The National Park Service and the 11th Street Bridge Park will present the third annual Anacostia River Festival, a premier event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. This year’s program will have a special focus on biking in the district and will celebrate the new extension of the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail to Bladensburg, Maryland.

Held in Anacostia Park, this free event aims to encourage district residents and visitors alike to explore communities and parks east of the river. In 2016, the Anacostia River Festival attracted nearly 8,000 participants to Anacostia Park.

Anacostia River Festival

• When: Sunday, April 9, 2017; 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
• Where: National Park Service’s Anacostia Park. Good Hope Road & Anacostia Drive SE
• Who: FREE and open to the public.
• For more information: bridgepark.org/ARF

“As we enter our third year, the festival has become a much anticipated community celebration. Residents from both sides of the river and across the D.C. region can discover the Anacostia - an amazing natural treasure that can be explored this year by both bike and boat,” said Scott Kratz, 11th Street Bridge Park Director.

The festival will feature art exhibitions, live music performances, hands-on activities and special biking activities. Visitors can participate in recycled art projects, fishing workshops, the annual fish bicycle parade, trail rides, bike tune-up stations, safety stations, urban gardening, lawn games, boating and other family-friendly activities re-engaging residents and visitors alike with the Anacostia River and historic Anacostia neighborhood.

"The Anacostia River Festival is a great way for residents and visitors of the D.C. area to celebrate the beauty in their backyard," said Tara D. Morrison, Anacostia Park superintendent. "This year we are excited to showcase the extension of the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail—a path that is connecting more communities with this signature urban park. We hope to see you in the park, on the river and on the trail."

Held in Anacostia Park, one of America’s national parks and steps away from the future 11th Street Bridge Park, the event is free of charge and a premier event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

”The Anacostia River Festival extends the National Cherry Blossom Festival beyond the blossoms at the Tidal Basin and into our city’s incredible neighborhoods,” said Diana Mayhew, National Cherry Blossom Festival president. “This family-friendly outdoor event is a great way to celebrate the beauty of nature right in our own backyards at the Anacostia River.”

The Anacostia River Festival is presented by the National Park Service and the 11th Street Bridge Park in partnership with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Funds for the Anacostia River Festival are provided in part by Bloomberg. Other supporters include The Kresge Foundation, The Drew Company/Trade Center Management Associates, TD Bank, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc., The Yards, City First Bank of DC, LISC DC, The Menkiti Group and MRP Realty.