Week of Events
National Moth Week
National Moth Week is an annual, global event that invites people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in mothing by sharing photos of moths they find for citizen science. Communities around the globe come together during National Moth Week to celebrate the beauty, diversity, and ecological importance of moths. Join participants of all ages to contribute valuable data that ...
Lotus and Water Lily Festival
(DC) (NPS) (Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens) Each summer, the Lotus and Water Lily Festival invites visitors to experience the stunning blooms of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens while celebrating the rich natural and cultural heritage of the Anacostia River. This year, the festival embraces a special America 250th theme, highlighting stories that connect our shared national history with the beauty of ...
Sunday, July 12, 2026
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July 12, 2026 -Sunday Morning Bird Walk at Dyke Marsh
Sunday Morning Bird Walk at Dyke Marsh
(VA) (Friends of Dyke Marsh) Join FODM for a bird walk every Sunday at 8 a.m. The Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve is a freshwater, tidal marsh on the Virginia side of the Potomac River in Fairfax County. It is a unit of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, U.S. National Park Service.
Monday, July 13, 2026
No events on this day.
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
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July 14, 2026 -Tuesday Morning Bird Walk at Kenilworth
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July 14, 2026 -The Butterfly Experience
Tuesday Morning Bird Walk at Kenilworth
(DC) (National Park Service) We invite you to join National Park Service volunteer and expert birder Molly Hermann for an engaging bird walk at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. This event is open to all, including those new to birding. We encourage participants to bring water, sunscreen, and binoculars if available. A limited number of binoculars are available for loan with a photo ID. ...
The Butterfly Experience
(MD) (Montgomery Parks) A world of wonder takes flight as Montgomery Parks’ popular Butterfly Experience returns to Brookside Gardens. Visitors will be surrounded by hundreds of brilliant butterflies from the Americas, Africa, and Asia as they flutter among vibrant, lush tropical blooms. This intimate experience offers rare, up-close encounters while trained staff and volunteers highlight the stages of metamorphosis, the ...
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
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July 15, 2026 -Arlington Free Tree Application Deadline
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July 15, 2026 -Exhibit: The Viewing Stone
Arlington Free Tree Application Deadline
(VA) (EcoAction Arlington) Apply to have a tree planted on your property. All private property in Arlington—whether it’s a single-family home, townhouse, condo, or a place of worship—is eligible to have a native tree planted on the property through EcoAction Arlington’s Tree Planting Program. Applications are now open for the Fall 2026 Tree Planting cycle. Today is the last day ...
Exhibit: The Viewing Stone
(DC) (US National Arboretum) Viewing stone lovers find inspiration in the traditional stones found and displayed in China and Japan. These small natural objects encourage contemplation of larger landscape scenes, objects in nature, and abstract images. Challenge your imagination by comparing the variety of stones on view in this exhibition. Members of the Potomac Viewing Stone Group, a regional organization ...
Thursday, July 16, 2026
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July 16, 2026 -Exhibit: America’s State Flowers
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July 16, 2026 -Gentle Yoga at Brookside
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July 16, 2026 -Ranger Tour at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
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July 16, 2026 -Summer Evening Hours at USBG
Exhibit: America’s State Flowers
(DC) (US Botanic Garden) In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the U.S. Botanic Garden will bloom with the flowers each U.S. state and territory has chosen as their official flower. Explore the display throughout the Garden that will showcase the state and territory flowers with living plants, artistic displays, botanical illustrations, and herbarium specimens. Associated educational programs will be offered throughout ...
Gentle Yoga at Brookside
(MD) (Montgomery Parks) These series of classes feature foundational yoga poses that are designed to support better breathing, walking, and space orientation. Yoga movements help build muscle, bone density and core strength while improving balance, posture, and flexibility. Mats are not included. Instructor: Sherry Weber
Ranger Tour at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
(DC) (National Park Service) Join a Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens Ranger for a talk about the park! The talk will cover the history of the park, the waterlillies and lotuses that are grown in the ponds, and the importance of the marshes that are connected to the ponds. Meet the ranger in front of the visitor center where the talk will ...
Summer Evening Hours at USBG
(DC) (US Botanic Garden) Join us for extended evening hours on the third Thursday of each month. The Conservatory will stay open until 8 p.m. for visitors to explore the USBG plant collection while enjoying live music and refreshments at our four extended evening hour events. Tonight, enjoy live music by Night Hawk as you explore the Conservatory. In partnership ...
Friday, July 17, 2026
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July 17, 2026 -Echoes of Time in Rock Creek Park
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July 17, 2026 -The Butterfly Experience
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July 17, 2026 -Hillwood Japanese-style Garden Tour
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July 17, 2026 -Flora and Fauna of Rock Creek Park
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July 17, 2026 -Dusk Wetland Walk at Huntley Meadows
Echoes of Time in Rock Creek Park
(DC) (National Park Service) Ramble with a ranger for a guided hike on the 1.7-mile Milkhouse Ford trail loop, where you will encounter 5000 years of history, from traces of Indigenous land usage, to Fort DeRussy (which saw action during the Civil War), to the two-room log cabin used by poet Joaquin Miller, and to the historic Milkhouse Ford river ...
The Butterfly Experience
(MD) (Montgomery Parks) A world of wonder takes flight as Montgomery Parks’ popular Butterfly Experience returns to Brookside Gardens. Visitors will be surrounded by hundreds of brilliant butterflies from the Americas, Africa, and Asia as they flutter among vibrant, lush tropical blooms. This intimate experience offers rare, up-close encounters while trained staff and volunteers highlight the stages of metamorphosis, the ...
Hillwood Japanese-style Garden Tour
(DC) (Hillwood) Experience the serenity and beauty of the Japanese-style garden, just as Marjorie Post and so many of her guests did. Join Michael Rollinson, gardener, as he shares a behind-the-scenes look at the intricately manicured, yet “naturally wild,” Japanese-style garden. Tickets are distributed at the Ellen MacNeille Charles Visitor Center upon opening each day. This thirty-minute tour is limited ...
Flora and Fauna of Rock Creek Park
(DC) (National Park Service) Spend Friday mornings and afternoons at Rock Creek Park learning about our wild and wonderful urban oasis! Park Rangers will teach kids (and visitors of all ages) about the fantastic flora and fauna in the park. The program repeats at 1:30 pm.
Dusk Wetland Walk at Huntley Meadows
(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) Join park naturalists for a relaxing stroll through the park's forest and wetland paths. Look and listen for wildlife settling down or waking up during the transition of day to night. Adults.
Saturday, July 18, 2026
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July 18, 2026 -Caring for Caregivers: Forest Bathing
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July 18, 2026 -Summer Bird Walk at the Arboretum
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July 18, 2026 -Secret Lives of Snakes
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July 18, 2026 -Litter Cleanup at Picnic Grove 1
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July 18, 2026 -Moth Madness on the Mount Vernon Trail
Caring for Caregivers: Forest Bathing
(MD) (Reflection Park) (Capital Nature) Reflection Park's Caring for Caregivers series is dedicated to honoring and supporting the incredible individuals who provide compassionate care to those who are nearing the end of life. If you are a death doula, hospice care worker, chaplain, family caregiver, or anyone else committed to accompanying and caring for others during their last days, this ...
Summer Bird Walk at the Arboretum
(DC) (Friends of the National Arboretum) Join us for a summer bird walk through the U.S. National Arboretum led by experienced guides from the DC Bird Alliance. The Arboretum's 451 acres of green space provide a unique ecosystem within the city to find a variety of birds. On this bird walk, you'll not only spot birds — you'll also learn ...
Secret Lives of Snakes
(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) Explore the remarkable adaptations and behaviors of these specialized predators through hands-on encounters with non-venomous snake ambassadors. Discover the sophisticated hunting strategies, sensory capabilities and ecological roles that makes this reptiles masters of evolutionary design. Ages 5 to Adult.
Litter Cleanup at Picnic Grove 1
(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy, the National Park Service, and Blue Planet Scuba for a litter removal restoration event in Rock Creek Park. Trash is the visible form of stormwater pollution, a major threat to water quality and park health and its removal makes the parklands cleaner, safer, and more beautiful for all.
Moth Madness on the Mount Vernon Trail
(VA) (Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail) Join us after dark for a nighttime nature adventure celebrating the mysterious beauty of moths! As the sun sets, we’ll gather around softly glowing light traps to observe an array of moth species up close. Whether you're a seasoned lepidopterist or just curious about the creatures that flutter through the night, this is ...