Join us for a magical evening celebrating the legendary Fairuz on her birthday this November. Acclaimed vocalist Nibal Malshi performs her timeless hits—originally composed by the iconic Rahbani Brothers—from nostalgic folk melodies to beloved pop songs. In the wake of the recent passing of Fairuz’s son, Ziad Rahbani, the program will also pay tribute to his remarkable legacy as a composer and innovator.

Held at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and presented in partnership with the Arab America Foundation, this concert brings together generations to honor the enduring voice that captivated the Arab world.

Join us for an evening of poetic excellence at our poetry showcase, where our CreativeWorkers will dazzle with their words and emotions. After the event, there will be a small reception.

In 2020, five-time-Grammy-nominee saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin was named a “rising star” in DownBeat Magazine’s 68th annual Critics Poll. That same year saw the release of her breakout album, Pursuance: The Coltranes, an intergenerational masterwork that takes the listener on a journey through the lineage of jazz by way of the works of John and Alice Coltrane. She hasn't looked back since. Charismatic and dynamic, Benjamin fuses traditional concepts of jazz, hip-hop and soul. Benjamin has shared stages with such giants as Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, The Roots and Macy Gray, infusing her conception of jazz with the sounds of James Brown, Maceo Parker, Sly and the Family Stone and The Meters to produce soaring, dance-floor worthy rhythms. Her latest album, 2023's Phoenix, features guest appearances from modern legends Diane Reeves, Wayne Shorter, Wallace Roney and Angela Davis. Join Benjamin for an exploration of the living art form that is jazz.

Prepare for an unforgettable night of soul-stirring music and timeless classics as vocalist Renée Georges and pianist Vince Evans reunite to honor the legendary Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. Experience the magic of “Tryin’ Times,” “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” “Compared to What,” “The Closer I Get to You,” “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” and more.

David Neely, music director
Michael Votta, Jr., music director

Join us for a special opportunity to hear the UMD Symphony and UMD Wind Orchestras back-to-back at the same concert! UMSO and UMWO team up for a special performance of diverse works showing the depth of the symphonic and wind repertoires.

Program

J.S. Bach: Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor
David Biedenbender: Enigma

Intermission

Kristin Kuster: Rain On It
Mauric Ravel: Ma mère l’oye ("Mother Goose") Suite

A Malian griot and Grammy-nominated musician, Diabate is a master of the n’goni (West African lute). He explores connections between West African and American string traditions, including collaborations with Béla Fleck.

A Malian griot and Grammy-nominated musician, Diabate is a master of the n’goni (West African lute). He explores connections between West African and American string traditions, including collaborations with Béla Fleck.

Pre-American Revolution Cemeteries Bus Tour in partnership with M-NCPPC Planning Office, Archaeologists Jennifer Stabler and Amelia Chisholm, and Prince George’s County Historical Society. Historic cemeteries abound in Prince George’s County. Join Jennifer Stabler for a bus tour of pre-American Revolutionary War cemeteries. This tour is in partnership with the M-NCPPC Planning Office and Prince George’s County Historical Society.

Let’s take a trip around the world! Celebrate cultures and people from across the globe by exploring a variety of traditions and how they are preserved. Each month will feature a different heritage community, children’s book, and applicable craft. In November, we’ll focus on Indigenous Peoples’ heritage. We will be reading We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom with illustrations by Michaela Goade, and we’ll be making beaded pipe cleaner corn.

Let’s take a trip around the world! Celebrate cultures and people from across the globe by exploring a variety of traditions and how they are preserved. Each month will feature a different heritage community, children’s book, and applicable craft. In November, we’ll focus on Indigenous Peoples’ heritage. We will be reading We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom with illustrations by Michaela Goade, and we’ll be making beaded pipe cleaner corn.

Ages 6-12; Free

A biannual favorite returns! Join us on Saturday, November 8th, for DC Beer Fest. Featuring seasonal brews from over 80 craft breweries, local food trucks, live music and more, DC Beer Fest welcomes beer aficionados and novices alike for an afternoon of craft beer greatness at Nationals Park.

Session 1: 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Session 2: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Composer, cellist, and singer-songwriter Ben Sollee blurs boundaries with his musical style and career, drawing influences from the American and global south.

Performances: 6 pm (Community Workshop); 8pm (Performance)

Dancers—take part in a community master class led by Angel Ramirez and perform the choreography learned in the workshop during the evening showcase!

Family, friends, and community members—experience powerful performances choreographed by Angel Ramirez, featuring guest artist Gabriel Mata and a collaborative work with Tabata Vara and Elvis Navarro.

This night celebrates the strength of community and explores themes of belonging, resilience, and the immigrant experience in the U.S.

Join us for a live tribute to Sly & The Family Stone, the iconic American funk band from the 1960s and 70s, renowned for their significant role in shaping the genres of funk, soul, R&B, and rock music. Their impact can still be felt in modern American funk, pop, soul, R&B, and hip-hop. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, they are celebrated as the 43rd most outstanding artist of all time by Rolling Stone. Enjoy classic hits like “I Want to Take You Higher,” “Everyday People,” and “Dance to the Music.” The Gold Soul Movement is a collective of DMV-based artists celebrating soul music’s timeless, genre-blending power, and they guarantee to have you dancing in your seat!

David Neely, music director
Michael Votta, Jr., music director

Experience the UMD Symphony Orchestra and UMD Wind Orchestra presenting back-to-back works that tell a more complete story of The Rite of Spring!

Many people know the tale of The Rite of Spring, Igor Stravinsky’s ballet and orchestral work that depicts a pagan celebration of spring in which a young girl is chosen to be a sacrificial victim and dances herself to death. But, have you ever considered the point of view of the young girl who dies to appease the Gods of Spring? Originally premiered by the UMD Wind Orchestra in Spring 2023, Clarice Assad’s Multiverse: Another Rite of Spring tells the same story, but from the perspective of the sacrificial maiden, posing a unique counterpoint to Stravinsky’s work.

Program

Clarice Assad: Multiverse: Another Rite of Spring
Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring

You're Meant To Move! MovMEANT is a celebration of life, harnessing the body's innate wisdom to guide and heal us. In a culture that often prioritizes the mind, we forget the body's powerful ability to speak through sensation, emotion, and movement.

Somatic fluency is about listening to the body's subtle language, allowing us to tap into our inner wisdom, regulate our emotions, and reconnect with our true selves. In our MovMEANT therapy workshop, you can expect a safe, supportive space to express yourself freely, without judgment or expectation.

Through intuitive movement, breath awareness, imagination, and creative exploration, you'll unlock a deeper connection to your body and inner landscape. No prior experience is necessary – just a willingness to listen to your body's whispers. Join Tamara for a rare opportunity to rediscover your essence through MovMEANT and experience a reinvigorating, cathartic, and euphoric journey of self-discovery and liberation.

Internationally respected for their innovative programming, the renowned Takács Quartet has collaborated with a fascinating variety of talents, including the bandoneón virtuoso Julien Labro, actors Meryl Streep and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, and former United States Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky. The members of Takács–Edward Dusinberre and Harumi Rhodes (violins), Richard O’Neill (viola) and András Fejér (cello)–are Hyperion recording artists and Christoffersen Fellows in Residence at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Originally founded in 1975 at the Music Academy in Budapest, the quartet is currently based out of North America but tour and perform almost continually around the world. Takács Quartet begins its program at The Clarice with Joseph Haydn's String Quartet Op. 74, No. 3, known as "The Rider" for its exuberant galloping theme. Following this lively and challenging piece, the group will present NEXUS, a new work by the contemporary Brazilian-American composer Clarice Assad and Claude Debussy's String Quartet in G minor.

Post-Show Conversation

Join the artists for a Q&A immediately following the performance.

Multifaceted artist and D.C. native Noochie brings his groundbreaking series, Noochie’s Live from the Front Porch, to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall for a special, one-night-only engagement with a host of special guests.

Go green with your creativity! Nature provides an abundance of materials and inspiration for making art. Participants will enjoy hands-on nature craft activities. Every session focuses on a different nature theme.

Upcoming Dates:

• Sept 2: Polymer Clay Mushrooms

• Sept 9: Fruits of the Fall

• Sept 16: Hispanic Heritage

• Sept 23: Fall Blooms

• Sept 30: Aractober

• Oct 7: Fall Colors

• Oct 14: Eco-Friendly Bird Feeders

• Oct 21: Migrating Monarchs

• Oct 28: Dia de los Muertos Marigolds

• Nov 4: Leaf mandals

• Nov 11: Gourds & Indigenous Culture

• Nov 18: Gratitude Arrangements

• Nov 25: Wild Turkeys

The Antagonist Tour is the ongoing concert tour by the American rapper Playboi Carti in support of his third studio album, Music (2025). The tour began on October 3, 2025, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is scheduled to conclude on December 1, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. Spanning 31 shows across the United States, the tour was originally scheduled to begin in North America in September 2023, before extending to Europe later in the year, which resulted in multiple postponements and cancellations. Supporting acts include Carti's Opium labelmates Ken Carson,[a] Destroy Lonely,[b] and Homixide Gang,[c] as well as affiliate ApolloRed1.

Dates: Oct 9, 14, 24 and Nov 4, 13, 14,

Join us at Old Maryland Farm for a farm themed story & craft with a chance to explore the farm with a farm naturalist!

Dates: Oct 9, 14, 24 and Nov 4, 13, 14,

Join us at Old Maryland Farm for a farm themed story & craft with a chance to explore the farm with a farm naturalist!

Dates: Sep 12, Oct 10, Nov 14

Enjoy nature tales and roasted marshmallows over a community campfire in the beautiful outdoors! Bring hot dogs, if you’d like! Start new friendships and make family memories.

• Patrons will be notified of weather-related cancellations.

• Please check in at front desk upon arrival.

• Marshmallows and roasting sticks will be provided.

• Feel free to bring your own food and drink (no alcohol).

Members of the National Symphony Orchestra play an assortment of chamber music.

Marin Alsop, conductor
Nemanja Radulović, violin

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra returns to The Clarice with trailblazing conductor and National Orchestral Institute + Festival Music Director Marin Alsop. Opening the program is RE|Member, a short but distinctly unique multimedia work from contemporary composer Reena Esmail that commemorates pandemic-era ritual and displacement. Next, the acclaimed and charismatic Serbian violinist Nemanja Radulović joins the orchestra as soloist for a memorable performance of his signature work, Aram Khachaturian's Violin Concerto. The musical journey continues with an immortal classic and an audience favorite: Johannes Brahms’ monumental Symphony No. 3.

This performance by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is presented in recognition of the visionary artistry of Clarice Smith on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.

Program

Reena Esmail: RE|Member
Aram Khachaturian: Violin Concerto
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 3

Join We May Be Minstrels for an evening that sings through America’s tangled story: The pain, the protest, the joy, and the hope. American Resilience weaves together folk, cowboy, and contemporary songs that speak to our shared struggles and the strength found in community.

Dinosaur Park hosts free open house days every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month! Explore the grounds where dinosaur bones have been discovered! Learn about fossils and recent dinosaur bone findings.

The Asian American Music Society (AAMS) will be presents the 2025 AAMS competition winners, showcasing the singers with the string quartet and piano.

A storytelling competition and cultural celebration that brings lived experiences from around the world to one stage.

Doors open at 6:30 PM.

Award-winning artist and former lead vocalist of the legendary R&B group Atlantic Starr, Talein, is going to take you on a musical journey of one of the most prolific female vocalists of our time, Ms. Whitney Houston, affectionately known as Nippy to her family. But to the world, she was “The Voice.”

The production of “I Will Always Love You” is infused with your favorite Whitney songs and the movies in which she was featured as an actress. Throughout the night, we will have Whitney facts. We will share her accomplishments throughout her career as Talein sings Whitney’s signature songs in a beautiful artistic tribute, Talein-style. It will have you laughing, singing, dancing, and getting chills as the emotional and moving production, “I Will Always Love You,” will have you always loving Whitney forever!

Connect with sustainable gardening and landscaping. Join us at the Center to learn tips and tricks about sustainable gardening, backyard landscape design, unique uses of plant materials, and seasonal garden maintenance on your property. Practice your skills in our gardens while learning to coexist and nurture the native ecosystem!

Upcoming Dates:

• Sept 7: Mushrooms in Your Garden

• Sept 21: Migrating Pollinator Habits

• Oct 5: Fall Bird Habitat

• Oct 19: Fall Garden Colors

• Nov 2: Fall Harvest

• Nov 16: Indigenous Garden Wisom

Go green with your creativity! Nature provides an abundance of materials and inspiration for making art. Participants will enjoy hands-on nature craft activities. Every session focuses on a different nature theme.

Upcoming Dates:

• Sept 2: Polymer Clay Mushrooms

• Sept 9: Fruits of the Fall

• Sept 16: Hispanic Heritage

• Sept 23: Fall Blooms

• Sept 30: Aractober

• Oct 7: Fall Colors

• Oct 14: Eco-Friendly Bird Feeders

• Oct 21: Migrating Monarchs

• Oct 28: Dia de los Muertos Marigolds

• Nov 4: Leaf mandals

• Nov 11: Gourds & Indigenous Culture

• Nov 18: Gratitude Arrangements

• Nov 25: Wild Turkeys

Since gaining prominence in the early 2000s with his viral ukulele cover of George Harrison’s While My Guitar Gently Weeps, the performer and composer Jake Shimabukuro's star has flown to such heights that his name is virtually synonymous with his instrument. With over a dozen instrumental solo albums, Shimabukuro has shown an effortless skill at skating between styles, blasting his way through waves of staccato thirty-second notes with classical precision and ambling melodically through a heartwarming pop ballad. He has headlined performances at the Hollywood Bowl, Lincoln Center, the Sydney Opera House and the New Orleans Jazz Fest. Shimabukuro has collaborated extensively with some of the world’s greatest musicians, notably with his longtime touring mentor Jimmy Buffett, but also alongside Yo-Yo Ma, Béla Fleck and The Flecktones, Jack Johnson, Bette Midler, Ziggy Marley, Willie Nelson and Warren Haynes. In 2024, Shimabukuro released his latest collaborative album, Blues Experience, with legendary Mick Fleetwood. Above all else, Jake Shimabukuro is an undeniable savant on the strings and an artist you'll want to hear live.

Come explore what your hands can create using natural materials! Connect with sustainable gardening and landscaping, and practice your skills while learning to coexist and nurture the native ecosystem!

Upcoming programs:

• Sept 4: Polymer Clay Mushrooms

• Sept 19: Polymer Clay Mushrooms

• Oct 17: Eco-friendly Bird Feeders

• Nov 21: Gratitude Centerpieces

Zach Torres is a soulful Nashville-based singer/songwriter whose music blends honest storytelling with warm, down-to-earth energy. His EP Sleeping Alone is out now.

Known as La Voz De Oro (The Golden Voice), Jason Joshua is a rising star in neo-classic Latin R&B and soul. 

Performances: 1pm & 4pm

Squonk and Friends is a family-friendly circus show that will include duo silks, handbalancing, lyra, straps, rope, partner acrobatics, and plenty of silly antics.

Squonk is a crypid found in the hemlock forests of Pennsylvania. This little creature believes they are so ugly and can dissolve into a puddle of tears if they are perceived. Can Squonk's woodland friends cheer Squonk up, or will the creatures learn a lesson about comfort, self-acceptance, and sitting with grief?

Join this small cast of 4 DMV local performers as they embark on an adventure unlike any other.

Performances: 1pm & 4pm

Squonk and Friends is a family-friendly circus show that will include duo silks, handbalancing, lyra, straps, rope, partner acrobatics, and plenty of silly antics.

Squonk is a crypid found in the hemlock forests of Pennsylvania. This little creature believes they are so ugly and can dissolve into a puddle of tears if they are perceived. Can Squonk's woodland friends cheer Squonk up, or will the creatures learn a lesson about comfort, self-acceptance, and sitting with grief?

Join this small cast of 4 DMV local performers as they embark on an adventure unlike any other.

Bikes and Lights is back! Enjoy the unique experience of riding your bike through the Winter Festival of Lights. Experience dazzling scenes celebrating the magic of the holiday season! For safety, bike lights and helmets are required. Vehicles are not allowed on the festival roads during this event. Space is limited for this popular event. Register today! FREE for children riding on a tagalong/bike seat/trailer.

Jason Max Ferdinand, music director

University Chorale and UMD Chamber Singers team up to present an exciting variety of old and new, classical and contemporary selections. Repertoire to be announced closer to the concert.

Hailed by the Boston Globe as “one of the world’s most remarkable singers,” tenor Nicholas Phan performs a program exploring migration and immigration narratives in the U.S.

Go green with your creativity! Nature provides an abundance of materials and inspiration for making art. Participants will enjoy hands-on nature craft activities. Every session focuses on a different nature theme.

Upcoming Dates:

• Sept 2: Polymer Clay Mushrooms

• Sept 9: Fruits of the Fall

• Sept 16: Hispanic Heritage

• Sept 23: Fall Blooms

• Sept 30: Aractober

• Oct 7: Fall Colors

• Oct 14: Eco-Friendly Bird Feeders

• Oct 21: Migrating Monarchs

• Oct 28: Dia de los Muertos Marigolds

• Nov 4: Leaf mandals

• Nov 11: Gourds & Indigenous Culture

• Nov 18: Gratitude Arrangements

• Nov 25: Wild Turkeys

Bring your family for a fun sing-along—and ukulele jam along—led by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer.

Miss Chief Rocka’s dance background is on full display, mixing her nehiyaw culture and love for hip hop.

Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, praised by the New York Times as “vocally brilliant and dramatically fearless,” shares a recital program that spans the Baroque era, minimalism, and Broadway.

The highly anticipated The Boy Is Mine Tour is coming to Capital One Arena. The iconic GRAMMY Award-winning artists, Brandy and Monica,  will embark on their first-ever co-headlining tour. It also marks a historic moment more than 25 years in the making, building on the legacy of their 1998 game-changing duet “The Boy Is Mine,” which spent a record-shattering 13 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a defining cultural touchstone of late ‘90s R&B. The song also placed them in an elite group of artists — including Whitney Houston (14 weeks with “I Will Always Love You”) and Mariah Carey (16 weeks with “One Sweet Day”) — who have commanded the Hot 100’s top spot for 13 weeks or more. 

Joining them is a powerhouse lineup of special guests: GRAMMY-winning superstar Kelly Rowland, chart-topping singer-songwriter and GRAMMY winner Muni Long, and rising star Jamal Roberts, fresh off his 2025 American Idol Season 23 win. With talent that spans generations—from foundational to future—the tour is positioned to be one of the most unforgettable, unmissable live events of the year.

A Brazilian vocalist known for bringing the soul of Brazilian music to audiences worldwide. She has performed at major venues, including opening for Diana Ross and presenting tributes to Antonio Carlos Jobim.

GRAMMY® Award-winning global superstar Burna Boy is among the most significant and groundbreaking African artists in music history, a landmark cultural figure hailed worldwide for his trademark union of Afrobeats, pop, R&B, hip-hop, reggae, and an all-encompassing range of other musical approaches. The first African artist to have two albums earn over 1B streams on Spotify, Burna Boy has released seven studio albums and has racked up a truly extraordinary list of accomplishments and accolades, including 11 total GRAMMY® Award nominations, 4 BET Awards for “Best International Act” (the first African artist to win the award three consecutive times), a 2023 Billboard Music Award for “Top Afrobeats Artist,” and countless nominations spanning nods for American Music Awards, Brit Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards, iHeartRadio Music Awards, BET Awards, BET Hip-Hop Awards, NAACP Image Awards, Soul Train Awards, MOBO Awards, and many more. Burna Boy is known around the globe for his explosive, show-stopping live performances, including countless sold-out shows and milestone festival appearances. Now, with the imminent release of his eighth studio album No Sign Of Weakness, Burna Boy shows no signs of stopping his truly titanic rise to the forefront of the world stage as this generation’s leading ambassador for African music in the 21st century.

Dinosaur Park hosts free open house days every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month! Explore the grounds where dinosaur bones have been discovered! Learn about fossils and recent dinosaur bone findings.

Performances: Sep 19, Oct 17, Dec 11 @7:30pm

Join the Kreators of the Kreativity Diversity Troupe for an open mic night, full of music, dance and spoken word.

BRENCORE Entertainment and the Bowie Center for the Performing Arts present “A MOTOWN CHRISTMAS” featuring The BRENCORE ALLSTARS Band who will perform some of MOTOWN’s greatest Christmas songs by the Temptations, Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight and The Pips, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Michael Jackson, The Spinners, The Jackson 5, and more to put you in the holiday spirit.

Come and sing along with friends and family members and enjoy “A MOTOWN CHRISTMAS” holiday spectacular show. Invite your friends and get your tickets early for this amazing Christmas Show.

Join Kayla René as we Countdown to Christmas with a family-curated evening full of holiday magic! Celebrate the reason for the season and spread joy to those in need by bringing new toy donations and non-perishable food to Kayla’s Toy Drive at the Bowie Center throughout December.

Make the night extra special with a VIP ticket — join us at 5 PM for delicious food, festive drinks, and plenty of merriment before the show begins.

Let’s come together for an unforgettable evening of music, laughter, and Christmas cheer!

2024 was a landmark year for Andrea Bocelli’s as it marked the 30th anniversary of his iconic career. Bocelli released a new Duets album, that went #1 on the Classical Music Charts and featured a variety of his most beloved collaborations with Ed Sheeran, Celine Dion, and Luciano Pavarotti, among others, as well as newly recorded tracks with Shania Twain, Chris Stapleton, Karol G, and more. He also released a concert film directed by Sam Wrench, which chronicled his three-day July concert event in Italy. The film Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration is currently airing on PBS stations in all tour markets.

Showtimes: 11 am, 2pm, 5pm

Class Act Performing Arts presents A Frozen Fairytale!

Ticket sales will go live on Saturday, November 1st.
11am show (show #1) ticket link goes live at 8:00am
2pm show (show #2) ticket link goes live at 10:00am
5pm show (show #3) ticket link goes live at 12:00pm

Dinosaur Park hosts free open house days every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month! Explore the grounds where dinosaur bones have been discovered! Learn about fossils and recent dinosaur bone findings.

Performances: 3pm & 7:30pm

Multi-platinum rock group Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) announces their 2025 Winter Tour. Starting November 13, the 64-city, 106-show tour features The Ghosts of Christmas Eve: The Best of TSO & More, a 25th-anniversary tribute to Beethoven’s Last Night, and fan favorites. The tour ends December 30 in Washington, D.C., showcasing TSO's signature blend of rock, classical, pyrotechnics, lasers, and storytelling.

Performances: 3pm & 7:30pm

Multi-platinum rock group Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) announces their 2025 Winter Tour. Starting November 13, the 64-city, 106-show tour features The Ghosts of Christmas Eve: The Best of TSO & More, a 25th-anniversary tribute to Beethoven’s Last Night, and fan favorites. The tour ends December 30 in Washington, D.C., showcasing TSO's signature blend of rock, classical, pyrotechnics, lasers, and storytelling.