Dear Summer Festival

For a late-summer Saturday in DC, Dear Summer Festival makes a strong case for keeping your evening outdoors. The Bullpen gets a six-hour takeover on August 22, with DJs 5'9, Boogz and Schemes handling the soundtrack and plenty of room to move between sets. The appeal here is less about a tightly programmed concert and more about having several reasons to stick around: food, activations, dancing and the chance to meet people beyond your usual weekend circle. With the festival marking the fourth stop of its 2026 tour, this edition arrives with a few promised surprises and special guests, though the lineup details remain under wraps. It is a 21-plus event, and tickets will not be sold at the door, so plan ahead if you want in. Come for the music, stay because the evening has momentum.