“Jazz in the Garden” is a popular summer tradition that typically brings large crowds to the grounds of the National Gallery of Art’s sculpture garden along D.C.’s National Mall.
Starting this year, citing high demand, organizers are rolling out a free weekly lottery system for passes to attend performances.
The National Gallery of Art announced the change Monday in a news release that also contains this year’s line-up of summer concerts.
“Last year, we did have tickets available online. They opened at a specific time and we saw those passes go extremely quickly, just a couple minutes after they were available online,” Grace Murray, head of public programs at the National Gallery of Art, told WTOP.
The weekly Friday evening concerts begin May 19 and last through Aug. 4.
The gallery said it’s launching the lottery system “so that anyone interested in attending Jazz in the Garden has an equal chance to participate.”
“We wanted to make this change to be more fair and equitable to give everyone an equal chance to participate in the Jazz in the Garden events,” Murray said.
Each concert will have its own lottery that will open the week before each performance, and the results of the lottery will be emailed to all winners on the Monday before that week’s concert. For example, the lottery for the Friday, May 19, concert will be open from Monday, May 8, through Friday, May 12, and winners will be notified Monday, May 15.
The gallery said a few additional passes will be available at entrance gates starting 5 p.m. on the day of the performance, and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Each concert will have its own lottery for around 5,000 tickets.
Here’s the full line-up of concerts:
May 19
Martha Redbone Roots Project, blues
Lottery opens: May 8, 10:00 a.m.
Lottery closes: May 12, noon
Results announced: May 15, 10:00 a.m.
May 26
¡Tumbao!, Latin fusion
Lottery opens: May 15, 10:00 a.m.
Lottery closes: May 19, noon
Results announced: May 22, 10:00 a.m.
June 2
Tobago Bay, Caribbean
Lottery opens: May 22, 10:00 a.m.
Lottery closes: May 26, noon
Results announced: May 29, 10:00 a.m.
June 9
Chelsey Green and the Green Project, contemporary jazz
Lottery opens: May 29, 10:00 a.m.
Lottery closes: June 2, noon
Results announced: June 5, 10:00 a.m.
June 16
The Muneer Nasser Quintet, a Juneteenth celebration
Lottery opens: June 5, 10:00 a.m.
Lottery closes: June 9, noon
Results announced: June 12, 10:00 a.m.
June 23
Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, zydeco
Lottery opens: June 12, 10:00 a.m.
Lottery closes: June 16, noon
Results announced: June 19, 10:00 a.m.
June 30
D’DAT, Indigenous fusion
Lottery opens: June 19, 10:00 a.m.
Lottery closes: June 23, noon
Results announced: June 26, 10:00 a.m.
July 7
Alex Minasian Quartet, jazz
Lottery opens: June 26, 10:00 a.m.
Lottery closes: June 30, noon
Results announced: July 3, 10:00 a.m.
July 14
Ultrafaux Ensemble with Hot Club of Baltimore, Roma swing
Lottery opens: July 3, 10:00 a.m.
Lottery closes: July 7, noon
Results announced: July 10, 10:00 a.m.
July 21
DuPont Brass, eclectic soul
Lottery opens: July 10, 10:00 a.m.
Lottery closes: July 14, noon
Results announced: July 17, 10:00 a.m.
July 28
The 8 Ohms Band, horn-heavy funk and soul
Lottery opens: July 17, 10:00 a.m.
Lottery closes: July 21, noon
Results announced: July 24, 10:00 a.m.
August 4
The Seldom Scene, bluegrass
Lottery opens: July 24, 10:00 a.m.
Lottery closes: July 28, noon
Results announced: July 31, 10:00 a.m.
WTOP’s Luke Lukert contributed to this report.
