Deets: This fall, artists and audiences from the Washington, D.C. area, the U.S., and around the globe come together at the nation’s cultural capital to dance, sing, create, collaborate, listen, learn, talk, share, and celebrate the opening of the REACH, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’s unprecedented new expansion. At a preview event today, May 29, which marks both President Kennedy’s 102nd birthday and 100 days until the historic opening, the Kennedy Center unveiled preliminary details of the free 16-day REACH Opening Festival on September 7–22.

 Built for active participation and access, the REACH brings visitors directly into the creative process. From masterclasses and workshops to dance parties and DJ sets, the Opening Festival offers a first glimpse of the many varied and interactive ways that visitors will be able to experience art at the REACH. With more than 400 free events planned, the multi-genre, multidisciplinary festival features participatory performances, interactive installations, hands-on learning activities, and more, with local and national headliners including Arrested Development, The Second City,Thievery Corporation, Yalitza Aparicio, Bootsy Collins, Renée Fleming, Robert Glasper, Angélique Kidjo, Alan Menken, Tiler Peck, Mo Willems, and numerous others. Many of the artists taking part will connect with audiences not only through performance but also through specially designed residencies and experiential workshops that honor the creative spirit in us all.

Hint for the Average Socialite: All events are free, and reservations for timed passes will be required for entry. Check back for more details in the coming months.

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