Free Summer Concerts in the Washington, DC Area

Summertime brings great free concerts to the Washington DC Area. Pack a picnic, grab your lawn chairs and head outdoors to listen to great local music. Here are some suggestions of places to find free concerts.

In Washington, DC

Military Band Concerts
The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force bands perform on alternating days at a variety of destinations throughout the summer. Just about every night of the season you can find a free concert.

U.S. Capitol
(West Front), National Mall. Military Bands perform throughout the summer. (See details above) Special concerts are also held in honor of Memorial Day, the 4th of July and Labor Day.

Farragut Square Park (Golden Triangle)
17th & K Sts., NW, Washington, DC. Listen to a wide range of music every Thursday.

U.S. Navy Memorial
7th and Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The U.S. Navy Band performs on the Navy Memorial Plaza at 8:00 p.m. every Tuesday between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Carter Barron Amphitheatre
16th Street & Colorado Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. A wide range of music is performed throughout the summer. Some concerts are free, some cost $24.50 per person.

Capitol Riverfront
Tingey Plaza, 100 Tingey St SE, Washington, DC. Enjoy a variety of lunchtime concerts on Wednesdays throughout the summer.

NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue)
Two locations just north of the U.S. Capitol and Union Station. Free lunchtime concerts are performed on Thursdays and Fridays throughout the summer.

Eastern Market
7th Street & North Carolina Avenue, SE, Washington, DC. Enjoy a sampling of the Washington area's best blues, bluegrass, jazz, swing, and international musicians. Sundays in May and June, and returning in September and October.

Fort Dupont Summer Theatre
Fort Dupont Park, Minnesota Ave. and Randle Circle, SE, Washington, DC. Jazz concerts are Saturdays at 8 p.m.

Woodrow Wilson Plaza
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC. Free concerts offered at lunchtime at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Building.

Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian
4th St. and Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC. Indian Summer Showcase, a summer evening concert series outside the museum's main entrance on the Welcome Plaza, is presented twice a month featuring Native music from throughout the Americas.

National Zoo
3001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. Live music is performed at the zoo Thursday evenings.

National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden
7th St, and Constitution Ave, NW, Washington, DC. Jazz in the Garden is held every Friday evening.

For Free Summer Concerts in Maryland, see page 2
For Free Summer Concerts in Virginia, see page 3