This post covers the top things to do in June in Washington, DC updated for 2023, including nighttime activities, free things to do, and family-friendly options.
Be sure to read our master post on things to do in DC for even more ideas.
- Topten
- Nighttime Activities
- Free Things to Do
- Family-Friendly
- How's the Weather in June?
- Free Tours by Foot
Disclosure: While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the full text.
This section covers our top ten list for June.
For more ideas on favorite things to do in DC, check out the following posts:
Some of the items listed in this post are included for free with the purchase of a tourist attraction discount pass.
1. Attend a Sporting Event
Beer and baseball are the perfect way to fend off the summer swelter, and lucky for us we've got a great lineup for The Washington Nationals.
And while you are here, you could watch the President's Race at each home game.
Baseball
Soccer
Basketball
- Washington Wizards | if they make the NBA Finals
This is a great option for families. For more family-friendly ideas, check out our things to do with kids section.
2. Go to a Concert
June brings plenty of musical performances to Washington, DC in venues all around the city.
If you're looking for a great concert to enjoy, there will be plenty to choose from.
Concerts
- John Mellencamp | June 2nd | Baltimore
- John Legend | June 2nd, 3rd | Vienna
- Dead & Company | June 3rd | Bristow
- Bryan Adams/Joan Jett | June 6th | Baltimore
- Pixies | June 10th | DC
- Dermot Kennedy | June 13th | DC
- Kenny Loggins | June 14th, 15th | Vienna
- Trombone Shorty | June 17th, 18th | Vienna
- Gladys Knight | June 22nd | Oxon Hill
- Weezer | June 23rd | Columbia
- Ed Sheeran | June 24th | Landover
- Dave Matthews Band | June 24th | Columbia
- Shania Twain | June 27th | Columbia
- Chicago | June 27th | Oxon Hill
Festivals
Out & About Festival | June 24th-25th
Out & About Festival | June 24th-25th
- Brandi Carlisle
- Rufus Wainwright
- Lucius
- Celisse
- Yola
- and more!
- Damian Marley
- Stick Figure
- Pepper
- Method Man
- Redman
- and more!
- LCD Soundsystem
- Steve Lacy
- Boygenius
- Bartees STrange
- James Blake
- and more!
For even more options, please check this list of concerts in Washington DC to see what's going on during your visit.
3. Head to the Theater
Fans of the theater will be glad to hear there are several musicals, plays, and ballets to see in and around Washington, DC.
There are also a few great shows in Baltimore as well if you're willing the make the trip.
Musicals
- Hadestown | June 6th-18th | DC
- The Lion King | June 21st-29th | DC
- Frozen the Musical | June 7th-18th | Baltimore
Plays
- Shear Madness | June 1st-11th | DC
Classical Music
- The National Symphony Orchestra | June 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 10th.
Family Friendly Shows
- Stars on Ice | June 2nd | Baltimore
- Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour | June 17th | Tysons
Ballet
- New York City Ballet | June 6th-11th | DC
For even more opportunities, check the following list of theatrical performances in DC during the month of June.
4. Attend a Pop Culture Convention
The Awesome Convention comes to the DC Convention Center June 16th-18th, 2023.
The pop culture convention covers everything from video games to comics and includes gaming tournaments, scavenger hunts, and cosplay competitions.
There will also be chances to meet celebrities for an autograph or to get a picture taken with them.
This is a family-friendly event, with areas designed for children.
For more information, visit the Awesome Con website.
NOTE: If you're looking for more fun activities for fans of all ages, check our family-friendly section below.
5. Take a Sightseeing Tour
There are so many ways to explore Washington, DC, but of course, we think that our pay-what-you-wish tours are the way to go.
In addition to bus tours and boat cruises, there are bike and segway tours.
You can explore on your own. We offer a GPS-enabled audio tour app, free self-guided tours, and neighborhood guides.
Learn about all those monuments and memorials in DC and plan your visit to each of them.
6. Celebrate Capital Pride
The Pride festival in DC is beloved and popular. For two days the Dupont Circle neighborhood is alive in celebration of LGBTQ pride month.
There are activities in the lead-up to the festival, before the opening night party on June 10th.
The parade takes place June 11th in Dupont and Logan Circles.
And then there is the Pride Festival on the Mall on June 11th where you'll find food and drink, three stages full of entertainment, exhibitors, and 250,000 attendees having fun.
It is a free and family-friendly event and always a lot of fun!
Visit the Capital Pride website here.
7. Smithsonian Folklife Festival
Many of the Smithsonian Museums are free and open daily, but some may require timed tickets.
Each year on the National Mall there's a chance to experience traditions from around the world at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Over two weekends there are dance performances, workshops, music, food, and much more, all celebrating diverse cultures.
The festival runs from June 28th-July 4th, and then again from July 6th-9th.
For more information, visit the Folklife website.
For more free things to do in DC in June, check out our free things to do section below.
8. Visit Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is one of the best-known military cemeteries in our nation.
Take a free walking tour or a trolley tour to learn about specific graves and history, or take a self-guided tour to enjoy at your own place.
Visitors will immediately notice the beauty of the landscape as they stroll through the cemetery, which is home to over 8,600 native and exotic trees.
9. Military Parades
The Marines have an Evening Parade from the Marines Barracks on Friday evenings.
Reservations are required but it is free to attend. Visit the Evening Parade website for more information.
On Tuesdays, you can watch the Sunset Parade from the Iwo Jima Marine Corps Memorial - this event does NOT require tickets or reservations. Read more about it here.
Check out our nighttime activities section for more details.
This is particularly popular with families and we detail it in our family-friendly section.
10. Look into a Tourist Discount Pass
Tourist attraction passes bundle together many popular attractions and tours into one discounted price and can save you over 50%.
They also can save you time with skip-the-ticket-line privileges.
We detail how these passes work and help you decide which, if any, is best for you.
June is a lovely month weather-wise so spending some time outside after the sun goes down is a treat!
Some of our top ten items are great for evenings like watching a baseball game.
Here are a few more nighttime activities for the month of June.
For more nighttime activities, visit our post on things to do at night in DC.
Take a Walking Tour!
We offer a number of tours in the evening. Our daily 7:45 pm Memorials and Moonlight Tour lets you explore the National Mall after the sun sets.
Other night tours that we offer include:
You might also be interested in a bike or bus night tour.
Kennedy Center Reach's Victoria Park
The outdoor beer and wine picnic area at Kennedy Center's Reach is both kid and dog friendly!
You'll find beer, wine, cocktails, and prepared food to eat at picnic tables or bring your own blanket. (Just don't bring your own food!)
Entrance to the Kennedy Center is free and you can take our free self-guided tour of the Kennedy Center along with you.
Stay Late at a Museum
Celebrate the long summer days by staying late at the Smithsonian Museums.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery stay open until 7 pm every day.
We offer guided tours of many of the Smithsonian Museums!
For our definitive guide to all the best museums in DC, visit our post.
Attend the Folk Festival
This free festival, not to be confused with the Folklife Festival on the Mall, takes place in Glen Echo Park in Maryland, June 3rd-4th.
The festival is put on by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington and includes concerts, dances, storytelling, and crafts.
Visit the Folk Festival website for more information.
DC is (fortunately) overloaded with free things to do! A lot of the items we've listed in other sections like the Kennedy Center and National Zoo are 100% free to enter!
Here are a few more activities for the month.
For even more budget-friendly ideas, check out our post on free things to do in DC.
See a Free Outdoor Movie
There are a few places you can see outdoor screenings of movies for free!
- Adams Morgan Movie Nights
- Congressional Cemetary's Cinematery
- Films at the Stone
- Gldn+ Cinema
- Movies on the Potomac
- Rosslyn Cinema
- Screen on the Green
- Union Market | drive-In
Also, the Library of Congress does a Summer Movies on the Lawn series.
For a complete schedule of films, dates, and locations, visit the websites.
Note: Some sites won't be updated until closer to the date when they begin the series.
Jazz in the Sculpture Garden
From May to July, you can listen to jazz at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden.
Reservations are required and are bookable a week in advance. Note that they go FAST because this is a popular event.
For a complete schedule of performances, visit here.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES IN JUNE
Washington, DC is super family-friendly! There are also so many activity options available, there is sure to be something to fit everyone's tastes.
A few activities we've listed above like taking a Potomac River cruise. Here are a few more kid-friendly things to do in June.
Be sure to read our master post on things to do with kids in DC for even more ideas.
Head to the Zoo!
A part of the Smithsonian Institution (meaning admission is free!), the National Zoo offers families a variety of animals and fun when they visit.
Don't miss the zoo's largest draw - the giant pandas that are currently on loan from China.
Other animals highlights include gorillas, elephants, lions, and zebras, or watch the orangutans walk the high wire every morning
Read more about the Zoo and remember timed tickets are required to enter the Zoo (and ANOTHER ticket is needed to see the Pandas.)
Cool Off at the Georgetown Waterfront Park
Escape the DC humidity along the banks of the Potomac River at the Georgetown Waterfront Park.
Children will enjoy splashing around on the accessible fountain splash pad and lounging on the riverfront steps leading up to the water.
Our Historic Georgetown walking tour starts here and our family-friendly Ghosts of Georgetown Tour begins not too far away.
Visit the Kids' Sections at the Smithsonian Museums
Smithsonian museums have no costs.
Many of the main Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall have separate rooms for younger visitors, a favorite is the miniature Julia Child's Kitchen in the Wegmen's Wonderplace at the American History Museum.
You'll also find an entire floor of the American Indian Museum geared towards kids, with a passport to explore the many Native cultures.
Find out more about visiting Mount Vernon.
See DC From the Potomac River
Washington DC has two rivers - the Potomac and the Anacostia and both have kayak and boat rental options.
You can rent kayaks, canoes, and paddle boats in Georgetown, the Wharf, and even the Tidal Basin. Check it out: Boating in DC
RELATED CONTENT
- Things to Do in May
- Things to Do in July
- Be sure to read our master post on things to do in DC for even more ideas.
