Washington, D.C., boasts a deep repertoire of homegrown music and spoken word. Through after-school and cultural programs, local artists are training the next generation of performers from go-go to spoken word to jazz. This concert celebrates some of D.C.’s own young artists and their teachers with performances by DCPS Let’s Go-Go Band, the UDC JAZZtet, and spoken-word artists from Words Beats & Life.

This event will happen in-person, live on the National Mall, during the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on July 2-7, 2025. It will be livestreamed for online audiences and remain archived on our YouTube channel and website.