***Months are based on previous years. Check each website for current dates.
January
Future Harvest CASA’s Cultivate the Chesapeake Foodshed Conference!
Every winter, Future Harvest CASA (Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture) holds the largest sustainable agriculture conference in the lower Mid-Atlantic. Come gather with hundreds of others from the Chesapeake foodshed for a long, busy weekend of good cheer and learning.
February
Black Growers Month Panel
The Black Growers Month Panel brings together five of Washington, D.C.’s Black gardeners, farmers and/or leaders within DC’s food and urban agriculture industries for a discussion that delves into thier food stories and how African values and agrarian traditions are centered in their respective works.
Rooting DC
For the past nine years, the Rooting DC forum has been the central meeting ground for individuals and nonprofits looking to grow a healthier food system in the nation’s capital. What started as a small gathering of like-minded urban gardeners in 2007, has grown into an annual event with more than 1200 individual attendees from across the city, and more than 60 local nonprofits and urban farm collectives sharing their knowledge and learning from one another.
March
DC Food Justice Awards
Celebrating food workers and grassroots leaders making a better food system.
Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital
The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital is the largest and longest-running festival of its kind in the U.S. The Festival seeks to advance public understanding of the environment and inspire stewardship of the earth through the power of film. Founded in 1993, DCEFF has grown into a major collaborative, cultural event, both during the festival season and all year-round. The 25th anniversary Festival will take place from March 14-26, 2017 in Washington, DC.
Food Tank Summit – Washington, D.C.
Food Tank, in partnership with American University, is a two-day event featuring more than 70 different speakers from the food and agriculture field.
April
Broccoli City Fest
Festival that intersects pop culture and environmental change to engage and activate millennials on healthy eating and environmental sustainability.
Casey Trees Annual Canopy Awards
The Canopy Awards is a no-holds-barred night filled with food and drink, special guests and endless fun dedicated to celebrating D.C.’s trees and Arbor Day.
Community Forklift Annual Garden Party
Our spring festival is a fun-filled day with a ton of gently-used landscaping and garden supplies for sale, as well as free gardening demonstrations, experts, and vendors. Wear festive garden party attire for the costume contest for people and pets! We also have activities for kids, local bands, and a food truck. Held each year in late March /early April.
DC Food Justice Youth Summit
An all-day event in which DC youth lead workshops focusing on issues of food justice. This event provides youth with the opportunity to share their research, ideas, and recommendations on food justice issues as they work with other youth and food justice activists to build a citywide movement for sustainable food systems.
National Arboretum Plant Sale
A favorite of area gardeners from novice to expert, the FONA Garden Fair and Plant Sale is held each April at the US National Arboretum. Our carefully curated offerings include rare and hard to find plants as well as tried and true favorites.
Plant & Herb Sale at the Franciscan Monastery
Annual plant sale to buy monastery-grown herbs and vegetables and other regionally-grown plants, take a tour of the historic gardens and enjoy food and craft vendors. The sale benefits the preservation and care of the gardens, which were designed by Franciscan friars over 100 years ago.
May
DC Green Festival Expo
Green Festival® is a vibrant, dynamic marketplace where companies and organizations come to showcase their green products and services, and where people go to learn how to live healthier, more sustainable lives.
Symposium on Environmental Justice and Health Disparities in Maryland and the Washington, DC Region
Symposium will convene numerous regional legislators, nonprofit organizations, and researchers for an in-depth examination of environmental justice and health disparities issues affecting our region
June
Chesapeake CRAFT Summer Solstice Conference
Annual Summer conference put on by Chesapeake CRAFT highlighting local agriculture enterprises and techniques – with emphasis on new farmer training.
July
Lotus and Lily Festival at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
Peak Bloom Celebration Every July! Find Your Park in the wild wetlands of Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens at the annual Lotus and Water Lily Festival! Celebrate the National Park Service Centennial and global culture with FREE activities for the whole family.
August
City Blossoms Basil Bonanza
This free basil-themed community potluck is an opportunity for friends, families, and neighbors to gather and enjoy the garden. To participate in the potluck, create a basil themed dish, appetizer, side, dessert, or drink to feed 5-8 people.
September
Chesapeake Herb Gathering
The Chesapeake Herb Gathering is an annual event organized by Centro Ashé bringing together inter-generational herbal, land-based, and healing communities to celebrate our stories, our knowledge, our culture and traditions.
DC State Fair
The DC State Fair is a free showcase of the District’s agricultural and creative talents and a daylong celebration of all things homegrown.
DC Veg Fest
The DC VegFest is an annual festival & year-round celebration of veg eating – organized by Compassion Over Killing
October
Arlington/Alexandria Urban Agriculture Symposium
A day of fun, food, and learning on topics ranging from urban agriculture policy and innovation to vertical gardening, inside and roof top farming, soil health, agriculture business development, private and public community garden management, food waste recycling, season extension, edible landscaping, and building horticulture literacy.
DC Food Recovery Week
Each fall, the DC Food Recovery Working Group organizes events across the region to spotlight, celebrate and advocate for all the ways we can reduce and divert food waste and feed more people in DC. Take a class. Attend a film screening. Get trained to be a composter. Whatever your tastes — we have an event for you!
Edible Landscaping Persimmon Festival
Honoring one of Edible Landscaping best plants. Easy to grow and delicious. Edible landscaping is DC’s closet fruit tree nursery that delivers to DC.
Growing Healthy Schools Month
Growing Healthy Schools Month celebrates the DC Healthy Schools Act in public schools throughout the District. During the annual celebration, public school staff collaborate with local community based organizations, DC government agencies, farmers, athletes, and chefs to coordinate inspiring activities aimed at engaging students in conversations about nutrition, the environment, recycling, and being active.
