West Lawn of the Capital Building

202-619-7222

Admission Free
Concert includes the National Symphony Orchestra and various bands.

 

October

DC 101 Chili Cookoff

Independence Avenue and 12^th Street

Admission Charged

Add a little spice to your life: Grab your favorite spoon and head downtown to DC101's annual Chili Cook-Off. What has proven to be one of DC's best street parties of the year keeps kicking it up a notch. Vendors from the city's best restaurants line up to hawk samples of their zesty recipes. Grab a bowl or two and cruise the streets with fellow revelers to check out some of today's hottest bands on DC101's main stage.

Marine Corps Marathon

Held in late October

Marshall Drive
Arlington, VA 22211
703-289-2500

The Annual Marine Corps Marathon is an open, amateur race beginning and ending at the Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial). The race has been nicknamed the "Marathon of the Monuments" because it passes many of the area's attractions -- the Capitol, Union Station, the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials and the Kennedy Center. It's also dubbed "The People's Marathon," for the diverse group of 18,000 runners it attracts from around the world.

White House Fall Garden Tours

Held in late October

White House, Washington, DC

202-208-1631

Admission Free
Annual tour includes Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, Rose Garden, Children's Garden and South Lawn of the White House.

November

Annual Seafaring Celebration

Held in early November
Navy Museum, Washington, DC

202-433-4882
Annual sea festival, with storytelling and musical performances.

Army Ten Mile Run
Held the second weekend in October
One of the nation's largest ten-mile road races and rated as one of the Top 100 races in the nation by Runner's World Magazine. Starting in Arlington, VA, the flat, fast course travels through scenic Washington, DC, passing some the most famous monuments and memorials in the United States. The field is limited to 16,000 runners.

 

Theodore Roosevelt Birthday Celebration
Held in late October

Theodore Roosevelt Island, George Washington Parkway

703-289-2500

Admission Free
Celebrate the 26th president's birthday, featuring tours and exhibits.

White House Fall Garden Tours
Held in late October
White House, Washington, DC

202-208-1631

Admission Free
Annual tour includes Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, Rose Garden, Children's Garden and South Lawn of the White House.

December

The National Christmas Tree

Held in early December

703-237-5993

Admission Free
Thousands of spirited patriots turn out for the annual lighting ceremony of the National Christmas Tree in early December, and thousands more make a trip to the Ellipse to see the tree throughout the rest of the month. The festivities are all part of the Christmas Pageant of Peace.  The National Christmas Tree, with a large-scale model train running around it, is a must-see for Washingtonians and tourists alike.  Fifty-six smaller trees representing the 50 states, five territories and DC surround the main tree, each decorated by state-sponsored organizations. A Yule log burns nightly to keep warm, and local groups put on shows on a performance stage. It's a fabulous way to celebrate the holidays in our nation's capital.

Candlelight Tours
Held in late December
White House, Washington, DC

202-619-7222

Admission Free

Tour the candlelit and decorated White House.

 
Christmas Poinsettia Show
Held in mid-December
US Botanic Gardens
202-226-7674

Admission Free