By Caroline Coffey By Caroline Coffey | July 21, 2021 | Events, culture,
From lovely lantern lights to bubbly brewed beers, DC has the best events in store for some late summer fun.
Photo courtesy of Melanie Magdalena/Unsplash.
Citi Open
At the end of the month, DC is welcoming some of the world’s greatest tennis players, including Rafael Nadal, Grigor Dimitrov and Daniel Evans, to Rock Creek Park. With the pandemic eliminating last year’s series from the district, it will be exciting for fans to get back into the stadium at full capacity. The hard court tournament is part of the U.S. Open Series leading up to the US Open Grand Slam at the end of August. July 31- Aug. 8, 5220 16th Street NW, citiopentennis.com
Water Lantern Festival
Head less than ten minutes south of Capitol Hill for a night full of light, love and laughter. Guests at the Watern Lantern Festival are encouraged to write down hopes and dreams on eco-friendly lanterns and release them into the water. The event team has catered to over 1,000,000 attendees since 2018, and volunteers clean everything up to keep the area in pristine condition. Get there early for food trucks and fun before setting your one-of-a-kind lantern free at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 7-8, 701 National Harbor Blvd., Oxon Hill, MD, waterlanternfestival.com
DC JazzFest
This Labor Day weekend, travel to the Wharf for the 17th Annual DC JazzFest (DCJF). Committed to entertaining the public with exciting performances, the festival will have over 20 concerts from artists including Lauren Talese, the Ernest Turner Trio and the Chuck Redd Quartet. At the end of the festival, bands will compete at Union Stage for the DC JazzPrix Finals. The thrilling competition ends in a $15,000 grand prize and provides great exposure for the winners. If you need a break from concerts, DCJF also oversees enriching educational programs for students and adults interested in learning more about the treasured music genre. Sept. 1-5, 760 Maine Ave. SW, dcjazzfest.org
Adams Morgan Day
This community celebration of music, art and activities is back in person for the city’s longest running neighborhood festival. For over 40 years, Adams Morgan Day has been planned and put on by volunteers. The day brings local business, artists and services organizations together; it is a way to celebrate the area’s history and culture while gathering neighbors' support. You can even get involved by joining their wide scale volunteer team. Sept. 12, 18th St. NW, admoday.com
H Street Festival
Extending 11 blocks near the U.S. Capitol, the H Street Festival boasts 14 different staging areas to provide audiences with various themed programs—think of the countless types of music, dance and art to enjoy. The historic neighborhood has hosted the event for over 12 years. Even as a one-day event, over 150,000 participants come together to watch the wide variety of showcased performances to promote art education. Sept. 18, H St., NE between 3rd and 14th, hstreetfestival.org
DC Beer Week
Get ready for a weeklong celebration of the district’s best beers. Breweries, bars and restaurants from DC, Maryland and Virginia have brought their beer-loving communities together since 2012. Their motto of solidarity holds true by wanting to give everyone something to be happy about. After a virtual Beer Week due to the pandemic, the festival is back in person with plenty of brews, educational lessons and craft beer tastings. Sept. 19-26, 1307 New Hampshire Ave. NW, dcbeerweek.net
Photography by: Melanie Magdalena/Unsplash