WASHINGTON-The National Park Service and the 11th Street Bridge Park present the ninth annual Anacostia River Festival, a premier event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The festival is Saturday, May 20th from 1-4 pm at Anacostia Park off Good Hope Road & Anacostia Drive SE.
Held just steps away from the future 11th Street Bridge Park, this FREE event encourages District residents and visitors alike to experience arts, culture, communities and parks east of the river. The Anacostia River Festival focuses on the improving health of the Anacostia River and the exciting experiences you can have in Anacostia Park and on the river.
Anacostia River Festival
When: Saturday May 20th, 2023; 1 to 4 pm
Where: Anacostia Park (Good Hope Road and Anacostia Drive SE)
Who: FREE and open to the public
For more information: bridgepark.org/ARF
What’s Happening:
In Anacostia Park
All activities are FREE. Reservations and water safety waivers must be completed before participating in either activity. Both can be obtained from the River Activities tent located on the festival grounds.
Free Fishing Workshop
Let’s reel it in at the Anacostia Park! Friends of Anacostia Park (FOAP) will be hosting free fishing workshops. All gear, including rods, reels, bait, and tackle, will be provided by and staff will be on hand to instruct and help anglers new and old.
*minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Free Canoe Ride
Join the Anacostia Watershed Society for a canoe ride of the river! You will have the opportunity to witness some of the river’s wildlife and learn how the river has rebounded over the past decade. This is a family-friendly activity open to all ages with no prerequisite skills required.
DC River Fest Stage
1:00 PM US Navy Band
1:10 PM Eastern Band & Unity Thunder Vintage Car Parade
1:30 PM New Impressionz Band
2:20 PM Spoken Word to Go Go Semi-Finals
sounds provided by The Experience Band
2:50 PM Anacostia Park Oral History Project
3:00 PM Sirius Company Ft. Scooby & Ms. Kim Band Performance
On Good Hope Road
Verbal Gymnastics
Hunny Bunny Boutique
Nubian Hueman
WHUR
Capital One Café
& Food Trucks!
11th Street Bridge Park will host an East of the River Market. The market will include local businesses and food vendors.
Getting There:
Metro:
Exit at the Anacostia Metro Station on the green line. There will be a free shuttle from the Anacostia Metro Station near the Howard Road exit on the Cherry Blossom themed circulator bus that will drop visitors off at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. and Good Hope Road SE just outside the festival.
Bike Access:
Capital Bikeshare service is available at Anacostia Metro Station, Good Hope Road SE across from the Anacostia Arts Center and at the Anacostia Park Recreation Center. Free bike valet available just inside the festival near Good Hope Road SE.
Parking:
Free parking is available at the Anacostia Metro Station lot. Free parking is also available at the Anacostia Skate Pavilion with a shuttle down to the Anacostia Recreation Center just outside of the festival ground. Please note that paid parking lots are available in the Anacostia and Navy Yard neighborhoods.
What to Bring:
Visitors are encouraged to bring water or fill their reusable water bottles at free filling stations. There will be food for sale at food trucks in the park along Good Hope Road and at restaurants in historic Anacostia, but feel free to bring a picnic or snacks. Blankets or lawn chairs are encouraged to watch stage performances. Dogs on leash are allowed in Anacostia Park and owners are responsible for picking up waste.
What Not to Bring:
No alcohol or firearms are allowed in Anacostia Park.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service