America’s State Flowers: An America250 Celebration

In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the U.S. Botanic Garden will bloom with the flowers each U.S. state and territory has chosen as their official flower. Explore the display throughout the Garden that will showcase the state and territory flowers with living plants, artistic displays, botanical illustrations, and herbarium specimens. From fragrant magnolia flowers and roses to native orchids, bluebonnets, and saguaro cactus flowers, enjoy the variety of floral beauty that symbolizes America.  April 10 - October 12

Jazz in the Garden

Kick back and groove to the music with sangria in hand at Jazz in the Garden throughout the summer, held in the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden. An eclectic mix of DC-area jazz musicians lend a soundtrack to one of the city’s most idyllic scenes set around the sculpture garden’s central fountain. This is a free seasonal tradition that you do not want to miss. Due to high demand, the museum has instituted a lottery system. Fridays through August 14

Where Evenings Be-Gin

We invite you to “Where Evenings Be-Gin” at our iconic Top of the Hay, an elegant pop-up offered on select dates throughout August. Set against sweeping views of the White House, the Washington Monument, and the National Mall, this golden-hour ritual celebrates the art of the gin and tonic through a menu of imaginative, botanically driven cocktails. August 5 & 6 5-8pm

Mary Cassatt An American in Paris

The National Gallery of Art presents the vibrant work of Mary Cassatt across three galleries. The museum’s impressionist collection served as the source for this in-depth examination of how Cassatt went about creating her radically modern pieces. Roughly 40 paintings, drawings and prints will be on display. Through August 30 10am-5pm

NSO plays Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

Bask in the brilliance of Beethoven with the National Symphony Orchestra, under its esteemed music director Gianandrea Noseda, and Wolf Trap Opera artists. This all-Beethoven program opens with the Handel-inspired overture to The Consecration of the House and his rarely performed Elegiac Song before concluding with Beethoven’s Ninth, the symphony by which all others are measured. The cosmic drama of this colossal masterwork—its grand, emotional melodies and the tremendous closing “Ode to Joy”—reminds us why Beethoven’s final symphony resounds as loudly today as it did two centuries ago. August 14 8pm

National Book Festival

The Library of Congress National Book Festival is an annual literary event that brings together best-selling authors and thousands of book fans for author talks, panel discussions, book signings and other activities. August 22 9am-8pm

Freedom 250 Grand Prix

The first-ever INDYCAR race held in the nation’s capital is set on a street circuit that will weave through the National Mall and around the city’s iconic monuments and memorials. Expect multiple days of activities and celebrations as the showcase for American motorsports roars into DC. August 22-23