Home Rule Music Festival
June 20, 12-9pm Add to Calendar
June 20, 12-9pm Add to Calendar
Join us for a free, family friendly celebration featuring go-go and jazz music, food, drink and merch vendors, record fair and live art.
Celebrate five years of music, culture, and community at the 2026 Home Rule Music Festival at The Parks at Walter Reed!
Produced by the Home Rule Music and Film Preservation Foundation, the Home Rule Music Festival is a free, outdoor celebration dedicated to preserving, elevating, and activating Washington, DC’s rich musical legacy. From jazz and go-go to funk, hip-hop, soul, and experimental sounds, the festival brings together legendary artists, emerging talent, families, creatives, and music lovers from across the region for a full day of performance, connection, and cultural exchange.
Now in its 5th year, the festival has grown into one of Uptown DC’s premier cultural gatherings, transforming The Parks at Walter Reed into a vibrant destination for live music, art, food, community engagement, and intergenerational celebration.
🎶 2026 Lineup:
• Sun Ra Arkestra
• Chuck Brown Band
• Trouble Funk
• Melanie Charles
• Okyerema Asante
• Brand Nubian
What to Expect:
🎶 Live performances from legendary and emerging artists
🍴 Curated food vendors featuring some of DC’s favorite local flavors
🛍️ Marketplace with local makers, artists, and small businesses
🎧 Record Fair featuring vinyl collectors, independent dealers, and rare finds
🎨 Live mural painting and interactive art installations
👨👩👧👦 Kids & Family Zone with free activities and youth programming
🎤 Youth and student performances celebrating the next generation of DC talent
✨ VIP Experience with premium viewing access, lounge seating, and exclusive hospitality experiences
Whether you’re a lifelong Washingtonian or discovering the city for the first time, the 2026 Home Rule Music Festival offers an unforgettable opportunity to experience the sounds, stories, and spirit of Washington, DC — past, present, and future.
Date: Saturday, June 20, 2026
Location: The Great Lawn at The Parks at Walter Reed – Map 1301 Main Drive NW to walk or bike into the site.
Cost: Free
Register: https://www.homerulemusicfestival.com/
Main Drive will be closed on Saturday, June 21 from 10 am to 10 pm. Abrams Hall and SOME residents and visitors will only have vehicular access from 16th Street during this time. Festival attendees should park in the Marketplace Garage or walk/bike into the site. No parking will be allowed on Main Drive.
About the artists:
Chuck Brown Band (led by Wiley Brown)
Carrying forward the legacy of the Godfather of Go-Go, Wiley Brown leads the Chuck Brown Band in delivering the signature DC sound—funk-driven, percussive, and built for the people.
Melanie Charles
A genre-defying artist fusing jazz, soul, and hip-hop, Melanie Charles brings a dynamic, improvisational energy rooted in tradition and experimentation.
SunRa Arkestra Featuring Marshall Allen
Continuing the cosmic legacy of Sun Ra, the Arkestra blends avant-garde jazz, big band swing, and Afrofuturist vision under the direction of Marshall Allen.
Trouble Funk
One of the most iconic Go-Go bands of all time, Trouble Funk delivers high-energy rhythms, percussion-driven grooves, and classic DC party sound.
Brand Nubian
A true pillar in the foundation of hip hop. Brand Nubian will forever be a staple in the music community, beyond their genre and the records they’ve released over the years. Their impact has been massive and absolutely integral to the development of the sound of black music.
Okyerema Asante
Keeping traditional african percussions alive, one drum beat at a time is the legendary Okyerema Asante. Indigenous to his native Ghana; Okyerema will be in the flesh at HRMF26 to conjure up spiritual rhythms as he channels the ancestors and higher powers of our realms; invoking Jazz and Love simultaneously.