A peaceful, early morning stroll through Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens in Anacostia is my favorite way to spend a summer morning in the Washington, D.C. area. The free Lotus & Water Lily Festival occurs mid-July when the marsh flowers are in peak bloom, an astoundingly beautiful sight.
This year’s festival is Saturday, July 18th and Sunday, July 19th from 10 am to 6 pm. Besides soaking in the natural beauty, the festival includes free classes and live music. The full schedule is listed on the festival website.
I went to the festival last year and several years before that. It’s definitely worth going to at least once if you live in the area, and even traveling to if you don’t. Here are some tips for making the most of it.
- Arrive as early as possible, ideally when the park opens at 8 am. Lotus flowers and water lilies close in the afternoon (early afternoon for lotuses and mid-afternoon for lilies). The park also becomes increasingly hot and crowded by the hour.
- Bring sun protection, especially a sun umbrella, wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen, or all of the above.
- Bring water and bug spray.
- Head straight to the sign-up sheets in the tent area if you’d like to snag a spot in a class. Space is limited and they fill up quickly.
- Ask a park ranger about ranger-led talks. (Last year, they weren’t mentioned on the website but there was a sign at a lookout on the boardwalk saying they were available every hour.)
- Parking is free. The park is across from a neighborhood with street parking without posted restrictions. (When I arrived at 9:15 a.m. last year, the park’s lot was full and rangers were directing drivers to the overflow lot. The street leading up to the park, Anacostia Ave., had plenty of spots up to within about a tenth of a mile to the entrance.)
- Bathrooms: There is a hut next to the park office with a few bathroom stalls (no line early, about 10 minutes’ wait around noon). Porta-potties are also available. Last year the rangers were diligent about maintaining the supply of toilet paper and hand soap.
- Tents: The tents at the festival entrance offer information, sign-up sheets for classes, crafts for sale, etc. Last year I tried a sample of mild Korean lotus and green tea (thankfully tepid).
- Food: There were a small group of food trucks last year. There were also picnic tables to sit and watch dance performances. (I sat at an open table at the back and couldn’t see the dancing, but I could hear the music.)
- The visitor center is tiny but air conditioned. There are displays about lotuses, water lilies, the park’s founders, a children’s area, and a store with a checkout window.
Classes
Yoga/meditation
Last year I signed up for a 10 a.m. class called Pause & Bloom: Movement & Journaling. I signed up 15 minutes before the start time. It was held at the stage. I arrived five minutes early and asked the instructor about doing the class on the ground without a yoga mat. She smiled and gave me one of the extra mats she brought. (Plan to show up early to any yoga, Pilates, meditation, or other exercise classes to ask to borrow a mat.) I set up in the grass. It was about 81°F, humid, and cloudy. I had forgotten bug spray, but I only noticed some gnats.
The class started with some information about yoga and meditation, then light movements leaning forward and twisting to each side. A guided meditation could be done seated or lying down. I kept my sunglasses on, and laid down with my hat covering my eyes. Even with the clouds, it was very bright. Some distant drums were calming, while an incessantly barking dog distracted from the meditative experience. Suddenly I felt like I was on fire, and opened my eyes to see that the sun had come out. Sitting up to finish the meditation, I felt a breeze to offset the scorching sun. I don’t sunbathe, and typically do yoga and meditation comfortably indoors, so I found it difficult to focus and do the visualizations.
The instructor handed out paper and pencils for the journaling portion. The prompts included, “What is blooming in me right now and what am I ready to bring into the light?” Instead, I signed up to receive the prompts by email. I was too hot and felt ready to move on to exploring the gardens.
The class was worthwhile and I would’ve enjoyed more under different circumstances. Not in the middle of summer in D.C. during a festival in a marsh. The schedule this year includes another 10 a.m. yoga class on Sunday, as well as one at 2 p.m., a noon meditation and a 1 p.m. workout. Please be careful with the latter; expect just being outside at that time to already feel like a workout.
Other classes/programs
The schedule also includes activities like drumming, a birds of prey presentation, Buddhist monks chanting, forest bathing (Saturday), a fashion show (Sunday), and musical and dance performances.
Last year, after three hours at the festival I was overheated and ready to go, so I crossed my name off of the 1:30 p.m. meditation class sign-up sheet on the way out to give others the chance to sign up.
Ranger-led talks
After walking through the garden and taking photos, I made my way to the boardwalk, where I had seen a sign that there would be guided talks every hour on the hour. The sign failed to mention where to go. I found the talk at the end of a section of the boardwalk at a lookout. I caught the last minute or so at 11:20 a.m. The ranger discussed the founding of the park and gave inspiring remarks about conservation. He also answered questions afterwards. I passed another ranger on the way back answering questions at a small lookout area.
Dance performances
Various dance programs are listed on the schedule, included Asian, Caribbean, Indian, flamenco, and bluegrass. Last year, one of the groups invited spectators to join in as they went in circles clapping on the stage (as I sat at a picnic table in the back catching glances of the dancing through the crowd). There was a tent with chairs by the stage, but it filled up quickly, along with other chairs set up in the shade of the trees.
Conclusion
Whether you go to the festival over the weekend or visit the park during the week, seeing the lotuses and water lilies in peak bloom at Kenilworth is a D.C. bucket-list-worthy event.
Leave a Reply