Looking for things to do for the long Labor Day weekend in the D.C. area?
Here are some ideas for special events going on in the area.
Maryland
Sunday afternoon, officials in Gaithersburg canceled the city’s Labor Day Parade ahead of potential record-breaking heat across the region.
“Our staff has decided to cancel tomorrow’s Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade due to concerns of excessive heat,” Mayor Jud Ashman said in a social media post.
🌡️Due to the anticipated heat forecast for Monday, September 4 the Labor Day Parade is canceled. pic.twitter.com/f6P5hIALKD
— City of Gaithersburg (@GburgMD) September 3, 2023
By Friday, there are three days of events planned this weekend for the Greenbelt Labor Day Festival. It takes place at the Historic Roosevelt Center and features a carnival, a table tennis tournament, a craft fair, a historic homes tour and more.
The 52nd annual Labor Day Art Show is happening Saturday through Monday from noon to 6 p.m. at the historic Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park. Admission is free to the event held by the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture. It features more than 300 artists from the D.C. region.
DC
The 19th annual D.C. Jazz Festival is returning this weekend with 120 concerts happening in 12 venues around the city. It starts on Wednesday and runs through Sunday. The festival kicks off at Eaton D.C. and features events at the Kennedy Center, the Embassy of Sweden and The Wharf.
The National Symphony Orchestra Labor Day Concert will happen on Sunday at 8 p.m. on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. The show is free to attend and will feature the NSO performing classics by John Williams, Duke Ellington, Florence Price and more.
The Capital House Music Festival will feature live bands at Franklin Park on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The festival’s mission is to “move your body with World House Music,” and to raise funds and donations for Inner City Music Programs.
Virginia
The annual Labor Day Car Show in Old Town Fairfax will take place on Monday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. near the Fire Station. The show is put on by the City of Fairfax and the Clifton Lions Club to raise money for local charities.
You can meet astronaut Eileen Collins through a special event at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly on Saturday. The event is free and parking is $15. The conversation with Collins will feature a talk with her and Jonathan H. Ward, co-author of her new book “Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission.” The program will be followed by a book signing.
The Virginia Scottish Games and Festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday at The Plains in Loudoun County. The 49th annual event celebrates the Commonwealth’s Scottish heritage and features piping and drumming, athletic competitions, Highland dance, fiddling, food and more.
WTOP’s Ivy Lyons contributed to this report.
