Things to do / Travel Guide
As a city that hosts many conventions and large-scale events throughout the year, there is always something of interest going on in Washington DC. As a general rule, when the weather gets warmer, things really start to heat up around town.
February
George Washington's birthday, on February 22nd, features a special parade through Alexandria, Virginia. Alexandria was chosen in particular to host this event, as it features a preserved colonial-times neighborhood. The parade winds its way through these sections of the city featuring floats, bands, historical reenactments, and appearances by special guests.
March-April
The first major event of the calendar year is the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which marks the blooming of the cherry blossom trees in the Tidal Basin. This event, which takes place in late March or early April, celebrates the anniversary of the time when these trees were presented to the United States by Japan in 1912. The event features music and parades and mixes traditional American culture with a dose of Japan that attracts more than 1 million visitors to the region each year.
June-July
The Washington DC International Wine and Food Show is held annually each June. One of the East Coast's biggest shows of its type, the event attracts thousands of people to exhibits from many food and wine companies introducing their latest products and services.
Independence Day on July 4th is celebrated in the nation's capital like nowhere else in the United States. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to the Mall and the surrounding areas for a variety of attractions, including musical performances and parades, culminating in a nationally-famous fireworks display.
The week prior to July 4th is highlighted by the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The largest cultural event in the capital, the several-days-long festival features music, art, food, and many attractions designed to highlight aspects of all 50 states. Taking place on The Mall, the event features thousands of individual attractions and presentations and welcomes more than 1 million guests each year.
September
Adams Morgan Day in early September brings even more life than usual to the neighborhood of Adams Morgan, with a large ethnically-oriented block party. This month also features a National Frisbee Festival, held in The Mall, and a DC Blues Festival held at venues throughout the city. More information can be obtained from the Adams Morgan Main Street Group.
December
The winter holiday season, while often bitterly cold, is a special time of the year in the DC area, with many Christmas tree lightings taking place and the city decked out in the seasonal colors. The Presidential tree is lit alongside a giant Hanukkah menorah on the second Thursday of December each year.
All of the major national American holidays including Memorial Day (the last Monday in May), Labor Day (the first Monday in September), Thanksgiving Day (the last Thursday in November), and, of course, Independence Day, are marked by parades through the city. Traveling along the main streets of downtown DC, the parades feature military contingents, bands, and VIP guests, regularly attracting tens of thousands of spectators.
Once every four years, the event that tops all events, the Presidential Inauguration, takes place in Washington. Marked by massive crowds and lavish parades and balls, thousands of people from across the country and around the world arrive in DC to experience the historic ceremony.
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