Creativity and Resistance: Maroon Culture in the Americas
A Smithsonian Folklife Festival feature exploring Maroon communities across the Americas, showing how creativity acts as resistance and cultural identity. The program highlights histories, performances, and crafts that shaped diaspora networks, with scholars sharing insights and live demonstrations.
Old Ways in the New World (1976) – Smithsonian Folklife Festival
A retrospective segment of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival revisiting the 1976 program 'Old Ways in the New World.' This outdoor showcase highlights traditional arts, music, and crafts from across the Americas, presented on the Smithsonian stage to spark cross-cultural understanding.
Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Land in Native American Cultures
Explore Native American perspectives on land through performances, storytelling, and craft demonstrations at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. This cultural showcase spotlights Indigenous arts and daily life on the National Mall, offering live music, demonstrations, and interactive exhibits in a free, family-friendly setting.
Smithsonian Folklife Festival: National Heritage Fellows Program
A section of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival highlighting the National Heritage Fellows Program, presenting master folk artists as part of a year-round celebration of American heritage. An outdoor, family-friendly cultural festival on the Smithsonian grounds in Washington, D.C., with performances and demonstrations by leading folk-art practitioners. Free admission.
Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Arts Endowment Folk Arts Program
Experience the Arts Endowment Folk Arts Program as part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The program features traditional crafts, live demonstrations, and performances by folk artists from diverse communities, celebrating living cultural heritage at the Smithsonian's iconic festival setting.
Roots of Virginia Culture: The Past is Present
Explore Virginia’s cultural roots at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s Roots of Virginia Culture: The Past is Present. This outdoor festival on the National Mall features live performances, crafts, and storytelling that bring history to life for visitors of all ages.
Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Tibetan Culture Beyond the Land of Snows
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival spotlights Tibetan culture beyond the land of snows, with performances, demonstrations, and exhibitions that reveal daily life, arts, and traditions. This outdoor, family-friendly program at the Smithsonian site invites visitors to explore Tibetan heritage within a global festival setting.
Fred Frith Chao Tian
Renowned guitarist Fred Frith performs with Chao Tian at Rhizome DC, delivering a boundary-pushing evening of experimental soundscapes. Expect inventive improvisation, spare textures, and a close-up sonic experience in the intimate, arts-centric venue.
Stars, Stripes and Spies: Teaching the Secret History of America
Explore the secret history of America at the International Spy Museum in this curator-led lecture. Learn how espionage, symbols, and covert operations helped shape the nation, with fresh insights into the Stars and Stripes era.
Welcome to a Native Place
On July 1, 2026 at 1 PM, Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) performs a 30-minute program of Indigenous songs spanning Alaska to Florida in the Potomac Atrium of the Smithsonian American Indian Museum, followed by a Q&A on Indigenous culture past and present.
Penanggalan Crows Foot Nuclear Tomb Tartarean
An avant-garde contemporary art piece at Rhizome DC blending experimental visuals and sound in a night-length installation. Penanggalan Crows Foot Nuclear Tomb Tartarean invites viewers to navigate a shifting, immersive environment that pushes the boundaries of perception in an intimate indoor space.
Line, Shape, and Color with Dora Kamau
Explore line, shape, and color in a hands-on art workshop led by Dora Kamau at The Phillips Collection. This intimate session inside the museum invites adults to experiment with composition, guided demonstrations, and personal feedback in a welcoming, creative setting.
Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going to Happen
Staged at Studio Theatre, this intense drama invites audiences to confront fear and uncertainty in a tightly paced production. The mind-bending title promises a provocative evening of contemporary theatre in Washington, DC.
Shift Happens
Shift Happens is a one-day MeriTalk forum in Washington, DC, where government and industry leaders examine how agencies fund, buy, secure, authorize, and scale technology. It explores practical implications for modernization and procurement in the public sector.
Government Efficiency Summit
In-person Government Efficiency Summit at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C., this conference gathers policymakers and public-sector leaders. It explores policy innovations, performance metrics, and digital transformation to boost government effectiveness.
Adrift
Adrift is a bold stage drama at Round House Theatre that invites audiences into intimate, empathetic storytelling. This contemporary production promises thought-provoking theatre that sparks conversation and community in a welcoming, intimate space.
Infrastructure & Modernization Forum
In-person conference focusing on infrastructure modernization strategies, policy implications, and public-private collaboration. Government leaders and industry practitioners will discuss funding, governance, and implementation pathways at the Carahsoft Conference & Collaboration Center in Reston.
Patriot Games
Patriot Games is a contemporary stage drama exploring nationalism and power through sharp dialogue and intense performances. This intimate Washington, DC production invites reflection on civic myths and personal choices, blending topical themes with gripping storytelling.
State Fairs: Growing American Craft
Explore State Fairs: Growing American Craft at the Renwick Gallery. This Smithsonian exhibition traces how state fairs shaped American craft, showcasing quilts, pottery, glass, and other handmade objects from regional artists. Immersive displays highlight the craft narratives behind America's enduring design heritage.
NMAAHC 10th Anniversary Celebration
Join Washington, DC's National Museum of African American History and Culture as it marks its 10th anniversary with a cultural celebration featuring performances, panel discussions, and special exhibits highlighting Black history, art, and community impact.
Past And Future Cities
A thought-provoking lecture examining how urban form has evolved and what cities may become, drawing on urban theory, architectural practice, and planning case studies. It maps past milestones and future scenarios shaping housing, mobility, and public spaces.
Undertale – The Determination Symphony World Tour
Experience Undertale's iconic soundtrack performed live by a full symphony orchestra on the world tour, as The Anthem hosts a dramatic, cinematic night of orchestral video-game music. Fans will enjoy lush strings, bold brass, and magical moments from Toby Fox's score.
CES Government
CES Government at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center is a major industry conference and trade show focused on government tech and electronics, featuring exhibitors, keynote sessions, policy debates, and networking for professionals in public sector innovation.
Theatre Skills for Working Professionals (18+)
Shakespeare Theatre Company presents a Monday evening workshop for working professionals (18+), teaching practical theatre skills, voice, movement, and scene work in a dynamic, collaborative setting at DC Theater. Ideal for actors and non-actors seeking professional development in performance.
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