Many arboretum
programs require advance registration. Please refer to complete program
descriptions.
You can now register either online or by mailing in a completed form.
Click here to begin the registration process.
For registration information, call 202-245-4521; or use this form.
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Program FULL? If a program is marked FULL, registration is closed, and we do not keep waiting lists. If there is a cancellation, we will remove the FULL marking and re-open registration. However, if the program is scheduled to occur within 10 calendar days, the cancellation period is over and we will not re-open registration. We do not keep waiting lists for any programs. For questions, please call 202-245-5898.
Full Moon Hike
The hikes sell out quickly and the best chance for reserving a spot is to register soon after we post them here on our Current Events and Programs page.
We post them quarterly, by season. Below are the dates that they will be posted and open for registration.
Spring hikes (March, April, and May) will be posted February 1.
Summer hikes (June) will be posted May 1. We do not hold hikes in July and August.
Fall hikes (September, October, and November) will be posted August 1.
Winter hikes (December, January, and February) will be posted November 1. The posting of winter hikes and events has been delayed until November 7.
Note: If the date falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the posting will be done the following work day.
Note New Format!
Workshop: Advanced Holiday Wreath Making
December 1, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
If you have previously attended a National Arboretum wreath workshop, or know how to construct a fresh sphagnum moss-wire frame wreath, this program is for you. Create a holiday masterpiece with an extensive selection of fresh seasonal greens, including many varieties not commonly available. Take advantage of design guidance from Arboretum staff, enjoy an ongoing educational presentation, and take home information about the plant materials used in the workshop. All supplies are provided. If you have no wreath construction experience, please see Holiday Wreath Making for Beginners. Registered participants only allowed in the workshop. Minimum age 16. Fee: $59 (FONA $47) Registration required.
Note New Format!
Workshop: Holiday Wreath Making for Beginners
December 1, 1:00 – 4:00 pm FULL
This workshop is for you if you would like to learn to create a designer-quality holiday wreath from start to finish. Begin with a wire frame and fresh sphagnum moss, learn the assembly techniques, and finish with design guidance and an exceptional array of fresh plant material of all colors and forms, including many unusual varieties. Enjoy an ongoing educational presentation and take home information about the plant materials used in the workshop. All supplies are provided. Registered participants only allowed in the workshop. Minimum age 16. Fee: $59 (FONA $47) Registration required.
Full Moon Hike
December 27, 7:00 – 9:00 pm FULL
December 28, 7:00 – 9:00 pm FULL
December 29, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
This four mile long, mildly strenuous hike is a magical trip through moonlit gardens, meadows, and woods. Discover how the striking landscape of the arboretum changes under the moon and stars of the night sky. Your guide will share points of special interest and seasonal highlights. The two-hour walk over hilly and uneven terrain is a brisk hike, not a tour so wear good walking shoes and dress for the weather. Ages 16 and up. No pets on the hike, please. Click here for complete Full Moon Hike details. Fee: $22 (FONA $18) Registration required.
Full Moon Hike for Group
December 27, 8:00 – 10:00 pm
Full Moon Hikes are one of DC’s best outings and sell out quickly due to their popularity. Gather friends, family, co-workers, and others to enjoy this unique experience by booking this hike for your private group. See description of Full Moon Hike, above. Age 16 and up. No pets on the hike, please. Click here for complete Group Hike details. Maximum 25 per group. Fee: $550. Registration required.
Outdoor Panel Exhibit: Landslide: Every Tree Tells a Story
Through January 15, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Flowering Tree Walk (between the National Herb Garden and the Capitol Columns)
Stroll along the Flowering Tree Walk to view this panel exhibit that helps tell part of America’s story through different endangered trees and tree groupings around the country. The goal of the exhibition is to make these trees visible, provide their historic and cultural significance, and provide audiences with new avenues for discovering and appreciating the nation’s horticultural heritage. Included are: the two-century-old tulip poplar at Washington, DC’s Tudor Place that was a sapling when Martha Washington was alive; boxed pines in Weymouth, North Carolina, whose trunks bear the old carvings from 19th century sap extraction; a collection of ficus trees whose canopy spans seven lanes of highway traffic in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and nine other sites. American Photo Magazine commissioned the images from leading photographers. The exhibit is on loan from the Cultural Landscape Foundation and is sponsored by The Davey Tree Expert Company. Free.
Full Moon Hike
January 25, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
January 26, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
January 27, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
This four mile long, mildly strenuous hike is a magical trip through moonlit gardens, meadows, and woods. Discover how the striking landscape of the arboretum changes under the moon and stars of the night sky. Your guide will share points of special interest and seasonal highlights. The two-hour walk over hilly and uneven terrain is a brisk hike, not a tour so wear good walking shoes and dress for the weather. Ages 16 and up. No pets on the hike, please. Click here for complete Full Moon Hike details. Fee: $22 (FONA $18) Registration required.
Full Moon Hike for Group
January 25, 8:00 – 10:00 pm
Full Moon Hikes are one of DC’s best outings and sell out quickly due to their popularity. Gather friends, family, co-workers, and others to enjoy this unique experience by booking a hike for your private group. See description of Full Moon Hike, above. Age 16 and up. No pets on the hike, please.
Click here for complete Group Hike details. Maximum 25 per group. Fee: $550.
Outdoor Panel Exhibit: Landslide: Every Tree Tells a Story
Through January 15, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Flowering Tree Walk (between the National Herb Garden and the Capitol Columns)
Stroll along the Flowering Tree Walk to view this panel exhibit that helps tell part of America’s story through different endangered trees and tree groupings around the country. The goal of the exhibition is to make these trees visible, provide their historic and cultural significance, and provide audiences with new avenues for discovering and appreciating the nation’s horticultural heritage. Included are: the two-century-old tulip poplar at Washington, DC’s Tudor Place that was a sapling when Martha Washington was alive; boxed pines in Weymouth, North Carolina, whose trunks bear the old carvings from 19th century sap extraction; a collection of ficus trees whose canopy spans seven lanes of highway traffic in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and nine other sites. American Photo Magazine commissioned the images from leading photographers. The exhibit is on loan from the Cultural Landscape Foundation and is sponsored by The Davey Tree Expert Company. Free.
Winter Tree ID
February 9, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Sharpen your botanical skills and impress friends and family by learning to identify trees in winter. Learn how bare twigs, bark, and a tree’s silhouette are often all you need for winter identification. Start in the classroom by learning botanical terminology and tree anatomy, and then take your new knowledge to the Fern Valley Native Plant Collection with curator Joan Feely, where you will complete the lesson with more information and hands-on practice. Focus will be on native trees of the mid-Atlantic area. No previous knowledge necessary. Fee: $12 (FONA $10)
Holly Collection Tour
February 23, 10:00 – 11:30 am
Cure cabin fever by touring this tucked-away collection of nearly 200 different hollies with horticulturist and holly curator Carole Bordelon. See how broad-leaved evergreens brighten dull winter days with shiny green, bright yellow, and rich gold foliage, and how the deciduous hollies add sparkle to the landscape with abundant and colorful berries. Learn about the National Arboretum’s holly research that lead to successes such as 'Sparkleberry', a prize-winning introduction. Fee: $12 (FONA $10) Meet at the Holly and Magnolia Collections parking lot. Rain/snow date: March 2, same time.
Full Moon Hike
February 23, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
February 24, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
February 25, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
This four mile long, mildly strenuous hike is a magical trip through moonlit gardens, meadows, and woods. Discover how the striking landscape of the arboretum changes under the moon and stars of the night sky. Your guide will share points of special interest and seasonal highlights. The two-hour walk over hilly and uneven terrain is a brisk hike, not a tour so wear good walking shoes and dress for the weather. Ages 16 and up. No pets on the hike, please. Click here for complete Full Moon Hike details. Fee: $22 (FONA $18) Registration required.
Full Moon Hike for Group
February 23, 8:00 – 10:00 pm
Bring your bicycles to ride on our 9 miles of roads.Note: The koi have been removed from the pool for a renovation project.
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Cell Phone Tour
A free* tour of all of the major collections and research areas is available when you
bring a cell phone to the arboretum. Look for the signs in the gardens and
follow the directions. More information is available in the lobby.
* You will use your minutes.
FONA/NBF
FONA/NBF refers to members of the Friends of the National Arboretum or the National Bonsai Foundation, who receive a discount on many programs. For membership information for FONA, call 202-544-8733 or visit www.fona.org . For information on NBF, call 202-396-3510 or visit www.bonsai-nbf.org.
Coming up in Spring 2013 - Mark your calendar!
Registration information and details for all spring events will be available online or
by phone at 202-245-4521 on February 1, 2013.
March 23; Lahr Native Plant Symposium and Sale
The symposium moves back into the newly renovated Administration Building and the sale will be on the Arboretum grounds. Come enjoy the excellent speakers and exclusive early admission to the plant sale. Fee.
April 26 and 27; Friends of the National Arboretum Garden Fair and Plant Sale
The annual Garden Fair is a fun and educational kickoff to the gardening season with all types of plant and garden-related vendors, expert advice, family activities, and more. Free admission.
May 3-5; Potomac Bonsai Festival
Three days of exhibits, vendors, demonstrations, and family activities. Free admission.
Back to the Arboretum Home Page
Last Updated December 7, 2012 9:16 AM
URL = http://www.usna.usda.gov/Education/events.html