DC Arts Events logo Arts Events Get the App
The Parks at Walter Reed and Alethia Tanner Park

Home Rule Music Festival

Sat, Jun 20, 2026 – Sat, Oct 3, 2026
6900 Georgia Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC
Free

The 2026 Home Rule Music Festival marks its fifth year with two free, family-friendly outdoor concerts that celebrate Washington, DC’s deep musical roots in go-go, jazz, soul, funk, and global sounds. The festival opens on Saturday, June 20 at The Parks at Walter Reed, featuring a lineup that includes the legendary Trouble Funk, the Chuck Brown Band, vocalist and flutist Melanie Charles, and the SunRa Arkestra led by Marshall Allen. A second installment takes place on Saturday, October 3 at Alethia Tanner Park, continuing the celebration with its own curated lineup of local and national acts. Beyond the main concerts, the festival offers food and drink vendors, a record fair, live art, and an overall atmosphere of community and cultural pride.

When: Saturday, June 20, 2026, at The Parks at Walter Reed, and Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Alethia Tanner Park.

Showtimes: Full-day programming; specific set times are announced in advance of each date.

Tickets: Free admission; no tickets required.

Lineup: The June 20 concert at The Parks at Walter Reed features Trouble Funk (one of the most iconic go-go bands, known for high-energy, percussion-driven grooves and DC party sound), the Chuck Brown Band, Melanie Charles, and SunRa Arkestra featuring Marshall Allen. The October 3 lineup at Alethia Tanner Park will be announced separately.

Pre-Festival Events: A documentary screening of “Sun Ra: Do the Impossible” on June 5, an evening with jazz keyboardist Doug Carn on June 18, and an After Party Meet & Greet with Melanie Charles following the June 20 concert.

Activities: Food and drink vendors, merchandise stalls, a record fair, and live art installations.

Age Restrictions: All ages welcome; family-friendly.

Venue: The Parks at Walter Reed (6825 16th Street NW, Washington, DC) for the June 20 date, and Alethia Tanner Park (227 Harry Thomas Way NE, Washington, DC) for the October 3 date. Both are public outdoor parks.

Accessibility: Contact the respective parks or the festival’s website for specific accessibility information.

Note: The 2026 festival celebrates five years of music, culture, and community in the nation’s capital, presented as part of the ongoing Home Rule Music Festival series.