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Hi Jenni,
It's a jam packed week at the Park! Artist talks, closing receptions, dance fitness, children's theater, FREE concerts, & more. There's plenty of activities to pick from and we haven't even gotten to our spring & summer special events yet! Stay tuned for next week's newsletter to hear all about the Carousel Day festivities we've got planned. We can't wait!
This week, there are two great artist talks to attend! Thursday evening, the Park's resident photography program Photoworks presents a virtual artist talk with featured student artists from Ready For It, an exhibition of student photography on view in the Photoworks gallery. More details below in the "Featured" section. Saturday morning, Stone Tower Studio's Art Clinic Online (ACO) presents a virtual Artist Discussion with Kate Fleming, an Arlington-based painter and printmaker. Kate traveled to and documented all 50 states between 2019 and 2021, producing small, plein-air oil paintings that capture the human-built American landscape.
Adventure Theatre MTC's production of Charlotte's Web opens Friday, a timeless tale celebrating the power of friendship and the enduring impact of kindness. Watch Charlotte on her mission to save Wilbur with the unveiling of her miraculous web! Tickets are on sale now and FREE tickets for federal workers who have been furloughed or laid-off are available for an April 27 performance.
Take a closer look at the incredible story of the 1960 protests that resulted in the integration of Glen Echo Amusement Park in 1961. The Sebrof Forbes Cultural Arts Center is hosting a special screening of Ain't No Back to a Merry Go-Round followed by a post-film discussion led by Juneteenth Celebration Founder Jaime Boston. Plus, there are some opportunites coming up at the Park to celebrate this important film! On May 17, director Ilana Trachtman will be honored at our annual Gala in the Park with the Friend of the Park–Advocacy Award. On June 28, join us for the first ever screenings of Ain't No Back to a Merry Go-Round at the Park, as part of Montgomery County Heritage Days.
This weekend is your last chance to catch Lesley Clarke and Hernan Murno's Transcending Time: Exploring the Beauty of Landscapes and Landmarks in the Park View Gallery and Rowena Federico Finn's Pieced / Pierced in the Stone Tower Gallery. Plus, we hope you'll be our guest Sunday evening for a closing reception in the Popcorn Gallery celebrating the 2025 Barn Studio Instructors Exhibition.
A new round of Partnership Gallery exhibitions will open on May 2, during the first Art Walk in the Park of the year. On the first Friday in May, June, and August, the Partnership hosts open studios and artist demonstrations in the Park's many visual arts studios and galleries. Each month's Art Walk features different activities, including hands-on art projects and/or artist demonstrations.
This weekend is DCLX's Jump for Joy, an annual, not-to-be-missed swing dance event bringing together dancers from all over the world to dance to some of the best live swing music DC has to offer! Friday through Sunday, dance along to an incredible lineup of bands. Tickets are going fast! Presale tickets are still available for select dances, plus a limited number of at-the-door tickets.
Read on for more of this week's happenings, 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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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
April 24 | 8:15pm - 11:30pm | Ballroom Back Room
Capital Blues! On Thursday nights dancers converge upon the Back Room at Glen Echo Park for the best Blues dances in the Washington, D.C. area. Admission is $10 per person at the door via cash or credit. Enjoy a 45-minute lesson followed by 2.5 hours of dancing to live music!
Learn More >>
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Contra Dance & Occasional Squares with Friday Night Dancers
April 25 | 7:30pm - 11:00pm | Bumper Car Pavilion
DC's favorite caller of contras and singing squares Janine Smith will call to music by The Hollertones! featuring Paul Brown (banjo & mandolin), Linda Scutt (fiddle), Jeanie Theiken Creamer (guitar), Nick Weiland (upright bass). The Friday, dancers will be catching those warm spring breezes in the delightful Bumper Car Pavilion at Glen Echo. The lesson is at 7:30 pm, the dancing starts at 8:00 pm and goes until 11:00 pm.
Learn More & Purchase Tickets >>
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Also Check Out this Week ...
International Folk Dance* with Dancing Planet | DanceFit: Shake Your Soul | DanceFit: Bollywood & Bhangra | Ballroom Dance * with Ballroom Time | DCLX* 2025: Jump For Joy | NO TANGO THIS WEEK
*Includes beginner lesson & social dance
Partnership Dance Class Series
View the full dance calendar >>
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Gala in the Park
Disco Afterparty
Saturday, May 17
Boogie on down to the 🪩 Disco Afterparty, a dance celebration like no other! Let's dance the night away for a great cause—supporting the Park you love!
| | | | | | 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 | | | |
Introduction to Screenprinting Workshop
May 4 | Sunday @ 1:00pm - 4:30pm (one day) | Arcade Building Room 203
Learn the basics of screenprinting! Use a simple stencil-making process that allows you to start working quickly and experience the addictive fun of screen printing. You will learn how to prepare images by cutting a stencil and printing a single color (layer) with water-based inks on paper. Each student will leave with several prints of their design, along with their very own silkscreen to keep! A $60 materials fee payable to instructor in the classroom (Venmo/Zelle preferred) Beginners welcome.
More info: clarewinslow1@gmail.com. Minimum age 16. 1 session.
Learn More & Register >>
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Layered Paper Art Workshop: The Beach
May 10 | Saturday @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm (one day) } Arcade Building Rooms 202 & 203
Join a fun workshop where you will create a textured work of paper art that captures the mood and beauty of the beach! The water, the waves, the sand, umbrellas, grasses and dunes? Create textured and unique art as you rip, cut, manipulate, and glue layers of paper to an 8” x 10” stretched canvas. Supplies provided, and supply fee of $45 to be paid to instructor on first day of workshop.
More info: RonniJolles.com; RonniJolles@gmail.com. Minimum age 14; age 10 and up if accompanied by an adult. 1 session.
Learn More & Register >>
| | | FEATURED CHILDREN & TEEN CLASSES | | |
Exhibit your work at Glen Echo Park! | Glen Echo Park Partnership Galleries requests exhibition proposals from artists and curators for the Popcorn Gallery, Stone Tower Gallery, and Park View Gallery for the calendar year 2026. Exhibition proposals must be submitted by June 5, 2025 at 11:59pm EST. | | | | | | | |
Tiny Tots
Ongoing | the Puppet Co.
Designed for children 18 months to 4 years old, ongoing Tiny Tots shows offer a viewing atmosphere especially suited for young theatre patrons. All Tiny Tots shows feature: 30 minute runtime, no dark room, no loud noises, and open theater doors.
Purchase Tickets >>
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Applause Unlimited presents: The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen
March 29 - April 27 | the Puppet Co.
Applause Unlimited celebrates one of the 20th century’s greatest storytellers with their award-winning show, The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen. Filled with humor and messages suitable for all ages, this show presents stories that grandparents will recognize, parents will love to share, and every child will long remember.
Purchase Tickets >>
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Charlotte's Web
April 25 - May 25 | Adventure Theatre MTC
Charlotte’s mission to save Wilbur unfolds with the unveiling of her miraculous web, adorned with the proclamation “Some pig.” Thus begins a triumphant crusade, culminating in Wilbur’s salvation and a poignant gesture honoring Charlotte’s legacy. This timeless tale celebrates the power of friendship and the enduring impact of kindness, promising both actors and audience an enchanting afternoon filled with warmth and wonder.
Purchase Tickets >>
| | | FEATURED CHILDREN & TEEN CLASSES | | | |
Teen Portfolio Development (Ages 14-17)
Begins May 3 | Saturdays @ 2:00pm - 4:00pm | Yellow Barn Studio
A creative afternoon class tailored for teens working on AP-level portfolios. With guidance from an experienced AP art teacher, students can explore diverse materials and techniques, focusing on personal artistic growth. Ideal for refining skills and building a strong, well-rounded portfolio. Materials list will be given out on the first day of class, some materials will be provided. Intermediate experience recommended.
More info: emma.p.stevenson@gmail.com. Ages 14-17. 5 sessions.
Learn More & Register >>
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Nature-Inspired Art & Artists Classes – Klee and Khalo (Ages 5– 8)
Begins May 4 | Sundays @ 1:30pm - 3:00pm | Arcade Building Room 303
Discover the world of nature-inspired art and artists. Outdoor mini adventures in the park combined with classroom creativity. Learn about Paul Klee and Frida Khalo! We will learn about the artists and find our own inspirations to make our own mixed media artwork.
More info: sarah.m.rizk@gmail.com. 2 sessions.
Learn More & Register >>
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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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Praline Cafe
Monday - Friday: Closed
Saturday & Sunday: 11am - 7pm
*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. | | | | |
