Break out your picnic blankets and dancing shoes, and get in a sangria state of mind. It’s time to jazz it up, once again, for the Jazz in the Garden concert series in D.C.
The popular outdoors summer concert series that goes down in the picturesque National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Its 2024 schedule and lineup are now posted, along with guidance on how to guarantee your entry into these groovy gatherings.
The concert series will run on Fridays from May 31 through Aug. 9, with no performance on July 5. All concerts begin at 6 p.m. on their scheduled dates, with garden gates opening an hour prior.
Grammy-nominated Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas kick off the concert series on May 31. Tickets for that performance are available via a lottery system as of Monday morning.
Registration for tickets takes place the week before each concert, opening on Monday at 10 a.m. and closing on Friday at noon. People will be notified of their selection status the Monday before each concert — and those who are selected can register for up to four passes.
What to know before you go
What if you miss out on grabbing a pass, but you’re still dying to go? The National Gallery of Art said that a few extra passes will be available at all entrance gates starting at 5 p.m. the night of each concert. That’s first-come, first-served, so showing up “fashionably late” may work against you in this case.
Hoping to bring your junior jazz enthusiast? That’s cool. Just remember that if your kid is at least 2 years old, registration is required.
Want to bring your own drinks? Don’t. While visitors are welcome to bring their own picnics, outside alcoholic beverages are not allowed. The Sculpture Garden will have you covered with both food and booze for purchase at the Pavilion Café and several pop-up bars.
Worried about weather cancellations? The National Gallery of Art said that starting this year, it will offer rain dates to registrants whose concerts are canceled due to weather. It will contact those registrants directly.
Entrances to the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, on the north side of the National Mall, are at 7th Street NW, 9th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, and 9th Street and Madison Drive NW.
See the list of scheduled performances and lottery dates below:
May 31: Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, zydeco
Lottery opens: Monday, May 20, 10 a.m.
Lottery closes: Friday, May 24, noon
Results announced: Monday, May 27, 10 a.m.
June 7: Anderson Quartet, Indigenous fusion
Lottery opens: Monday, May 27, 10 a.m.
Lottery closes: Friday, May 31, noon
Results announced: Monday, June 3, 10 a.m.
June 14: 8 Ohms Band, horn-heavy funk and soul
Lottery opens: Monday, June 3, 10 a.m.
Lottery closes: Friday, June 7, noon
Results announced: Monday, June 10, 10 a.m.
June 21: A Juneteenth celebration with Muneer Nasser Quintet, jazz
Lottery opens: Monday, June 10, 10 a.m.
Lottery closes: Friday, June 14, noon
Results announced: Monday, June 17, 10 a.m.
June 28: Josanne Francis, Caribbean steelpan
Lottery opens: Monday, June 17, 10 a.m.
Lottery closes: Friday, June 21, noon
Results announced: Monday, June 24, 10 a.m.
July 5
No concert
July 12: U.S. Air Force Band’s Airmen of Note, big band jazz
Lottery opens: Monday, July 1, 10 a.m.
Lottery closes: Friday, July 5, noon
Results announced: Monday, July 8, 10 a.m.
July 19: Jake Blount, Afrofuturist roots
Lottery opens: Monday, July 8, 10 a.m.
Lottery closes: Friday, July 12, noon
Results announced: Monday, July 15, 10 a.m.
July 26: Brent Birckhead, contemporary jazz
Lottery opens: Monday, July 15, 10 a.m.
Lottery closes: Friday, July 19, noon
Results announced: Monday, July 22, 10 a.m.
August 2: Plena Libre, Afro-Latin fusion
Lottery opens: Monday, July 22, 10 a.m.
Lottery closes: Friday, July 26, noon
Results announced: Monday, July 29, 10 a.m.
August 9: Leigh Pilzer’s Seven Pointed Star, jazz septet
Lottery opens: Monday, July 29, 10 a.m.
Lottery closes: Friday, August 2, noon
Results announced: Monday, August 5, 10 a.m.
Details on each performance are available on the Jazz in the Garden website.
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