District Creates Festival
By DC Makers, for the People of DC!
District Creates is a one-day celebration of local craft, creativity, and community brought to you by the DC Makers Guild, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the makers, artisans, and craftspeople who give the district its creative soul.
Join us on Sunday, June 28th from 11am to 6pm for an outdoor festival at the Bridge District (633 Howard Rd SE) packed with live craftsmanship demos, a curated Maker Market, hands-on Make & Take workshops, free crafts, creative conversations, a Beer Garden, food trucks, and live music - all in one place, all made in DC.
District Creates is for the dreamers AND the doers. For the neighbor who chooses local without hesitation, the aspiring maker who's ready to take the next step, and anyone who's ever wanted to try something new with their hands. Whether you're here to shop, make, learn, sip or just soak it all in, there's a place for you at District Creates.
This is more than a festival. Every ticket purchased directly supports the DC Makers Guild and helps fund resources, programming, and community for local makers throughout the year.
DISTRICT CREATES WILL HAPPEN RAIN OR SHINE.
A line-up made right here in DC (Details Below)
Included:
🛍️ Maker Market: Shop directly from 30 of DC's best independent makers.
💬 Creative Conversations: Pull up a seat alongside makers, mentors, and champions of the creative economy for three lively conversations about art, craft, and more!
🪚 Art & Craft Demos: Watch the magic happen in real time. Our live craftspeople demos give you a front-row seat to the skills, tools, and techniques behind DC's most talented makers.
🎶 Music: Set the mood for a day of making, beats and moves fill the festival grounds from start to finish.
Add-on Experiences:
🧶 Make & Takes: Get hands-on, learn directly from the makers, and make your own craft to take home (Ages 12+).
🍻 Beer Garden: Sip your way through the best of DC's craft beer scene, mingling with the local breweries.
🍕Food Trucks: Fuel up between makes. Food is priced a la carte and paid for at each truck.
Make & Takes | All Day
Scrap Patch Party with Pathwork Studio and Amend+Adapt
Make a beautiful patch to embellish clothing and bags using scrap materials.
Community Cyanotypes with Luke Makes Art
Create your print using found objects or custom drawn designs. Watch it come to life in the sunlight!
Clay Wall Hanging with Shira Goldstein
This Make & Take session will focus on creating decorative wall hanging which can brighten up any room! Using air dry clay we will use stamps, patterned stencils, and our creative minds to make personalized shapes which then will be connected with metal hoops to produce unique wall hanging decorations. The air dry clay will come in basic colors, and can either be hung up within 24hours, or with added personal touches by painting the creations once they have dried.
Tear, Layer, Mail with Nerissa Alford Designs
Tear and layer rescued junk mail, magazine pages, and book pages into a DC-themed collage postcard inspired by local DC icons including the DC flag, Washington Monument, and cherry blossom branch. Add a sentiment word, and walk away with a one-of-a-kind piece of mail art with postage included, ready to send.
Custom Glow Lab with HerSol Beauty
Make your own lip gloss: choose 2-3 flavors. Mix, test then pour into lip gloss tube. Add fragrance and glitter if desired!
Creative Conversations
11:15am: An Independent Maker's Business
People driven to create art often struggle over how to turn their creativity into a profitable business. This panel will include experts from finance, District government, and marketing who will present information on building a sustainable career in the arts. Panelists will cover essential business setup steps — from securing licenses to understanding tax obligations — as well as strategies for attracting funding and effectively marketing your maker business. Panelits: - Adrian M. White, Founder & CEO, AMW Marketing & Design - John Kavyavu, Director of Small Business Lending & Training, Life Asset - MORE TBA
1:45pm: Art as Activism
Art has the potential to catalyze movements, challenge power, and influence public opinion. Join us for a discussion with 3 local artists who are engaging in art as activism. We'll look at some examples of artwork, and learn how it reflects the moment we live in today. How do artists push boundaries to tell a story about society, war, and injustice? Is artistic expression testing free speech in America today? Panelists: - AnaYelsi Velasco-Sanchez, A Venezuelan-born artist based in Washington, D.C. Their work lives at the intersection of justice, liberation, mental health, and identity. - CK (Corry) Westbrook, Author of the science fiction series, “The Impact Series.” CK is an environmentalist who lives and works in DC and is a self-described old-school news junkie. - Kasse Andrews, A veteran that makes protest art -- the American flag bandaids are particularly popular but she also does wall art with Uncle Sam in Munch's "The Scream" pose, and pieces with commentaries on Trump, the Rose Garden, NPR, women's rights, etc. - Moderated by: Aida Febrahimi
4:15pm: They Brought It With Them: Migrated Skills in DC Makers
This panel brings together immigrant makers whose work is deeply rooted in the cultures they come from and the communities they now call home. Through craft, design, and storytelling, these artists weave traditions, techniques, and identities into products that reflect both heritage and adaptation. Panelists will share how migration shapes their creative practice, from preserving cultural knowledge to reinterpreting it in new contexts. Join us for a conversation about creativity, identity, and the power of making across borders. Panelists: - Paulette Mpouma, Creator and owner of the African Memory Board Game - Gathoni Kamau, Maker of East and West African jewelry
Art & Craft Demonstrations
All Day: Potters' Tent | Demos @ 12pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 4pm
Learn from local potters Kendra Brown from Cheverly Pottery, Melina Selimbegovic from Artsy Beast, and Susan Decker of Four Elements Pottery.
12:15-1:30pm: Knock on Wood Tap Dance Demonstration
3-4pm: Adam Godet, Godet Woodworking
Watch and learn from Adam as he makes a dovetail joint. He’ll also bring woodworking tools for you to explore!
Maker Market | All Day
Local Craft Beer | All Day
Atlas Brew Works
DC Brau
Henceforth
Right Proper Brewing
More Happenings
Author's Alley
A dedicated space for local DMV-area writers to showcase and sign their books. Meet
We are Artistic
Make cards for children in hospitals. We are Artistic a local non-profit that brings people of all abilities together to make art, build community, and use creativity as a tool for belonging and positive change.
Tickets & Pricing
Tickets available online + at the door!
Ticket Type | Price |
🎟️ Adult Entry (13+) | $10 |
🎟️ Child Entry (2-12) | $4 |
🔆All Access Pass ($50 Value)
| $35 |
🔆🍻 All Access Pass + Beer Garden ($80 Value) (21+)
| $65 |
👩👩👧👧 All Access Family Pass ($98 Value) (Online Only) (SOLD OUT)
| $85 |
👩👩👧👧 🍻 All Access Family Pass + Beer Garden ($178 Value) (21+) (Online Only) (SOLD OUT)
| $135 |
Add-ons | Price |
➕ Add 1 Make & Take to Any Ticket | $15 |
➕ Add 2 Make & Takes to Any Ticket | $25 |
➕ Add 3 Make & Takes to Any Ticket | $35 |
🍻 Add Beer Garden to Any Ticket | $35 |
Children under 2 are always free. Make & Takes are for ages 12+, but younger kids are welcome to help their grown-up make!
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
