Summer in the City: Part Three
Free Outdoor Music
Oh, DC, as if you couldn’t get any better. Did you know that there are a LOT of locations to see great music…for free? That’s right! I’ve only found out within the last few years, and I’ve lived here for a long time. That being said, I want to share with you some of these locations so that you may enjoy these new-found (to me) gems of Washington, DC, outdoor, summer entertainment. Oh summertime, yes the living is easy.
Jazz in the Garden – Jazz in the Garden is a prime example of just how cool it is here in our Nation’s Capital. I mean, what could be better than sitting next to some awesome artwork, or on the edge of a fountain, sipping on some sangria (you can’t bring your own alcohol, but they do serve it there), enjoying a picnic you brought, and listening to some jazzy beats?! Not much, I’d say. But listening to that music for free? That takes the cake! It get’s pretty packed so I would come early if I were you. It’s located right in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden and is a beautiful venue for a bit of jazz. There is a show every Friday (excluding July 4th, 2014), from 5pm to 8:30pm all the way until the end of August. Great music, great time, and a great way to spend a Friday in the summer, right next to the National Mall. You can go here and find out more.
Hill Country’s Backyard Barbecue at the National Building Museum – You like live bluegrass music outdoors? How about some tasty summer BBQ? Cold beverages on a hot day? Well if any of that is appealing to you, I suggest you go here! From margaritas to Texas Tornadoes, and from Confetti Coleslaw to a chopped brisket sandwich, there’s a little something for everyone here. Great food, great music and a guaranteed good time is what you may find. It’s running from May 1st-August 30th, Thursday-Saturday, 4-9pm. Music usually starts around 5:30pm. It’s located on the west lawn of the National Building Museum, which isn’t hard to find. It’s also Metro accessible via Judiciary Square or Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro stops. For more information click here!
Music on the Mall – Welp! This is the Nation’s Capital, and it’s pretty cool that every Tuesday near lunch time there’s live music to be seen right on the National Mall! There’s also usually a lot of really good food trucks around due to tourist season as well. It runs all the way up to the end of August and the music is from 12pm-1pm every Tuesday. This is where you need to go to see it.
Summer Concerts at the Georgetown Waterfront – From June-September local musicians play free at this gorgeous river-side venue, right on the plaza at the Washington Harbour. It’s held every Wednesday from 5:30-7:30pm with a wide array of musical talents. There’s also quite a wide variety of restaurants and bars around the area with great ambiance from the Potomac River. Here’s where it is.
Eastern Market – The Eastern Market is great for many reasons. But it is also known for their outdoor music. Every Sunday in May, June, September and October you will be able to find great live music at Eastern Market where you will be able to sample some of the best Washington, DC talent around. The music genres range from blues and jazz, to bluegrass and swing, among others. Here’s a map of where to find the Eastern Market.
Go Explore!
There is so much to do in a round the city during the summer months that it’s hard to put down in these three articles, so, I didn’t. Go exploring! Online there are tons of other ideas. I just picked a few that looked really nice. There are others that I didn’t mention that are also great! But please use these three Summer in the City articles as your starting point. As a DC native I like to share these things and I hope that you enjoy the activities that you do get the chance to attend.
Stay healthy my (music loving) friends.
