September brings with it Labor Day and the unwelcome reminder that summer is over. But September doesn’t have to be a month of gloom. Besides marking the end of summer, September can also mark the beginning of the fall festival season in towns and cities all across the United States. There are
fall festivals established to celebrate music , the arts, harvest time, the changing of foliage and they are held in large urban and small rural areas. As the nation’s capital, Washington, D. C. area festivals may very well claim to lead the way. Certainly if you live in D. C. or are visiting there try out these samples of the best fall festivals in the Washington, D. C area .
The Kennedy Center Open House Arts Festival – The Kennedy Center is one of the nation’s premier performance centers . During the year it plays host to hundreds of thousands of fans who come to watch nearly 3,000 different presentations. At the Kennedy Center you can attend performances by world famous actors , musicians, and dancers. You can see soloists and group performances of established plays or new creations.
For the last 23 years the Kennedy Center has started each season with an annual “Open House Arts Festival. This year’s festival is being held on Saturday, Sept. 8 from 12 noon until 7 p.m. It’s the Kennedy Center’s way of getting ready to unfold drama, comedy and all the rest of its fabulous season. The center will center on celebrating the arts this year with a festival entitled “Underground Circus”.
Throughout the day there will be continuous free performances and events for all ages. There will, as the title proclaims, be a definite concentration on circus arts for the stage and street. Included in the list of scheduled performers will be “Perfect Unknowns ” from Montreal and Pittsburgh’s “Zany Umbrella” . Those who attend this wonderful free sharing of the performing arts will also get a chance to experience a sample of presentation by the National Symphony Orchestra and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet. Don’t overdo but do plan to satisfy your appetite for the arts at the perfect price – totally free. Just a note, at the Kennedy Center Open House Arts Festival, the parking is Not Free.
The Kennedy Center Prelude Festival. During September, the Kennedy Center also offers a month of introductory performances that entice viewers to return again for additional performances during the year. These September performances are offered as part of a Prelude Festival. The entertainment is not free but is part of collection of multi-faceted offerings to tempt the pallet and return attendees. You can select your favorite art form and plan to attend by contacting the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts at www.kennedy-center.org
Tucked within the Prelude Festival is an extraordinary free opportunity to enjoy dancing under the stars on the South Plaza and River Terrace of the Center. No tickets are required but attendees will feel like they paid big bucks for this experience. of dancing to popular tunes performed by big name dance orchestras and performers. There will even be dance instructors present sharing a lesson or two. From Sept 1-22 2007 all Friday and Saturday evenings will be your chance to dance on the River Terrace for free. This is an opportunity that is hard to pass by.
Maryland Renaissance Festival. The second largest Renaissance Fair in the United States can be found right on the doorstep of our nation’s capital. A short drive to Crownsville, Maryland ( not far from Annapolis ) will transport you not just to another jurisdiction but also to a totally different time and place. Beginning on August 25 and continuing every weekend through October 21, the Maryland Renaissance Festival is, in essence, a fair that transports you back into the 16th Century and to the environment of an English Village.
This is not boring old England. In fact there is so much to do at the Maryland Renaissance Festival that it may require more than one visit to content yourself that you have really seen it all. The Festival is set on a 25 acre lot, with many more acres alloted to parking. On the festival grounds you will find craft and food booths, ten major performance stages, five pubs, a Jousting Area and all manner of entertaining games to test your luck and skill. Those are just the established areas of entertainment.
As one of the best fall festivals in the Washington, D. C. Area, the Maryland Renaissance Festival is filled with unexpected surprises that greet you wherever you wander. You will encounter, or see on stage, jugglers, musicians, artisans , magicians, dancers and jousters. The food offerings are aptly named and prepared to give you the feeling of truly being in and of another time.
Of course there is a price for all of this entertainment. Adults admission is $18 with senior rates at $15. Children receive admission at the much lower rate of $8 and children 6 and under can enter free of charge. The festival is open from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. which makes your admission an excellent value all the way around.
Arts on Foot. For a single day festival, Arts on Foot has to qualify as one of the best fall festivals in the Washington, D. C. area. This festival takes place in an exciting and provocative neighborhood called Penn Quarter which is located in the East End of downtown Washington, about half way between the White House and the Capitol.
The Arts on Foot Festival will celebrate its 15th anniversary when it opens on Sept 15 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. rain or shine. This festival has a real community feel to it and really is all about the arts coming alive all around you. Its a great event for families and is extraordinarily kid friendly . You can spend time enjoying the display of arts and crafts offered for sale in a bazaar like setting or you might prefer to watch a live on stage performance. Lots is going on all at the same time but in a variety of venues.
One special feature of this years Arts on Foot Festival will be a segment called “Cooking As Art”. Washington, D.C. is a major cosmopolitan center and as such is a place where great chefs abound . You can spend some time watching a few of these food gurus share their culinary magic as they work in 45 minutes shifts to demonstrate a variety of artistic approaches to food preparation. Another compatible feature of the festival is presented by some 25 area restaurants that will be offering a site called “Sampling” which will offer mini portions of favorite selections from the featured restaurants.
Kids are very much a part of the Arts on Foot Festival. A real effort has been made to increase the interactive opportunities so that kids can explore the artistic efforts of others but can also have a chance to exercise their own creativity. There’s lots to do for all ages at “Arts on Foot” and while you are at it you will also get a chance to check out the exciting Penn Quarter neighborhood.
Washington D. C. is our nation’s capital and provides political leadership for us all. Perhaps it also takes the lead in seasonal celebration with some of these best fall festivals in the Washington, D. C. area.
