Festivals and Annual Events

Chinatown is witness to the joyous celebration that takes place on Chinese New Year’s Day. The celebrations include an annual parade of marching bands, lion and dragon dancers, clowns and other entertainers.

On the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed with a wreath laying ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial where orators recite King’s “I have a dream” speech. Local choirs and military color guards are also part of the proceedings. Commemorative events take place at various sites in the city honoring the civil rights leader. This month is also celebrated as Black history month, dedicated to black leaders.

Held in mid-January at the U.S. Botanic Garden, this show is a visual treat for flower lovers.

Mid-January, the city puts on a gourmet festival called Restaurant Week with more than 100 of Washington DC’s finest restaurants offering three course lunches at a discount.

Washingtonians honor Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday on 12 February with a Presidential wreath laying ceremony and a dramatic reading of the ‘Gettysburg” Address at noon at the Lincoln Memorial on Constitution Avenue. Concerts by military bands also form part of the celebrations.

During the last Tuesday (Fat Tuesday) of the month, Mardi Gras is celebrated with great gusto. This festival is originally from New Orleans but celebrated with as much fervor in Washington, with all night partying and parades and special family days.

Hundreds of thousands of city residents and visitors from across the globe make it a point to visit the city at this time to witness the spectacular blooming of the cherry trees around the Jefferson Memorial, marking the beginning of spring. The famous trees(originally 3000), a gift from Japan in 1912 symbolising friendship between the two countries, create an explosion of color surrounding the Tidal Basin in a sea of pink and white. There is a Japanese lantern lighting ceremony, a parade, music and a pageant. A Japanese Street Festival after the parade exhibits the traditions, arts and food of Japan. The trees are lit up at night.

The Smithsonian Kite Festival, traditionally part of the Cherry Blossom Festival, also takes place late this month when kite designers, flyers and competitors gather on the Mall to celebrate spring. Kite flying competitions add an element of excitement to this festival where individuals or teams try to cut or ground each other’s kites. Venue:Washington Monument Date: March 2009, TBC Time: 10am to 4pm Website: www.kitefestival.org

St. Patricks Day is celebrated mid-March with a display of impressive parades down Constitution Avenue. The Parade is an Irish community endeavor that was started by the Irish American Club and is now held in cooperation with the National Capital Park Service. Venue: Constitution Avenue Date: 15 March 2009 Website: www.dcstpatsparade.com

One of the oldest and most unique traditions in presidential history, the annual Easter Egg Roll takes place on the Monday after Easter, hosted by the First Lady for children aged between 3 -6, at the south lawns of the White House.

Memorial Day ceremonies including speeches, military bands and keynote addresses take place late May. Wreaths are laid at the Kennedy graveside and Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial.

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is an international exposition of living cultural heritage annually produced outdoors on the National Mall by the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. The festival takes place over two weeks overlapping the Fourth of July holidays and typically focusses on traditions and culture of one to four countries or regions. Free concerts are held in the evenings. Over the years, it has brought more than 23,000 musicians, artists, performers, craftspeople, workers, cooks, storytellers and others to the National Mall to demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and aesthetics that embody the creative vitality of community-based traditions. Free concerts are held in the evenings.

4th of July, Independence Day, of course, is a grand event that takes place annually on the fourth of July with troop’s parade, the reading of the Declaration of Independence, day long concerts and activities, an evening performance by the National Symphony Orchestra on the steps of the Capitol building and the famous fireworks over the Potomac River. Venue: National Mall Date: 4 July 2008 Time: Parade 11.45am; fireworks 9pm Website: www.july4thparade.com

Celebrated on the 14th of September, the Adams Morgan festival has a rich and vibrant arts and cultural community which is recognized for its diversity in cultures, countries, indie businesses and neighborhood. The festival celebrates the creativity that comes from the synergy of these diverse cultures. First held in 1978, this regional festival celebrates the “melting pot” quality of the unique Adams Morgan neighborhood. DC Blues Festival is an annual feature where you can find on almost every street corner, blue bands playing their music.

On the Second Thursday in December, the President illuminates the national Christmas tree and lights a menorah on the Ellipse and there’s outdoor partying on New Year’s Eve at the Old Post Office. Thousands of spirited patriots turn out for the annual lighting ceremony of the National Christmas Tree in early December, and thousands more make a trip to the Ellipse to see the tree throughout the rest of the month. The festivities are all part of the Christmas Pageant of Peace. The National Christmas Tree, with a large-scale model train running around it, is a must-see for Washingtonians and tourists alike. Fifty-six smaller trees representing the 50 states, five territories and DC surround the main tree, each decorated by state-sponsored organizations. A Yule log burns nightly to keep warm, and local groups put on shows on a performance stage. It is a fabulous way to celebrate the holidays in the nation's capital.