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Kite Festival

Calendar of Events

Shake off the winter cold and enjoy Washington, DC’s spring season with outdoor activities such as festivals, markets, theater and fireworks.

 

March

Coastal Athletic Association Basketball Championship – Entertainment and Sports Arena | March 8-13, 2024 (Men’s) | March 13-17, 2024 (Women’s)

Double the chances to catch CAA Basketball in the nation's capital! It all begins March 8-12 when the men take the court for 13 action-packed games. Then March 13, the women take center stage and on the 17th another CAA Champion is crowned.

 

April

National Cherry Blossom Festival – Citywide | March 20 – April 14, 2024

More than 1.5 million visitors descend upon the nation's capital each year to admire the 3,000-plus cherry trees. The annual festival held in March and April is full of events that honor both American and Japanese cultures and represents a close bond forged between the two countries that began with Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki’s gift of the trees in 1912.

 

Peter Pan – The National Theatre | April 9 – 21, 2024

This high-flying musical has been thrilling audiences of all ages for close to 70 years and is now brought back to life in a new adaptation by celebrated playwright Larissa FastHorse, directed by Emmy Award-winner Lonny Price and choreography by Lorin Latarro.

 

Hoop Culture Capital Classic presented by Events DC – Entertainment and Sports Arena | April 13, 2024

The 51st Capital Classic returns to Entertainment & Sports Arena! The Capital Classic is the nation’s most legendary high school basketball All-American game. Since 1974, it has been a beacon in the Washington, DC community, showcasing some of the nation’s top high school basketball talent.

 

Beyond Category: The Concert Music of Duke Ellington – The Kennedy Center | April 16, 2024

Born in Washington D.C., Duke Ellington’s name is synonymous with the great American music genre of Jazz. In honor of Ellington's 125th birthday in April of 2024, pianist Ellington Carthan takes us on a journey through Duke Ellington’s extraordinary, yet little-known concert pieces. These works of art include Black, Brown and Beige, the suite from the ballet The River, and the debut of Scott Silbert’s orchestration of Caravan, featuring guest conguero Felix Contreras.

 

The Rakim & DJ Jazzy Jeff & Ravi Coltrane Project – The Kennedy Center | April 19, 2024

An exciting collaboration between three brilliant and legendary musicians, The Rakim & DJ Jazzy Jeff & Ravi Coltrane Project melds the incredible music, history, and influences of ‘God MC’ Rakim, EJ Jazzy Jeff and composer Ravi Coltrane.

 

National Cannabis Festival – RFK Stadium Grounds | April 19-20, 2024

A two-day celebration featuring concert performances from artists like Wu-Tang-Clan and Thundercat, as well as Exhibitor Fair, Grower’s World, education programs, Munchies Zone, sponsor lounges and more!

 

Project GLOW – RFK Stadium Grounds | April 27-28, 2024

Project GLOW brings festivalgoers through a uniquely curated experience, including three custom stages of music and a lineup of globally recognized artists.

 

Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939 – National Portrait Gallery | April 26, 2024 – Feb. 23, 2025

Through portraiture and biography, Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939 illuminates the accomplishments of 60 convention-defying women who crossed the Atlantic to pursue personal and professional aspirations in the vibrant cultural milieu of Paris.

 

Georgetown French Market – Book Hill, Georgetown | April 26-28, 2024

This popular open-air market originally inspired by those often seen in France  - will feature sidewalk sales and specials from more than 30 locally owned boutiques, cafés, and galleries along Wisconsin Avenue from O St. to Reservoir Rd. Neighborhood restaurants will also offer food and drink specials featuring French cuisine and beyond - from pastries, croissants, and macarons, to lunch items grilled outside, and wine discounts.

 

May

Passport DC – Citywide | May 1-31, 2024

Passport DC is a month-long journey around the world highlighting DC’s thriving international diplomatic community and its lively and varied culture. Thousands of people enjoy the popular embassy open houses, street festivals, cultural performances, exhibitions, workshops and more.

 

Anacostia River Festival | May 4, 2024

The 10th annual Anacostia River Festival is a free family-friendly event featuring a series of performances honoring stories and sounds of the river and local community.

 

Potomac Bonsai Festival – National Arboretum | May 5-7

Open to all, the festival will include a bonsai exhibition of bonsai trees, formal bonsai displays, vendors, beginner workshops, and demonstrations and workshops led by renowned guest artist Suthin Sukosolvisit of Suthin Bonsai Studio.

 

Metamorphoses - Folger Shakespeare Library | May 7-June 16, 2024

Ovid’s classic tales come to life in Mary Zimmerman’s adaptation where gods and mortals experience love, loss, and transformation. Juxtaposing the mythic and the modern, the stories of Aphrodite, Midas, Orpheus, Cupid, and others are told in a whimsical and poignant fashion, reminding us of the joys, follies, and heartbreaks of being human. Metamorphoses was nominated for three Tony Awards in 2002, including “Best Play.”

 

Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival – Terrace Theater | May 10-11, 2024

Honor the life and work of the “First Lady of Jazz” and legendary pianist and composer, Mary Lou Williams. A two-day festival features performances by Eliane Elias, Endea Owens, Ingrid Jensen and the Center Song Project, Julia Keefe’s Indigenous Big Band, and more phenomenal women leading today’s jazz scene.

 

Memorial Day weekend | May 25-27, 2024

There’s no better place to spend Memorial Day weekend than Washington, DC. Memorials are our specialty, and the city celebrates with unique and meaningful events and exhibits designed to recognize the selfless service of our active-duty military and veterans. Experience the country’s largest Memorial Day parade and more during this start-of-summer holiday.

 

Subversive, Skilled, Sublime: Fiber Art by Women  – American Art Museum | May 31, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2025

The artists in Skilled, Subversive, Sublime: Fiber Art by Women mastered and subverted the everyday materials of cotton, felt, and wool to create deeply personal artworks. The exhibition presents an alternative history of twentieth-century American art by showcasing the work of artists such as Emma Amos, Sheila Hicks, and Faith Ringgold, who, stitch by stitch, utilized fiber materials to express their personal stories and create resonant and intricate artworks.

 

June

Capital Pride Celebration – Citywide | May 31 – June 9, 2024

Amidst the historic monuments and tree-lined avenues of Washington, DC, Capital Pride emerges each year as a brilliant spectacle of love, acceptance and unity. The vibrant celebration of the LGBTQ+ community paints the U.S. capital in rainbows, with a week-long roster of events from dance parties to thought-provoking panel discussions. The event is a pre-curser to World Pride, which will be held in Washington, DC in 2025.

 

New York City Ballet: Jewels – The Kennedy Center | June 4-9, 2024

Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the New York City Ballet presents George Balanchine’s treasured jewels amidst the grandeur of the Opera House. Witness Balanchine’s artistry at its peak from the world-renowned company he co-founded 75 years ago.

 

Imaginarium Book Festival – National Press Club | June 7-8, 2024

Expect book signings, special events, fantasy-themed drinks, and much more at this festival featuring 80+ authors including special guests Abigail Owen, Elise Kova, Jasmine Walt, Lauren Blackwood, L. Penelope, and Roseanne A. Brown.

 

Angélique Kidjo – The Kennedy Center | June 12, 2024

Five-time Grammy Award winner Angélique Kidjo entrances audiences with her striking voice, stage presence, and visionary fusion of West African culture, American R&B, Latin music, funk, dancehall, and jazz. A once-in-a-lifetime performance!

 

Funny Girl – The Kennedy Center | June 25 – July 14, 2024

This bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she’d never be a star, but then something funny happened—she became one of the most beloved performers in history.

 

Smithsonian Folklife Festival – National Mall | June 26-July 1, 2024

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is an international exposition of living cultural heritage annually produced outdoors on the National Mall of the United States in Washington, DC, by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. The theme for 2024 is Indigenous Voices of the Americas: Celebrating the National Museum of the American Indian.

 

Broccoli City Music Festival – RFK Festival Grounds | TBD

Broccoli City is a Black-owned social enterprise that focuses on people and progress. They foster creativity and community growth by building innovative experiences that intersect technology, music, art, and social impact. Over the past 10 years, they have successfully mobilized over +20M young people through Broccoli City events and online platforms.