Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

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Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

This is the official page of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, a unit of the National Park Service. and an adjacent recreational area. Shaw in the 1880s.
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Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is a National Park Service site located in the north eastern corner of Washington, D.C., and the Maryland state border. Nestled near the banks of the Anacostia River and directly south of the Baltimore Washington Parkway, Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens preserves a plethora of rare waterlilies and lotuses in the cultivated ponds near the river. The park also contains t

he Kenilworth Marsh, the only remaining tidal marsh in Washington, D.C. History:
The land that is now Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens was originally purchased by Civil War veteran Walter B. Feeling homesick, Shaw had wild waterlilies native to his home state of Maine brought and planted in the land. When the flowers Shaw brought thrived in the environment, Shaw brought in more plants and started a commercial attraction under the name W.B. Shaw Lily Ponds in 1912. In 1921, when Shaw died, his daughter, Helen Shaw Fowler, took over the prospering business which was being visited by many dignitaries, including US presidents.[5] Unfortunately, by this time the nearby Anacostia River had become filled with an excess of silt making navigation on the river difficult. The United States Army Corps of Engineers was called in to dredge the river which meant that the gardens were in danger of being destroyed. Helen fought to save the gardens and eventually in 1938, Congress authorized the purchase of the gardens for $15,000 to create the park. Today in the Park:
Today, the park is under the administrative portion of National Capital Parks-East of the National Park Service. The total area of the park is about 700 acres (2.8 km2) large and constitutes the water gardens, Kenilworth Marsh, ballfields, and recreational facilities. The gardens have since been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and also designated a Category II Landmark by the Joint Committee on Landmarks of the National Capital. Portions of Kenilworth Marsh have also undergone restoration in 1992-1993 adding 32 acres (130,000 m2) of tidal marsh out of what was mud flats.

08/23/2024

Walter "Ranger Mac" McDowney left an indelible mark on Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. He came by the park recently and told some wonderful stories including this one about starting the Junior Ranger program.

08/22/2024

Pond Hawks and Pollinators! Join expert volunteer Jenny for a guided walk through the gardens to learn more about the incredible insects in the park. This guided walk will be offered at 10am for the next three Sundays, On August 25th, September 1st and September 8th.
The talk will meet at the visitors center at 10am and is formatted around your questions and interest! We hope to see you there!

Image Credit: Jenny Glenn

08/22/2024

08/19/2024

Calling all volunteers! Saturday is the monthly Friends of Kenilworth Volunteer Event. The event goes from 9am until 12pm. Lend your hand in clearing out invasive plants from the ponds and helping to beautify the trails at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens.

Image Credit: NPS

08/18/2024

The famous saying “stop and smell the roses” is an idiom of taking it slow and enjoying things around you. However, at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens it should honestly be “stop and smell the lotuses”.

Even though the season is changing, and the lotuses have past their peak bloom, the ponds still have some beautiful lotus flowers in them!

The nation’s capital will never slow down, but if you do need to take a breather, stop and smell the lotuses at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens.

Photo Credit: NPS

08/16/2024

Reminder!

The National Park Service will be closing Fort Dupont Drive SE between Randle Circle SE and Fort Davis Drive SE, Fort Davis Drive SE from Massachusetts Avenue SE to Ridge Road SE, and the alley connecting Ely Place SE to F Street SE for the Chuck Brown Day permitted event on August 17 from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.

Please follow the link below for more information regarding the permitted event and prohibited items.

https://www.nps.gov/fodu/learn/news/road-closures-at-fort-dupont-park-for-chuck-brown-day.htm

08/15/2024

The National Park Service will be closing Fort Dupont Drive SE between Randle Circle SE and Fort Davis Drive SE, Fort Davis Drive SE from Massachusetts Avenue SE to Ridge Road SE, and the alley connecting Ely Place SE to F Street SE for the Chuck Brown Day permitted event on August 17 from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.

08/14/2024

It's a Wellderness Weekend at Kenilworth! Come out to the park this weekend for fun activities to refresh your mind and spirit. Here are the events:
Saturday: Forest Bathing at 9am & Zumba at 11am
Sunday: Yoga at 11am

For more information and to register, go to https://kenaqgardens.org/explore/wellderness/

NPS Photo

08/09/2024

Join Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens volunteer and bug expert Jenny Glenn as she leads an insect walk around the ponds. The walk will begin at 10am this Sunday August 11th. The tour will meet at the visitors center and is free. Bring water and comfortable walking shoes and be ready to learn all about the vast insects of Kenilworth!

Image Credit: Jenny Glenn

08/07/2024

What's that sound?! It's a bird call! Fish and Feather Intern Val express their love for the birds of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens through a rap that they wrote and produced. For Audio Description please see https://www.nps.gov/keaq/learn/photosmultimedia/multimedia.htm

07/31/2024

The lotus are still in bloom at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens! Bright pink Charles Thomas, beautiful Empress, the impressive American lotus and more varieties are in bloom around the park. Come visit to see the different flowering plants in the gardens.

Image Credit: NPS

07/22/2024

Thank you for a great festival! If you enjoyed your time at the park we encourage you to stay engaged. We have bird walks every Tuesday and the first Saturday and Sunday of every month at 8:30am, come out and walk with us! It’ll be much less crowed and much more quiet so you’re bound to see great birds! The park will now return to regular hours - open from 8am to 4pm.

We also encourage that you spend time engaging with other NACE parks such as Anacostia Park, Greenbelt, Fort Dupont, and Oxon Hill Farm. Each park has their own environment/community to offer along with different activities and events. Once again thank you for an amazing time and we look forward to seeing you in the park!

Image Credit: NPS

07/21/2024

Today is the last day of the Lotus and Lily Festival! At noon we have West African Drumming and Dance, 1:00 Bachata Dance with Ferocity Dance Company and at 1:30 Sol y Rumba for wonderful Latin music. Afternoon continues with Chinese folk and classical dance a fashion show, DJ Dance Party with DJ 2-Tone Jones, and The Tribe Band. DC Water and the Rangers say "Stay hydrated and drink water!" If you take the metro, use the Orange Line and get off at Deanwood. The park is a quarter mile once you get over the overpass walkway! Park open til 5:30 pm! Blooms looking gorgeous!

07/20/2024

Tomorrow is the last chance to join in on all the water lily and lotus fun! The final day of the festival features activities like a morning bike ride or yoga class, and cultural experiences such as drumming, dance, and music performances. Looking for an opportunity for artistic expression? Join us for painting classes or watch a fashion show. And no festival would be complete without live music, so come out to one of our five live music shows this Sunday, July 21. The full schedule and descriptions are available here: lotus-and-water-lily-festival.htm. The park will be open until 5:30 for the festival. We hope to see you there!

Photos courtesy of Tim Ervin and Kendra Barat

07/20/2024

The Lotus and Lily Festival is in full swing today, Saturday, at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. It is cloudy, so the blossoms will be open much longer than normal! Today we have Korean dance, Buddhist chanting, Classical Indian music, Bollywood dance, Mariachi, Flamenco and at 4:30, DC Strings Hip Hop Symphony - to name a few. Park is open UNTIL 8 pm tonight. Theme is art and you can see, people are really getting into it!

07/19/2024

Join us tomorrow at the second day of the Lotus and Waterlily festival at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens! Saturday’s schedule is packed with cultural programming and performances. Start you morning off with some yoga with Ebony at 9am in the gardens. Then, later in the morning, experience Vietnamese and Korean programming followed by Sharanya Indian dance in the afternoon. In the late afternoon we have classical Indian music featuring a sitar and tabla duo, Sambarta Raksh*t and Anirudh Alva Changatoki. End the day with a series of upbeat and energetic musical performances including Bollywood dancing, Mariachi music, and a hip-hop symphony by DC strings! Afterwards, feel free to wander the park and relax by the gardens—we have extended hours until 8pm for our visitors!

Image Credit: Tim Ervin

07/18/2024

Tomorrow is the start of the Water Lily and Lotus Festival! So, bring your cameras, sunglasses, and water bottle for a family fun time. The first day is packed full of activities for the family both in the day and afternoon.

The morning will consist of activities for your kids! Spend the morning with the family walking the ponds and catching an art class and afterwards listen to some stories by a professional storyteller or see some birds of prey up front. Later in the afternoon will be Neighborhood Night. Catch a ranger guided tour or an edible plant walk and afterwards stop on by the stage to watch the performances ranging from spoken word to a local band consisting of public-school teachers. There are so many activities to choose from! The park will be open until 8pm for the festival.

For more information about each program check out: https://www.nps.gov/keaq/planyourvisit/lotus-and-water-lily-festival.htm

# performances

Image Credit: Tim Ervin

07/17/2024

We know this muskrat may be friend shaped, it’s important to remember they do have sharp teeth and large claws. Along with that they are still wild animals! It’s very easy to forget that the animals at a National Park are not tame. Although they may be more comfortable around humans than others of their species they will protect themselves if they feel threatened, so it’s important to keep your distance! For the sake of your safety and the animals’ safety please remember to watch from afar. Along with that please inform any children present with you to do the same. Remember that we are in their homes, let’s do everything we can to make our visits safe ones!

Image Credit: Time Ervin

07/16/2024

Whether by car, train, or bike; there are many ways to get to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens for the festival!

If you are arriving by car, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens has a parking lot with free parking, but there is limited space. If the parking lot is full, there is also free street parking along Anacostia Ave NE and the surrounding neighborhood.

If you are arriving by bike, there is an access trail that connects Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. Just follow the sign to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens posted along the trail. There are plenty of bike racks to lock up your bike and remember to dismount from your bike once in Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens.

If you are arriving by train, the closest train stop is Deanwood on the Orange Line. Once you are at the station you will take the Polk St NE exit. Currently, the Douglas St. Pedestrian Bridge is under construction. The alternate route will be crossing Anacostia Freeway from Eastern Ave NE northeast of Polk St NE. The alternate route should take you about 15-20 minutes to walk.

We hope to see y’all soon and if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Image Credit: Time Ervin

07/15/2024

Already been to the park this season? Think you’ve seen it all? Kenilworth is lucky to be home to a large number of water lilies, ensuring a different experience every time you visit! We have both hardy and tropical water lilies, each unique in its own way. The hardy water lilies survive year-round and usually bloom from May to September. The tropical water lilies, on the other hand, must be overwintered in our hothouses. Both types of flowers produce different colors. The hardy lilies are typically yellow, white,
and pink, while the tropical lilies come in many vibrant colors, including blues and purples. This summer is the perfect opportunity to see both types for yourself! You can learn more about the types of lilies in the gardens here: https://www.nps.gov/keaq/learn/nature/water-lily.htm

Photos courtesy of Tim Ervin

07/14/2024

With less than a week before the festival, you may be wondering the hours that each of our 3 festival days are operating. On Friday, July 19th our park is open from 8am to 8pm, and the children’s activities will go from 10am to 2pm. Later in the evening we have our neighborhood night from 4pm to 8pm.

Saturday, July 20th is our cultural day, where we have East Asian, South Asian, and Latino music, dance, and storytelling from 9am to 5pm. If you can’t make it to the park during these hours, don’t fret! We will still be keeping the park open from 8am to 8pm!

Sunday may be our last day of the festival, but surely isn’t least! In the morning we have a variety of nature walks + talks that begin at 9am. Our annual fashion show is at 3pm, giving visitors a couple of hours to relax at the park before we close at 5:30pm.

It is going to be hot, and sunny throughout the weekend, so make sure to rest in shaded spots when possible during your visit at the park. You should also drink plenty of water and apply sunscreen throughout the day. We look forward to greeting all our visitors
during the festival, and we want to maintain your safety too!

Image Credit: NPS

07/13/2024

It’s about that time where we’ll now see the Great Egrets return to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens! These beautiful birds stand out against the colorful foliage and it’s wonderful every year seeing them arrive. They nest in colonies often nesting even with other species of Egrets and leave once mature, expanding outward to find their own territories. That means all the Egrets we will see in the park very well may have come from the same nesting spot! Learn more about Great Egrets at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens here: https://www.nps.gov/keaq/learn/nature/great-egret-at-the-anacostia.htm

Picture by Micheal Herrara

07/12/2024

The Water Lily and Lotus Festival is one week away! Get pumped for 3 days of fun activities and performances to celebrate the beautiful blooms of water lilies and lotuses. The theme of this year’s festival is “The Art of Lotus’ and Water Lilies” celebrating how different cultures express the creative influence the beauty of these flowers through art, music, and dance. So, bring your cameras, binoculars, sunscreen, and a bottle of water to view all of the natural beauty Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens has to offer and enjoy the festivities.

For more information about the park and the festival, check out our website at:
https://www.nps.gov/keaq/planyourvisit/lotus-and-water-lily-festival.htm

#2024

Image Credit: NPS

07/11/2024

Saving the best for last, Sunday, July 21, is jam-packed with programming from 9:00 am through our final concert starting at 4:30 pm. Start your day with yoga or a bike ride in the morning. After that, try out one of our many painting classes, dance classes, or wildlife educational experiences. At the end of the day, rock out with some live music for all ages. With so many options to choose from, be sure to check out the detailed schedule on the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens website. Plan your festival visit today!

Photos courtesy of Kendra Barat

07/10/2024

We have less than two weeks before our festival begins! On Saturday, July 20th, we start the morning at 9am with some calming yoga. Afterwards, we have a series of cultural programming throughout the day. Beginning at 10am, we have the Wai Tai Temple conducting Vietnamese cultural programming, followed by Buddhist chanting and Korean dance at 11:30.

From 12:30 to 2pm we have a series of Indian performances showcased; beginning with a classical Sharanya dance, followed by some serene Indian musical performances, and wrapped up with a spectacular Bollywood dance at 1:30!

Beginning at 2pm we have the Mariachi Los Amigos performing Mariachi and discussing the history behind the music. Afterwards, there will be Flamenco, a hip-hop symphony, and more! So make sure to come out to the park and experience a slice of every culture
that we have displayed!

Image Credit: NPS

07/09/2024

Friday, July 19th kicks off the Water Lily and Lotus Festivals with free activities during the day such as water lilies and lotus themed art class with Darrelynne Strother, storytelling by master storyteller Dr. David Fakunie, and a birds of prey programming led by Liz Dennison.

Later in the evening will be Neighborhood Night where we invite all of Ward 7 and other neighbors for an evening of various performances by the Washington Dunhuang Guzheng Academy, poet Sir Harvey Fitz, and local DC band Adamare. There will also be a Zumba
class, garden tour, edible wild plant walk, and painting with Paint Amore.

Kickoff the first day of the festival with a bloom as we celebrate these wonderful flowers and how they inspire us and all cultures with their beauty.

For more info about the festival and program check out: https://www.nps.gov/keaq/planyourvisit/lotus-and-water-lily-festival.htm

Image Credit NPS

07/08/2024

Have you ever been to the Lotus and Water Lily Festival at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens? This year’s festival theme is all about art! From July 19th-21st there will be activities for everyone all things art and outdoors! If visual art classes, poetry/music, or watching different cultural dances interest you come on out! On the wildlife side of things there will be birds of prey sessions, foraging lessons, and of course our wonderful blooming aquatic plants. All these things and more can be found on our website here:
https://www.nps.gov/keaq/planyourvisit/lotus-and-water-lily-festival.htm

Tim Ervin Picture

07/07/2024

There is another new program in town! Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens has updated its Junior Ranger Program! Special thank you to the incredible illustrator Megan Singleton and the for their partnership on the project. You can pick up a copy of the booklet at the Visitors Center! Once the Junior Ranger has completed the booklet they can get their badge.

Image Credit: NPS

07/06/2024

The Bark Ranger Program is officially launched a Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens! On his last day as Intern at the park, Marxe presented the first Bark Ranger badge to his dog Truffle Bear. He was also able to present the second badge to his family and their dog. Marxe worked very hard to create this program, and we are paws-itive your pup will love it too! Find a ranger at the visitor center to learn more about the program!

Image Credit: NPS

07/05/2024

We are so excited to be just TWO WEEKS away from the Kenilworth Aquatic Garden Lily and Lotus Festival! Get ready for gorgeous blooms, food trucks, cultural performances, classes, and more. This year, the theme is “The Art of Water Lotuses and Lilies,” and we could not be more thrilled to celebrate how these flowers are depicted around the world! Join us on July 19, 20, and 21 at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Can’t wait to see you there!

NPS Photo

Address

1550 Anacostia Avenue, NE
Washington D.C., DC
20019

Website

http://www.nps.gov/keaq/

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Videos

Ranger Mac and the Junior Ranger Program

The Yellow Crowned Night Herons are still at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens enjoying the many crayfish in the park. These magnificent birds have been seen enjoying crayfish, frogs and even eels. These Yellow Crowned Night Herons are used to people being around, and let people get too close to them. Please remember to enjoy wildlife from a distance and keep all our animals safe in the park. Have you seen this amazing bird in the park this summer? #kenilworthaquaticgardens #yellowcrownednightheron #birding #nps Video Credit: Jim Street / NPS Video Description: A Yellow Crowned Night Heron eats a crayfish out of the ponds.