Best Things to Do in March in Washington, DC (2024)

This list of our favorite things to do in March 2024 in Washington DC, including free, nighttime, as well as family-friendly events and things to do.

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.

Where possible we link to websites that often offer discounted ticket prices (like StubHub). While we are unable to confirm their prices are the best, they are all verified ticket resellers .

TOP 10 EVENTS AND THINGS TO DO IN MARCH

For more ideas on popular things to do in DC, check out our other posts:

Some of the items listed in this post are included for free with the purchase of a tourist discount pass.

1. Attend a Concert

The DC Metro area is a hotspot for great musical talent.

You can find a number of concerts to attend at area venues such as the Kennedy Center, Anthem, 9:30 Club, and more.

Pop/Rock/Country Concerts

Porno for Pyros | March 3rd | Silver Spring
Ladysmith Black Mambazo | March 8th | North Bethesda
Bryan Adams | March 13th | Fairfax
Max Raabe and Palast Orchester | March 20th | Washington, DC
Postmodern Jukebox | March 23rd | Washington, DC
Zach Bryan | March 25th | Washington, DC

Note: If you visit Anthem for a show, you might find our Historic Southwest Waterfront/DC Wharf Walking Tour of interest.

Classical/Opera Concerts

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra | Baltimore | throughout March
National Symphony Orchestra | Washington, DC | throughout March
Celtic Tenors | Alexandria, VA | March 6th

Note: You can visit even if you're not attending a show, and might enjoy our self-guided tour of the Kennedy Center. The rooftop terrace view is one of our favorites!

Find even more march concerts in the DC area here.

If you're looking for more evening activities, check out our post Things to Do in DC at Night.

2. See a Sporting Event

In March, both the Washington Wizards, our basketball team, and the Washington Capitals, our hockey team, are in their regular season.

Basketball

3. Enjoy the Theatre

Looking to get inside, away from the cold, and spend an entertaining afternoon or evening?

Here are a number of shows you might find interesting in the DC/Baltimore area.

Musicals/Plays

The Book of Mormon | March 5th-24th
Little Shop of Horrors | March 16th-30th
The Lehman Trilogy | March 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 9th, 10th, 15th, 17th

Family-Friendly

Distant Worlds: Music From Final Fantasy | March 1st, 2nd
Culkin Scho o l of Irish Dance | March 13th, 14th

Other

Jimbo's Drag Circus | March 9th
An Evening with William H. Macy and Screening of "Fargo" | March 14th

Find even more theatre performances in March here.

4. Springtime Walking Tours

As winter closes, we start to offer more walking tours throughout the week.

Some tours return from hibernation: Embassy Row tour, Old Town Alexandria, and Eastern Market Desserts.

Our Arlington National Cemetery tour goes back to its regular hours and for springtime only, we offer a Cherry Blossoms on the Basin tour.

Read about each of these tours and see when they are offered on our Tour Calendar page.

Find out more about these tours on our Women's History Month page.

5. St. Patrick's Day in Washington, DC

Sadly, the city no longer has a St. Patrick's Day Parade.

But there are many other fun things to do in Washington, DC to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Make your way around the pubs, live music, festivals, and sites dedicated to or built by Irish immigrants and descendants.

Ireland at the Wharf takes place on March 16th with live music, Irish dancing, and lots of beer.

You can also join events such as Alexandria Luck of the irish St. Patrick's Day Bar Crawl, Official Washington, DC St. Patrick's Day Bar Crawl, or the Washington, DC Shamrock Stroll and Bar Crawl

Plan your visit to DC on St. Patrick's Day with our helpful guide.

6. Save Money with a Tourist Discount Pass

Tourist attraction discount 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.

Attractions you can see with these passes include:

CitySights Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour
International Spy Museum
The Capital Ferris Wheel
George Washington’s Home

We detail how these passes work and help you decide which, if any, is best for you.

If you're ready to purchase a pass, you can find a few of them here: Day Pass - Washington Sightseeing | Flex Pass - Washington Sightseeing

7. See a Stand-up Comedy Show

If you're in need of a good laugh, consider going to see a professional stand-up comic!

There will be several comedians performing in the Washington, DC area throughout the month of February.

Stand-Up

David Spade | March 14th
Gabriel Iglesias | March 15th
Bill Bellamy | March 23rd

Group Comedy Tours

RIOT! Women in Comedy | March 6th
We Them Ones Comedy Tour | March 8th

Comedy Festivals

Capital Comedy Festival | March 16th

Comedy Theatres

Check this list of other comedy shows in the DC area in February.

8. National Cherry Blossom Festival

The annual National Cherry Blossom Festival is Washington, DC’s top draw in Springtime. It's scheduled to take place from March 20th to April 14th, 2024.

The festival is planned far in advance, so the dates of peak bloom of the cherry blossoms themselves can fall anytime from mid-March to mid-April, depending on the weather.

You will find fireworks, street festivals, parades, special exhibits, and tours on offer throughout DC.

Check out our full post on the Cherry Blossom Festival to learn more.

9. Run the Rock N Roll Race

Running in the Rock N Roll Race is the perfect way to get a view of some of DC's best-known locations, including the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, and more.

You'll find live music and DJs along the course, and after the race, even more live music.

Registrants get participant t-Shirts, and those who finish either the half marathon or 5K get medals.

Events take place on March 16, 2024.

For more information and to register, visit the race website.

10. Attend Even More Festivals or Activities

There are plenty of things to do in DC in March. Just a few of the festivals and activities are below.

Intersectons Festival 2024 | date TBA

DC Tango Festival 2024 | March 29th-April 20th

Octopus: Blue Planet II 4D Experience | until May 2024

K Street Virtual Gallery | until May 2025

First Friday Dupon Art Walk | until December 2024

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What to Do in March in Washington, DC