Washington, DC’s Annual ‘Jazz in the Garden’

What: Jazz in the Garden

When: Friday Nights, May 22 through August, 2015

Where: National Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC

Typical picnic scene at DC’s Jazz in the Garden

DC’s annual Jazz in the Garden festival kicks off in the District on May 22 and the locals are… jazzed. This beloved Friday tradition brings together people of all ages and interests to soak in live local jazz music, and to share picnics and conversation in the decorated outdoor park. And as it occurs weekly on Friday night at happy hour – drinks are freely flowing from beverage carts positioned around the park.

From the end of May through August, the DC Sculpture Garden transforms itself from an outdoor park into one of the most popular places in town for Friday night gatherings. Against a backdrop of live jazz music, people watching becomes the main event. The band assembles near the giant, un-swimmable reservoir in the center of the park and they croon alternating styles – swing, salsa, slow jazz, Afro funk – as the going-out crowd says farewell to a long work week and welcomes the weekend. This civilized pow-wow supplies ample space to picnic and it fills up quickly, but there always seems to be plenty of conversation and sangria to go around… and on hot southern, sunny days, it drinks down fast. Jazz pops off Friday evening from 5pm to 8:30pm between 3rd and 9th streets on Constitution Ave. Inclement weather permitting. Entrance is free.