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Greetings!
This week Summer Concerts go out with a bang, social dances are in full swing (pun intended!), and our galleries are showcasing exhibitions by local artists. Plus, a local tradition returns to the Park with the Washington Folk Festival, a staple of the region for more than 40 years.
Expect a jam-packed roster full of dancing, storytelling, and music ranging from American to International styles at the Washington Folk Festival on Sunday. You’ll hear bluegrass, Celtic, Americana, blues, and Zydeco, as well as folk music from around the world including a special Middle Eastern spotlight this year. Six stages, including a family-focused, kid-friendly dedicated area, hundreds of performers, food trucks (twice as many as last year!), a picnic area, and FREE admission!
But before we welcome back the Folk Festival, we've got a full week of activities, inlcuding classes, workshops, dances, Dance for PD®, and more!
| | We're thrilled to welcome an incredible artist to the Park for a very special Honky Tonk Dance this Friday! Agalisiga "The Chuj" Mackey is a Cherokee singer/songwriter who grew up in the small traditional Cherokee community of Kenwood, OK. Mackey will perform with a full country band including Bryan McDowell, Ahren Buchheister, Alex Lacquement, and Chuck Navyac. Expect to hear country music sung in Cherokee that sounds like it was written in the 70s! A free beginner lesson in two-step will be included with admission, led by Alex Lacquement of Baltimore Honky Tonk. Never done two-step? Don't be shy to try! It's a very beginner-friendly dance. | |
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Get your salsa and bachata on at a Friday-night ¡Música! Latin Dance Social! And keep an eye on our dance calendar to find even more opportunities to move.
Over the weekend, be sure to stop by the Yellow Barn Gallery to view people and things, an exhibition of oil painting by Jamin Hoyle, open Saturday & Sunday only. A reception will be held Saturday evening. It's also the final weekend to catch Summer School 2026 in the Photoworks gallery, a juried exhibition curated by Gayle Rothschild that celebrates the remarkable talent, creativity, and diverse perspectives of Photoworks students and members of the greater photography community.
Adventure Theatre MTC's production of Sleeping Beauty: The Time Traveller closes on Sunday. Rolly’s ordinary summer takes an extraordinary twist when he’s whisked back in time to the Age of Charlemagne! There, he meets Aurora, a bold 12-year-old princess with dreams of knighthood and adventure beyond her castle walls. Can Rolly and Aurora outsmart fate and find their happily ever after?
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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BEST OF BETHESDA
Polls are open!
Voting ends September 7
Cast your vote for Glen Echo Park in KIDS & SCHOOLS, WEDDINGS & EVENTS, and THINGS TO DO! We were a multi-category winner last year, so let's keep the momentum going!
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STEP RIGHT UP....
Help us reach our goal! We're looking for 1,000 fans of Glen Echo Park to donate $10 more in support of FREE programs at the Park.
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Interested in presenting your program at Glen Echo Park in 2027?
- Social Dance
- Live Music Events
- Educational Dance or Movement Programs
- Health and Wellness Activities
- Pop-up Events
Due Friday, October 2, 2026 at 5pm EST
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FALL/WINTER
CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Register Today!
Visit our website for information on registering. Learn more >>
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Sensory-Friendly Hours
at the Dentzel carousel
Weekly on Wednesdays | 10am - 11am
Plus Select Weekend Dates | 11am - 1pm
No lights, recorded music at a lower volume, slower AND shorter rides, more time between rides, doors open 15 minutes early.
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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!
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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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¡MÚSICA! LATIN DANCE SOCIAL! with Moxie Movement Dance Company
August 21 | 7:30pm - 12:30am | Ballroom Back Room
We hope you'll join us for a ¡Música! Latin Dance Social! Two lessons are offered by instructor Amber Logan prior to the social: a fiery salsa class from 7:30pm to 8:15pm and a sensational bachata lesson from 8:15pm to 9:00pm. All levels are welcome. The social, where everyone dances together, starts after the two 45-minute lessons at 9:00pm, with DJ Sidekick spinning the best salsa and bachata songs until 12:30am!
Learn More >> | Purchase Tickets >>
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THIS WEEK: AT-A-GLANCE
DANCE FOR PD® | FOLK DANCE* with Dancing Planet | KPOP POP-UP SUMMER SESSION | BLUES DANCE* with Capital Blues | CONTRA DANCE & OCCASIONAL SQUARES* with Friday Night Dancers | LATIN DANCE* (¡Música! Latin Dance Social!) with Moxie Movement Dance Company | HONKY TONK DANCE* with Agalisiga Mackey & a full country band | SWING DANCE* with DCLX | NO TANGO (Washington Folk Festival)
*Includes beginner lesson & social dance
KEY:
bold = Partnership-presented social dance or class/workshop
italics = Dance class/workshop (no social dance)
underline= Free for all ages or free for kids
View the full dance calendar >>
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Want to dance for FREE?
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! To volunteer, please send an email to volunteer@glenechopark.org | Learn More >>
| | | | | | 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 | | |
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Advanced: Film Black and White Printing
Begins September 3 |Thursdays @ 7:00pm - 9:30pm | Photoworks Studio
This class will focus on taking your black and white techniques to the next level. In this class, students are welcome to use older negatives or shoot new ones. Beyond burning and dodging, you'll learn to use split filtering, flashing paper, water baths, and toning. Resin-coated paper is okay for this class, but fiber-based paper is preferred. More info: robb@robbhill.com. Minimum age 18. 6 sessions.
Learn More & Register >>
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Introduction to Music Theory
Begins September 6 | Sundays @ 3:00pm - 4:00pm | Washington Conservatory of Music
This course offers a clear and approachable introduction to the fundamental elements of music, ideal for those with little or no prior experience. Through listening, writing, and hands-on exercises, students learn the basics of reading and understanding music—notation, rhythm, scales, chords, and more. The course explores both classical and popular styles and helps students apply theory in creative and practical ways, including short composition projects and simple analysis. Open to all, no prior experience required. More info: washingtonconservatory.org 301.634.2550. Instructor email jpbesingrand@gmail.com. Minimum age 16. 10 sessions.
Learn More & Register >>
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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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55th Annual Labor Day Art Show
September 5 - 7, 2026 | 12pm - 6pm
Opening Reception: September 4 | 7pm - 9pm
Join us for one of the largest art shows in the Washington D.C. area, featuring the work of more than 400 artists from the mid-Atlantic region. For more than half a century the Labor Day Art Show has been enjoyed by thousands, from art collectors to casual viewers. Don't miss this amazing show!
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Let your child spark their creativity and develop their artistic skills in a fun, non-competitive environment!
Learn More About Children's Classes >>
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Stop Motion Animation (Ages 13-17)
Begins September 3 | Thursdays @ 6:30pm - 8:30pm | the Puppet Co.
Learn and explore the essentials of this exciting and patient art form as part of our new journey through puppetry. Throughout the course, each student will have the opportunity to experiment with puppet fabrication, set fabrication, puppet animation, and film techniques. The course will culminate in a final group project in which each student will contribute their own fabrication and animation sensibilities while working together to tell a story. More info: box.office@thepuppetco.org. 6 sessions.
Learn More & Register >>
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Stop Motion Animation (Ages 7-12)
Begins September 2 | Wednesdays @ 4:00pm - 6:00pm | the Puppet Co.
Learn and explore the essentials of this exciting and patient art form as part of our new journey through puppetry. Throughout the course, each student will have the opportunity to experiment with puppet fabrication, set fabrication, puppet animation, and film techniques. The course will culminate in a final group project in which each student will contribute their own fabrication and animation sensibilities while working together to tell a story. More info: box.office@thepuppetco.org. 10 sessions.
Learn More & Register >>
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Praline Cafe
Monday - Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday - Friday: 10:00am - 4:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: 10:00am - 7:00pm
*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. | | | | |
