Washington, D.C. in Context
Everybody knows at least a little something about Washington, D.C. It’s the nation’s capital, after all; what goes on here on a daily basis is top-of-the-news stuff. Images of the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Potomac River, the National Mall, the White House, and Pennsylvania Avenue immediately spring to mind at the mere mention of this city’s name.
There are others I’d like to introduce to you: cherry blossoms, Black Broadway, the Verizon Center, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Embassy Row, the U Street Corridor, Rock Creek Park. These images illustrate just a fraction of the rich history and diverse cultural experiences this city has to offer.
That’s what this book is about. This chapter, specifically, aims to provide you with a context for understanding Washington, D.C.’s story and personality beyond the headlines, as well as practical information that will be useful to you while planning your trip and upon your arrival.
Washington, D.C. Today
Washington, D.C. is both the capital of the United States and a city unto itself; therein lie its charms, but also a host of complications. Control of the city is the main issue. The District is a free-standing jurisdiction, but because it is a city with a federal rather than a state overseer, it has never been entitled to the same governmental powers as the states. Congress supervises the District’s budget and legislation. Originally, Congress granted the city the authority to elect its own governance, but it rescinded that right when the District overspent its budget in its attempts to improve its services and appearance after the Civil War. The White House then appointed three commissioners, who ran D.C.’s affairs for nearly 100 years.
In 1972 the city regained the right to elect its own mayor and city council, but Congress retains control of the budget and the courts, and can veto municipal legislation. District residents can vote in presidential primaries and elections and can elect a delegate to Congress who introduces legislation and votes in committees, but this delegate cannot vote on the House floor. This unique situation, in which residents of the District pay federal income taxes but don’t have a vote in Congress, is a matter of great local concern. D.C. residents publicly protest the situation by displaying license plates bearing the inscription taxation without representation.
Another wrinkle in this uncommon relationship is the fact that Washington’s economy relies heavily upon the presence of the federal government, which accounts for about 27% of all D.C. jobs (according to a 2014 trend report issued by D.C.’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer), making it the city’s single largest employer, and upon the tourism business that Washington, as the capital, attracts. The city struggles toward political independence, although it recognizes the economic benefits of its position as the seat of the nation’s capital.
Will any of this affect you as you tour the city this year? Yes.
You will find Washington, D.C. to be a remarkably vibrant city. The economic hard times that the rest of the country has been experiencing are muted here.
Income remains higher than the national average, unemployment is lower, at least one-third of the population is between the ages of 20 and 35, residents are better educated than elsewhere, and the people are remarkably diverse: 50.1% African American, 9.9% Latino, 13.5% foreign-born, and 14.9% speaking a language other than English at home. The presence of embassies and the diplomatic community intensifies the international flavor.
In other words, Washington, D.C. is thriving. Restaurants and bars dominate most neighborhoods. In fact, eating out is a way of life here, whether simply for the pleasure of it or for business—the city’s movers and shakers meet over breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Washington’s restaurant scene offers an immense variety of international cuisines, from Ethiopian to Peruvian, as well as soul food and regional specialties like Chesapeake Bay crabs served in soft-shell, hard-shell, soup, or cake form.
Theaters, music venues, hotels, brand-name stores, and homegrown boutiques abound. Because of the abundance of jobs thanks to tourism and the presence of the federal government, many Washingtonians can afford to go to the theater, attend cultural events, shop, and dine out. But whatever it is, play, concert, or restaurant meal, it better be good. As well-traveled, well-educated, and, let’s face it, pretty demanding types, capital dwellers have high standards and big appetites. They expect the best, and they get it.
But it wasn’t always this way. About 20 years ago, Washington wasn’t so attractive. Tourists came to visit federal buildings like the Capitol, the White House, and the city’s memorials but stayed away from the dingy downtown and other off-the-Mall neighborhoods. The city had the potential for being so much more, and certain people—heroes, in my book—helped inspire action and brought about change themselves: Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who fought steadfastly for states’ rights and economic revival for the District; former Mayor Anthony Williams, who rescued the District’s budget when his predecessor, the notoriously mismanaging Mayor Marion Barry, brought the city to the brink of financial ruin; and the community-minded developers Abe and Irene Pollin, who used their own funds to finance the $200-million MCI sports center, now called the Verizon Center, in the heart of town (today the wildly successful arena anchors the utterly transformed Penn Quarter neighborhood, now one of the liveliest city centers in the country).
The city’s resident population has grown by more than 7.4% in the past 3 years alone and now stands at approximately 646,449, a size not seen in more than 50 years. (At its peak, right after World War II, 802,000 people called D.C. home.) The growth spurt is especially significant given that the District’s population reached a relative low point in 2002, when the U.S. Census counted 572,000 D.C. residents. Revitalization continues to take root throughout the city—from the Capital Riverfront neighborhood in southeast D.C., where a grand baseball stadium, Nationals Ballpark, opened in March 2008, attracting hotel, restaurant, and housing development; to the Columbia Heights enclave in upper northwest D.C., now a mélange of Latino culture, loft condominiums, and ethnic eateries; to the Southwest Waterfront, where urban planners and developers are capitalizing on the community’s Potomac River frontage and creating a welcoming neighborhood of parks, residential apartments, walkways, new lodging, and eateries. The city’s evergreens—the memorials and monuments, the historic neighborhoods, and the Smithsonian museums—remain unflaggingly popular.
But D.C. has its share of problems, starting with its Metro transportation system, which is in the midst of a much-needed overhaul. (See “Getting Around,” in chapter 11, for details.) Other problems relate to the city’s gentrification efforts, such as the displacement of residents from homes they can no longer afford in revitalized but increasingly expensive neighborhoods. The winner of the mayoral race in November 2014 (most likely the Democratic contender Muriel Bowser; the race took place after publication) has her work cut out for her in a municipality that struggles to provide health care, good schools, safe neighborhoods, adequate housing, and basic social services to all citizens.
Diverse in demographics, residents are alike in loving their city, despite the issues it faces. Visitors seem to share this love, as statistics bear out: D.C. welcomes 18.9 million visitors a year, 1.8 million of whom are international tourists.
The Making of Washington, D.C.
As with many cities, Washington, D.C.’s past is written in its landscape. Behold the lustrous Potomac River, whose discovery by Captain John Smith in 1608 led to European settlement of this area. Take note of the city’s layout: the 160-foot-wide avenues radiating from squares and circles, the sweeping vistas, the abundant parkland, all very much as Pierre Charles L’Enfant intended when he envisioned the “Federal District” in 1791. Look around and you will see the Washington Monument, the U.S. Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, and other landmarks, their very prominence in the flat, central cityscape attesting to their significance in the formation of the nation’s capital.
But Washington’s history is very much a tale of two cities. Beyond the National Mall, the memorials, and the federal government buildings lies “D.C.,” the municipality. Righteous politicians and others speak critically of “Washington”—shorthand, we understand, for all that is wrong with government. They should be more precise. With that snide dismissal, critics dismiss, as well, the particular locale in which the capital resides. It is a place of vibrant neighborhoods and vivid personalities, a vaunted arts-and-culture scene, international diversity, rich African-American heritage, uniquely Washingtonian attractions and people—the very citizens who built the capital in the first place and have kept it running ever since.
Early Days
The settlers who arrived in 1608 weren’t the region’s first inhabitants, of course. Captain John Smith may have been the first European to discover this waterfront property of lush greenery and woodlands, but the Nacotchtank and Piscataway tribes were way ahead of him. As Smith and company settled the area, they disrupted the American Indians’ way of life and introduced European diseases. The Native Americans gradually were driven away.
By 1751, Irish and Scottish immigrants had founded “George Town,” named for the king of England and soon established as an important tobacco-shipping port. Several houses from those days still exist in modern-day Georgetown: The Old Stone House (on M St. NW), a woodworker’s home built around the 1760s, is now operated by the National Park Service and open to the public, and a few magnificent ship merchants’ mansions still stand on N and Prospect streets, though these are privately owned and not open to the public. (Their properties once directly overlooked the Potomac River, but no longer: The Potomac River has receded quite a bit, as you’ll see.) For a walking tour of Georgetown, see p. 204.
After colonists in George Town and elsewhere in America rebelled against British rule, defeating the British in the American Revolution (1775–1783), Congress, in quick succession, unanimously elected General George Washington as the first president of the United States, ratified a U.S. Constitution, and proposed that a city be designed and built to house the seat of government for the new nation and to function fully in commercial and cultural capacities. Much squabbling ensued. The North wanted the capital; the South wanted the capital. President Washington huddled with his Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, and devised a solution that Congress approved in 1790: The nation’s capital would be “a site not exceeding 10 miles square” located on the Potomac. The South was happy, for this area was nominally in their region; Northern states were appeased by the stipulation that the South pay off the North’s Revolutionary War debt, and by the city’s location on the North–South border. Washington, District of Columbia, made her debut.
The only problem was that she was not exactly presentable. The brave new country’s capital proved to be a tract of undeveloped wilderness, where pigs, goats, and cows roamed free, and habitable houses were few and far between. Thankfully, the city was granted the masterful 1791 plan of the gifted but temperamental French-born engineer, Pierre Charles L’Enfant. Slaves, free blacks, and immigrants from Ireland, Scotland, and other countries worked to fulfill L’Enfant’s remarkable vision, erecting first the White House (the city’s oldest federal structure), then the Capitol and other buildings. (Read The Great Decision: Jefferson, Adams, Marshall and the Battle for the Supreme Court, by Cliff Sloan and David McKean [PublicAffairs Books], for excellent descriptions of the early days of the capital, its institutions, and the strong personalities that helped forge them.) Gradually, the nation’s capital began to take shape, though too slowly perhaps for some. The writer Anthony Trollope, visiting in 1860, declared Washington “as melancholy and miserable a town as the mind of man can conceive.”
The Civil War & Reconstruction
During the Civil War, the capital became an armed camp and headquarters for the Union Army, overflowing with thousands of followers. Parks became campgrounds; churches, schools, and federal buildings, including the Capitol and the Patent Office (now the National Portrait Gallery), became hospitals; and forts ringed the town. The population grew from 60,000 to 200,000, as soldiers, former slaves, merchants, and laborers converged on the scene. The streets were filled with the wounded, nursed by the likes of Walt Whitman, one of many making the rounds to aid ailing soldiers. In spite of everything, President Lincoln insisted that work on the Capitol continue. “If people see the Capitol going on, it is a sign we intend the Union shall go on,” he said.
Lincoln himself kept on, sustained perhaps by his visits to St. John’s Church, across Lafayette Square from the White House. Lincoln attended evening services when he could, arriving alone after other churchgoers had entered and slipping out before the service was over. And then on the night of April 14, 1865, just as the days of war were dwindling down and Lincoln’s vision for unity was being realized, the president was fatally shot at Ford’s Theatre (p. 130) while attending a play.
In the wake of the Civil War and President Lincoln’s assassination, Congress took stock of the capital and saw a town worn out by years of war—awash with people but still lacking the most fundamental facilities. Indeed, the city was a mess. There was talk of moving the capital city elsewhere, perhaps to St. Louis or some other more centrally located city. A rescue of sorts arrived in the person of public works leader Alexander “Boss” Shepherd, who initiated a “comprehensive plan of improvement” that at last incorporated the infrastructure so necessary to a functioning metropolis, including a streetcar system that allowed the District’s overflowing population to move beyond city limits. Shepherd also established parks, constructed streets and bridges, and installed water and sewer systems and gas lighting, gradually nudging the nation’s capital closer to showplace design. Notable accomplishments included the completion of the Washington Monument in 1884 (after 36 years) and the opening of the first Smithsonian museum in 1881.
Washington Blossoms
With the streets paved and illuminated, the water running, streetcars and rail transportation operating, and other practical matters well in place, Washington, D.C. was ready to address its appearance. In 1900, as if on cue, a senator from Michigan, James McMillan, persuaded his colleagues to appoint an advisory committee to develop designs for a more beautiful and graceful city. This retired railroad mogul was determined to use his architectural and engineering knowledge to complete the job that L’Enfant had started a century earlier. With his own money, McMillan sent a committee that included landscapist Frederick Law Olmsted (designer of New York’s Central Park), sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, and noted architects Daniel Burnham and Charles McKim to Europe for 7 weeks to study the landscaping and architecture of that continent’s great capitals.
“Make no little plans,” Burnham counseled fellow members. “They have no magic to stir men’s blood, and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans, aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble and logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever growing insistency.”
The committee implemented a beautification program that continued well into the 20th century. Other projects added further enhancements: A presidential Commission of Fine Arts, established in 1910, positioned monuments and fountains throughout the city; FDR’s Works Progress Administration erected public buildings embellished by artists. The legacy of these programs is on view today, in the cherry trees along the Tidal Basin, the Lincoln Memorial at the west end of the Mall, the Arlington Memorial Bridge, the Library of Congress, Union Station, the Corcoran Gallery, and many other sights, each situated in its perfect spot in the city.
The American capital was coming into its own on the world stage, as well, emerging from the Great Depression, two world wars, and technological advancements in air and automobile travel as a strong, respected global power. More and more countries established embassies here, and the city’s international population increased exponentially.
Black Broadway Sets the Stage
As the capital city blossomed, so did African-American culture. The many blacks who had arrived in the city as slaves to help build the Capitol, the White House, and other fundamental structures of America’s capital stayed on, later joined by those who came to fight during the Civil War, or to begin new lives after the war. (See p. 140 for a description of the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum, which commemorates the lives of the 209,145 black Civil War soldiers.)
From 1900 to 1960, Washington, D.C. became known as a hub of black culture, education, and identity, centered on a stretch of U Street NW, called “Black Broadway,” where Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, and Pearl Bailey often performed in speakeasies and theaters. Many of these stars performed at the Howard Theatre (p. 177), which was the first full-size theater devoted to black audiences and entertainers when it opened in 1910. Nearby Howard University, created in 1867, distinguished itself as the nation’s most comprehensive center for higher education for blacks. (The reincarnated “U & 14th Street Corridors,” or “New U,” is now a diverse neighborhood of blacks, whites, Asians, and Latinos, and a major restaurant and nightlife destination.)
The Civil Rights Era Ushers in a New Age
By 1950, blacks made up 60% of Washington’s total population of 802,000, a record number that would then steadily decrease throughout the rest of the 20th century. Nearly a century after the passage of the 13th Amendment (abolishing slavery) and the 15th Amendment (outlawing the denial of voting rights based on race or color), blacks generally remained unequal members of society. Despite the best efforts and contributions of individuals—from abolitionist Frederick Douglass (p. 145), a major force in the human rights movement in the 19th century, to educator and civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune (p. 141), who served as an advisor to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1930s—the country, and this city, had a long way to go in terms of equal rights. (Consider reading works by Edward P. Jones, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author whose short-story collections, Lost in the City and All Aunt Hagar’s Children, will take you beyond D.C.’s political and tourist attractions into the neighborhoods and everyday lives of African Americans during the mid-20th century.)
The tipping point may have come in 1954, when Thurgood Marshall (appointed the country’s first black Supreme Court justice in 1967) argued and won the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which denied the legality of segregation in America. This decision, amid a groundswell of frustration and anger over racial discrimination, helped spark the civil rights movement of the 1960s. On August 28, 1963, black and white Washingtonians were among the 200,000 who marched on Washington and listened to an impassioned Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. deliver his stirring “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, where 41 years earlier, during the memorial’s dedication ceremony, black officials were required to stand and watch from across the road.
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963 added to a general sense of despair and tumult. On the day before his funeral, hundreds of thousands of mourners stood in line for blocks outside the Capitol all day and night to pay their respects to the president, who lay in state inside the Rotunda of the Capitol.
Then Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, and all hell broke loose. The corner of 14th and U streets served as the flashpoint for the riots that followed. Ben’s Chili Bowl (p. 75) was ground zero and remained open throughout the riots to provide food and shelter to activists, firefighters, and public servants.
Many people—including Washington, District of Columbia residents themselves—wonder how the city wound up with such an unwieldy name. Here’s how: President Washington referred to the newly created capital as “the Federal City.” City commissioners then chose the names “Washington” to honor the president and “Territory of Columbia” to designate the federal nature of the area. Columbia was the feminine form of Columbus, synonymous in those days with “America” and all she stood for—namely, liberty. The capital was incorporated in 1871, when it officially became known as Washington, District of Columbia.
The distance between the base of the Capitol, at one end of the National Mall, and the Lincoln Memorial, at the other, is nearly 2 miles. The circumference of the White House property, from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue and 15th Street to 17th Street, is about 11⁄2 miles.
More than 27% of Washington, D.C. is national parkland, which makes the capital one of the “greenest” cities in the country. The biggest chunk is the 2,000-acre Rock Creek Park, the National Park Service’s oldest natural urban park, founded in 1890.
Every country that maintains diplomatic relations with the United States has an embassy in the nation’s capital. Currently, the number of embassies exceeds 180, mostly located along Massachusetts Avenue, known as Embassy Row, and other streets in the Dupont Circle neighborhood.
As the 20th century progressed, civil rights demonstrations led to Vietnam War protests led to revelations about scandals, from President Nixon’s Watergate political debacle (Ever seen All the President’s Men? You have to.), to D.C. Mayor Marion Barry’s drug and corruption problems, to President Clinton’s sexual shenanigans. It was an era of speaking out to expose corruption and scandal. A president who authorizes illegal activity? Not acceptable. A mayor with a drug problem? Not acceptable. A president who dallies with a White House intern his daughter’s age, then lies about it? Nope, not acceptable.
And still the city flourished. A world-class subway system opened, the Verizon Center sports and concert arena debuted and transformed its aged downtown neighborhood into the immensely popular Penn Quarter, and the city’s Kennedy Center, Shakespeare theaters, and other arts-and-culture venues came to world attention, receiving much acclaim.
Twenty-First Century Times
Having begun the 20th century a backwater town, Washington finished the century a sophisticated city, profoundly shaken but not paralyzed by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The first decade of the 21st century was marked by the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and by a precipitous economic decline. Here in Washington, these situations continue to foment rancorous relations in Congress and between Capitol Hill and the White House, as Democrats and Republicans disagree over how best to resolve these issues. Barack Obama’s landmark win as the first African-American president, in 2008, temporarily restored some hope and an “all things are possible” perspective. Seven years later, however, even as the U.S. has slowly extricated itself from Iraq and is working to do the same in Afghanistan, and even as the economy seems to be showing signs of steady improvement, the outlook is not entirely certain. Peace and prosperity? One can hope. Certainly President Obama continues working to achieve that, as he heads into the final stretch of his second term. Meanwhile, in the District, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is expected to win her run for a 13th term in office in the November 2014 election, representing residents of the District of Columbia. Incumbent D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray is out of the game, never able to disassociate himself from the corruption that marked his first campaign. D.C. Councilmember Muriel Bowser defeated Gray in the Democratic primary and was favored to win the November 4, 2014 mayoral election against Independent David Catania, an at-large D.C. Council member. (Eighty percent of D.C voters are Democrats.)
History informs one’s outlook, but so does the present. Look again at the Potomac River and think of Captain John Smith, but observe the Georgetown University crew teams rowing in unison across the surface of the water and tour boats traveling between Georgetown and Old Town Alexandria. As you traverse the city, admire L’Enfant’s inspired design, but also enjoy the sight of office workers, artists and students, and people of every possible ethnic and national background making their way around town. Tour the impressive landmarks and remember their namesakes, but make time for D.C.’s homegrown attractions, whether a meal at a sidewalk cafe in Dupont Circle, jazz along U Street, a walking tour past Capitol Hill’s old town houses, or a visit to a church where slaves or those original immigrants once worshiped.
When to Go
The city’s peak seasons generally coincide with two activities: the sessions of Congress, and springtime—beginning with the appearance of the cherry blossoms.
Specifically, from about the second week in September until Thanksgiving, and again from about mid-January to June (when Congress is “in”), hotels are full of guests whose business takes them to Capitol Hill or to conferences. Mid-March through June is traditionally the most frenzied season, when families and school groups descend upon the city to see the cherry blossoms and enjoy Washington’s sensational spring. Hotel rooms are at a premium, and airfares tend to be higher. This is also a popular season for protest marches.
If crowds turn you off, consider visiting Washington at the end of August or in early September, when Congress is still “out” and families have returned home to get their children back to school, or between Thanksgiving and mid-January, when Congress leaves again and many people are busy with their own at-home holiday celebrations. Hotel rates are cheapest at this time, too, and many hotels offer attractive packages.
If you’re thinking of visiting in July and August, be forewarned: The weather is very hot and humid. Despite the heat, Independence Day (July 4th) in the capital is a spectacular celebration. Summer is also the season for outdoor concerts, festivals, parades, and other events (see chapter 8 for details about performing arts schedules). If you can deal with the weather, this is a good time to visit: Locals often go elsewhere on vacation, so the streets and attractions are somewhat less crowded. In addition, hotels tend to offer their best rates in July and August.
Season by season, here’s what you can expect of the weather in Washington:
Fall: This is my favorite season. The weather is often warm during the day—in fact, if you’re here in early fall, it may seem entirely too warm. But it cools off, and even gets a bit crisp, at night. By late October, Washington has traded its famous greenery for the brilliant colors of fall foliage.
Winter: People like to say that Washington winters are mild—and sure, if you’re from Minnesota, you’ll find Washington warmer, no doubt. But D.C. winters can be unpredictable: bitter cold one day, an ice storm the next, followed by a couple of days of sun and higher temperatures. The winter of 2009–2010 was especially severe, bringing record snows; 2010–2011’s was very mild and 2011–2012’s unremarkable; winter 2012–2013 was a mix, and 2013–2014’s was fre-e-e-ezing and very snowy! Pack with all possibilities in mind.
Spring: Early spring weather tends to be colder than most people expect. Cherry blossom season, late March to early April, can be iffy—and very often rainy and windy. As April slips into May, the weather usually mellows, and people’s moods with it. Late spring is especially lovely, with mild temperatures and intermittent days of sunshine, flowers, and trees colorfully erupting in gardens and parks all over town. Washingtonians sweep outdoors to stroll the National Mall, relax on park benches, or laze away the afternoon at outdoor cafes.
Summer: Anyone who has ever spent July and August in D.C. will tell you how hot and steamy it can be. Though the buildings are air-conditioned, many of Washington’s attractions, like the memorials and organized tours, are outdoors and unshaded, and the heat can quickly get to you. Make sure you stop frequently for drinks (vendors are plentiful), and wear a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
Average Temperatures & Rainfall in Washington, D.C.
JAN |
FEB |
MAR |
APR |
MAY |
JUNE |
JULY |
AUG |
SEPT |
OCT |
NOV |
DEC |
||
TEMP (°F) |
43/29 |
47/31 |
56/38 |
67/47 |
75/56 |
84/66 |
89/71 |
87/70 |
80/63 |
68/51 |
58/41 |
47/33 |
|
RAINFALL (in.) |
2.81 |
2.71 |
3.48 |
3.06 |
3.99 |
3.78 |
3.73 |
2.93 |
3.72 |
3.40 |
3.17 |
3.05 |
Holidays
Banks, government offices, post offices, and many stores, restaurants, and museums are closed on the following legal national holidays: January 1 (New Year’s Day), the third Monday in January (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), the third Monday in February (Presidents’ Day), the last Monday in May (Memorial Day), July 4 (Independence Day), the first Monday in September (Labor Day), the second Monday in October (Columbus Day), November 11 (Veterans Day/Armistice Day), the fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day), and December 25 (Christmas).
Washington, D.C. Calendar of Events
The city’s most popular events are the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in spring, the Fourth of July celebration in summer, and the lighting of the National Christmas Tree in winter. But some sort of special event occurs almost daily. For the latest schedules, check www.washington.org, www.culturaltourismdc.org, www.dc.gov, and www.washingtonpost.com.
The phone numbers in the calendar below were accurate at press time, but these numbers change often. If the number you try doesn’t get you the details you need, call Destination D.C. at 
202/789-7000.
When you’re in town, grab a copy of the Washington Post (or read it online), especially the Friday “Weekend” section.
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday. Events include speeches by prominent leaders and politicians, readings, dance, theater, concerts and choral performances, and prayer vigils at the National Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the national holiday (third Mon in Jan.; King’s actual birthday is Jan. 15). Call the National Park Service at 202/619-7222.
February
Black History Month. Numerous events, museum exhibits, and cultural programs celebrate the contributions of African Americans to American life, including a celebration of abolitionist Frederick Douglass’s birthday. For details check the Washington Post or call the National Park Service at 
202/619-7222.
Chinese New Year Celebration. A Friendship Archway, topped by 300 painted dragons and lighted at night, marks the entrance to Chinatown at 7th and H streets NW. The celebration begins the day of the Chinese New Year (on the day of the first new moon of the new year, which may fall anywhere from late Jan to mid Feb) and continues for 14 or so days, with traditional firecrackers, dragon dancers, and colorful street parades. Some area restaurants offer special menus. Late January to early February.
Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday. Expect great fanfare at Ford’s Theatre and its Center for Education and Leadership, an exploration of Lincoln’s legacy in the time since his assassination (p. 130). As always, a wreath-laying and reading of the Gettysburg Address will take place at noon at the Lincoln Memorial. Call Ford’s Theatre at 202/426-6924, or the National Park Service at 202/619-7222. February 12.
George Washington’s Birthday/Presidents’ Day. The city celebrates Washington’s birthday in two ways: on the actual day, February 22, with a ceremony that takes place at the Washington Monument; and on the federal holiday, the third Monday in February, when schools and federal offices have the day off. Call the National Park Service at 202/619-7222 for details. The occasion also brings with it great sales at stores citywide. (See chapter 9, “Day Trips from Washington, D.C.,” for information about the bigger celebrations held at Mount Vernon and in Old Town Alexandria on the third Mon in Feb.)
D.C. Fashion Week. This biannual event features designers from around the world. The weeklong extravaganza stages parties, runway shows, and trunk shows at citywide venues, always culminating in an international couture fashion show at the French Embassy. Most events are open to the public but may require a ticket. Call 202/600-9274 or visit www.dcfashionweek.org. Mid-February and mid-September.
March
Women’s History Month. Count on the Smithsonian to cover the subject to a fare-thee-well. For a schedule of Smithsonian events, call 202/633-1000 or visit www.si.edu; for other events, check the websites listed in the intro to this section.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This big parade on Constitution Avenue NW, from 7th to 17th streets, is complete with floats, bagpipes, marching bands, and the wearin’ o’ the green. For parade information, visit www.dcstpatsparade.com. The Sunday before March 17.
April
National Cherry Blossom Festival. Strike up the band! This year, 2015, marks the 103rd anniversary of the city of Tokyo’s gift of cherry trees to the city of Washington. This event is celebrated annually; if all goes well, the festival coincides with the blossoming of the more than 3,700 Japanese cherry trees by the Tidal Basin, on Hains Point, and on the grounds of the Washington Monument. Events take place all over town and include the Blossom Kite Festival on the grounds of the Washington Monument, fireworks, concerts, special art exhibits, park-ranger-guided talks and tours past the trees, and sports competitions. A Japanese Street Festival takes place on one of the final days of the celebration, and a grand parade caps the festival, complete with floats, marching bands, dancers, celebrity guests, and more. All events are free except the Japanese Street Fair, which costs $5, and grandstand seating at the parade, which costs $17 (otherwise the parade is free). For information call 877/44BLOOM (442-5666) or go to www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org. March 20 to April 12, 2015.
White House Easter Egg Roll. A biggie for kids 13 and under, the annual White House Easter Egg Roll continues a practice begun in 1878. Entertainment on the White House South Lawn and the Ellipse traditionally includes appearances by costumed cartoon characters, clowns, musical groups (Fergie and singer Ariana Grande are among those who have performed in the past), egg-decorating exhibitions, puppet and magic shows, an Easter egg hunt, and an egg-rolling contest. To obtain tickets, you must use the online lottery system, www.recreation.gov, up and running about 6 weeks before Easter Monday. For details call 202/208-1631 or visit www.whitehouse.gov/eastereggroll. Easter Monday between 8am and 5pm.
African-American Family Day at the National Zoo. This tradition extends back to 1889, when the zoo opened. The National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW, celebrates African-American families on the day after Easter with music, dance, Easter egg rolls, and other activities. Free. Call 202/633-1000 for details. Easter Monday.
Smithsonian Craft Show. Held in the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW, this juried show features one-of-a-kind, limited-edition crafts by more than 120 noted artists from all over the country. There’s an entrance fee of about $15 per adult each day; it’s free for children 12 and under. No strollers. For details call 888/832-9554 or 202/633-5006, or visit www.smithsoniancraftshow.org. Four days in mid- to late April.
May
Washington National Cathedral Annual Flower Mart. Now in its 76th year, the flower mart takes place on cathedral grounds, featuring displays of flowering plants and herbs, decorating demonstrations, ethnic food booths, children’s rides and activities (including an antique carousel), costumed characters, puppet shows, and other entertainment. Admission is free. For details call 202/537-2937 or visit www.allhallowsguild.org. First Friday and Saturday in May, rain or shine.
Memorial Day. Ceremonies take place at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery ( 703/607-8000), at the National World War II and Vietnam Veterans memorials ( 202/619-7222), and at the U.S. Navy Memorial ( 202/737-2300). A National Memorial Day Parade marches down Constitution Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. On the Sunday before Memorial Day, the National Symphony Orchestra performs a free concert at 8pm on the West Lawn of the Capitol to honor the sacrifices of American servicemen and servicewomen ( 202/619-7222). And one other thing: Hundreds of thousands of bikers from around the country roll into town in an annual event called “Rolling Thunder,” to pay tribute to America’s war veterans, prisoners of war, and those missing in action (www.rollingthunder1.com). Last Monday in May.
June
DC Jazz Festival. The festival, now in its 11th year, presents more than 125 performances in dozens of venues throughout the city over a 6-day period. Some performances are free, some are not. www.dcjazzfest.org. Early to late June.
Smithsonian Folklife Festival. A major event celebrating both national and international traditions in music, crafts, foods, games, concerts, and exhibits, staged along the length of the National Mall. Each Folklife Festival showcases three or four cultures or themes; 2014’s festival explored the culture of Kenya, and “China: Tradition and the Art of Living.” All events are free; most take place outdoors. For details call 202/633-6440, visit www.festival.si.edu, or check the listings in the Washington Post. Ten days in late June and early July, always including July 4.
July
Independence Day. There’s no better place to be on the Fourth of July than in Washington, D.C. The all-day festivities include a massive National Independence Day Parade down Constitution Avenue, complete with lavish floats, princesses, marching groups, and military bands. A morning program in front of the National Archives includes military demonstrations, period music, and a reading of the Declaration of Independence. In the evening, the National Symphony Orchestra plays on the west steps of the Capitol with guest artists. And big-name entertainment precedes the fabulous fireworks display behind the Washington Monument. For details call the National Park Service at 202/619-7222 or visit www.nps.gov/mall. July 4.
Capital Fringe Festival. This event debuted in 2005 and celebrates experimental theater in the tradition of the original fringe festival, held annually in Edinburgh, Scotland. Nearly 150 separate productions take place at some 15 venues daily for 18 days. Local and visiting artists perform in theater, dance, music, and other disciplines. All single tickets are $17, plus a one-time fee of $5 for an admission button; purchase them on www.capitalfringe.org or call 866/811-4111. Second week of July.
August
Shakespeare Theatre Free for All. This free theater festival presents a different Shakespeare play every year for a 2-week run at the Sidney Harmon Hall, across from the Verizon Center, in the Penn Quarter. Tickets are required, but they’re free. Call 202/547-1122 or visit www.shakespearetheatre.org. Evenings and some matinees late August through early September.
September
Labor Day Concert. The National Symphony Orchestra closes its summer season with a free performance at 8pm on the West Lawn of the Capitol. For details call the National Park Service at 202/619-7222. Sunday before Labor Day (rain date: same day and time at Constitution Hall or the Kennedy Center).
Library of Congress National Book Festival. The Library of Congress sponsors this festival, now in its 15th year, welcoming nearly 100 established authors and their many fans. Previously held on the National Mall, the festival’s popularity and the toll the turnout took on Mall grounds necessitated the festival’s relocation in 2014 to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown D.C., between 7th and 9th sts. NW, and N St. and Mt. Vernon Place. The festival takes place over the course of one long day, from 10am to 10pm in late August, and includes readings, author signings, panel discussions, and general hoopla surrounding the love of books. For details call 888/714-4696 or visit www.loc.gov/bookfest. A Saturday in late August/early September.
October
Marine Corps Marathon. A maximum of 30,000 may compete in this 26.2-mile race (the third-largest marathon in the United States). The 2015 running marks its 40th year. The start line is at a spot located between the Pentagon and Arlington Memorial Cemetery, and the course takes racers through Georgetown, past memorials, through Rock Creek Park almost to the National Zoo, along the Potomac River, past museums, and so on, before reaching the finish line at the Marine Corps Memorial (the Iwo Jima statue.) For details call 800/RUN-USMC (786-8762). Participants must be 14 or older. Register online for the lottery system that determines entry in the marathon. www.marinemarathon.com. Last Sunday in October.
November
Veterans Day. The nation’s fallen heroes are honored with a wreath-laying ceremony at 11am at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery, followed by a memorial service. The president of the United States or his stand-in officiates, as a military band performs. Wreath-laying ceremonies also take place at other war memorials in the city. Call 703/607-8000 for details about Arlington Cemetery events and 202/619-7222 for details about war memorial events. November 11.
December
National Christmas Tree Lighting. At the northern end of the Ellipse, the president lights the National Christmas Tree to the accompaniment of orchestral and choral music, and big name performers take the stage. The lighting ceremony inaugurates several weeks of holiday concerts performed mostly by local school and church choruses, afternoons and evenings on the Ellipse. (Brrrr!) For details and to enter the lottery to try to score tickets, visit the website, www.thenationaltree.org; you can also call 877/444-6777 to enter the lottery. There are 17,000 tickets (3,000 seated, 14,000 standing), which are free but required to attend the tree-lighting ceremony. The lottery opens October 31. (No tickets are required to attend the other holiday concerts.) The tree-lighting ceremony takes place at 5pm on a day in early December.