Summer Concerts

Glen Echo Park's Summer Concerts return for their 17th year with a free, family-friendly series every Thursday evening from June 11 through August 20, 2026. Held in the covered Bumper Car Pavilion, concerts run from 7:30pm to 8:30pm, rain or shine, and dancers are especially welcome. The series brings a diverse lineup of local and regional acts spanning jazz, swing, rock, soul, Latin, country, and world music, with a special Pride celebration on opening night and a Juneteenth tribute on June 18. RSVPs are preferred but not required, and parking is free at 5801 Oxford Road. Bench seating is provided, with a limited number of folding chairs available first-come, first-served; bringing your own folding chair is recommended if possible. Concessions including beer, wine, soft drinks, and snacks are sold on-site, and outside alcohol is not permitted. Volunteer opportunities are available for ages 16 and up from 6:30pm to 9pm on concert nights. A suggested donation of $10 helps support the free series and park preservation.

When: Thursdays, June 11 – August 20, 2026, 7:30pm–8:30pm
Showtimes: 7:30pm–8:30pm
Tickets: Free; RSVP preferred at the Glen Echo Park website but not required
Venue: Bumper Car Pavilion, Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo, MD 20812
Parking: Free parking in the main lot at 5801 Oxford Road; map available on the park website
Seating: Bench seating provided; limited folding chairs on a first-come, first-served basis; attendees encouraged to bring their own chairs
Concessions: Beer, wine, soft drinks, and snacks for sale by Praline; no outside alcohol allowed
Ages: All ages welcome; family-friendly
Run time: 60 minutes
Volunteer: Help set up and take down seating from 6:30pm to 9pm; SSL hours available; suitable for ages 16 through adult; sign up on the park website
Donation: Suggested $10 per person
Sponsor: Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rotary Foundation
Lineup:
- June 11: DC’s Different Drummers – Celebrating Pride. This 25-piece big band from DC’s LGBTQ+ community music organization plays a variety of styles.
- June 18: I Am Your Daddy Band – Celebrating Juneteenth. The premier tribute to Kid Creole & The Coconuts, delivering a fusion of jazz, Latin, and soul (“Tropical Funk”).
- June 25: The Rockits. A six-piece “party fun” band covering rock ’n’ roll from the 1950s through the 1980s.
- July 2: interPLAY Orchestra – cancelled due to heat advisory. The orchestra features adult musicians with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities performing alongside amateur, professional, and student musicians. This concert did not take place.
- July 9: Natty Beaux. A rockin’ and boppin’ combo playing foot-tappin’ numbers from Louis Prima, Ray Charles, Louis Jordan, Gene Vincent, Elvis, Nat King Cole, Jerry Lee Lewis, and others.
- July 16: James Bazen Big Band. An 18-piece big band playing energetic jazz and swing, including originals and works by Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Gordon Goodwin, Bob Mintzer, Buddy Rich, and more.
- July 23: King Soul. Washington DC’s all-star soul rockers playing originals and familiar favorites.
- July 30: U.S. Marine Band Latin Jazz Ensemble. A mix of classic and contemporary Latin jazz hits for dancing.
- August 6: Arty Hill & The Long Gone Daddys. Swingin’, rockin’ original and classic country honky-tonk, described as having an “everyman” quality reminiscent of Johnny Cash.
- August 13: U.S. Marine Big Band. “The President’s Own” Marine Big Band performs big band jazz, swing, and popular styles from Count Basie, John Coltrane, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, and more.
- August 20: Patrick Albán & His Buena Vista Social. World music, Cuban, Gipsy Kings, acoustic American, salsa, Mexican, and Brazilian sounds.