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Greetings!
Looking for a creative activity this fall? Stop by Glen Echo Park to catch a children's theater show, attend a social dance, visit a gallery, or take a class. Let's connect with the arts this autumn!
Thursday night, join the square dance celebration with a Bumper Car Squares dance! Pick from two beginner lessons: Intro to Square Dancing with caller Janine Smith, or Intro to Flatfoot Dancing taught by a member of Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble. Plus enjoy live music by Critton Hollow String Band, who are celebrating their 50th Anniversary!
Start your weekend off with a DanceFit: Shake Your Soul class. For the month of October, classes will meet in the Hall of Mirrors Dance Studio. No dance experience or partner needed, just come ready to move & groove. Drop in to any or all of these Saturday morning exercise classes for some mindful movement.
Open Saturday and Sunday only, be sure to stop by artist Bernard Tabourier's Yellow Barn Studio weekend exhibition to browse works by a local artist. Each weekend, from early spring through late winter, visit the Yellow Barn Gallery to view exhibitions showcasing painting and drawing work.
Read on for more details about these events plus 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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PRIVATE RENTALS
at Glen Echo Park
| Special Discount for Select 2026 Dates! | Planning a wedding, corporate gathering, or birthday celebration in the Spring? Many great dates are still available! Book a private rental any date in March or April 2026 or on a Friday or Sunday in May 2026 and mention the code [Spring2026] to receive a 10% discount. View the Venue Availability Calendar >> | Venue must be booked by December 31, 2025 to receive the discount. | | | |
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FALL/WINTER
CLASSES
Register Today!
| Visit our website for information on registering. Learn more >> | | | | | | | |
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.
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Balboa DJ Dance* with Gottaswing
October 10 | 8:30pm - 11:30pm | Ballroom Back Room
Dabe and Janelle’s popular monthly Balboa dance series continues! You’ll find this casual and friendly atmosphere is a great way to be introduced to this smooth style that’s perfect for dancing to fast music, but also great for playing with slower tempos. New and experienced dancers alike are welcome.
Learn More >>
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Cuban Dance* Workshop and Social with DC Casineros
October 11 | 2:00pm - 5:00pm | Spanish Ballroom
DC Casineros hosts a Cuban Dance Workshop and Social! Come join this amazing group in the historic Spanish Ballroom and dance Rueda de Casino!
Introducing a wide array of Cuban popular dances and structures that are also rooted in Afro-Cuban, Afro-Caribbean, and French/English contradances, participants will be able to connect group dances from different traditions. Praline Cafe will be open with a selection of sandwiches, snacks, and beverages.
Learn More >>
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THIS WEEK: AT-A-GLANCE
International Folk Dance* with Dancing Planet | Bumper Car Squares Dance* | Blues Dance* with Capital Blues | Contra Dance and Occasional Squares* with Friday Night Dancers | Balboa DJ Dance* with Gottaswing | DanceFit: Shake Your Soul | Cuban Dance* Workshop and Social with DC Casineros | Swing Dance* with Gottaswing | Second Sunday Barn Dance* with Folklore Society of Greater Washington | Ballroom Dance*with Ballroom Time | Tango/Milonga Dance* with Tango Brillante
*Includes beginner lesson & social dance
Partnership-presented social dance or class
Dance class (no social dance)
FREE for kids
View the full dance calendar >>
| | | | | | 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 | | | |
Folk Waltz Intermediate/Advanced
Begins October 27 | Mondays @ 7:15pm - 8:30pm | Ballroom Back Room
If you are comfortable with the skills and moves taught in our beginner/intermediate waltz series, or have attended at least four of our regular Sunday waltzes (lessons and dancing), this series will help you to the next level. You will focus on more challenging moves, learn 2-way communication between follows and leads, explore how to achieve greater musicality, and build a repertoire to interpret different tempos and styles of music. Anyone can lead, anyone can follow. No partner required but encouraged to enable ample practice opportunity. Arrive 5-10 minutes early to warm up for class at 7:15pm. Drop ins welcome ($17 per session).
More info: WaltzTimeLessons@gmail.com. Min age 17. 4 sessions.
Learn More & Register >>
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Elective: Developing Your Photographic Style
Begins October 29 | Wednesdays @ 7:30pm - 9:30pm | Photoworks Studio
Photographic style class begins with a concentration on Master Fine Art photographers. A list of masters will be discussed and each student will choose a master photographer, standing in his/her footsteps emulating style, content, and quality of light. Students will present a final set of images to peers and faculty. Resources are books, online researching, exhibits and videos.
More info: karenkeating5002@gmail.com. Min age 18. 6 sessions.
Learn More & Register >>
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Fall Frolic
October 25, 2025 | 1pm - 4pm
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Join us for some Halloween fun at Glen Echo Park with fall arts and crafts, Trick-or-Treating at resident resident art studios and galleries, a costume contest, and more! RSVP >>
RSVPs preferred, not required. There is no check-in at this event.
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Spooky Spiders, Bats & Spirits - Parent & Child Workshop (Ages 5-12)
October 19 (one day) | Sunday @ 1:00pm - 3:00pm | Crystal Pool Studio
What would Halloween be without a few spiders and spirits? Both the parent and child will create long-lasting 3-D characters that hang and crawl to disturb your guests on Halloween. Tuition covers one person. Adult and child must register separately under their own name. Supply fee is $10 per individual, payable to the instructor at the workshop.
More info: 301.980.1538; andrle@youngcreativespirit.org. 1 session.
Learn More & Register >>
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Nature-Inspired Art & Artists Workshop – Bourgeois (Ages 5 – 8)
October 26 (one day) | 2:00pm - 3:30pm | Crystal Pool Studio
Discover the world of nature-inspired art and artists with your child. Outdoor mini adventures in the park combined with classroom creativity. Learn about Louise Bourgeois and her giant spider sculptures! We will study the anatomy of spiders and practice our fine motor skills to make our own mixed media mini- spider sculptures.
More info: sarah.m.rizk@gmail.com; 240.346.7025. 1 session.
Learn More & Register >>
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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. | | | | |
