Water lilies and lotus plants are in bloom at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, which is holding its annual festival to mark the occasion.
Located at 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE, just minutes from the Route 1 corridor, the 70-acre marsh is home to a variety of water plants and popular with everything from ospreys and herons to the occasional roseate spoonbird or wild turkey.
But it’s the water lilies and lotus plants that are the park’s highlights, drawing comparisons to the cherry blossoms found in downtown D.C.
The park’s annual Lotus and Lily Festival kicked off July 15 and runs through Saturday, July 22. Events include everything from tours with park rangers to scavenger hunts, painting classes and lessons on foraging.
The theme for Sunday, July 16, is Asian cultures and the Lotus, with Buddhist chanting, Thai music and dancing, the Chinese Lotus Dance, and classical Indian and Bollywood-inspired dancing. The events will be held rain or shine.
The Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, but it will stay open until 5 p.m. this Sunday.
Visitors hoping to get the full experience might want to go first thing in the morning, when the lotuses and lilies are open, as the flowers tend to close as the sun gets brighter.
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