United States District of Columbia Washington

Washington D.C.

Capital of the United States, center of federal government, home to iconic monuments and museums, and not part of any state.

Tips from the community

The capital city, once considered a Black mecca lovingly called “Chocolate City,” has been celebrating Juneteenth since the early 2000s, and this year, D.C. is one of the best places to be for a holiday. Virginia native Pharrell Williams’ Something In The Water Festival is happening all weekend, June 17-19, and will feature some of the biggest artists in Black music across the diaspora. It’s one of the best Black festivals in the world, and you definitely don’t want to miss it. And in an art-filled city like D.C., it won’t be hard to find programs highlighting African American culture this Juneteenth. At Arena Stage, Drumfolk is an immersive production featuring dance with contemporary art inspired by two crucial points in Black history, the Stono Rebellion of 1739 and the Negro Act of 1740 in South Carolina. Exploring Black art in D.C. isn’t complete without visiting the National Museum of African American History And Culture (NMAAHC).  This year, the museum is celebrating with music, a display featuring Martin Luther King Jr’s 1963 March On Washington speech, and special plates at their Sweet Home Cafe. African American classics like BBQ ribs, okra, red beans and rice, and a Juneteenth-must, red velvet cake will be on the menu.

briari 2 years ago

Washington DC Pride: June 5 – June 14, 2022 Washington DC Pride (aka, Capital Pride Alliance) serves DC’s LGBTQ+ community through entertainment, community outreach and diversity celebrations. Each year, the nonprofit organization curates Capital Pride, which features a popular collection of events including the Pride Parade, Festival and Concert. Head to the historic Dupont and Logan Circle neighborhoods to experience the parade. More than 200 organizations will walk the 1.5 mile route with floats, trucks, signs, banners, and world-famous entertainment to commemorate Pride’s history and support the LGBTQ+ community, making this one of DC’s favorite and most impactful parades.

leah 3 years ago

For more than a century, Washington, D.C. has enjoyed the spring beauty of cherry blossom trees, which now number 2,500. The iconic Japanese trees were first planted in 1912 by First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Ambassador of Japan. Take a walk around the 2.1-mile Tidal Basin Loop Trail, which has hundreds of Somei-Yoshino cherry trees studded with puffy, single white blossoms that look like clouds. The trail also includes objects of interest like a 350-year-old granite lantern gifted from the Governor of Tokyo in 1954 and a granite Japanese Pagoda that was gifted from the Mayor of Yokohama, Japan in 1957. The annual National Cherry Blossom Festival is March 20 to April 16.

laurenmack 2 years ago

When: April 17th, 2021 Where: RFK Festival Grounds, Washington, DC, USA With killer views of the Anacostia River, the 420 friendly National Cannabis Festival is held on the lawn at the RFK Festival Grounds in the heart of Washington, DC. In its 7th year, look forward to: a massive exhibitor fair with demos, swag, and gear, CannaTalk: a chance to pitch your own cannabis biz, weed weddings (!), a mouth-watering munchies zone, sessions, panels, and live music all day and night.

leah 3 years ago

The National Park Service is hosting its annual Fourth of July celebration, which includes the Salute to America, flyovers from different branches of the military, and a massive fireworks display on the National Mall. During the 17-minute show, fireworks are launched from both sides of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool casting a red, white, and blue glow over the 12 memorials that punctuate the civic space. Revelers must practice social distancing and wear a mask.

laurenmack 3 years ago

Broccili City Festival 2022: May 2022 Broccoli City is “redefining cool” by mobilizing & educating urban millennials on how to create a better world. Through their programs, they are creating higher standards of sustainable living, environmental sustainability, and promoting community engagement. Their annual festival, Broccoli City Fest, is the largest festival in the US for people of color.

briari 3 years ago

Washington D.C. Guides

Washington D.C. Articles

  • The 9 Best Cherry Blossom Festivals in the US 2023

    One of the prettiest indicators that spring has sprung is when the blooms of sakura (cherry blossoms) burst into color. And luckily, you don’t have to fly all the way to Japan to enjoy what this cherry blossom festival season has to offer. From coast to coast, cities across America have planted the ornamental trees […]

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  • The Biggest Pride Parades Around the World 2022

    Each June, we honor the anniversary of Stonewall Uprising: the historic event that marked the start of the modern movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex and asexual rights (LGBTQIA+) across the globe. To celebrate, hundreds of Pride parades will take place in every nook and cranny of the world. With demonstrations, seminars, parties, […]

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  • The Best Festivals For Black Travelers in 2023

    Community and Blackness go hand-in-hand. Simply put, it’s not easy living in a world where your culture is constantly appropriated and commodified without credit. As a response, we’ve collectively begun carving out spaces of boldness and Blackness designed by us, for us. While joining Black travel groups and following inspiring Black travel bloggers bring us together, […]

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  • Flyin’ High: Cannabis Travel Guide

    Weed, marijuana, cannabis, pot, grass, ganja, dope, Mary Jane, hash: whatever you call it, we’re talking about that good stuff. Cannabis has been used medicinally for thousands of years, but politics in the 20th century led to the criminalization of weed around the world. Lucky for us, that legal status is quickly changing. As more […]

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