July 2018: Events in the Washington, D.C. Area

Whether you're planning a family vacation for the Fourth of July or just want to get away in July for a fun festival or event, Washington, D.C. and the surrounding communities in Maryland and Virginia offer plenty of opportunities for fun this summer.

From firework festivals to free summer concerts, the Capital Region is chock-full of family-friendly and adult-only events this July, and although many of these events are free, some do require advanced tickets for entry.

No matter what your interest—including art, music, movies, sports, and the outdoors—you're sure to find something you'll love doing on your trip to D.C. this July. Just make sure you book your accommodations and travel itinerary well in advance as hotels and tickets are likely to sell out during the busy tourist season.

Free Summer Concerts

All summer long, the Capital Region hosts free concert series in national and state parks in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Military band concerts at the U.S. Capitol, Navy Memorial, and Capitol Waterfront in D.C. are especially popular during the month of July while the National Harbor in Maryland and the Potomac Overlook Regional Park in Northern Virginia both host an annual concert series that attract some of the biggest names in pop music.

Free Outdoor Movies

Watching movies on a large screen outdoors has become a popular summer activity for families and adult friends alike in the Capital Region, and there are plenty of opportunities to catch these free screenings throughout D.C., Virginia, and Maryland.

The Capitol Riverfront Outdoor Movie series in D.C., the Rosslyn Outdoor Film Festival in Virginia, and the National Harbor Movies on the Potomac events in Maryland are the most popular annual celebrations of cinema. The Comcast Outdoor Film Festival in Alexandria and the Bethesda Outdoor Movies events in Maryland are also worth checking out.

Summer Theater and the Capital Fringe Festival

With dozens of performances around the region, there are plenty of opportunities to experience the best theatrical performances in D.C. this July. Among the highlights of big-name shows coming to the Capital Region, the U.S. tour of "Hamilton" will come to the Kennedy Center starting June 12, and "The Color Purple" takes to the same stage on July 31, 2018. Additionally, you can catch the annual Capital Fringe Festival, which features over 140 unique performances at multiple venues in D.C. from July 7 to 29 this year.

UniverSoul Circus

From July 1 through July 22, 2018, you can experience the Universoul Circus at the National Harbor at the Plateau in Oxon Hill, Maryland. This unique experience is something the entire family can enjoy, featuring a big top showcase bursting with action-packed performances, colorful lights, pulsating music, and international talent.

Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods

On Tuesdays through Saturdays from June to September of 2018, family-friendly performances in music, dance, storytelling, puppetry, and theater for children age 5 to 12 come to this unique venue at Wolf Trap National Park in Virginia. In 2018, featured performances at the Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods (tickets required) include Page Turner Adventures, Sugar Free Allstars (a "family funk super duo"), the Pop Ups, Soul in Motion, Story Pirates, and the FLY Dance Company as well as the Maryland Youth Ballet's performance of "Rumpelstiltskin" on July 27 and 28, 2018.

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

From June 27 to July 1 and July 4 through 8, 2018, you can celebrate cultural traditions from around the world at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which takes place on the National Mall each year. The Festival includes daily and evening music and dance performances, crafts and cooking demonstrations, storytelling, and discussions of cultural issues. This is one of Washington, DC’s most popular summer events, so be sure to show up early (or on the much later side) if you want to avoid the biggest crowds of the day.

Independence Day: July 4

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the Capital Region celebrates the birthday of America with the proper pomp and circumstance of parades, fireworks displays, and food festivals across Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. Since Independence Day falls on a Wednesday in 2018, some events may take place on either the weekend before or the after the holiday this year, though many will still take place on the Fourth of July.

Highlights in the region include Independence Day at Mount Vernon, the Alexandria Independence Day Fireworks, and the annual parties and bar crawls taking place in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia throughout the week.

Alexandria Birthday Celebration: July 13 - 14

The city of Alexandria, Virginia, served a key role in the foundation and birth of the United States of America, but the town itself wasn't established until July 14, 1749, and wasn't incorporated as Alexandria until 1779. Either way, the residents of Alexandria celebrate its birthday each year around the 13th or 14th of July. In 2018, the official celebration of Alexandria's 269th Birthday kicks off on Saturday, July 7 from 6 to 10 p.m.

Bastille Day: July 14

Although a French holiday, the Capital Region celebrates Bastille Day and the culture of France with a variety of events taking place on and around July 14, 2018. This French national holiday commemorates the storming of the Bastille Prison in 1789, which started the French Revolution. To celebrate, French restaurants in the Captial Region and the Alliance Française de Washington host a variety of special events honoring cultural traditions, foods, and wines from France.

Capital Region Sports Events

You can catch a number of your favorite sports teams representing the nation's capital in D.C. area sporting events this July. From the Major League Baseball's National League East home games of the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park to the Washington Redskins Training Camp in Richmond, Virginia in late July, there's a game for every sports' enthusiast this month. Also be sure to catch the Washington Kastles Tennis Tournaments and the Citi Open Tennis Classic if you're a fan of the sport.

Baltimore-Washington One Caribbean Carnival

On Saturday and Sunday, July 14 and 15, 2018, the annual One Caribbean Carnival will return to Baltimore, Maryland for a showcase of Caribbean, Latin American, and Diasporian cultures. Featuring groups of performers representing each of these groups in colorful costumes, the event takes place all weekend long at Clifton Park. If you're looking for an island escape in the Capital Region, you can relax to the sounds of Calypso, Soca, Reggae, African, Haitian, Latin, and Steelband music while you browse the open-air marketplace or watch the annual parade.

Loudoun County Fair

The Loudoun County Fair takes place on July 23 to 28, 2018, at the Loudon County Fairgrounds in Leesburg, Virginia. Family fun at the fair includes a carnival, rodeo bull riding, a dairy and goat show, horseback demonstrations, magic acts, pet performances, floral exhibits, obstacle courses, tug-of-war tournaments, and live music entertainment. If you're looking to experience a true taste of Americana on your July vacation, this nearby county fair is the perfect destination for the whole family.

Howard County Restaurant Weeks

If you're looking for an opportunity to enjoy some of the best farm-to-table dining experiences the Capital Region has to offer but don't want to break the bank doing it, you'll find no better deal than those offered at Howard County Restaurant Weeks event from July 23 to August 6, 2018. During the two-week event, dozens of participating restaurants in Maryland will offer discount prices on full meals and drinks from local farmers and brewers.

Brew at the Zoo

Each year, the Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) organizes a celebration of some of the nation's best microbrews as a benefit fundraiser for the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C. After-hours on July 19, 2018, you can join the FONZ to enjoy unlimited beer tastings from more than 70 national breweries as well as live music and entertainment, local food trucks, and, of course, the exotic animals of the zoo itself.

Montgomery County Farm Tour and Harvest Sale

On the last weekend in July (July 28 and 29, 2018), you can explore the local farms of Montgomery County, Maryland to escape the hectic and crowded city for a day or weekend getaway. The Montgomery County Farm Tour and Harvest Sale allows visitors to stop in at multiple farms to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, plants, flowers, and other local goods. Additionally, several of the farms also have hayrides, pony rides, live music, farming demonstrations, and other fun and educational activities for all ages.