Right on the edge of the capital city is one of the most incredible hidden gems in D.C. that don’t get enough love – the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, located right inside Anacostia Park.
The Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens—deemed a “hidden gem” by the National Park Service (NPS)—is filled with some of the most incredibly eye-catching and photogenic flowers in the capital!
The lotus and water lily blooms that happen just once a year are so beautiful that we reckon they might just give the Cherry Blossoms, Wisteria Vines, and Bluebell wildflower blooms a run for their money!
Know before you go: 2024 Lotus and Water Lily Festival
The Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens’ 2024 ‘Lotus and Water Lily Festival’ will take place between Friday, July 19th, and Sunday, July 21st, coinciding with the flowers’ peak bloom, which means you’ll just have one weekend to experience the fun!
The festival will only take place over three days and focus on celebrating the art of lotuses and water lilies, each day will have unique activities such as informational talks, art workshops, yoga sessions, multicultural celebrations, and of course guided walks around the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens’ incredible space.
The full schedule for all events taking place for the 2024 Lotus and Water Lily Festival can be found on the event’s official website, but here’s a quick preview of what to expect:
- Friday, July 19th
- The park will be open from 8 am to 8 pm.
- Free programs and activities are planned from 10 am to 2 pm.
- ‘Neighborhood Night’ is planned for Friday evening, from 4 pm to 8 pm.
- The park will be open from 8 am to 8 pm.
- Saturday, July 20th
- The park will be open from 8 am to 8 pm.
- Free programs and activities are planned from 9 am to 4:30 pm.
- The park will be open from 8 am to 8 pm.
- Sunday, July 21st
- The park will be open from 8 am to 4 pm.
- Free programs and activities are planned from 9 am to 4:30 pm.
- The park will be open from 8 am to 4 pm.
How to get to the Lotus and Water Lily Festival
Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens is located at 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE.
- Driving: parking both in lots and on the streets outside the gardens tends to fill up fast in the morning.
- Biking: a 20-minute ride along the Anacosts Riverwalk Trail will take you to the festival site, bikes must be locked on the bike racks available nearby as they are not allowed inside the ponds area.
- Metro: You can take the Orange Line to Deanwood Station and walk less than 10 minutes to the festival site.
What you should know about Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
The gorgeous garden nestled within Anacostia Park is an incredibly underrated destination, but it does get a chance to shine every July when its iconic lotuses and water lilies hit their peak bloom and the city takes the time to appreciate their beauty.
The Kenilworth Aquatic Garden traces back to 1879 when Civil War veteran Walter Shaw bought the marshy land near the Anacostia River.
What began with Shaw planting his first water lilies in 1882, progressed to his daughter, L. Helen Shaw Fowler, expanding the garden with the addition of 42 ponds and additional vegetation (weeping willows, lotus flowers) by 1935.
Over the years, Fowler created an irrigation system for the garden and cultivated more than 75 different types of water lilies and lotus flowers.
Now, visitors use a series of boardwalks to wander through the gardens while preserving the land and vegetation.
“Deep within Kenilworth lies an oasis, hidden behind trees and cattails,” the NPS writes. “It’s a place where beavers build their homes and turtles sleep on logs. Lotus blooms rise from the muck and lilies sit on the water.”