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
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chili tastings
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lawn games
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a bar
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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.
The Adams Morgan Partnership Business Improvement District (AMPBID) is excited to announce the return of Adams Morgan Fall PorchFest on Saturday, October 14th from 2-6pm! With approximately 100 bands, this event will showcase some of DC’s best local musical talent featuring nearly every musical genre, including classic rock, funk, go-go, rap, reggae, blue grass, classical, and pop. Twenty porches, business patios, parks, and the closed 18th Street will become stages for the day, drawing music-lovers from around the region into the tree-lined streets and small businesses of Adams Morgan. And for the first time during PorchFest, 18th Street NW (between Columbia and Kalorama Roads NW) will be closed to vehicular traffic creating additional safe space for people, performances, and fun! This road closure is part of an ongoing initiative, the Adams Morgan Pedestrian Zone funded by the DC Office of Planning’s Streets for People grant program.
Event patrons can pick up a music map and wristband at two different event headquarters locations. The first location is in the plaza in front of Truist Bank at the corner of Columbia and Adams Mill Roads NW. The second location is in front of 2424 18th Street NW inside the road closure. Event wristbands are FREE and provide attendees with dozens of discounts at various Adams Morgan businesses. After picking up a wristband and event map, guests can stroll through the neighborhood for nonstop musical performances from 2-6pm, enjoy lunch, dinner, or drinks at a neighborhood hangout, and shop for unique gifts at local boutiques.
Each PorchFest location will host up to four 45-minute sets, all of which are free and open for all to enjoy. Due to overwhelming success over the last few years, we are excited to announce that we will have TWO main stages this year – the Plaza Main Stage (in front of Truist Bank) and the Aetna Main Stage (in Hoffman Alley next to Van Leeuwen Ice Cream). And, that’s not all! More stages means more extra-special local talent including headliner, Mark Bryan of Hootie & The Blowfish with the Screaming Trojans. Lead guitarist of the wildly successful 20 million-album-selling, two-time Grammy®-winning rock band, Hootie and the Blowfish, Mark Bryan, is from nearby Montgomery County, MD and plans to deliver a stellar performance featuring original songs off his solo albums plus classic Hootie and the Blowfish songs that we all know and love.
Additional main stage performers include The Experience Band & Show, Airport 77s, Controlled Chaos, Flex Matthews Band, Ari Voxx, Jordan Curls, and a DJ courtesy of Le Mont Royal. The full lineup of performers can be found at AdMoPorchFest.com.
The Adams Morgan Partnership BID is currently recruiting volunteers to assist with staffing Fall PorchFest. Volunteers will receive a free t-shirt, Adams Morgan swag, and complimentary food and beverages the day of the event. Click here to sign up.
“We’re so excited for our Fall edition of PorchFest! This past Spring, we had more than 40,000 people attend the event,” said Kristen Barden, Executive Director of the Adams Morgan Partnership Business Improvement District. “We anticipate another big turnout in October which will ultimately support our neighborhood businesses. We hope the community will join us for this incredible event. We also appreciate our incredible porch hosts, bands, sponsors, volunteers, and small businesses for their contributions – we couldn’t do it without them.”
Adams Morgan PorchFest is brought to you by the Adams Morgan Partnership BID. This event is generously sponsored by Aetna, a health care company that is working to build a healthier world and is contributing to all of the fun, healthy ways to move throughout the pedestrian zone. Aetna is committed to providing individuals, employers, health care professionals and producers with innovative benefits, products and services. Additional supporting Fall PorchFest sponsors include Events DC, Tattoo Paradise, Colonial Parking, Gifted Curators, Lars Etzkorn Law PLLC, and Catoctin Creek.
Saturday, October 14, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore
Gershwin, Price & Beethoven
Piotr Gajewski, conductor
Michelle Cann, piano
NatPhil’s 2023-2024 Season begins with a trio of enchanting works conducted by Maestro Piotr Gajewski, transporting listeners from the height of the Jazz Age to a pastoral countryside. Sensational pianist Michelle Cann opens the concert with Rhapsody in Blue, George Gershwin’s iconic fusion of classical and jazz styles, followed by the rich melodies and rhythms of Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement, which beautifully blends classical and African American musical traditions.
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6—the “Pastoral Symphony”—celebrates the beauty of the natural world in five movements that usher audiences through the countryside, painting vivid imagery of a babbling brook, a crashing thunderstorm, and the people that coexist with nature.
Program:
George Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue
Florence Price, Piano Concerto in One Movement
Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral)
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 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.
Sunday, November 5, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore
Universal Longings | Anhelos Universales
Eugene Rogers, conductor
In partnership with The Washington Chorus
Scott Piper, tenor
Juantomás Martínez Yépez, baritone
National Philharmonic and The Washington Chorus join forces for a concert of universal proportions conducted by TWC Artistic Director Eugene Rogers, including the Washington-area premiere of composer James Lee III’s Breaths of Universal Longings. “He’s a composer who has what it takes,” says the Baltimore Sun, and his works have been commissioned, premiered, and performed by prominent symphonies throughout the country.
Venezuelan composer Antonio Estévez’s Cantata Criolla retells the legend of Faust’s deal with the Devil, set to text from the mythic poem Florentino y El Diablo by Alberto Avelo Torrealbas. As Florentino battles for his soul in a singing contest against El Diablo, his story evolves through the rich textures of Estévez’s music. Spoiler alert: our hero prevails.
Program:
James Lee III, Breaths of Universal Longings
Antonio Estévez, Cantata Criolla
CityCenterDC is thrilled to announce the return of its highly anticipated Annual Holiday Tree Lighting celebration, which coincides with the landmark project’s 10th anniversary, on Saturday, November 25th.
CityCenterDC is offering elevated moments and activities in honor of its 10th anniversary. In addition to its traditional tree-lighting festivities, CityCenterDC will expand the live performance by The Revels and offer an evening full of fun surprises for the whole family. The holiday and 10th-anniversary festivities begin at 5:00 p.m. and the Tree Lighting celebration begins at 6:00 p.m. in The Park at CityCenter, on the corner of New York Avenue NW and 11th Street NW.
In honor of its 10th anniversary, CityCenterDC has created a commemorative handmade, limited-edition ornament available for purchase throughout the holiday season. The brass beaded ornament features a festive version of the CityCenterDC logo on the center’s signature orange, and two prancing reindeer, which is a nod to the two 20-foot reindeer that grace the property each holiday season. All proceeds from the sale of the ornament, which retails for $50, will go to the Children’s National Hospital. Each purchase of an ornament will help ensure that every child receives the exceptional, compassionate care they deserve when it is needed the most.
“We are thrilled to kick off CityCenterDC’s year-long, 10th-anniversary celebration with our dazzling Holiday Tree Lighting. When CityCenterDC opened a decade ago, it transformed the face of downtown DC, creating not only an epicenter for luxury in the heart of the District but a community gathering spot where we’ve created beloved traditions and seasonal excitement throughout the years,” said Timothy Lowery, Vice President – Mixed-Use at Hines and General Manager of CityCenterDC. “It is our honor to spread joy to those in need by partnering once again with Children’s National Hospital. Your ornament purchase will not only add a little extra beauty to your own tree but provide critical funds for young patients at Children’s National.”
Emceed by NBC4 Anchor Eun Yang, this year’s 10th Annual Tree Lighting will feature an expanded and exciting program. In addition to the lighting of the 75-foot tree, The Revels will be back accompanied by a ten-piece band performing contemporary and classic renditions of holiday favorites, and the evening will wrap up with a sweet tooth lover’s surprise. Visitors can still enjoy crowd favorites such as a selfie station on CityCenter’s orange carpet, face painting and balloon animals, gourmet popcorn, cotton candy, and mini donuts.
To continue the holiday cheer throughout the season, CityCenterDC will debut Haute for The Holidays, a stunning tree installation in collaboration with Washington DC’s beloved artists Maggie O’Neill, Annie Broderick, and No Kings Collective. Each artist will create an interpretation of a festive holiday tree. Visitors can expect a mesmerizing display of 12-foot trees in various materials, textures, colors, and artistic styles. Each step will reveal a fresh artistic surprise and perspective, inviting visitors to go on a holiday journey. Visitors are welcome to explore enchanting displays starting the first week of December until January 7th.
