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Saturday, July 18th and Sunday, July 19th
10 am to 6 pm
Each summer, the Lotus and Water Lily Festival invites visitors to experience the stunning blooms of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens while celebrating the rich natural and cultural heritage of the Anacostia River. This year, the festival embraces a special America 250th theme, highlighting stories that connect our shared national history with the beauty of this treasured landscape.
A man paints a lotus flower in front of a tidal pool
NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Join us!
Schedule of Events
Immerse yourself in a weekend days of art, wellness, music, and cultural expression surrounded by the peak bloom of lotuses and water lilies.
Check back here to see updates to the schedule!
Program Key
(D) = Drop-In
Open to all, no registration required. Arrive early to secure a spot.
(R) = Register Day of
Free, limited-capacity sessions. Register in person at the Registration Tent the day of the program. First-come, first-served; some classes fill quickly!
Morning Programs
10:00 am: Ni Dembya African Drumming Performance
Ni Dembaya is an African dance and drum ensemble from Suitland, Maryland that promotes empowerment, healing, and self-awareness through traditional African and African-inspired music and dance.
10:30 am: Birds of Prey Program
10:30 am: Buddhist Monks Chanting
11:00 a.m. Forest Bathing with Sage Raindancer (R)
Slow down and immerse yourself in the beauty of the gardens during a guided sensory‑focused Forest Bathing walk. Led by certified guide Sage Raindancer, this restorative experience deepens your connection to nature through gentle, intentional exploration.
Founded in 2015, Soka Tribe is a community dedicated to spreading the freedom, legacy, expression, and joy of Caribbean carnival culture across the Washington, D.C. area through entertainment and education.
1:00 pm: Sitar and Tabla Recital w/ Sambarta Rakshit and Abhay Kulkarni
Sitarist, Sambarta Rakshit, returns to the Lotus and Waterlily Festival this year with brilliant tabla player, Abhay Kulkarni. The duo will present a traditional Indian classical piece followed by a brief tabla solo. Sitar and tabla are rich acoustic instruments that model the fluidity of the voice and the pristine sounds of nature. Enjoy the journey into Raga Nat-Bhairav, a serene, yet romantic melody that blends perfectly with the setting.
2:00 pm: Chitra.MOVES Dance Collective
chitra.MOVES is a collective of diverse artists that merges the movement foundations of Indian Classical dance and Hip-Hop culture to create electrifying works for all ages. chitra.MOVES will perform excerpts of their recent work, Village Stories, and lead participants through a dynamic and joyful movement class.
3:00 pm: Furia Flamenca Dance Company Performance
Founded in 2004, Furia Flamenca Dance company is an award-winning dance company led by Artistic Director, Estela Velez de Paredez. The company has performed across the Washington, D.C. area including at the Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, and Baltimore Lyric Opera House. The company is committed to sharing the art and passion of flamenco throughout the Metro D.C. area through performances, educational shows and classes.
4:00 pm: Musical Performance by Calvin Thomas
We’re welcoming back to the festival, songwriter, musician and vocalist, Calvin Thomas. Calvin is based in Maryland and performs around the DMV and on Twitch. Some of Thomas’ musical influences include Jim Croce, James Taylor, Snow Patrol and Andy Mckee.
5:00 pm: Go-Go and R& B Music w/ the Pocket Band
Program Key
(D) = Drop-In
Open to all, no registration required. Arrive early to secure a spot.
(R) = Register Day of
Free, limited-capacity sessions. Register in person at the Welcome Tent the day of the program. First-come, first-served; some classes fill quickly!
Morning Programs
10:00 am: Yoga with Erika Smith (R)
Connect with the grounding energy of nature as Erika guides you through poses and listening practices designed to support the chakra system and deepen body awareness. This calming session closes with Savasana and is led by Erika, a 200‑hour yoga teacher with a rich background in agriculture, horticulture, community wellness, and embodied teaching.
11:00 am: Ni Dembya Drum Circle
Ni Dembaya is an African dance and drum ensemble from Suitland, Maryland that promotes empowerment, healing, and self-awareness through traditional African and African-inspired music and dance.
Afternoon & Evening Programs
12:00 pm: Dance Performance w/ Miss Chief Rocka
Miss Chief Rocka will be performing a variety of Native American dances from tribal countries across North America, including a hoop dance, jingle dance and a fancy shawl dance. After her performance she will welcome crowd participation.
12:00 pm: Mindfulness and Meditation with Josh Klein (R)
This class blends practical education about the purpose and structure of mindfulness with guided meditation that helps participants apply each week’s focus, whether broad awareness or specific sensory practices, to their daily lives. Led by therapist Josh Klein, who specializes in Mindfulness‑Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the session equips students with skills they can continue to use on their own.
1:00 pm: Total Body Strength & Conditioning with Marita Gumbs (R)
Energize your afternoon with a dynamic workout that moves from an active warm‑up into cycles of calisthenics, shuffles, light running, and heart‑pumping bursts like squat jumps and burpees. Led by seasoned fitness professional Marita Gumbs, this session delivers a fun, full‑body challenge designed for all levels.
1:00 pm: East of the River Steel Band
Since 1993, the East of the River Steel Band has provided music training and arts and cultural education to hundreds of children and youth east of the Anacostia River through its core steel pan and youth development programs.
2:00 pm: Yoga with Heather Ferris (R)
Enjoy a beginner‑friendly outdoor yoga session that blends meditation, gentle warm‑ups, Sun Salutations, breathwork, and restorative rest under the shade of the trees. Taught by Heather, a longtime Ward 7 resident with over 30 years of practice and training in India, Yoga Therapy, and Thai Yoga Massage, this class welcomes everyone to move with intention, devotion, and joy.
2:00 pm: Fashion Show by Delkis Collections
Fashion shows are an annual tradition of the Lotus and Lily festival. This year’s show is coordinated by Inga Kim and features the African inspired fashion of Delkis Collections
3:00 pm: King Street Bluegrass
King Street Bluegrass has been regaling audiences with familiar bluegrass, country, Americana and original tunes since 2008. The artists in the band are all local to the DMV, many have rural, farm and coal miner roots from the mountains of West Virginia. They were WAMMIE award finalists in 2023 and their recordings have gotten favorable reviews and international radio airplay.
4:00 pm: Bachata Dance w/ Ferocity Dance Company
The Ferocity Dance Company will have one of their footwork teams perform a Fusion Bachata routine as an introduction to what the world of Latin Dancing can look like! They will then teach you the fundamentals of Bachata, Merengue, and Salsa to get you moving and grooving to the music and rhythms of these musically rich genres, providing you with another way to enjoy the concert: through dance! Fierce is for everyone, that means you so join in on the class from wherever you are and dance with us!
5:00 pm: Live music w/ Pablo Antonio y La Firma
Since 1999, Pablo Antonio y La Firma has been one of the prominent Latin tropical orchestras in the Washington, D.C. area. Their repertoire includes merengue, cumbia, salsa, and more, creating energetic experiences for all audiences.
View all events with the Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
People taking pictures of the lotus flowers
Tim Ervin
What to Bring & Safety Tips
Visitors are encouraged to bring plenty of water, as the area around the ponds has limited shade and can get very hot in the summer. You’re welcome to bring a picnic or snacks; picnic tables are available in designated areas, though grills are not permitted in the park. Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome, and dogs on leash are allowed—please clean up after your pet.
To stay safe and comfortable, wear sunscreen, a hat, and sturdy walking shoes, and stay hydrated to prevent heat exhaustion. Avoid leaving valuables in your vehicle and park only in designated areas. If you see something concerning, contact U.S. Park Police at 202-610-7500.
Social Media
Follow us online and become a part of our social media community by tagging us in your photos, reacting to posts, and sharing what you love most about the Lotus and Water Lily Festival.
There are three easy ways to get to the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens! Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens is located at 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE.
The park has a dedicated parking lot that fills up quickly on busy weekends. This lot will be largely reserved for handicapped visitors.
Please refrain from parking in the neighborhood or blocking driveways.
Overflow parking will be available just north of the gardens entrance by the playground or south of the gardens in Kenilworth Park. Look for signs for event parking.
A complimentary shuttle is available to and from the overflow parking lots. The shuttle will run approximately every 10-15 minutes.
Enjoy a 20 minute bike ride along the scenic Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, starting from the Anacostia Skating Pavilion (1500 Anacostia Drive SE) to the festival site.
You can also bike the Anacostia River Trail from Bladensburg, Md., to Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens.
Bike racks are available at the end of the spur trail that leads from the paved Anacostia River Trail into the gardens. Please leave your bike at the bike racks as biking on the paths around the ponds is not permitted.
Take the DC Metro to the Deanwood Station. From the metro station, you can catch a complimentary shuttle or walk 0.6 miles to the Gardens. The shuttle will run approximately every 10-15 minutes.
