Festival: May 3

Get a taste of DC’s global food and drink at the second annual International City Food Festival complementing the first weekend of Passport DC. The three-day event will include celebrations aimed at making culinary diplomacy accessible — with free admission — to all ages. The festival offers a timely launch point to travel the globe and understand other cultures, all in the heart of DC.

Welcome spring and delight in the sights and sounds of nature, art, and history at this fun festival for the entire family, hosted by Montpelier House Museum. Visit with vendors on the grounds, relax to live music, attend gardening talks and workshops, tour the house museum, visit the Arts Center, and indulge in a Picnic Tea Box with finger sandwiches, pastries, and a scone inside (available to order after April 1).

The DC Jazz Festival presents JazzDC™ All-Stars, a powerhouse ensemble directed by acclaimed pianist and composer Allyn Johnson. Enjoy a showcase for the vibrant artistry of the region’s top jazz talent!

Laugh the night away with Sommore, Lavell Crawford, Arnez J, Joe Clair, and Special K in this annual Capital Comedy Festival.

Featuring four outstanding bands from throughout the United States performing works by Sousa, Williams, Maslanka, Ticheli and more!

DMV Winter Fest starring Bryson Tiller, Latto comes to Capital One Arena on Friday, February 28. The hottest show of the winter will also have performances by Hunxho, Jacquees, Skilla Baby, Big Boogie, 310babii and more to be announced.

Join us for an unforgettable gathering of community, as we witness the power of dance to inspire and transform. The Uplift Dance Festival is more than just a performance; it’s an act of sharing and celebration, where each piece tells a story of resilience, hope, and joy. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a truly inspirational event that celebrates the best of local talent and the enduring power of dance to uplift our lives. Performers are selected by a distinguished panel of adjudicators from the DMV dance community.

Jason Max Ferdinand, music director

UMD Choral Activities rings in the holidays with its Festival of Lessons and Carols, a tradition now in its 23rd year. Choirs, brass quintet and organ combine to perform carols, hymns and spoken word that epitomize hope and bring the joy of the season to life.

Festival Performances: Nov 7-23

GALA celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the Flamenco Festival! Featuring U.S. and international artists in an expanded three-week festival!  

¡GALA celebra el 20° aniversario de su Festival de Flamenco! Con la presentación de artistas internacionales y de Estados Unidos en un festival de tres semanas.

INTIMATE FRIENDS OF FLAMENCO

MARC LÓPEZ & MONSERRAT MARTÍNEZ (Spain)

November | Noviembre 22 - 23, 2024

WORLD PREMIERE | ESTRENO MUNDIAL

Performances: Friday and Saturday at 8 pm | Funciones: Viernes y sábado a las 8 pm.

In this intimate show, Marc and Ana, friends since their years as teens and university classmates, reminisce and enjoy the music that has been a part of their lives since childhood and continues to resonate with them today. They are joined on their journey through Mediterranean music with Flamenco at its core by Montserrat Martínez, a Cuban dancer with graceful lines and impeccable style. An evening of three distinct personalities, all united by the beauty of music. 

Marc y Ana reviven la música que ha formado parte de sus vidas desde la niñez. Una presentación en la que la apasionante música mediterránea que forma parte de las raíces flamencas se conjuga con el talento y el estilo impecable de la bailaora cubana Montserrat Martínez para crear un espectáculo único en el que tres se convierten en uno.

Help families in need by running or walking through the beautiful Winter Festival of Lights!

For more than 30 years, visitors to the annual Winter Festival of Lights have been dazzled by twinkling light displays as they drove through Watkins Regional Park. This year, register to walk or run through the almost 3-mile course and see the dazzling displays up close. Your registration fee will provide a family in need with a holiday turkey.

Join us for Harmony Hall's "The Great Pumpkin Fall Festival!" Come out and enjoy an eventful and fun evening full of activities, games, prizes, candy, and light refreshments.

For ages 6+

Let Memphis Gold and the Band take you back to the golden age of blues!

This is a special event for those who are age older than or equal to 60, please.

Join us at Bladensburg Waterfront Park for a day filled with creativity and inspiration. Explore a variety of artworks from talented local artists, ranging from paintings to jewelry, photographs, and everything in between. Immerse yourself in the vibrant art market while enjoying live music and the scenic views of the Anacostia River. Grab tasty food and treats, some beer and wine, or take a relaxing boat tour!

Whether you’re an art enthusiast or just looking for a fun day out, this festival has something for everyone. Don’t miss out on this exciting event!

Join Riversdale House Museum for a day full of fun activities that your whole family will enjoy and make sure you peak inside the dependency and see what the Riversdale Kitchen Guild is cooking up!

Six emerging comics compete for the $10k grand prize and the opportunity to be signed by Innovative Artists talent agency.

Join us for an afternoon of wine and beer tasting at Patuxent River Park! The festival showcases local wineries, breweries, local bands, national headliners, boutiques, food trucks, and more.

Host: Joe Clair

With performances by: DC Vybe, The Kim Michelle Experience, and Dupont Brass!

Special Guest: DJ Dirty Rico

Including a sign language interpreter

M-NCPPC Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County is pleased to announce its 7th annual Celebrate Africa Festival on September 22, 2024 – recognized in Prince George’s County, Maryland as African Heritage Month.

The festival acknowledges the contributions and impact of the African immigrant community on Prince George’s County and the greater DMV area, and celebrates the beauty, vibrancy, and cultural relevance of the work of African artisans, crafts persons, musicians and performing artists. The festival aims to promote cultural awareness and understanding between the African immigrant and other communities.

World cultures and nations will be celebrated throughout the festival in a variety of ways, including dance and musical performances. Bring the family and enjoy the celebration.

Join Student Entertainment Events for their first lecture of the year!

You may know Elizabeth "Liz" Gillies as she launched her career on the successful Nickelodeon series, Victorious and was most recently the lead in the CW series Dynasty. She then captured audiences on the popular FX series Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll. Her other television roles include The Black Donnellys, White Collar, Friend Me, as well as voiceover work on Disney's Winx Club. On the musical side, Gillies made her Broadway debut in 13. She continues to bring her musical talents to the stage alongside Seth MacFarlane as they have collaborated on two albums together, Songs from Home as well the recent Christmas album We Wish You The Merriest. Both are available online.

Doors open at 7PM and close at 8:30PM. Tickets are not required, admission is free and first-come, first-served. Open to the UMD community and their guests.

Started in 2014, Clarice Presents’ annual NextNOW Fest is an inspiring arts experience that celebrates imagination, creativity and community. In addition to the core festival nights at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, we’re thrilled to continue partnerships with student-led groups, academic departments and university-based arts venues to hold festival events throughout campus.

NextNOW Fest is a signature event in University of Maryland's Arts for All initiative, which leverages the combined power of the arts, technology and social justice to address the grand challenges of our time.

Corcoran Holt, a son of Washington, DC, began playing djembe and other West African percussion at the age of 4 as a member of Wose Dance Company under the tutelage of Baba Aidoo Holmes & Mahiri Edwards.

Next Jazz Legacy is a national apprenticeship program for women and non-binary improvisers in jazz, with the intersection of gender and race as a guiding principle.

Amyra Leon (vocalist) / Christie Dashiell (vocalist) / Yvonne Rogers (pianist) / Eliza Salem (drums) / Nicole McCabe (sax) / Ciara Moser (electric bass)

This year’s DC JazzFest experience will include more than 80 concerts and programs in neighborhoods citywide from August 28-September 1. Celebrating 20 years, the DC JazzFest will highlight a diverse selection of NEA Jazz Masters, GRAMMY Award-winning national and international musicians, and Washington, DC’s own jazz talent. 

Family friendly festival with multiple stages of performers, game zone, hands- on workshop and arts pavilions, and community info.

Scheduled to perform: Chuck Brown Band, Be’la Dona, Sweet Honey In The Rock, Substantial, Dupont Brass, Cryptid Summer.

Youth Poets from around the country have been competing all year for this moment — The Brave New Voices Festival Slam Finals! The top 4 highest-scoring youth poetry slam teams in the world will compete to see who will take home the crown and the coveted title of Brave New Voices Poetry Slam Champion. The Finals will also include a special surprise performance and feature some of the most amazing artists in the Poetry universe as we honor Femme Changemakers across our community including our beloved Cydney M. Edwards. Do not miss this historic night of youth poetry coming to you live from the Howard University Theater.

Featuring Thomas Dolby, Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, Wang Chung, The Tubes, Men Without Hats, Bow Wow Wow, The Plimsouls' Eddie Munoz