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Hi Jenni,
Happy April 1st! It may be April Fools Day, but we're not kidding about the great programming at Glen Echo Park this week! From history tours to dance fitness, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Our monthly Bumper Car Squares Dances are now on Thursday nights! Get your dance weekend started early this Thursday with an evening of square dancing to live music by Vandalia, with calling by Caroline Barnes. We'll dance the night away under the Bumper Car Pavilion's twinkling lights!
DanceFit for Body & Mind is back in April with two returning favorites on Saturday mornings: Shake Your Soul and Bollywood & Bhangra. (Plus, a special Movement Improvisation class on April 12 in the 10am slot, while Shake Your Soul takes a break.) Drop in and try any—or all!—of these fun dance fitness classes. Although bringing a friend is always welcome, a partner is never needed for any of our DanceFit classes, just come ready to move & groove.
On Saturday morning, take a journey through time with a Glen Echo Park Civil Rights and History Tour. Join a National Park Service ranger on a free 45-minute walking tour and hear stories from the Park's history, including the 1960 civil rights protests to desegregate Glen Echo Amusement Park. No registration required, just meet at the Dentzel Carousel at 10:00am.
Photoworks Gallery, the Park's resident photography program, invites you to the Opening Reception of Ready For It, an exhibition of student work. Featuring students from four local high schools—Holton-Arms School, Poolesville High School, The Siena School, and Walter Johnson High School—these photographs represent the students' interpretation of the theme and their individual perspectives.
Sunday afternoon, Washington Conservatory of Music (WCM) presents an OFFSITE Concerto Showcase & Concert. Experience a powerful afternoon of music, beginning with an intimate chamber music showcase, followed by the thrilling Concerto Finalists Performance featuring standout WCM soloists—accompanied by the full Accord Symphony Orchestra!
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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Join Our Summer Staff!
Check out our new job postings and apply to work in operations, on the carousel, for our summer camps, in exhibitions, and summer support staff!
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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 >> | | |
Viennese Waltz Workshop with Dance Sport Endurance
April 5 | 2:30pm - 5:00pm | Spanish Ballroom
Learn basics of social Viennese Waltz in this workshop with Todd and Migle which includes lessons and supervised and assisted dancing.Todd and Migle have performed solo at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, the Kennedy Center, the Austrian Embassy, and the White House, and have taught hundreds of waltz camps and workshops. They love sharing social dance skills and look forward to teaching dance in the Spanish Ballroom! Schedule: 2:30pm - 2:45pm Social dance warmup | 2:45pm - 4:30pm Lesson | 4:30pm - 5:00pm Supervised, Assisted Dancing.
Learn More & Purchase Tickets >>
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Country Two-Step & Line Dance with DC Rawhides
April 5 | 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Bumper Car Pavilion
Join us for DC Rawhides' dance at the Park! An inclusive, diverse, affirming, fun, high energy LGBTQ+ dance, where all are welcome, structured so all levels of dancers, including beginners, can participate. We dance two-step, west coast, waltz, and line dances to country western and contemporary music. A free dance lesson is included with the price of admission from 7:00pm - 8:00pm.
Learn More & Purchase Tickets >>
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Also Check Out this Week ...
International Folk Dance* with Dancing Planet | Bumper Car Squares Dance* | Blues Dance* with Capital Blues | Contra Dance & Occasional Squares* with Friday Night Dancers | DanceFit: Shake Your Soul | DanceFit: Bollywood & Bhangra | Swing Dance* with Gottaswing | Waltz Dance* with Waltz Time | Tango/Milonga Dance* with Tango Brillante
*Includes beginner lesson & social dance
Partnership Dance Class Series
View the full dance calendar >>
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VOLUNTEER FOR PARTNERSHIP DANCES
We need volunteers at many of our dances! Volunteer for one hour, to either help set up or break down for a dance or event, and gain free admission to the dance or event!
UPCOMING DATES: March 21 Back Room Salsa Night, April 3 Bumper Car Squares
To volunteer, please send an email to volunteer@glenechopark.org.
| | | | 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 | | | |
Explorations in Oil and Cold Wax Painting
Begins April 17 | Thursdays @ 4:00pm - 6:30pm | Yellow Barn Studio
The oil and cold wax medium allows the artist to build layers, creating luminous and textural works that intrigue the viewer. In this class you will learn to use the tools and techniques that are unique to this medium. While students will bring the basic supplies, the instructor will provide the tools and a variety of materials that allow the student to learn what this medium can do without a big investment. Supply list provided. All levels.
More info: rhughesfineart@gmail.com. Minimum age 16. 6 sessions.
Learn More & Register >>
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Layered Paper Art Workshop: Trees in Springtime
April 19 | Saturday @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm (one day) | Arcade Building Rooms 202 & 203
Learn a fun and playful paper art form in this workshop, where we will use Trees in Springtime as our inspiration. You will use various kinds of paper to create a textured and unique piece of art. You will rip, cut, manipulate, and glue layers of paper to an 8” x 10” stretched canvas. Supplies provided, and supply fee of $25 to be paid to instructor at start 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'S 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 theatre doors. In March Tiny Tots will feature Penny's Puppets in Farmer Frager and the Bunny and Jennie the Lucky Cat.
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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Nature-Inspired Art & Artists Classes – Harper and Monet (Ages 5 – 8)
Begins April 12 | Saturdays @ 10:30am - 12:00pm | Arcade Building Room 303
Discover the world of nature-inspired art and artists. Each session will include outdoor mini adventures in the park combined with classroom creativity. We will focus on a different artist - each week - including Charley Harper and Claude Monet and Louise Bourgeois! For instance, we'll learn how Charley Harper and his use of geometric shapes to create beautiful birds. We will study shapes and practice our cutting and gluing skills to create our own Harper-inspired bird collages.
More info: sarah.m.rizk@gmail.com. 2 sessions.
Learn More & Register >>
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Parent & Teen Suminagashi Paper Marbling Workshop (Ages 11-15)
April 12 | Saturday @ 1:00pm - 3:00pm (one day) | Arcade Building Rooms 202 & 203
Do you love experimenting with new art materials? Then this day of creating is for you and your kiddo. Try the Japanese Suminagashi technique of marbleizing paper. Make frame-worthy art and memories, too. All supplies are included in the tuition. Tuition covers one parent/guardian and child pair.
More info: emma.p.stevenson@gmail.com. 1 session.
Learn More & Register >>
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SPRING BREAK & SUMMER CAMPS
Browse the camps section of the Spring/Summer 2025 digital catalog. 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. | | | | |
