Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens

Lotus flowers bloom in many ponds during the hot humid summer months.
Deep within Kenilworth lies an oasis, hidden behind trees and cattails. It's a place where beavers build their homes and turtles sleep on logs. Lotus blooms rise from the muck and lilies sit on the water. The wind dances with the dragonflies, rustling through the trees, carrying the song of the birds until it brushes across your face, fading to a whisper, saying "come join."
Map showing location of park.
Red, white and blue lotuses in water
Step Into a World of Lotus, Lilies, and Culture at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens July 18 and 19
On July 18 and 19, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens will transform into an enchanted escape. For this one summer weekend, music, dance, art and family activities will carry visitors through a landscape inspired by Asian gardens and the living wetlands of the Anacostia River, where water lilies float like lanterns across quiet ponds and towering lotus blossoms rise in shades of pink, cream and green. The National Park Service invites visitors of all ages to attend the free Lotus and Water Lily Festival on Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20019.
Pink lotus flower blooms in a pond.
Photo by NPS Photo/Miguel A. Marquez
Aquatic ponds during the fall with trees displaying orange and yellow colors.
Photo by NPS Photo/Miguel A. Marquez.
Turtles basking in the sun.
Photo by NPS Photo/Miguel A. Marquez.
A woman taking a photo of lotus flowers
Photo by NPS Photo/Miguel A. Marquez
Great Blue Heron in flight over the ponds during the fall.
Photo by NPS Photo/Miguel A. Marquez