Events DC WalkingTown

1. Bird Walk at Constitution Gardens
9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Tour description:
Constitution Gardens is a beautiful gateway to several monuments on the National Mall. But did you know it's also a thriving habitat for a variety of bird species? Take a walk with DC Bird Alliance to listen and to watch for our feathered friends.
Tour Guide: Maria-Elena Montero; Nature Walk Guide
Ward: 2

2. Brookland Then and Now
9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Tour description:
The tour will focus particularly on Brookland today contrasted with Brookland during five earlier historic periods: the Native American Woodlands Period, Washington County, the Civil War Era, Trolley Car Suburb and the City Neighborhood (1960 to today). Photos from the guide’s personal collection will show representations of neighborhood sites during these various periods. The guide will point out buildings that are on the Historic Landmark registry and the sites and homes associated with such famous Brooklanders as Sterling Brown (the Howard University professor and Harlem Renaissance poet), Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (author of The Yearling), Carrie Harrison (botanist and Four H leader), and Robert Weaver (first director of Housing and Urban Development and first African American cabinet member). The lives of Ralph Bunche, John Preston Davis, Walter and Jean Kerr, and Bishop Fulton Sheen will also be considered with reference to their time in Brookland. The tour guide will point out the various architectural styles found in Brookland as well.
Tour Guide: John Feeley; Longtime Resident, Local Writer and Volunteer Tour Guide
Ward: 5

3. Hillcrest Architecture - Hidden Gems of SE
9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Tour description:
Challenging popular assumptions about “East of the River” neighborhoods, this highly rated tour is led for the 21st year by Jim Byers, host of WPFW 89.3 FM's "Latin Flavor Classic Edition." Last year he was the featured historian for the Season 2 premiere of WETA's "If You Lived Here" which showcased Hillcrest.
Discover the area’s history and stunning houses by legendary DC architects, including: Wilfred V. Worland, A.H. Sonneman, Leon Chatelain, Edward Burton Corning, James J. Baldwin and George T. Santmeyers. Also represented are pioneering black architects R.C. Archer, Jr., Lewis W. Giles and a row of a half-dozen homes by Yettekov Wilson, an African American architect with the iconic mid-century modern firm of Cohen, Haft & Assoc. "Participants can take an up-close look at the striking Art Deco exterior details on the front of architect John Joseph Earley's "Dr. Fealey House."
Before returning to the starting point, the tour will stop for refreshments at the newly opened Skyland Town Center, the first major retail development in Southeast DC in over three decades. Options include Starbucks, Mezzeh, &Pizza, Tropical Smoothies, Roamin' Rooster and Maizal.
Just 10 minutes from the Capitol, the quiet, tree-lined streets of Hillcrest (and the similar adjacent communities of Penn-Branch and DuPont Park) boast single-family dwellings ranging from 'Sears Bungalows' to stately subdivisions by the same developers as Northwest DC's 'Crestwood' and ‘Hawthorne’ communities.
Tour Guide: JIm Byers; Long-time Resident Guide
Ward: 7

4. Life in the Alleys: Blagden Alley and Naylor Court
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tour description:
Blagden Alley and Naylor Court encompass the largest number of surviving alley dwellings in Washington, DC and represent a vanished type of housing and community. In a space of two blocks, we will see senators’ homes and assignation houses, livery stables and speakeasies, with bawdy and blood-curdling stories to match. This neighborhood has gone from semi-rural to fashionable to slum to fashionable again. What comes next?
Tour Guide: Mark Herlong; Local Historian
Ward: 2

5. Black Feminist DC
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tour description:
Explore the history of Black feminism in Washington, DC with A Tour of Her Own. Developed in partnership with the National Women’s History Museum, this tour will route through Downtown DC and make a stop at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library for a guided exploration of "We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC." This exhibition traces the impact of Black feminism in Washington, DC from the turn of the 20th century to the present day and was curated by renowned historians, Sherie M. Randolph and Kendra T. Field. 
Head out of the DC Public Library with a TOHO-licensed, professional tour guide to discover historical sites and preservation markers that honor Black feminists and organizations like Eleanor Holmes Norton, Dorothy Ferebee, Etta Horn, Pauli Murray, Anna Julia Cooper, The National Council of Negro Women Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and Sweet Honey in the Rock. Learn and discuss how Black feminists often worked at the intersection of race, class and gender to shape local Washington, DC and broader American history and culture.
FAQ:
This tour is ADA accessible. It is mostly outdoors on paved sidewalks with a few stops indoors. Participants should prepare for various weather conditions while covering approximately two miles of routing in Downtown DC. This tour will conclude near the White House.
Tour Guide: Kaitlin Calogera; Licensed Guide, Author and Small Business Owner
Ward: 6

6. Tenleytown to Wesley Heights...bet you don’t realize all that’s there!
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tour description:
Where do religion, culture, news, security and beauty all exist within a bit over a mile of each other? They’re on and near Nebraska Avenue from Tenleytown to Wesley Heights. On this stretch, there is the National Presbyterian Church and school and the Methodist Seminary. There are the stunning ambassadorial residences of Japan and Sweden and next to each other we have the headquarters of both NBC news and Homeland Security. Then there is American University with its beautiful arboretum-designated landscaping and rich and somewhat scandalous history. Finally there is Wesley Heights, with its tree-lined streets and current and past residences of interesting people...think Marriott hotels and CDC. 
Tour Guide: Ellen Malasky; Certified Master Guide
Ward: 3

7. Art and History are Alive in the Cemetery!
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tour description:
Historic Rock Creek Cemetery was established around 1726 and is one of the oldest cemeteries in the Mid-Atlantic. The churchyard has a history dating back to nearly 75 years before the District of Columbia was established.  On our tour, we will wander through portions of this 86-acre Nationally Registered Landmark known for its beautiful parklike settings and magnificent pieces of funerary sculpture, including the famous Augustus Saint-Gaudens Adams Memorial, nicknamed "Grief." We will also talk about famous - and  infamous - luminaries that helped to shape not only Washington, DC, but the very nation itself. Art and history are truly alive in the cemetery!
Tour Guide: Donald Harrell; Amateur Historian Who Loves Rock Creek Cemetery
Ward: 4

8. African American History and Culture Along the National Mall
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tour description:
Explore the vibrant tapestry of history and culture in Washington, DC as you embark on a journey through narratives of African American heritage surrounding the iconic National Mall. Be informed by stories of pivotal moments that unfolded at historic landmarks such as the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the Capitol. Discover the official dance of the city and the beloved weekly summer gatherings where locals come together to groove. This outdoor-only tour highlights public sites that are teeming with history and more that are open for exploration after the tour concludes.
Tour Guide: Lauri Williamson; Licensed Guide and Author of "111 Places in Black Culture in Washington, DC That You Must Not Miss"
Ward: 2

9. Frederic Law Olmsted and the US Capitol Grounds
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tour description:
Commissioned by Congress in 1874 to design the grounds of the US Capitol, Frederick Law Olmsted created an innovative landscape, presenting the building to greatest visual effect while overcoming numerous design challenges. Explore the history and design of the Capitol grounds while learning about its intricate features: the Olmsted-designed marble terraces, brick Spring Grotto, masterful stone and ironwork and carefully crafted views and circulation paths. Presented by the Olmsted Network and the United States Capitol Historical Society; led by volunteers from the USCHS.
Tour Guide: Rose Rakas; US Capitol Historical Society Volunteer Guide
Ward: 6

10. Diago: The Pasts of This Afro-Cuban Present (IN ENGLISH)
10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Tour description:
AMA or Art Museum of the Americas is the oldest museum of modern and contemporary Latin American and Caribbean art in the United States. It is part of the Organization of American States (OAS). Some of the most important pieces of its art collection are in its specialization on works that proved instrumental in launching the careers of many who are regarded as masters of mid-century Latin American and Caribbean Art.
Current Exhibition Diago: The Pasts of This Afro-Cuban Present.
This exhibition is presented in alignment with the Decade for People of African Descent in the Americas (2016-2025), adopted at the OAS General Assembly held on June 14, 2016, which recognized the valuable contributions of peoples of African descent at every level of the national and international affairs and cultures of OAS member states.
Tour Guide: Pablo Zuniga; OAS Tour Guide Volunteer and Former Director of the Art Museum of the Americas
Ward: 2

(NEW )Historic Washington Navy Yard.
10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m 
Tour Description:
Put on your walking shoes and join us on a fascinating walkabout of one of Washington, DC’s oldest military facilities! Learn about the legacy of the Washington Navy Yard and its contributions to the United States and the historical fabric of the nation’s capital. Established in the 1790s, the Washington Navy Yard was an important shipping, manufacturing, and logistical base along the historic Anacostia River. The Washington Navy Yard has hosted presidents, royalty, and other significant historical figures and has employed thousands of civilians and military personnel. Their stories, along with references to interesting historical artifacts, buildings, and homes associated with the Navy Yard, including the current National Museum of the United States Navy, will be shared during this picturesque walk of the Yard.
Tour Guide: Kathryn Krepp, Navy Civilian
NOTE: Participants need to register for the tour at - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walking-tour-of-the-historic-washington-navy-yard-tickets-1003606031657?aff=oddtdtcreator 

11. Diago: Los pasados ​​de este presente afrocubano - (IN SPANISH)
11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Descripción del recorrido:
El Museo de Arte de las Américas es el museo de arte moderno y contemporáneo latinoamericano y caribeño más antiguo de los Estados Unidos. Es parte de la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA). Algunas de las piezas más importantes de su colección de arte se encuentran en su especialización en obras que resultaron fundamentales para lanzar las carreras de muchos de los que son considerados maestros del arte latinoamericano y caribeño de mediados de siglo.
Exposición Diago: Los pasados ​​de este presente afrocubano.
Esta exposición se presenta en alineación con el Decenio de los Afrodescendientes en las Américas (2016-2025), adoptado en la Asamblea General de la OEA celebrada el 14 de junio de 2016, que reconoció las valiosas contribuciones de los pueblos afrodescendientes en todos los niveles de los asuntos y culturas nacionales e internacionales de los Estados miembros de la OEA.
Guia: Pablo Zuniga; OAS Guia Voluntario y Ex Director del Museo de Arte de las Américas.
Zona: 2

12. Downtown Jewish Washington: A Changing Landscape
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Tour description:
Learn the story of one Jewish neighborhood in Washington, DC, and watch the neighborhood change with time as we move from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement to today. Walk into the historic heart of Jewish life along the Seventh Street, NW neighborhood that was once a hub of Jewish commercial and religious life in the nation’s capital. Hear about and examine cross cultural connections as you learn about the many communities that lived together in a neighborhood that was always changing.

Tour Guide: Jonathan Edelman; Collections Curator

Ward: 2,6

13. Historic Foggy Bottom: Rowhouses, Alleys and Art
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. (NEW TIME)
Tour description:
Walk along tree-lined sidewalks and hear the story of what made Foggy Bottom a Historic District. The area uniquely showcases a 19th century working class neighborhood, features 130-year-old alley dwellings and streets lined with 12-foot-wide distinctive brick row houses. Learn the area's history, how it changed over time, what remains and what was lost. Listen to stories of the lives of Irish and German immigrants and African American residents who made the area their home. See a reputed Underground Railroad stop, German brewery worker houses, one of Washington, DC's most notorious alleys and a 100-year-old livery stable. Learn why it's called Foggy Bottom!
Tour Guide: Frank Leone; Co-Chair, Foggy Bottom Association History Project, DC Licensed guide and DC History Center Board of Trustees
Ward: 2

14. Rising Tides of DC
3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Tour description:
Sea levels are rising, our portion of the Chesapeake Basin is “settling” and Washington, DC is projected to see a dramatic increase in tidal flooding in the next 10 to 20 years. In fact, DC is predicted to experience tidal flooding twice as bad as any city along the East Coast!
Join Jeff Miller, the DC Cycling Concierge for a fascinating and enlightening ride around many of Washington, DC’s landmarks and thoroughfares that exist where they do because of our geological and geographic history. Learn how much of the District is at significant risk due to climate change and geology. On this two-hour bike tour, go rollin’ along the canal ways, rivers and flood prone areas of our great city, which also happen to be some of the more scenic and vibrant neighborhoods. The eight-mile ride will include some city streets, but the route will be mostly on streets with bike lanes, bike trails and even a few sidewalks (where it is legal to do so) and it will include several stops. The ride will be capped at 20 people maximum.
Tour Guide: Jeffrey Miller; Private Bike Tour Guide
Ward: 2,6

15. The First Emancipation: Black History on Pennsylvania Avenue
9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Tour description:
Washington, DC was dubbed Chocolate City due to being a major center of Black population, political leadership, culture, arts and wealth. A big part of that story involves Pennsylvania Avenue. 

Walk the avenue and learn about the emancipation of enslaved DC residents, a grand march for the women's vote, the infamous Snow Riot, the evolution of Home Rule, local Washington, DC history and much more. This tour focuses on the Black history of the District and the country as a whole!
Tour Guide: Tim Wright; Long-time Resident and Licensed Tour Guide in the District of Columbia
Ward: 2,6

16. Queering Capitol Hill
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tour description:
For more than 70 years, Capitol Hill has been a social and residential center for Washington’s LGBTQ+ community, with bars and clubs, youth services and innovative women’s businesses. This tour will explore the impact of radical lesbian separatists, First Amendment fights, the underpinning of LGBTQ+ religious organizations, and interactions with Marines and the Marine Barracks, among other stories.
Tour Guide: Philip Clark; Writer and Historian
Ward: 6

17. Frederic Law Olmsted and the US Capitol Grounds
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tour description:
Commissioned by Congress in 1874 to design the grounds of the US Capitol, Frederick Law Olmsted created an innovative landscape, presenting the building to greatest visual effect while overcoming numerous design challenges. Explore the history and design of the Capitol grounds while learning about its intricate features: the Olmsted-designed marble terraces, brick Spring Grotto, masterful stone and ironwork and carefully crafted views and circulation paths. Presented by the Olmsted Network and the United States Capitol Historical Society; led by volunteers from the USCHS.
Tour Guide: Rose Rakas; US Capitol Historical Society Volunteer Guide
Ward: 6

18. Mansions of Meridian Hill
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tour description:
Explore the mansions of the Meridian Hill neighborhood. The neighborhood of Meridian Hill has 14 beautiful mansions dating from the early 20th century. Learn about the unique architecture of the homes, the importance of Meridian Hill Park and the historical figures that influenced the neighborhood.
Tour Guide: Fiona Clem; Long-time Resident and Licensed Guide.
Ward: 1

19. The History of Oak Hill Cemetery
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Tour description:
Take a walk through one of Washington, DC's most scenic and historic cemeteries, overlooking Rock Creek Park near Dumbarton Oaks, known for its striking Renwick Chapel and the many notables buried here. Led by native Washingtonian and longtime tour guide Craig Howell, the group will visit the graves of Philip and Katherine Graham, Benjamin Bradlee and others associated with the Washington Post; important Civil War Era figures such as Lincoln's Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, his personal secretary John Nicolay, Union General Jesse Reno and philanthropist W. W. Corcoran; and contemporary figures such as Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and architect Arthur Cotton Moore.
Tour Guide: Craig Howell; Native Washingtonian and Veteran Tour Guide Specializing in Military History and the Civil War Era.
Ward: 2

20. Dark Side of DuPont Circle
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Tour description:
Discover the dark stories around one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Washington, DC, Dupont Circle. Learn about the Gilded Age society ladies and their many scandals, the invention of the electric chair, adultery, murder and more!
Tour Guide: Rebecca Grawl; DC Tour Guide and Local Author
Ward: 2

21. Eye Candy: Georgetown’s Waterfront
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Tour description:
Enjoy Georgetown’s Waterfront’s natural and architectural eye candy along the C&O Canal and the Potomac River. Guests will hike along the canal to its somewhat hidden start at Mile Marker Zero (where some mulberry trees grow) and return along the Potomac River. Along the way guests will discover how the canal’s epic 184.5-mile towpath trail was rescued, learn what happened to Francis Scott Key’s missing house, pass by IBM’s birthplace, eyeball a chunk of the canal that resembles Amsterdam, check out the sole embassy on the river, stroll by bustling Washington Harbour’s ice rink and restaurants, and dawdle briefly to admire the foliage and Instagram views in Zen-like Georgetown Park.
Please wear “grippy” shoes since one block of the towpath is narrow and could be muddy.  Please walk single-file along the one block paralleling the busy Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway Trail.
Tour Guide: Barbara Saffir; Long-time Hike Leader,  Author of "Walking Washington, DC," and Nature Photographer/Master Naturalist
Ward: 2

22. Latinx LGBTQ+ History Tour - (IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH)
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Tour description:
Learn about the history of the DC Latinx LGBTQ+ community including bars, restaurants and organizations. Join historian Jose Gutierrez in this educational walking tour. The walking tour highlights:  Salud, Inc., one of the first DC Latino HIV/AIDS organizations; El Faro, the first DC Latinx LGBTQ+ bar;bar Noa Noa; Restaurant Perry’s; Restaurant El Migueleno; and Churreria Madrid. In addition, the guide will explain about other Latinx LGBTQ+ places and groups including ESCANDALO, CHAOS, ENLACE, LLEGO, GELAAM, Empodérate Youth Center of La Clinica del Pueblo, Restaurant Haydees, LCDP, LAYC and La Casa de la Cultura.
Tour Guide: Jose Gutierrez; DC Latinx LGBTQ+ Historian
Ward: 1

23. Philippine-American Heritage in Washington, DC
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Tour description:
The Philippines on the Potomac Project (POPDC) is a family project that seeks to find traces of Philippine-American history and culture in the metro Washington, DC area. From an initial listing of 30 places, the number of sites has grown to more than 200. 
This walking tour features 12 of those sites in downtown Washington, including places from the early 1900s, when the Philippines became a U.S. colony following the Spanish American War, through the post-World War II period, when the Philippines became independent. The sites reflect the complicated relationship between the U.S. and Philippines—the narratives of colonialism, the negotiated and renegotiated ties between two nations, and the stories of individuals who lived through this turbulent half-century. 
The tour takes about 1.5 hours, starting at the Old Chancery near Dupont Circle (1617 Massachusetts Avenue, NW) and ending in Foggy Bottom.
Tour Guide: Erwin Tiongson; Community Historian
Ward: 2

24. Robert G. Ingersoll, the Great Agnostic, in Washington, DC
3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Tour description:
"The Great Agonistic," Robert G. Ingersoll was a 19th century champion of Free Thought, women's rights, civil rights and Washington, DC voting rights. This famous orator and critic of religion toured the US. Ingersoll lived and worked in Washington, DC for seven years. He argued cases before the Supreme Court, lobbied Congress and consulted with presidents.  This tour will visit the sites of his two District homes--one on Lafayette Square--and the places where he worked and spoke in downtown Washington, DC.
Tour Guide: Steven LOWE; Local Washington, DC Resident, Amateur Historian and Advocate for the History of Robert G. Ingersoll
Ward: 2

25. Envisioning a Suitland Parkway Northside Trail
3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Tour description:
Suitland Parkway was constructed through a natural valley during World War II to connect the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and Andrews Air Force Bases. Known as a busy commuter route from central Washington to its eastern suburbs, the parkway also happens to be a nature preserve, flanked on each side by over 100 acres of forested hillside. In places, the valley is so narrow and the hills so steep that, viewed from above, the road seems to disappear. Numerous streams and unusual rock outcroppings add interest to the landscape. 
In 2021, the Ward 8 Woods Conservancy formally proposed a the creation of natural surface hiking trail along the woods on the north side the parkway. Come experience a part of the proposed route, including the portions along the street and on the existing George Washington Carver Trail.
Tour Guide: Nathan  Harrington Snyder; Tour Guide and Founder of Ward 8 Woods Conservancy
Ward: 8

26. Rising Tides of DC
3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Tour description:
Sea levels are rising, our portion of the Chesapeake Basin is “settling” and Washington, DC is projected to see a dramatic increase in tidal flooding in the next 10 to 20 years. In fact, DC is predicted to experience tidal flooding twice as bad as any city along the East Coast!
Join Jeff Miller, the DC Cycling Concierge for a fascinating and enlightening ride around many of Washington, DC’s landmarks and thoroughfares that exist where they do because of our geological and geographic history. Learn how much of the District is at significant risk due to climate change and geology. On this two-hour bike tour, go rollin’ along the canal ways, rivers and flood prone areas of our great city, which also happen to be some of the more scenic and vibrant neighborhoods. The eight-mile ride will include some city streets, but the route will be mostly on streets with bike lanes, bike trails and even a few sidewalks (where it is legal to do so) and it will include several stops. The ride will be capped at 20 people maximum.
Tour Guide: Jeffrey Miller; Private Bike Tour Guide
Ward: 2,6

27. Philippine-American Heritage in Washington, DC
12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Tour description:
The Philippines on the Potomac Project (POPDC) is a family project that seeks to find traces of Philippine-American history and culture in the metro Washington, DC area. From an initial listing of 30 places, the number of sites has grown to more than 200. 
This walking tour features 12 of those sites in downtown Washington, including places from the early 1900s, when the Philippines became a U.S. colony following the Spanish American War, through the post-World War II period, when the Philippines became independent. The sites reflect the complicated relationship between the U.S. and Philippines—the narratives of colonialism, the negotiated and renegotiated ties between two nations, and the stories of individuals who lived through this turbulent half-century. 
The tour takes about 1.5 hours, starting at the Old Chancery near Dupont Circle (1617 Massachusetts Avenue, NW) and ending in Foggy Bottom.
Tour Guide: Erwin Tiongson; Community Historian
Ward: 2

28. Madams of DC
12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Tour description:
Washington, DC experienced an unprecedented rise in prostitution during and after the Civil War. During this period, Pennsylvania Avenue became the city's most notorious red light district, from the ramshackle "boarding houses" of Murder Bay to the glamorous pleasure houses of Marble Alley, all within sight of the Capitol. Also, a new profession for women was rising, that of the "female lobbyist." This tour will introduce you to some of the most notorious women of mid-19th Century Washington, DC.
Tour Guide: Katie Kirkpatrick; Owner and CEO of Off the Mall Tours, LLC, a Historical Walking Tour Company
Ward: 2

29. Brookland Then and Now
5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Tour description:
The tour will focus particularly on Brookland today contrasted with Brookland during five earlier historic periods: the Native American Woodlands Period, Washington County, the Civil War Era, Trolley Car Suburb and the City Neighborhood (1960 to today). Photos from the guide’s personal collection will show representations of neighborhood sites during these various periods. The guide will point out buildings that are on the Historic Landmark registry and the sites and homes associated with such famous Brooklanders as Sterling Brown (the Howard University professor and Harlem Renaissance poet), Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (author of The Yearling), Carrie Harrison (botanist and Four H leader), and Robert Weaver (first director of Housing and Urban Development and first African American cabinet member). The lives of Ralph Bunche, John Preston Davis, Walter and Jean Kerr, and Bishop Fulton Sheen will also be considered with reference to their time in Brookland. The tour guide will point out the various architectural styles found in Brookland as well.
Tour Guide: John Feeley; Longtime Resident, Local Writer and Volunteer Tour Guide
Ward: 5

30. Robert G. Ingersoll, the Great Agnostic, in Washington, DC
5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Tour description:
"The Great Agonistic," Robert G. Ingersoll was a 19th century champion of Free Thought, women's rights, civil rights and Washington, DC voting rights. This famous orator and critic of religion toured the US. Ingersoll lived and worked in Washington, DC for seven years. He argued cases before the Supreme Court, lobbied Congress and consulted with presidents.  This tour will visit the sites of his two District homes--one on Lafayette Square--and the places where he worked and spoke in downtown Washington, DC.
Tour Guide: Steven LOWE; Local Washington, DC Resident, Amateur Historian and Advocate for the History of Robert G. Ingersoll
Ward: 2

31. Women of Cold War Washington
5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Tour description:
An ill-fated artist, an ambassador's wife, a baroness, and a codebreaker - What do they all have in common? They were part of the most exclusive club of power-players in Cold War Washington, DC. These amazing women made their mark in a man's world using every tool at their disposal.
Tour Guide: Katie Kirkpatrick; Owner and CEO of Off the Mall Tours, LLC
Ward: 3

63. The History of Shaw and U Street NW
5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Tour description:
This walking tour traces the history of the U Street/Shaw area from the late 19th century to the present. Sites featured include, among others, the African American Civil War Memorial, and the history of how it got its name; the Howard Theatre and Duke Ellington statue; Camp Barker's role in protecting the "Contraband," i.e., the runaway enslaved, the circumstances of which created many subsequent organizations and places, including Howard University. Participants will also walk the U Street corridor, to include the history of Ben's Chili Bowl, the Lincoln and other theatres, various clubs and speakeasies and the long-standing presence of certain Black businesses in the corridor.
Tour Guide: Rohulamin Quander; Life long DC resident; licensed and certified tour guide; author (4 books)
Ward: 2,6

32. Downtown Jewish Washington: A Changing Landscape
12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Tour description:
Learn the story of one Jewish neighborhood in Washington, DC, and watch the neighborhood change with time as we move from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement to today. Walk into the historic heart of Jewish life along the Seventh Street, NW neighborhood that was once a hub of Jewish commercial and religious life in the nation’s capital. Hear about and examine cross cultural connections as you learn about the many communities that lived together in a neighborhood that was always changing.
Tour Guide: Jonathan Edelman; Collections Curator
Ward: 2,6

33. Robert G. Ingersoll, the Great Agnostic, in Washington, DC
12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Tour description:
"The Great Agonistic," Robert G. Ingersoll was a 19th century champion of Free Thought, women's rights, civil rights and Washington, DC voting rights. This famous orator and critic of religion toured the US. Ingersoll lived and worked in Washington, DC for seven years. He argued cases before the Supreme Court, lobbied Congress and consulted with presidents.  This tour will visit the sites of his two District homes--one on Lafayette Square--and the places where he worked and spoke in downtown Washington, DC.
Tour Guide: Steven LOWE; Local Washington, DC Resident, Amateur Historian and Advocate for the History of Robert G. Ingersoll
Ward: 2

34. Charles Dickens in Washington, DC
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Tour description:
The great English novelist Charles Dickens visited the US in 1842. He was only 30 years old but already a huge celebrity in the US as well as in Britain because of phenomenally popular stories such as "The PIckwick Papers" and "Oliver Twist." It was like a rock star from England coming to America! He visited Washington, DC as well as New York, Boston and other cities. Dickens wrote a book about his American visit, "American Notes for General Circulation," with a whole chapter about Washington, DC and his amusing, sometimes scathing, observations.
The guide has performed excerpts from Dickens' works as one-man shows at many locations in the UK, continental Europe and the US. This unique tour will retrace DIckens' footsteps in Washington, DC as guests hear, quoted from memory, what Dickens said about the sights we are seeing. Along the way the guide will perform excerpts for guests from the works that made Dickens famous in the US. The tour is hilarious, horrifying and moving by turns.
Tour Guide: Stephen Mead; Licenced Tour Guide, Member of the Guild of Professional Tour Guides of Washington DC and Professional Storyteller
Ward: 1

35. MuralsDC U Street Walk
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Tour description:
Take a tour along U Street, NW of MuralsDC projects. The 30-45-minute walking tour will start at 14th Street, NW and proceed eastward to the Howard Theatre.
Tour Guide: Nancee Lyons; Public Information Officer and Manager of the MuralsDC program.
Ward: 1

36. Stewart Lee Udall Building’s History, Art and Architecture
12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Tour description:
Discover the art and architecture that made the Stewart Lee Udall Department of the Interior Building a "symbol of a new day" during the Great Depression. Designed by local architect Waddy Butler Wood (1869–1944) and completed in 1936, the Interior’s headquarters structure features more Public Works Administration (PWA) artwork than any other federal building and has the second most PWA artists represented. The overview of the U.S. Department of the Interior past and present will provide historical context for the "Department of Everything Else" and explain how the agency has evolved since its founding in 1849 to its current status employing more than 70,000 professionals and being a steward to one-fifth of the nation's lands. As part of the indoor walking tour, guests will visit the museum and also view a selection of the more than 40 painted murals by New Deal-era artists, plus several of the 1941–1942 photomurals by Ansel Adams throughout the building. For those in need of special assistance (such as an interpreter for the hearing impaired), please notify museum staff in advance; special needs will be accommodated whenever possible.
Tour Guide: Jason  Jurgena; Chief Curator, U.S. Department of the Interior Museum
Ward: 2

37. Thomas Smallwood Coins the Term Underground Railroad
12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Tour description:
Thomas Smallwood, a shoemaker near the Navy Yard, helped more than 150 slaves from this area escape by working with Charles Torrey, and they both published Smallwood's letters naming and shaming their owners. He is credited with inventing the phrase "Underground Railroad" as has been detailed in Scott Shanes recent book, "Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery's Borderland."
Tour Guide: Joseph Mohr; National Park Service Interpretive Ranger on the Mall
Ward: 2

38. Thomas Smallwood Coins the Term Underground Railroad
5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Tour description:
Thomas Smallwood, a shoemaker near the Navy Yard, helped more than 150 slaves from this area escape by working with Charles Torrey, and they both published Smallwood's letters naming and shaming their owners. He is credited with inventing the phrase "Underground Railroad" as has been detailed in Scott Shanes recent book, "Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery's Borderland."
Tour Guide: Joseph Mohr; National Park Service Interpretive Ranger on the Mall
Ward: 2

40. Beyond the Closet: Persecution and Liberation of Washington, DC’s LGBTQ Community
5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Tour description:
Today Washington DC is one of the most LGBTQ-friendly jurisdictions in the country with gay-friendly laws, an inclusive school curriculum, anti-discrimination protections and marriage equality. But from the 1940s-1970s, this city was ground zero for actively uncovering closeted gay federal government employees and firing them without justification. On this walking tour, you’ll see Washington DC’s iconic government buildings through the eyes of the committed government servants who were persecuted because of their sexual orientation.  You’ll see the sites where the brave few chose to fight back and demand their civil rights.  And you’ll see where they built their own communities and paved the way for today’s more inclusive city. Our country chose fear over competence and denied the service of hundreds of eminently qualified researchers, diplomats and leaders. Learn how this discrimination caused the LGBTQ community to organize, to unite and to emerge from the closet.
Tour Guide: Zachary  Patalingjug; Licensed guide and owner of Beyond the Landmarks LLC walking tour company.
Ward: 2

41. Thomas Smallwood Coins the Term Underground Railroad
12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Tour description:
Thomas Smallwood, a shoemaker near the Navy Yard, helped more than 150 slaves from this area escape by working with Charles Torrey, and they both published Smallwood's letters naming and shaming their owners. He is credited with inventing the phrase "Underground Railroad" as has been detailed in Scott Shanes recent book, "Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery's Borderland."
Tour Guide: Joseph Mohr; National Park Service Interpretive Ranger on the Mall
Ward: 2

43. MuralsDC U Street Walk
5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Tour description:
Take a tour along U Street, NW of MuralsDC projects. The 30-45-minute walking tour will start at 14th Street, NW and proceed eastward to the Howard Theatre.
Tour Guide: Nancee Lyons; Public Information Officer and Manager of the MuralsDC program.
Ward: 1

44. Thomas Smallwood Coins the Term Underground Railroad
5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Tour description:
Thomas Smallwood, a shoemaker near the Navy Yard, helped more than 150 slaves from this area escape by working with Charles Torrey, and they both published Smallwood's letters naming and shaming their owners. He is credited with inventing the phrase "Underground Railroad" as has been detailed in Scott Shanes recent book, "Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery's Borderland."
Tour Guide: Joseph Mohr; National Park Service Interpretive Ranger on the Mall
Ward: 2

September Bird Walk - Walking Town Special by DC Bird Alliance
8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Tour description:
Join us for a bird walk where the only side you have to be on is the best one see a bird! A lot of us skip these birding hotspots because we don't often think of peace, joy and birding together with agencies, commissions and courts. But Upper and Lower Senate parks are great spots to catch early migrators and a bunch of other feathered friends during Fall migration.
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/september-bird-walk-walking-town-dc-special-tickets-1000670180447 

49. Queering Capitol Hill
9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Tour description:
For more than 70 years, Capitol Hill has been a social and residential center for Washington’s LGBTQ+ community, with bars and clubs, youth services and innovative women’s businesses. This tour will explore the impact of radical lesbian separatists, First Amendment fights, the underpinning of LGBTQ+ religious organizations, and interactions with Marines and the Marine Barracks, among other stories.
Tour Guide: Philip Clark; Writer and Historian
Ward: 6

50. Kalorama  - A Beautiful Place (IN FRENCH)
9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Tour description:
Practice your French language skills as you take a little stroll in a beautiful neighborhood in Washington, DC. Come and learn about its story, how it was created, who lived there and its connection to Embassy Row. 
This tour will be conducted in French. A second tour will be conducted in English.
Tour Guide: Melanie  LaForce; Licensed Guide and Owner of Bonjour LaForce, LLC, a Local Walking Tour Company
Ward: 2

51. History Walking Tour at The Parks at Walter Reed
9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Tour description:
From its opening in 1909 to its closing in 2011, the world-class Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC played an outsized role in the lives of thousands of people, particularly in the surrounding neighborhoods. When Walter Reed was merged with Bethesda Naval Medical Center in 2011, the Shepherd Park campus in Ward 4 began a new era in its storied history, as it was redeveloped into thousands of new apartments, condos, townhouses and affordable units — all while retaining its historic character, lovely greenspaces and beautiful architecture. 
Learn from stories of neighbors who grew up around the campus, as well as how the place is being knit into the Shepherd Park neighborhood, with hundreds of free community events, new shops and restaurants, and parks and greenspaces open to all. 
Tour Guide: Rachel  Davis; The Parks at Walter Reed: Marketing & Events Team Lead
Ward: 4

52. Art and History are Alive in the Cemetery!
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tour description:
Historic Rock Creek Cemetery was established around 1726 and is one of the oldest cemeteries in the Mid-Atlantic. The churchyard has a history dating back to nearly 75 years before the District of Columbia was established.  On our tour, we will wander through portions of this 86-acre Nationally Registered Landmark known for its beautiful parklike settings and magnificent pieces of funerary sculpture, including the famous Augustus Saint-Gaudens Adams Memorial, nicknamed "Grief." We will also talk about famous - and  infamous - luminaries that helped to shape not only Washington, DC, but the very nation itself. Art and history are truly alive in the cemetery!
Tour Guide: Donald Harrell; Amateur Historian Who Loves Rock Creek Cemetery
Ward: 4

53. Life in the Alleys: Blagden Alley and Naylor Court
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tour description:
Blagden Alley and Naylor Court encompass the largest number of surviving alley dwellings in Washington, DC and represent a vanished type of housing and community. In a space of two blocks, we will see senators’ homes and assignation houses, livery stables and speakeasies, with bawdy and blood-curdling stories to match. This neighborhood has gone from semi-rural to fashionable to slum to fashionable again. What comes next?
Tour Guide: Mark Herlong; Local Historian
Ward: 2

54. Brookland Then and Now
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tour description:
The tour will focus particularly on Brookland today contrasted with Brookland during five earlier historic periods: the Native American Woodlands Period, Washington County, the Civil War Era, Trolley Car Suburb and the City Neighborhood (1960 to today). Photos from the guide’s personal collection will show representations of neighborhood sites during these various periods. The guide will point out buildings that are on the Historic Landmark registry and the sites and homes associated with such famous Brooklanders as Sterling Brown (the Howard University professor and Harlem Renaissance poet), Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (author of The Yearling), Carrie Harrison (botanist and Four H leader), and Robert Weaver (first director of Housing and Urban Development and first African American cabinet member). The lives of Ralph Bunche, John Preston Davis, Walter and Jean Kerr, and Bishop Fulton Sheen will also be considered with reference to their time in Brookland. The tour guide will point out the various architectural styles found in Brookland as well.
Tour Guide: John Feeley; Longtime Resident, Local Writer and Volunteer Tour Guide
Ward: 5

55. Historic Chevy Chase: Plantation to Streetcar Suburb to Today’s Community
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Tour description:
Enjoy a leisurely approximately one-hour stroll through some of the oldest portions of Chevy Chase, DC during this walking tour of original portions of the Chevy Chase Land Co. development on the Washinggton, DC side of Chevy Chase (one of the first "commuter suburbs" in the US). Sites and commentary to cover the history of the area as well as the evolutionary development of the neighborhood, including buildings and architecture.
Tour Guide: Keene Taylor; Board member of Historic Chevy Chase DC (HCCDC)
Ward: 4

56. Kalorama  - A Beautiful Place (IN ENGLISH)
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Tour description:
Come and learn about its story, how it was created, who lived there and its connection to Embassy Row. 
This tour will be conducted in English. An earlier tour will be conducted in Frensh.
Tour Guide: Melanie  LaForce; Licensed Guide and Owner of Bonjour LaForce, LLC, a Local Walking Tour Company

Ward: 2,6

57. Let’s Get This Show on the Road: An Exploration of DC’s Theatre District
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Tour description:
Journey through the theatrical history of Washington, DC – literally! Theatre Week 2024 is proud to bring back the fan-favorite walking tour of Downtown DC theatres. Co-hosted by Farar Elliott (Curator of the U.S. House of Representatives) and Chris Geidner (Journalist and Publisher of Law Dork), this 90-minute tour celebrates the past, present and future of your favorite downtown venues. Kicking things off at the historic National Theatre, this guided exploration of the Penn Quarter neighborhood features stops at Ford's Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company – plus some fun facts about the #dctheatre community at large. 
After the tour (optional), enjoy a Pay-What-You-Will ticket offer to see The Comeuppance by DC native and Tony Award winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company.
Tour Guide: Theatre Washington; Theatre Week Events Producer
Farar Elliott, Historian, Curator of the House of Representatives
Chris Geidner, Journalist and blogger
Ward: 6

58. A Tale of Two Canals: Connecting the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers 
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Tour description:
On this six-mile bicycle ride, learn about the 19th-century Washington City Canal and its connection to the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal, thus connecting the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers through the city center.
Tour Guide: Tom Haser; National Mall Volunteer with the National Park Service
Ward: 2,6

59. Charles Dickens in Washington, DC
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Tour description:
The great English novelist Charles Dickens visited the US in 1842. He was only 30 years old but already a huge celebrity in the US as well as in Britain because of phenomenally popular stories such as "The PIckwick Papers" and "Oliver Twist." It was like a rock star from England coming to America! He visited Washington, DC as well as New York, Boston and other cities. Dickens wrote a book about his American visit, "American Notes for General Circulation," with a whole chapter about Washington, DC and his amusing, sometimes scathing, observations.
The guide has performed excerpts from Dickens' works as one-man shows at many locations in the UK, continental Europe and the US. This unique tour will retrace DIckens' footsteps in Washington, DC as guests hear, quoted from memory, what Dickens said about the sights we are seeing. Along the way the guide will perform excerpts for guests from the works that made Dickens famous in the US. The tour is hilarious, horrifying and moving by turns.
Tour Guide: Stephen Mead; Licenced Tour Guide, Member of the Guild of Professional Tour Guides of Washington DC and Professional Storyteller
Ward: 1

60. Frederic Law Olmsted and the US Capitol Grounds
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Tour description:
Commissioned by Congress in 1874 to design the grounds of the US Capitol, Frederick Law Olmsted created an innovative landscape, presenting the building to greatest visual effect while overcoming numerous design challenges. Explore the history and design of the Capitol grounds while learning about its intricate features: the Olmsted-designed marble terraces, brick Spring Grotto, masterful stone and ironwork and carefully crafted views and circulation paths. Presented by the Olmsted Network and the United States Capitol Historical Society; led by volunteers from the USCHS.
Tour Guide: Steve Livengood; Public Historian & Chief Guide
Ward: 6

61. Beyond the Closet: Persecution and Liberation of Washington, DC’s LGBTQ Community
3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Tour description:
Today Washington DC is one of the most LGBTQ-friendly jurisdictions in the country with gay-friendly laws, an inclusive school curriculum, anti-discrimination protections and marriage equality. But from the 1940s-1970s, this city was ground zero for actively uncovering closeted gay federal government employees and firing them without justification. On this walking tour, you’ll see Washington DC’s iconic government buildings through the eyes of the committed government servants who were persecuted because of their sexual orientation.  You’ll see the sites where the brave few chose to fight back and demand their civil rights.  And you’ll see where they built their own communities and paved the way for today’s more inclusive city. Our country chose fear over competence and denied the service of hundreds of eminently qualified researchers, diplomats and leaders. Learn how this discrimination caused the LGBTQ community to organize, to unite and to emerge from the closet.
Tour Guide: Zachary  Patalingjug; Licensed guide and tour company owner
Ward: 2

62. Art and History are Alive in the Cemetery!
3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Tour description:
Historic Rock Creek Cemetery was established around 1726 and is one of the oldest cemeteries in the Mid-Atlantic. The churchyard has a history dating back to nearly 75 years before the District of Columbia was established.  On our tour, we will wander through portions of this 86-acre Nationally Registered Landmark known for its beautiful parklike settings and magnificent pieces of funerary sculpture, including the famous Augustus Saint-Gaudens Adams Memorial, nicknamed "Grief." We will also talk about famous - and  infamous - luminaries that helped to shape not only Washington, DC, but the very nation itself. Art and history are truly alive in the cemetery!
Tour Guide: Donald Harrell; Amateur Historian Who Loves Rock Creek Cemetery
Ward: 4