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Hi Jenni,
It's another wonderful week to visit the Park! Get in touch with your local arts community by attending a social dance, taking a class or workshop, visiting a gallery, or seeing a children's theater performance—so many great options! Plus, be sure to mark your calendars for August 6, when registration for Fall & Winter 2025-2026 classes opens! Check out the Fall & Winter 2025-26 digital catalog.
Tomorrow night brings another Introduction to Contra Dance class with Penelope Weinberger in the Ballroom Back Room. Drop in to one or more of our Wednesday night classes to get ready for a social dance!
Thursday evening, Halley's Hot Gumbo Swingtet joins us for a FREE Summer Concert, playing traditional jazz styles from Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller and Benny Goodman. With six musicians including vocalists, horn, and rhythm sections, The Swingtet performs crowd pleasers for listening audiences and dancers! The Summer Concert series runs Thursday nights, June 12 – August 21, rain or shine in the Bumper Car Pavilion. Beer, wine, soft drinks, and snacks will be for sale, courtesy of Praline; bringing your own alcohol is not permitted. Limited seating is available, so feel free to bring folding chairs, or get up on your feet and dance!
This Friday night is the final Art Walk in the Park of the season! Join us for an evening of open studios & galleries, art sales, and demonstrations. Plus, we're excited to present three new exhibitions in the Partnership Galleries—The Art of the Art Clinic Online, Dominie Nash's Once and Again, and Mak Dehejia's Tranquil Vistas. Light refreshments will be provided.
Friday evening also brings a jazz trio performance presented by the Washington Conservatory of Music (WCM). After taking in the exhibitions and demos at Art Walk, make your way over to the Ballroom Back Room to enjoy a rich blend of jazz standards and spontaneous improvisation. Featuring WCM Faculty Member Marty Nau (saxophone), Robert Redd (piano), and Tommy Cecil (bass), this trio provides live music that audiences love, whether you’re a jazz aficionado or just looking for a fun night out!
This weekend, be sure to stop by the Yellow Barn Gallery for the International Workshops Painting Show, open Saturday & Sunday only! Celebrate this wonderful exhibition with an Artist Reception Saturday evening.
There's still one more month of Summer Camp fun! Check out our new Camps video to get a sense of the new creative camps offered each week and register your Happy Camper today!
Calling all artists! It's your last week to submit your entries for the 54th Annual Labor Day Art Show. The deadline for submission of applications is Monday, August 4, 2025 at 11:59pm EST. Don't miss your chance to be a part of one of the largest art shows in the Washington D.C. area, featuring the work of more than 300 artists!
Read on for more about these and other happenings this week, including upcoming classes, exhibitions, and social dances. We can't wait to see you at the Park soon, and as always, we appreciate your support!
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Share Your Voice!
Take the Montgomery County Cultural Plan Community Survey
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The Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County seeks your input to help shape the future of creative and cultural expression in Montgomery County. | | | |
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SPRING/SUMMER
CLASSES & CAMPS
Register Today!
| Visit our website for information on registering. Learn more >> | | | | |
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PRIVATE RENTALS
at Glen Echo Park
| Host your next corporate gathering, wedding, bar or bat mitzvah, birthday celebration, retirement party, or family reunion at Glen Echo Park! | | | | | | |
Our fun and affordable social dances are open to the public with no prior experience or partner required. When we say we offer something for everyone, we're not kidding! Styles range from folk, blues, and contra to waltz, swing, tango and ballroom ... and more!
New dancers are always welcome, and a pre-dance, introductory lesson is included with admission. Most dances feature live music by renowned local and national bands.
| | We were thrilled to have our social dance program featured in a wonderful piece about dancing in the DMV by WAMU's Matt Blitz, and we heartily agree that "[Glen Echo Park is] a haven for the performing arts." (and visual arts, too!) Listen to it here >> | | |
Blues Dance* with Capital Blues
July 31 | 7:00pm - 11:30pm | Ballroom Back Room
Capital Blues! On Thursday nights dancers converge upon the Back Room at Glen Echo Park for the best in DJ’ed Blues dances in the Washington, D.C. area. This week, visiting instructor Kenneth Shipp will teach two lessons: an intermediate lesson from 7:00pm to 8:00pm ($20 at the door, no pre-registration) and a beginner-friendly lesson from 8:15pm to 9:00pm ($10 at the door, no pre-registration) Paying for either class gets you into the dance for free! Then, from 9:00pm to 11:30pm, enjoy a Blues Dance DJ'd by Amanda Comi and Sacha ($10 entry). No partner or prior experience is required!
Learn More >>
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Tango/Milonga Dance* with Tango Brillante
August 3 | 6:30pm - 11:00pm | Ballroom Back Room
Join Tango Brillante for Tango & Milonga lessons and a Social Dance with live music! The evening starts off with a Tango lesson at 6:30pm, followed by a Milonga lesson at 7:30pm. Enjoy a lively Social Dance from 8:30pm to 11:00pm, featuring live Tango music by Ramon Gonzalez and Emmanuel Trifilio.
Learn More >>
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Also Check Out this Week ...
Introduction to Contra Dance with Penelope Weinberger | International Folk Dance* with Dancing Planet | Contra Dance and Occasional Squares* with Friday Night Dancers | ABC's of Ballroom Dancing Workshop | Swing Dance* with Gottaswing
*Includes beginner lesson & social dance
Partnership-presented social dance or class
Dance class (no social dance)
View the full dance calendar >>
| | | Save the date! Registration for Fall & Winter 2025-2026 classes will open on August 6 at 10am. | | | | Glen Echo Park is your go-to place for classes & camps in visual arts, dance, music, and more! We offer a wide array of classes and workshops for children, teens, and adults, as well as camps for children & teens. We also present nature & aquatic life programs for kids. | | FEATURED ADULT & TEEN CLASSES | | | |
The Romantics: Groovy Beads Workshop
August 2 | Saturday @ 10:30am - 4:30pm (one day) | Silver Works Studio 2
Craft sterling silver beads to wear on a cord or wire. You will learn the process of making hollow spheres and cylinders. Make the beads uniquely yours with texturing techniques. Skills used will be sawing, texturing, drilling, forming, soldering, and finishing. Must have completed Discover Silversmithing 1 and 2 or Silver Saturday 1 and 2. Material fee $20.
More info: silverworksglenechopark.com. Minimum age 13. 1 session.
Learn More & Register >>
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Foxtrot Workshop
August 4 | Monday @ 7:00pm - 9:00pm (one day) | Ballroom Back Room
Foxtrot is the epitome of grace and elegance—it was the foundation dance for Fred & Ginger. Refresh the basics, then move on to new variations & alternate rhythms. Perfect both for newcomers and for those who are looking to brush up what they've previously learned or add some new moves, polish up their style, or integrate Foxtrot with swing. No partner required.
More info: 301.448.0066. Minimum age: 13. 1 session.
Learn More & Register >>
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Portraying Animals
Begins August 4 | Mondays @ 4:00pm - 6:30pm | Yellow Barn Studio
Want to get better at drawing your pet? Class is focused entirely on animal art: subjects like dogs, ducks, other domestic or wildlife. Draw in black & white or color pencil, pastel, watercolor, or oil paint. If using watercolor or oils, best if student has some prior experience. All levels.
More info & supplies: modernamericanartist@gmail.com. Minimum age 14. 4 sessions.
Learn More & Register >>
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Dips, Drops & Fancy Footwork Workshop
August 11 | Monday @ 7:00pm - 9:00pm (one day) | Ballroom Back Room
Add some extra pizzazz to your swing dancing! We will offer step-by-step instruction and proper technique, so you can safely execute those moves that make people say "Wow!". Partner recommended. For intermediate level dancers and above.
More info: 301.448.0066. Minimum age: 13. 1 session.
Learn More & Register >>
| | | CHILDREN & TEEN CLASSES & CAMPS | | |
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CALL FOR ENTRIES
54th Annual Labor Day Art Show
Deadline for entry is August 4, 2025
We are now inviting artists to submit entries for the 54th Annual Labor Day Art Show, a Glen Echo Park tradition that features a wide range of local artists and brings thousands of art enthusiasts to the Park every year.
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2025 SUMMER CAMPS
Registration is open and ongoing!
Let your child spark their creativity and develop their artistic skills in a fun, non-competitive environment with classes in:
Aquatic Life & Nature | Arts & Media | Dance & Movement | Drawing, Painting & Crafts | Fused Glass | Music | Theater | & More!
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| Ride the Dentzel carousel | |
$2.00 per ride | $5.00 for an all-day pass
Join us for a ride on one of the greater Washington area’s true treasures! Tickets are available for purchase in person at the box office across from the carousel and online. It's a piece of art you can ride!
| | | | CHILDREN & TEEN CLASSES & CAMPS | | | Save the date! Registration for Fall & Winter 2025-2026 classes will open on August 6 at 10am. | |
Praline Cafe
Monday - Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday - Friday: 10am - 4pm
Saturday & Sunday: 10am - midnight
*open for dances and special events beyond these hours*
Stop by Praline, located in the Spanish Ballroom wing closest to the playground, for sandwiches, pastries, snacks, and drinks! More Information >>
| | | The Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council (msac.org) and also by funding from the Montgomery County government and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (creativemoco.com). All programs are produced in cooperation with the National Park Service and Montgomery County, Maryland. | | | | |
