Washington DC, Fourth of July Celebrations
National Independence Day Parade
Location: Constitution Avenue NW between 7th Street and 17th Street, 11:45 AM to 2:00 PM
Cost: FREE!
Celebrate Independence Day in this patriotic, flag-waving, red, white, and blue celebration of America's birthday! There will be marching bands, fife and drum corps, floats, military units, giant balloons, equestrians, drill teams, and more. Learn more here.
Sylvan Theater Family Activity Area
Location: Southeast grounds of the Washington Monument, 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Cost: FREE!
Visit the Sylvan Theater Family Activity Area on the southeast grounds of the monument for activities and a scavenger hunt about the monuments and memorials on the National Mall. You can also complete your Independence Day Junior Ranger booklet full of family-friendly, fun activities.
A Capitol Fourth Concert
Location: West Lawn of the United States Capitol, 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Cost: FREE!
This star-studded salute to Independence Day is broadcast live from the West Lawn of the United States Capitol and is free and open to the public. Gates open at 3:00 PM. More information here.
Fireworks on the National Mall
Time: 9:09 PM to 9:27 PM
The National Park Service will once again host the annual Independence Day fireworks celebration on the National Mall, the nation’s most important civic space and home to more than a dozen memorials that commemorate great Americans and significant events in our nation’s history. Fireworks will be launched from both sides of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
July 4th at the National Archives
Time: July 4, 2024, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: National Archives Museum, 701 Constitution Ave. NW
Cost: FREE!
Join the National Archives on Constitution Avenue in celebration of July 4th! They will celebrate America’s birthday on the steps of the National Archives with re-enactors, family fun, and the iconic Declaration of Independence reading ceremony. There will be a full day of patriotic activities including, presentation of colors, singing of the National Anthem, Declaration of Independence readings, live performances, family activities, and more. While here, explore the historic museum.
Gold's Gym Georgetown Park 2024 Workout Series
Date: Every Saturday in July thru August 3, 2024. 9:00 AM
Location: Georgetown Park, 3223 Grace Street, NW.
Cost: FREE!
Gold's Gym DC Metro is proud to partner with Georgetown Park for this outdoor fitness series! Get up and get moving with elite coaches and trainers for weekend fitness and fun with classes like Zumba/Cardio Dance, HIIT Training, and more! Classes are held right outside of Pinstripes in Georgetown Park! FREE 2-hour parking is available at the parking garage located at 1080 Wisconsin Ave, NW.
Singalong Saturdays at The Wharf
Date: July 6 & August 3, 2024, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Transit Pier, 970 Wharf Street, SW
Cost: FREE!
Go to the Wharf for Singalong Saturdays, free karaoke, on the first Saturday of July and August from 7:00 PM-9:00 PM. Take karaoke night to the next level by performing your favorite song with live music from the 24K Event Band on the Transit Pier floating stage. No advanced sign-up is required – just show up, choose a song, and channel your inner rockstar! First come, first serve.
Summer Reps 2024
“Romeo and Juliet” and “The Rover or The Banish’d Cavaliers”
Date: Wednesday, July 17, 2024, 6:00 PM. (+ 8 Dates with varying times)
Location: Klein Theatre, 450 7th Street, NW
Cost: $10 for GW faculty, staff, and students. Promo-code (GEORGE1). $20 for General Public.
The Shakespeare Theatre Company Academy is a Master of Fine Arts program that trains actors to work with classical language and embody mythic storytelling. After completing a one-year intensive program of coursework spanning classical text study, stage combat, and more, the class of 2024 performs two plays in repertory as the culmination of their training.
Romeo and Juliet - Directed by Alec Wild. By William Shakespeare.
What makes a tale timeless? It’s the sense that even over centuries, human beings grapple with the same big problems, again and again. Romeo and Juliet deals with two lovers at odds with the expectations and biases of their families, and shows us the tragic consequences of failing to see our loved ones with clear eyes and full hearts. A story of love, loyalty, and the desperate measures we take when we’re ruled by our passions, Romeo and Juliet stand the test of time as a true classic.
The Rover or The Banish’d Cavaliers -Directed by Eleanor Holdridge. By Aphra Behn.
Virginia Woolf wrote of Aphra Behn, “All women together ought to let flowers fall on the tomb of Aphra Behn, for it was she who earned them the right to speak their minds.” The first English woman to earn her living openly as a writer, Behn wrote The Rover in 1655, and won great acclaim for its bawdiness, fun, and daring. Taking place during Carnival in Spain, The Rover deals with sexual intrigue, mistaken identities, and uncontrollable desire as the characters struggle to find love and societal acceptance. The story reminds us that even in the seventeenth century, women were fighting for agency, freedom, and equality.
Home Rule Music Festival @ Alethia Tanner Park
Date: Saturday, July 20, 2024. 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Alethia Tanner Park. 227 Harry Thomas Way, NE
Cost: FREE!
Engaging the community through rhythmic jazz and go-go, the Home Rule Music Festival is a celebration of DC’s rich and vibrant music and culture. The festival is a special day of FREE, family-friendly music that includes an outdoor record fair, great food trucks, craft drinks, more local vendors, and a full afternoon of live music from living legends and rising stars. In partnership with the NoMa Business Improvement District (BID) and the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment, this collaboration reflects not only the festival's growth in the audience but also a commitment to providing a platform for diverse artistic expression and community engagement.
SAAM Arcade 2024 – Adventure Awaits
Date: Saturday, July 27, 2024. 11:30 AM -7:00 PM
Location: Kogod Courtyard - Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th Street, NW & G Street, NW
Cost: FREE!
Come see the world with SAAM Arcade 2024! This year, SAAM Arcade showcases games that allow us to travel to and explore new places. As many of us seek new and exciting experiences, video games provide us with the opportunity to see both real and imagined places from new perspectives. The theme of travel and exploration focuses on the ways games make travel an exciting possibility and engage us with new experiences—all through the work of coding and design. SAAM Arcade will feature classic arcade games and a selection of games from independent developers that provide us an escape from everyday life, allow us to travel to new and possibly uncharted worlds, and give us the experience of a lifetime, all from a comfortable chair.
