The nation's capital is filled with exciting experiences this spring.
Make the most of springtime in the nation's capital. The city comes to life with an array of can't-miss events (including the famous National Cherry Blossom Festival), exhibits, festivals and shows over the next several months, with a mix of indoor and outdoor activities that are sure to liven up your calendar. After you’ve read through this list, make sure to check out our things to do for the week, weekend and month, as well as more than 100 free activities to enjoy in DC.
Big Things for Big Rooms – Through July 4, 2027
Explore the evolution of immersive, large-scale art from the late 1960s to today. The presentation of 10 artworks—five on view for the first time at the Hirshhorn—is drawn largely from the museum's collection. Organized in two parts, the exhibition offers a multisensorial investigation of how artists create installation works that expand the boundaries of an artwork and the role of the visitor.
Hours | Free Admission
Hirshhorn Museum, Independence Avenue & 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20560
National Gallery of Art
Celebrating American Art – Opens March 1
The National Gallery of Art will commemorate 250 years of America with a wide-ranging program that encompasses special installations and exhibitions that grapple with ideas at the heart of American stories vividly told through art. The series begins with Celebrating American Art, which includes iconic works and showcases how artists reckoned with the American story from the colonial to the 20th century.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
National Gallery of Art, 6th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
Awesome Con – March 13-15
DC’s Convention Center turns into a massive celebration of geek culture during Awesome Con. More than 70,000 fans will be able to see their favorite stars from comics, films, TV, toys and games throughout Awesome Con, a three-day festival that is Washington, DC’s own Comic Con. Expect plenty of costumed attendees and an array of activities to enjoy during one of the city’s most vibrant annual events.
Tickets
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Allen Y. Lew Place NW, Washington, DC 20001
1776 – March 13 – May 16
The story of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is transformed into a vibrant musical as the country’s beginnings are brought to blazing life inside the historic Ford's Theatre.
Tickets
Ford's Theatre, 511 10th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Stumpy’s Petal & Paddles Race – March 19
As the calendar turns to springtime, mark the occasion with an on-the-water adventure. The inaugural Stumpy’s Petal & Paddles Race asks tandems to challenge each other across the water of the Tidal Basin. Spectators are welcome, with live music and local food vendors expected on-site. Half of the proceeds from the event go towards the Trust for the National Cherry Blossom Tree Endowment Fund.
4 p.m. | Tickets
Meet at 1501 Maine Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20024
The Crucible – March 19-29
The Kennedy Center stages Robert Ward’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning opera based on Arthur Miller’s play. The spellbinding tale drops audiences into the heart of the Salem witch trials.
Tickets
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566
National Cherry Blossom Festival – March 20 – April 13
DC celebrates the blooming of cherry trees with a month-long festival that commemorates the 1912 gift from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city. Check out popular festival events in the lead-up to the celebration, in addition to our guide to the celebration, how to get the most popular blossom spots and the best places to snap photos.
Sasha Velour's Travesty – March 24 – April 12
The RuPaul’s Drag Race winner stages a multi-media extravaganza on queer history and resistance featuring lip syncing, video art and costume changes at Woolly Mammoth Theatre.
Tickets
Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament: East Regional – March 27 & 29
Capital One Arena plays host to March Madness. Expect edge-of-the-seat action as some of the best NCAA basketball teams in the nation battle to keep their season alive in the single-elimination tournament that captures the country's attention each spring.
Tickets
Capital One Arena, 601 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Washington Nationals Baseball – Home Opener: April 3
The Washington Nationals, who have four National League East titles, five postseason appearances and a World Series championship since coming to DC in 2005, are one of the city's main attractions throughout the spring and summer. Head to Nationals Park to experience MLB action with an exciting schedule, plenty of home runs and, of course, Racing Presidents.
Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
The Minutes – April 4 – May 3
The Keegan Theatre hosts a production from one of the great purveyors of the art form. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tracy Letts’ brilliant examination of small-town politics plays out over the course of one city council meeting.
Tickets
Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
The Wiz – April 7-12
Dorothy and crew groove down the Yellow Brick Road in this soulful twist on a classic. The National Theatre transforms into a magical world for one of the most highly anticipated productions of the year, based on the classic play and film of the same name.
Tickets
The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004
Filmfest DC – April 16-26
The largest and longest-running annual international film festival in Washington, DC, Filmfest DC returns with another varied lineup featuring quite the genre exercise: comedies, dramas, thrillers, shorts and documentaries will all be on display.
Passport DC – May 1-31
A month of programming across the city focuses on highlighting DC’s international culture. the Around the World Embassy Tour and the European Union Open House are annual highlights. Most events and tours can be enjoyed entirely free of charge.
More Info
The Motion – May 6 – June 14
A fierce debate among four scholars becomes a journey through belief, memory and identity in a new play at the legendary Arena Stage.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Pippin – May 12 – July 26
Located in Arlington, Va., Signature Theatre regularly stages modern rei-imaginings of classic productions. Next May, the company takes on Pippin. The coming-of-age tale will be brought to vivid life with wit, wonder and unforgettable music.
Tickets
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206
National Museum of American History
In Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness – Opens May 14
A bold exhibition explores the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. Across three floors and 300,000 square feet, visitors can encounter 250 significant objects, including the portable desk used by Thomas Jefferson to draft the Declaration of Independence. Another noteworthy artifact is the only surviving ship of the early U.S. Navy, the gunboat Philadelphia. This National Historic Landmark helped stall British forces and now undergoes an on-site conservation to preserve it for future generations.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
Photographic Memory: Fifty Years of Photography at the National Portrait Gallery – Opens May 15
In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the founding of its photographs collection, the National Portrait Gallery presents more than 100 seminal works. Among the gems: the earliest known photograph of a U.S. First Lady and Alexander Gardner’s original “cracked-plate” portrait of Abraham Lincoln.
11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Free Admission
National Portrait Gallery, 8th and G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20001
Othello – May 19 – June 21
Shakespeare’s Earth-shaking tale of deceit, betrayal and paranoia is vividly staged by Simon Godwin with The Wire’s Wendell Pierce in the titular role. Shakespeare Theatre Company's Harman Hall serves as the venue.
Tickets
Harman Hall, 610 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Smithsonian Castle Temporary Reopening – May 22 – Sept. 7
While the Smithsonian Industries Building (known more commonly as "the Castle") has been closed for renovations since 2023, it will be temporarily reopened this summer to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary. Be sure to catch the brand-new exhibit American Aspirations, which will include treasured artifacts such as Thomas Jefferson’s desk, Harriet Tubman’s hymnal and the gold flake that sparked the California gold rush.
Project GLOW – May 30-31
Festival goers can enjoy a transformation of one of the city’s most prominent recreational hubs, with two thoughtfully curated stages of music, exquisite food and beverage offerings and a collection of globally-recognized artists at the RFK Festival Grounds. True to the historic nature of the city, Project GLOW is the culmination of the past 20 years of Club Glow, representing its impact on the DC music scene while championing the superstar acts that will take to the festival stages.
Tickets
RFK Festival Grounds, 2400 East Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20003
