Special Events - Washington, DC

Washington, D.C. is host to a wonderfully diverse calendar of events. With all there is to see and do, from the annual Cherry Blossom Festival to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, work in one of the following events to your itinerary if you are lucky enough to be in town. 

January

• Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday: This national holiday is celebrated the third Monday in January. Washington, D.C. honors King throughout the city with festivals, speeches, dance and choral presentations. There also is a wreath-laying ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial. Standing at the same site where King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech, while listening to a children’s choir, is a moving experience your family won’t quickly forget. Most events are appropriate for ages 8 and up.

Late January or February (depending on the year)

• Chinese New Year Parade: Washington’s Chinatown celebrates the Chinese New Year with an exhilarating colorful festival featuring giant dragon and lion puppets, musical performances and loud firecrackers. The festivities last for up to two weeks. While some kids will consider the frenetic pace and loud noises a feast for the senses, the sensory overload and chaos is likely too much for young children. 

 

• Nepali bus on display at Washington's Folklife Festival.

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Late March or early April (depending upon expected peak bloom)

• National Cherry Blossom Festival (www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org), tel. 202-547-1500: This two-week festival is the pride of D.C. and probably the city’s most famous event. Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate, but if you are fortunate enough to catch the festival when the cherry trees reach peak bloom, make a beeline to the Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial and join the throngs to experience the spectacular springtime bacchanal that celebrates the 3,000 cherry trees given to Washington by the city of Tokyo. Beyond the tidal basin, the two-week celebration continues with a parade, a Japanese street festival, a Japanese lantern-lighting ceremony, special festival-inspired menus at restaurants throughout the city, free musical performances and a fireworks show. Dates and schedule of events are available on the Web site.
  

• Smithsonian Kite Festival (www.kitefestival.org): This is usually held during the Cherry Blossom Festival as it celebrates the importance of the kite in Japanese culture. Kite makers from around the country converge to compete in this annual kite-making competition. There is a special competitive category for kites made by children, but most kids enjoy the many programs held throughout the day where they can learn about kite flying and the history of kites, as well as participate in kite-making activities. We made a pilgrimage during our double-stroller days and our toddlers were captivated by the magic in the sky during this annual rite of spring.

May

• Dragon Boat Races (www.dragonboatdc.com), May 17-18, 2008:  Usually held over Memorial Day weekend, or the weekend before, as is the case this year, the Dragon Boat Races feature 45-foot boats painted along the sides to resemble the scales of a dragon with a colorful head at the bow and a tail at the stern. The boats are powered by 20 rowers who race along the Potomac River between the Thompson Boat Center and the Kennedy Center. For a great view, stand along the Potomac just in front of the Kennedy Center, or call up the Key Bridge Marriott and ask for a table at its rooftop restaurant overlooking the Potomac. Enjoy lunch and an air-conditioned view of this unusual spectacle.