Taking over the National Mall Friday, September 29 through Sunday, October 1, the 2023 World Culture Festival is expected to be the largest gathering in the nation’s capital this year, featuring the largest stage area ever built on the historic National Park property.
Over 250,000 visitors from every corner of the globe are expected to travel to Washington, D.C. to be a part of the World Culture Festival. Today, organizers already report 184,513 registered attendees who will join in-person along with an estimated broadcast audience of over one billion worldwide. Registrants to date represent:
- 60% from the capital region
- 91% from the United States representing all 50 states
- 4% from India
- 5% from 121 other countries, including Canada, United Kingdom, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Thailand and South Africa.
Free registration and full Festival information can be found at https://wcf.artofliving.org.
Program Schedule
*All schedules are subject to change
Friday, September 29
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Festival Village
- A one-mile stretch between 7th St and 14th St NW, featuring over 75 cultural pavilions, activities including fashion showcases, and 80+ food trucks serving international cuisines.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Main Stage World Culture Festival Showcase
Saturday, September 30
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Festival Village
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Main Stage World Culture Festival Showcase
Sunday, October 1
8:00 am – 9:00 am: Yoga Festival
10:00 am – 2:00 pm: Festival Village
10:00 am – 1:00 pm: Main Stage World Culture Festival Showcase
Performances
An initial lineup was announced today including over 8,000 individual stage performers representing an array of human cultural art forms from around the globe. The program features all U.S.-based artists presenting music, dance, and performance art from diverse Native American and American immigrant cultures. Among them:
LOCAL
- The acclaimed Showtime Band from Howard University
- A melody performance from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC
- Pulsating beats and infectious energy of Washington’s iconic go-go bands including Junkyard Band, DJ Cool and Bela Dona Band.
- Traditional Gospel Choir with 1,000 singers – a performance by musicians from church and university choirs of 1KVoiceChoir
- Native American dance by 100 artists representing various tribes from the region perform to the powerful beats of live drums and other traditional instruments
- Traditional Mongolian Dance & Music with 100 Dancers – A vibrant and energetic dance highlighting the heritage and nomadic traditions of Mongolia
- Indonesian Dance by 100 Artists – A “wonderland dance of Indonesia” representing the country’s five main islands
- Irish Step Dance with 100 Dancers – Lively Irish dancers in traditional dress showcasing the rich traditions of the Emerald Isle
- Bolivian Folk Dance with 200 Dancers – Vibrant folk dancers of Bolivia present 4 kinds of traditional dances
- Nepalese dance with 150 artists in vibrant costumes, representing the spiritual traditions of Nepal
NATIONAL
- Global Guitar Ensemble with 1,000 guitarists playing popular sing-along classics with renowned lead guitarists, including Grammy-award winner Micki Free.
- Rhythms of reggae with Skip Marley, grandson of the legendary Bob Marley, and dancers representing the cultures of the Caribbean islands.
- One World Family Invocation – A 200-artists choir with Grammy nominated artist Chandrika Tandon
- Pop influencer Jini June performing alongside 200 children, spreading a message of harmony in song
- Amadou Kouyate and his djembe and kora orchestra, accompanied by 200 African dancers
- Kurtis Blow and other hip hop legends accompanied by 200 breakdancers, MCs, DJs and graffiti artists
- 10,000 Garba Dancers – representing a traditional folk dance of western India circle the National Mall in a spirit of celebration.
- Traditional Afghan Music & Sufi Whirling with 150 Artists – 130 musicians playing traditional instruments and singing captivating melodies along with 20 whirling dervishes
- Indian Classical Dance & Classical Symphony with 1000 Artists – Symphony of 300 instrumentalists including sitar, veena, tabla, mridangam, flute, ghatam and violin, plus 700 dancers performing a variety of classical Indian dance styles
- Latin American Dance Fusion with 200 Artists – Vibrant folk dancers representing the unique traditions of Colombia, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela
- Chinese Cultural Choir & Dance with 1,000 Artists – Chinese classical choir, classical dancers, dragons, & kung-fu in a fusion of music & movement
- Bulgarian Folk Dance by 300 Artists – 300 artists dance to the soul-stirring melodies of Bulgarian singers
- Ukrainian Dance by 200 Dancers and Choir – Exhilarating acrobatics and vibrant footwork of the hopak, a traditional Ukrainian dance
Activations
- The largest ever yoga event to take place on the National Mall, with over 2,000 instructors from various schools of yoga demonstrating a flow to more than 25,000 yoga enthusiasts. The event will be followed by a meditation led by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
- Over 80 food trucks will serve culturally expressive food and beverages from around the world. Some of the cuisines include Middle Eastern (Koshary Corner), French (Taste of Montreal), Latin-American (Arepa Zone), South Asian (Rangoli), Vegan/Plant Based (Soultarian), Indonesian (Sambal), Caribbean (Patty Party), West African (Kuks Tribute), Italian (Ciao Roma), Mexican (Mexicocina), Thai (Thai Pinto), British (Salt Pot Kitchen).
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announces that The West Wing’s Melissa Fitzgerald and Martin Sheen will reunite to perform A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters in celebration of Recovery Month. Directed by Cameron Watson, Love Letters will be performed September 28 at 7:30 p.m. and September 30 at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the Terrace Theater.
For more than two decades, Martin Sheen has been among the most ardent public champions of treatment courts, specialized programs that deliver treatment and recovery support to individuals in the justice system due to substance use and mental health disorders. In 2011, Sheen invited his former West Wing colleague and dear friend Melissa Fitzgerald—who had recently lost someone close to her to a substance use disorder—to Washington, D.C. to attend RISE, the annual training conference for treatment court professionals. The experience of being around thousands of dedicated public health and public safety leaders on the front lines of justice reform was transformative. A year later, Fitzgerald made the decision to leave Hollywood and move to Washington, D.C. to work for All Rise where she has spent the last decade championing treatment courts and fighting for justice reform.
In 2020, Fitzgerald and Sheen began work on a production of A.R. Gurney’s two-person play, Love Letters, to be performed at RISE. When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down in-person events, they pivoted and performed the play virtually during Recovery Month as a thank-you to public health and public safety professionals working in treatment courts. Now, the pair will reunite to perform the play in-person for the first time at the Kennedy Center.
“I was so honored when Martin asked me to perform Love Letters with him back in 2020. Then the pandemic happened, and we weren’t sure it would ever see the stage. Now, it’s the joy of a lifetime to be able to perform this play with Martin Sheen at the Kennedy Center,” said Melissa Fitzgerald. “For years, Martin and I have collaborated to advocate for expanding treatment and recovery for people with substance use and mental health disorders in the justice system and we continue to find resonance in the story of Love Letters. I am excited to finally share it with the public and so happy to do so during Recovery Month.”
“I’m thrilled to be returning to the Kennedy Center to reunite with my West Wing colleague and friend, Melissa. I can think of no better time for this performance than during Recovery Month. Love Letters is a poignant call to compassion, to empathy, to finding our common humanity through struggle and through love,” said Martin Sheen.
A unique and imaginative theater piece by A.R. Gurney, Love Letters is composed of letters exchanged over a lifetime between two people who grew up together, went their separate ways, but continued to share confidences. As the actors read the letters aloud, what is created is an evocative, touching, frequently funny but always telling pair of character studies in which what is implied is as revealing and meaningful as what is actually written down.
An all-new national tour is coming D.C.’s National Theatre on Saturday, September 30, 2023 at 7:30pm which will bring fans a whole new way to experience their favorite box office hit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The Academy Award-winning film from Sony Pictures Animation will be accompanied by a live orchestra, band and turntables with a scratch DJ playing music from the score and soundtrack. Joining the tour is The Broadway Sinfonietta, an all-women and majority women-of-color orchestra. Emily Marshall will serve as the tour’s conductor.
Tickets will be available online at BroadwayAtTheNational.com with ticket prices start at $25.
The film’s music score was composed by Academy Award® nominee, multiple Golden Globe®-nominee and Emmy-winning composer Daniel Pemberton, known for his work on movies such as The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Oceans 8, Enola Holmes, The Bad Guys and Steve Jobs.
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one of my favorite scores I’ve ever written,” said Pemberton. “Utilizing a full orchestra, crazy electronics and unbelievable turntable scratching techniques amongst a million other things is so technically complex, I never thought we’d ever be able to actually reproduce it in a live setting; but somehow, we have. I am ridiculously excited for fans around the country to see their very first Spider-Verse concert later this year.”
The hip-hop infused film score contains original music showcasing elements of heroism, resilience and is complemented by song contributions from industry greats Post Malone, Lil Wayne, Jaden Smith and Nicki Minaj.
Set in New York City, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse introduces Brooklyn teen, Miles Morales, who after being bitten by a radioactive spider gains Spider-Man like powers. The film was directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, screenplay by Phil Lord and Rothman with a story by Lord based on the Marvel Comics, and produced by Avi Arad, Amy Pascal, Lord, Christopher Miller, and Christina Steinberg. It features an accomplished and diverse cast including Shameik Moore (Miles Morales), Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacy / Spider-Gwen), Jake Johnson (Peter B. Parker), Chris Pine (Peter Parker), and Mahershala Ali (Aaron Davis / Prowler). The film received widespread praise from critics for its groundbreaking visual style, characters, story, voice acting, and soundtrack. The highly anticipated sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse had a theatrical debut June 2, 2023.
Taking over the National Mall Friday, September 29 through Sunday, October 1, the 2023 World Culture Festival is expected to be the largest gathering in the nation’s capital this year, featuring the largest stage area ever built on the historic National Park property.
Over 250,000 visitors from every corner of the globe are expected to travel to Washington, D.C. to be a part of the World Culture Festival. Today, organizers already report 184,513 registered attendees who will join in-person along with an estimated broadcast audience of over one billion worldwide. Registrants to date represent:
- 60% from the capital region
- 91% from the United States representing all 50 states
- 4% from India
- 5% from 121 other countries, including Canada, United Kingdom, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Thailand and South Africa.
Free registration and full Festival information can be found at https://wcf.artofliving.org.
Program Schedule
*All schedules are subject to change
Friday, September 29
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Festival Village
- A one-mile stretch between 7th St and 14th St NW, featuring over 75 cultural pavilions, activities including fashion showcases, and 80+ food trucks serving international cuisines.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Main Stage World Culture Festival Showcase
Saturday, September 30
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Festival Village
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Main Stage World Culture Festival Showcase
Sunday, October 1
8:00 am – 9:00 am: Yoga Festival
10:00 am – 2:00 pm: Festival Village
10:00 am – 1:00 pm: Main Stage World Culture Festival Showcase
Performances
An initial lineup was announced today including over 8,000 individual stage performers representing an array of human cultural art forms from around the globe. The program features all U.S.-based artists presenting music, dance, and performance art from diverse Native American and American immigrant cultures. Among them:
LOCAL
- The acclaimed Showtime Band from Howard University
- A melody performance from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC
- Pulsating beats and infectious energy of Washington’s iconic go-go bands including Junkyard Band, DJ Cool and Bela Dona Band.
- Traditional Gospel Choir with 1,000 singers – a performance by musicians from church and university choirs of 1KVoiceChoir
- Native American dance by 100 artists representing various tribes from the region perform to the powerful beats of live drums and other traditional instruments
- Traditional Mongolian Dance & Music with 100 Dancers – A vibrant and energetic dance highlighting the heritage and nomadic traditions of Mongolia
- Indonesian Dance by 100 Artists – A “wonderland dance of Indonesia” representing the country’s five main islands
- Irish Step Dance with 100 Dancers – Lively Irish dancers in traditional dress showcasing the rich traditions of the Emerald Isle
- Bolivian Folk Dance with 200 Dancers – Vibrant folk dancers of Bolivia present 4 kinds of traditional dances
- Nepalese dance with 150 artists in vibrant costumes, representing the spiritual traditions of Nepal
NATIONAL
- Global Guitar Ensemble with 1,000 guitarists playing popular sing-along classics with renowned lead guitarists, including Grammy-award winner Micki Free.
- Rhythms of reggae with Skip Marley, grandson of the legendary Bob Marley, and dancers representing the cultures of the Caribbean islands.
- One World Family Invocation – A 200-artists choir with Grammy nominated artist Chandrika Tandon
- Pop influencer Jini June performing alongside 200 children, spreading a message of harmony in song
- Amadou Kouyate and his djembe and kora orchestra, accompanied by 200 African dancers
- Kurtis Blow and other hip hop legends accompanied by 200 breakdancers, MCs, DJs and graffiti artists
- 10,000 Garba Dancers – representing a traditional folk dance of western India circle the National Mall in a spirit of celebration.
- Traditional Afghan Music & Sufi Whirling with 150 Artists – 130 musicians playing traditional instruments and singing captivating melodies along with 20 whirling dervishes
- Indian Classical Dance & Classical Symphony with 1000 Artists – Symphony of 300 instrumentalists including sitar, veena, tabla, mridangam, flute, ghatam and violin, plus 700 dancers performing a variety of classical Indian dance styles
- Latin American Dance Fusion with 200 Artists – Vibrant folk dancers representing the unique traditions of Colombia, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela
- Chinese Cultural Choir & Dance with 1,000 Artists – Chinese classical choir, classical dancers, dragons, & kung-fu in a fusion of music & movement
- Bulgarian Folk Dance by 300 Artists – 300 artists dance to the soul-stirring melodies of Bulgarian singers
- Ukrainian Dance by 200 Dancers and Choir – Exhilarating acrobatics and vibrant footwork of the hopak, a traditional Ukrainian dance
Activations
- The largest ever yoga event to take place on the National Mall, with over 2,000 instructors from various schools of yoga demonstrating a flow to more than 25,000 yoga enthusiasts. The event will be followed by a meditation led by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
- Over 80 food trucks will serve culturally expressive food and beverages from around the world. Some of the cuisines include Middle Eastern (Koshary Corner), French (Taste of Montreal), Latin-American (Arepa Zone), South Asian (Rangoli), Vegan/Plant Based (Soultarian), Indonesian (Sambal), Caribbean (Patty Party), West African (Kuks Tribute), Italian (Ciao Roma), Mexican (Mexicocina), Thai (Thai Pinto), British (Salt Pot Kitchen).
The Boro in Tyson’s is excited to host Cushman & Wakefield’s annual chili cook-off! This year’s competition benefits the Boulder Crest Foundation and will feature 15 to 20 teams vying for the grand prize. Cushman & Wakefield employees will judge the competition.
All are welcome to stop by and enjoy
-
chili tastings
-
lawn games
-
a bar
-
live music from acclaimed singer-songwriter Brian Dunne and his band
WHEN: Saturday, October 7th from 12:00–4:00 p.m.
WHERE: The Sandlot at The Boro (1640 Boro Place, Tysons, VA 22102)
HOW: The event is free and open to the public.
Calico is celebrating the changing of the seasons with its 3rd Annual Late Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 15 from 1pm to 9 p.m. The urban backyard in Blagden Alley once again hosts its welcome party for cooler weather, with a free-to-attend Sunday afternoon fall fest complete with pumpkin painting, caramel apples, hot cocktails, autumnal fare and more festive seasonal fun.
There’s no need to head to the pumpkin patch this year. Guests can pick their very own pumpkins from Calico’s pop-up patch and decorate them with complimentary painting supplies.
The fall fest will serve as the preview of Calico’s new seasonal menu, featuring autumnal cookout fare from Chef Nathan Beauchamp, such as such as mugs of soup and chili. There will also be fresh local apples with sweet, buttery caramel for dipping.
Seasonal libations will range from hot drinks from bar director Ian Fletcher such as spiked cider, Oktoberfest and fall beers, plus non-alcoholic hot cider.
Rounding out the lively festivities will be a festive photo area complete with leaves, pumpkins and corn stalks for the perfect photo-op.
Local DC Brau will pour complimentary seasonal beer tastings for adults (21+) from 4-7pm, who can also purchase cans to take home.
Calico’s Late Harvest Festival is free to attend and open to the public, with all pumpkins, food and beverage sold a la carte. Guests can place a free RSVP on Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/
WHO: Calico
WHEN: Sunday, October 15, 2023
1 pm – 9 pm
4pm-7pm – DC Brau beer tastings (21+)
WHERE: Calico
50 Blagden Alley NW
Washington, DC 20001
Spooky Pooch Howl-o-ween Celebration
Saturday, October 21, 2023, 4-6 p.m.
Hightail it to Hillwood with your four-legged friend for some Halloween fun! Explore the gardens and participate in the annual costume competition.
4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008
Join in at Woodrow Wilson Plaza at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center for a spooktacular Halloween celebration! Gather your loved ones, friends, and colleagues to revel in the autumn spirit. Our exciting lineup of family-friendly and engaging activities promises fun, including a hay bale maze, pumpkin decorating, face painting, balloon twisting, strolling characters, DJ and dancing, plus so much more.
Enjoy complimentary hot cider and check out local eats from Capital Harvest on the Plaza vendors.
The event is weather permitting and activities are while supplies last.
Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fall-festival-on-woodrow-wilson-plaza-tickets-726304555477?aff=oddtdtcreator
The Big Broadcast Presents: War of the Worlds 85th Anniversary Listening Party
What: WAMU and The Big Broadcast are hosting an in-person listening party of Orson Welles’s acclaimed “War of the Worlds” production with The Mercury Theater of the Air, to mark the 85th anniversary of the original 1938 broadcast. We are inviting fans and their families to cozy up by Ed Walker’s restored 1932 RCA radio to hear Welles’s thrilling masterpiece, the way it was meant to be heard. This exclusive event promises to be a wonderful evening for the entire family – and kicks off an upcoming series of fun family events at the WAMU studios.
Who: Tony Award winner Murray Horwitz, host of The Big Broadcast, will be emceeing this event. Prior to the listening party, Murray will be holding a meet and greet for a small group of WAMU listeners.
Why: With the Halloween season approaching, what more perfect time to host a listening party of “War of the Worlds”? If you’re looking for something to do to kick off the Halloween weekend for you and your kids, look no further!
Who should attend: This event is designed specifically for the whole family. The event will also feature Halloween themes activities for all ages.
When: Listen to this terrifying classic – no screens, just screams on Friday, October 27 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: WAMU Black Box Theater and Community Room; 4401 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008. Street parking is available. Metro accessible via the Red Line (Van Ness).
The 10th Annual Adams Morgan Apple Pie Baking Contest and the 15th Annual Licking Creek Bend Farm Heirloom Apple Tasting returns to Adams Morgan on Saturday, October 28! The highly-anticipated community event will take place in front of The Line Hotel and directly across the street from the farmer’s market in Unity Park at Euclid and Champlain Streets NW.
Event highlights include an heirloom apple tasting and a homemade apple pie baking contest from residents in the neighborhood. Area bakers compete for the title of ‘Best Apple Pie’, and attendees can purchase pie slices for $6 each to support Jubilee Jumpstart, a neighborhood nonprofit that provides high-quality early childhood education with a focus on children and families with the least access.
The apple pie contest is judged by the following local pie lovers:
- Alaina James, Store Owner, Mixxed (opening soon in Adams Morgan)
- Phil Mendelson, Chairman, Council of the District of Columbia
- Brianne Nadeau, Councilmember, Ward 1
- Tom Sherwood, Analyst, WAMU-FM 88.5 Kojo Nnamdi Politics Hour; Contributing Writer, Washington City Paper
- Margaret Stevens, Commissioner, ANC 1C
- Eun Yang, NBC News4 Anchor
- Representative from Jubilee Jumpstart, early childhood education center
Event Schedule:
8am: Adams Morgan Farmers Market opens in Unity Park
10am: Heirloom apple tasting, presented by Michael Tabor of the Licking Creek Bend Farm
11am: Pie slices go on sale (available on a first-come, first-serve basis. They typically sell out quickly.)
11:30am-12:30pm: Apple pie contest judging begins
12:30pm: Apple pie contest winners announced
1pm: Market & festival ends
Additional Event Details:
The event is free and open to the public. Each pie-baking contestant will make three homemade 9” pies from scratch (one for the judges, two for sale) and provide a list of their ingredients. Bakers compete for the top slot in five categories: appearance, filling, crust, overall, and People’s Choice. The People’s Choice category is voted on and scored by the public. A QR code is placed on each individual pie slice that is sold at the festival and the purchaser can score the pie slice they eat. Votes are tallied and the People’s Choice winner is announced later in the day. Winners in each category will receive a certificate, a mention on social media, and a 2 week CSA membership from Licking Creek Bend Farm. 100% of the proceeds from pie sales are donated to the local charity, Jubilee Jumpstart. Lots of Adams Morgan businesses will be offering apple-themed specials throughout the weekend for all to enjoy. Apple specials will be listed on the event website. The festival is hosted by the Adams Morgan Partnership BID and Licking Creek Bend Farm, in partnership with The Line Hotel. To learn more, visit AdMoAppleFestival.com.
