Glen Echo Park Summer Concerts

Glen Echo Park Summer Concerts

Glen Echo Park does free concerts every Thursday night through August 20, from 7:30 to 8:30pm in the Bumper Car Pavilion. The music changes weekly and pulls from a wide mix, bluegrass one week, world music or swing the next. The pavilion has an open floor, so kids who want to spin around and dance can, and nobody minds. It's a relaxed, end-of-summer-day kind of evening.

Parking is free, which makes this an easy one to say yes to on a weeknight. Glen Echo is an old amusement park, so before or after the music you can ride the 1921 Dentzel carousel (small fee), see the aquarium, or just let kids roam the grounds. Bring a picnic; plenty of families eat dinner there before the show starts. It runs rain or shine since the pavilion is covered.

Parent Tips 💡

• ✓Come early for the carousel: The 1921 carousel usually runs before the concert. Kids love a ride before settling in for the music.
• ✓Pack a picnic dinner: Lots of families eat on the grounds beforehand. There's no big food vendor, so bring what you need.
• ✓Bring a blanket or low chairs: The pavilion has an open floor with limited seating. A blanket gives little kids a home base to dance back to.
• ✓Let dancers dance: This is a dance-friendly crowd, so don't worry if your kid wants to twirl around the floor. That's the whole vibe.
• ✓Check the weekly lineup: Genres swing from bluegrass to swing to world music. Glance at the schedule to catch a style your family likes.
• ✓Plan for an 8:30 finish: The concert ends at 8:30, which works for a weeknight. Younger kids can get home close to bedtime.