The Lotus & Water Lily Festival Returns!

Release Date: June 10, 2022

Contact: Zerline Hughes Spruill; Zerline@fokag.org; 202-876-2992

Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens’ Lotus and Water Lily Festival Returns as a Month-long, In-person Celebration with Live concerts, wellness events and a community 5K walk starting July 9-31

Park hours extended on Saturdays through 8 p.m. for visitors

WASHINGTON—Join the National Park Service for the 2022 Lotus and Water Lily Festival at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Experience the annual blooming of lotus and water lily flowers, and enjoy music and dance performances, arts and crafts, ranger-led tours and more! The festival begins July 9 and continues every weekend through July 31.

“We’re excited to be able to bring back the annual Lotus and Water Lily Festival to highlight this spectacular bloom and celebrate this special time at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens with park neighbors and visitors from all over,” said Tara Morrison, superintendent of Kenilworth Park and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. “In 2022, we are celebrating the return to an in-person festival by hosting four separate weekends with events focused around the year’s theme of Harmony, Health, and Healing.”

To celebrate the return of an in-person festival and create a more manageable experience for both the community and visitors, the 2022 Lotus and Water Lily Festival will be split into four weekends, each with a specific focus and events.

• The weekend of July 9, we are celebrating art and harmony. Events will include art classes, a smartphone photography class, drop-in workshops, and ranger-led tours.

• The weekend of July 16, we are exploring Healthy Parks, Healthy People, wellness activities including a community 5K walk along the Anacostia River Trail, yoga, canoeing, and live concerts.

• The weekend of July 23, we are exploring nature & environment, including live animal presentations, displays and performances.

• The weekend of July 30, we are focusing on music and community, featuring a Spanish-language park tour, community organizations, a fashion show, live dancing, tai chi and live performances.

In addition to a month-long Festival, the park will extend hours until 8 p.m. each Saturday. Further, on Wednesdays, the park will feature children’s programs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., including art, scavenger hunts, a drumming class, and other hands-on nature activities.

“Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, and all of our national parks, have become healing spaces for people during the pandemic, so we are once again looking forward to co-hosting this festival with the National Park Service,” said Tina O’Connell, executive director of Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. “We’re particularly pleased to be offering activities enjoyed by our Ward 7 park neighbors and are increasing our year-round activities at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens.”

Visit go.nps.gov/lotus for the schedule and more information on this year’s celebrations.

Can’t make it to the festival? Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is open year-round and offers opportunities for all ages and interests, including birding, wildlife viewing, photography, picnics, volunteering and school group trips. 

www.nps.gov

Join the National Park Service for the 2022 Lotus and Water Lily Festival at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Experience the annual blooming of lotus and water lily flowers and enjoy music and dance performances, arts and crafts, ranger-led tours and more! The festival will begin on July 9 and continue every weekend for the month of July.