Cultural Events and Festivals in Washington DC

August. The City of Alexandria sponsors this annual event highlighting traditional Cambodian arts, crafts, music, dance and food. Exhibits include a showcase of the Angkor Wat Replica, and the Pailin and Tonle Sap regions.

September. The festival is held in Northern Virginia each Labor Day weekend celebrating the Scottish heritage with piping & drumming, highland dancing, and fiddling competitions, sheep-herding demonstrations, an antique car show, children's activities, live entertainment and Scottish food and drink.

September. The Korean American Association of Washington Metropolitan Area hosts the annual event in Centreville, Virginia showcasing Asian cuisine, musical performances, a taekwondo demonstration, a talent show, a singing contest, and a K-Pop cover contest.

September. The annual celebration highlights the Latino culture with a Parade of Nations, a children’s festival, a science fair, a diplomatic pavilion for embassies and consulates, arts & crafts, and international cuisine. The festival coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month.

September. Sponsored by the American-Turkish Association of Washington DC, the festival celebrates Turkish art and culture with a variety of live musical and folk dance performances, hands-on activities, art demonstrations, guest speakers, arts and crafts vendors and Turkish cuisine.

September-October. The German fall festivals have become very popular and there are now many celebrations around the Washington, DC area. The Oktoberfest is a family fun event focused on German beer, food, music and dancing.

October. Festa Italiana celebrates Italian-American culture with a lively street festival in Washington DC featuring traditional Italian music, dance, art, crafts and food. The event is sponsored by Festa Italiana Foundation of Washington, DC, a private cultural organization that works to promote Italian culture in the region.

October-November. The fall performing arts festival includes more than 200 free events for kids featuring artists from around the world. The event is sponsored by the 27 Washington-based European Union embassies and more than a dozen major local cultural institutions. The programming provides a fun way for kids to learn about a wide variety of cultures.

December. A holiday favorite in Northern Virginia, the event brings hundreds of Scottish clansmen to parade with their bagpipes through Old Town Alexandria. The weekend activites includes a tour of historic homes, a children’s tea party, a Celtic Concert and a Christmas Marketplace.