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Hi Jenni,
July is a great time to visit the Park! The whole family will love riding our historic Dentzel carousel, enjoying the magic of children's theater, or visiting creatures of the Chesapeake Bay at the aquarium. Plus, you can express yourself creatively by trying a social dance, visiting open studios & galleries. or taking a class or workshop! Keep an eye on our events calendar to stay informed on the latest happenings at Glen Echo Park.
This Independence Day, catch the Washington Revels, one of our wonderful resident artists/organizations OFFSITE at the Takoma Park July 4th Parade! Revelers of all ages are invited to join the fun. No experience is necessary to participate in this colorful and lively parade.
The classic fairytale The Frog Prince opens Saturday at the Puppet Co. Guest artist Great Lakes National Puppet Theater presents the story of a prince who is placed under a spell by a wicked witch and can only be restored by the kiss of a beautiful princess. Featuring brilliantly crafted marionettes, theatrical lighting, and special effects, this is a production to remember!
Calling all musicians! Glen Echo Park resident artists at the Washington Conservatory of Music present a Chamber Music Intensive, beginning Monday. Join WCM for a dynamic five-day intensive designed for dedicated musicians to refine their ensemble skills, receive expert coaching, and collaborate in an inspiring setting. Hosted by WCM’s own Jovan Zivkovic and Becky Johnson, the program culminates in a final performance, showcasing the progress and artistry developed throughout the week.
Summer Camps are in full swing! Each week from June 16 - August 22, we have new creative camps in visual arts, music, theater, puppetry, and nature & aquatic life. So if you haven't already registered your Happy Camper, don't worry!—you still can! Most camps run 9am – 3pm, with After Camp available to extend your camper's day until 6pm. Browse the camps catalog to find the perfect fit.
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 >> | | |
International Folk Dance* with Dancing Planet
July 2 | 7:30pm - 10:00pm | Bumper Car Pavilion
Glen Echo International Folk Dancers presents a weekly folk dance. Learn dances from Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Armenia, Croatia, Serbia, and more. Specialties are great music, fun dances, and nice dancers. Tickets are $10. 7:30pm - 8:30pm Intermediate/Advanced Class; 8:30pm - 10:00pm open request dancing
Learn More >>
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Blues Dance* with Capital Blues
July 3 | 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 in DJ’ed 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 with fantastic DJs!
Learn More >>
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Tango/Milonga Dance* with Tango Brillante
July 6 | 6:30pm - 11:00pm | Ballroom Back Room
Join Tango Brillante for Tango & Milonga lessons and a Social Dance to 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 8:30 to 11:00pm. Live music by Ramon Gonzalez and Emmanuel Trifilio!
Learn More >>
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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: July 18 Back Room Salsa Night, July 19 Bachata y más
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 | | | |
Birds! Sketching & Painting
Begins July 10 | Thursdays @ 1:00pm - 6:00pm | ONLINE
Enjoy painting and sketching birds- including birds from my visit to New Zealand! Explore a variety of mediums- graphite, watercolors, ink, water soluble pastel and acrylics. Instructor will email supply list. All skill levels.
More info: marcieplusart@gmail.com. Minimum age 14. 4 sessions.
Learn More & Register >>
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Layered Paper Art Workshop: European Townhouses
July 12 | Saturday @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm (one day) | Arcade Building Rooms 202 & 203
Join a fun workshop where you will create paper artwork, inspired by European Townhouses. You will use various kinds of paper gathered from all over the world, and with those papers, create a textured and unique art. You will rip, cut, manipulate, and glue layers of paper to an 8” x 10” 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 & 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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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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The Lightning Thief
June 27 – August 17 | Adventure Theatre MTC
This dynamic musical adaptation of Rick Riordan’s bestselling book opened on Broadway in 2019. When teenager Percy Jackson discovers he’s a demigod, he and his friends embark on an epic journey to find Zeus’ missing lightning bolt and prevent a war among the gods.
Purchase Tickets >>
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Great Lakes National Puppet Theater presents: The Frog Prince
July 5 - July 20 | the Puppet Co.
Great Lakes National Puppet Theater presents another classic fairytale. “The Frog Prince”, was first published in Germany, in 1812 by the Brothers Grimm. It is the story of a prince, who is placed under a spell by a wicked witch and can only be restored by the kiss of a beautiful princess. Performed using brilliantly crafted marionettes, as well as theatrical lighting and special effects, this production is perfect for school, library, theaters, and family series programming.
Purchase Tickets >>
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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!
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Drums, Drums, Drums! Camp (Ages 7-11)
Begins July 14 | Mon Tue Wed Th Fri @ 9:00am - 3:00pm | Washington Conservatory of Music
Rhythm: the heartbeat of music! Meet the beats of rock, pop, and jazz music through hands-on experience with various percussion instruments such as sticks, cymbals, boom whackers, buckets, and drum sets, too. All instruments provided.
More info: 301.320.2770; washingtonconservatory.org. 5 sessions.
Learn More & Register >>
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Sensational Sharks Camp (Ages 8-12) 7/14-7/18
Begins July 7 | Mon Tue Wed Th Fri @ 1:00pm - 3:00pm | Photoworks Studio
Discover sharks both big and small that call the Chesapeake Bay home. Become a shark detective and investigate how these perfect predators have survived longer than the dinosaurs! Search out all the amazing ways sharks sense their surroundings to find food and survive in the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. $50 non-refundable deposit is included in the tuition.
More info: info@GEPAquarium.org or 301.955.6256. 5 sessions.
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. | | | | |
