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RSVP -  The Future Is Now and I Am It: A Parade to Mark the Moment

Saturday, September 7 at 9:30 a.m.

To open the REACH, the Kennedy Center gathers artists from far-flung corners of the artistic landscape together with young people to walk, march, and dance into the future in this parade curated by multi-disciplinary visual and performance artist Carrie Mae Weems, in collaboration with David Ross’s MusicianShip and the Funk Parade.

The parade starts at 9:30am at Virginia Avenue and 22nd Street. It will continue to the Kennedy Center campus via Virginia Avenue and then 25th Street. The best viewing points are at Virginia Avenue and 24th Street, and at the Main Plaza on the Kennedy Center campus.

Please note: Timed entry passes are not required for parade participation. However, please reserve timed entry passes if you would like to visit the REACH campus following the parade. If you find that passes for your desired timed-entry period are unavailable, we still encourage you to come. Patrons without passes may be admitted on a space-available basis.

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Please note: Timed entry passes are not required for parade participation. However, please reserve timed entry passes if you would like to visit the REACH campus following the parade. Please arrive one (1) hour prior to your event with your timed entry pass either printed out or on your mobile device. This will allow enough time to check-in, pick up your pass, and proceed through security. So that we can best prepare all participants must pre-register via this form—no additional guests allowed.

Ten minutes prior to the event, any pre-registered spots will be released to the wait list, so make sure to give yourself enough time.

Due to space constraints during the Opening Festival and other safety hazards, prohibited items include: hard coolers, bags larger than 16 x 16 x 8 inches, backpacks larger than 15 x 22 inches, glass bottles, outside alcohol of any kind, drones and selfie sticks, pets (ADA-certified service animals are allowed). All bags are subject to inspection. Guests are prohibited from bringing hard containers into the REACH.

The Center will experience a high volume of patrons for the Festival. We encourage using mass transit, taxi, or rideshare. Catch our free Shuttle from the Foggy Bottom–GWU–Kennedy Center Metro. Parking is available in our garage, however standard parking rates apply when attending free events.

ATTENTION: THIS EVENT IS BEING RECORDED PLEASE READ BEFORE ENTERING: PLEASE BE AWARE, WHEN ENTERING THIS EVENT SPACE, THAT YOU MAY BE FILMED, VIDEOTAPED, PHOTOGRAPHED AND/OR RECORDED.  BY ENTERING THIS EVENT SPACE, YOU CONSENT TO YOUR VOICE, IMAGE AND LIKENESS BEING USED, WITHOUT COMPENSATION OR PRIOR APPROVAL, FOR EXPLOITATION IN ANY AND ALL MEDIA, WHETHER NOW KNOWN OR HEREINAFTER DEVISED, AND YOU RELEASE THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AND ITS ASSIGNS AND LICENSEES FROM ANY LIABILITY ON ACCOUNT OF SUCH USAGE.  IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SUBJECT TO THE FOREGOING, DO NOT ENTER THIS EVENT SPACE.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.