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Free Cultural & Carnatic Events in Washington

96 free events coming up — no ticket needed. All events in Washington →

Happening this week

Annual Caress Lecture: Dr. Rigoberto Hernandez, Gompf Family Professor, Johns HopkinsThu, 1 OctFREE
Annual Caress Lecture: Dr. Rigoberto Hernandez, Gompf Family Professor, Johns Hopkins
Science and Engineering Hall · Washington
techFREE
Cracks & Reforms: The 1920s Through the GW CollectionThu, 1 OctFREE
Cracks & Reforms: The 1920s Through the GW Collection
Flagg Building · Washington
artsFREE
Farther into R: More R for Data AnalysisThu, 1 OctFREE
Farther into R: More R for Data Analysis
Gelman Library · Washington
techFREE
A Gift in MotionThu, 1 OctFREE
A Gift in Motion
Flagg Building · Washington
otherFREE
Unfossilizing African ArtThu, 1 OctFREE
Unfossilizing African Art
Flagg Building · Washington
artsFREE
Writing Against Erasure: Courtesans, Performance, and the Making of Late Ming Drama (名妓、表演與晚明戲劇)Thu, 1 OctFREE
Writing Against Erasure: Courtesans, Performance, and the Making of Late Ming Drama (名妓、表演與晚明戲劇)
Science and Engineering Hall · Washington
artsFREE
Office of Sponsored Projects Postdoc Resource Fair TableThu, 1 OctFREE
Office of Sponsored Projects Postdoc Resource Fair Table
University Student Center · Washington
otherFREE
China's Challenge: "Broken China: How the Economic Miracle Shattered and What it Means for the World"Thu, 1 OctFREE
China's Challenge: "Broken China: How the Economic Miracle Shattered and What it Means for the World"
1957 E Street NW · Washington
businessFREE
Fall Openings: A Gift in Motion/Unfossilizing African Art/Cracks & ReformsThu, 1 OctFREE
Fall Openings: A Gift in Motion/Unfossilizing African Art/Cracks & Reforms
Flagg Building · Washington
artsFREE
Jenny McKean Moore Reading Series Featuring Chet'la SebreeThu, 1 OctFREE
Jenny McKean Moore Reading Series Featuring Chet'la Sebree
Gelman Library · Washington
otherFREE
Unfiltered. Unscripted. A Sesno Series Conversation with Chris ChristieThu, 1 OctFREE
Unfiltered. Unscripted. A Sesno Series Conversation with Chris Christie
Media and Public Affairs Building · Washington
otherFREE
The Future of the Copyright Act SymposiumFri, 2 OctFREE
The Future of the Copyright Act Symposium
Law School · Washington
businessFREE
Sarah Gray Castle & Jamie Pearce, Graduate Students, Boyes Lab GW Department of ChemistryFri, 2 OctFREE
Sarah Gray Castle & Jamie Pearce, Graduate Students, Boyes Lab GW Department of Chemistry
Science and Engineering Hall · Washington
otherFREE
Coffee with a Practitioner | International & Comparative LawFri, 2 OctFREE
Coffee with a Practitioner | International & Comparative Law
Law School · Washington
businessFREE
CTAD Community HourFri, 2 OctFREE
CTAD Community Hour
Building J · Washington
danceProgramFREE
Language LunchFri, 2 OctFREE
Language Lunch
Elliott School of International Affairs · Washington
otherFREE
China Watches Back: Chinese Public Opinion on the United States and AsiaFri, 2 OctFREE
China Watches Back: Chinese Public Opinion on the United States and Asia
1957 E Street NW · Washington
techFREE
Quantifying Damages in International ArbitrationFri, 2 OctFREE
Quantifying Damages in International Arbitration
Law School · Washington
businessFREE
Disability, RevolutionFri, 2 OctFREE
Disability, Revolution
Rome Hall (Academic Center) · Washington
literatureFREE
Highlighting your Unique Value PropositionFri, 2 OctFREE
Highlighting your Unique Value Proposition
Duques Hall · Washington
businessFREE
Statistics Seminar Series: External Risk Prediction Informed Bayesian Survival AnalysisFri, 2 OctFREE
Statistics Seminar Series: External Risk Prediction Informed Bayesian Survival Analysis
Duques Hall · Washington
businessFREE
Wilbur V. Harlan Research SymposiumFri, 2 OctFREE
Wilbur V. Harlan Research Symposium
Science and Engineering Hall · Washington
businessFREE
2026 Humanitarian Internship Program Poster SessionFri, 2 OctFREE
2026 Humanitarian Internship Program Poster Session
University Student Center · Washington
techFREE
CCAS Common Grounds Presents: Where Is Home?Fri, 2 OctFREE
CCAS Common Grounds Presents: Where Is Home?
800 21st St NW · Washington
artsFREE
Friday Argentine Tango classFri, 2 OctFREE
Friday Argentine Tango class
USC or District House · Washington
danceProgramFREE
Brady Art Gallery Tour: Unfossilizing African Art and Cracks & ReformsSat, 3 OctFREE
Brady Art Gallery Tour: Unfossilizing African Art and Cracks & Reforms
Flagg Building · Washington
artsFREE
Argentine Tango Saturday PracticaSat, 3 OctFREE
Argentine Tango Saturday Practica
Hand Chapel · Washington
otherFREE
CCAS Private Alumni Math Reception (Washington, DC)Sat, 3 OctFREE
CCAS Private Alumni Math Reception (Washington, DC)
Duques Hall · Washington
businessFREE
Jennifer Koh: Bach and BeyondSun, 4 OctFREE
Jennifer Koh: Bach and Beyond
Flagg Building · Washington
musicFREE
GW Center for Law & Technology Speaker Series: Lorelei Richie (University of Louisville)Mon, 5 OctFREE
GW Center for Law & Technology Speaker Series: Lorelei Richie (University of Louisville)
Law School · Washington
businessFREE

Coming up

Census - Bison Bead ProjectTue, 6 OctFREE
Census - Bison Bead Project
Flagg Building · Washington
artsFREE
China's Challenge: The American EV Transition: Looking Ahead While Lagging Behind ChinaTue, 6 OctFREE
China's Challenge: The American EV Transition: Looking Ahead While Lagging Behind China
1957 E Street NW · Washington
techFREE
World on a Plate Guest Lecture Series: Shobha ShettyTue, 6 OctFREE
World on a Plate Guest Lecture Series: Shobha Shetty
Phillips Hall (Academic Center) · Washington
otherFREE
On Reconciliation: Lessons from South Africa and Rwanda for Israeli-Palestinian ReconciliationTue, 6 OctFREE
On Reconciliation: Lessons from South Africa and Rwanda for Israeli-Palestinian Reconciliation
1957 E Street NW · Washington
literatureFREE
2027 OE: Foggy Bottom FestWed, 7 OctFREE
2027 OE: Foggy Bottom Fest
University Student Center · Washington
otherFREE
Visiting Employer ProgramWed, 7 OctFREE
Visiting Employer Program
Law School · Washington
otherFREE
GW Coders: Quarto + AI with JP Helveston (EMSE)Wed, 7 OctFREE
GW Coders: Quarto + AI with JP Helveston (EMSE)
Science and Engineering Hall · Washington
techFREE
National Security Law Adjunct ReceptionWed, 7 OctFREE
National Security Law Adjunct Reception
Law School · Washington
techFREE
16th Annual Richard and Janet Southby Distinguished Lectureship in Comparative Health Policy: Featuring Dr. Francis CollinsWed, 7 OctFREE
16th Annual Richard and Janet Southby Distinguished Lectureship in Comparative Health Policy: Featuring Dr. Francis Collins
Milken Institute School of Public Health Building · Washington
otherFREE
Democracy in the District: Foie Gras and Initiative 86’s Path to LawWed, 7 OctFREE
Democracy in the District: Foie Gras and Initiative 86’s Path to Law
Law School · Washington
otherFREE
George Washington Law Review Symposium: Suing Foreign Sovereigns in U.S. CourtsThu, 8 OctFREE
George Washington Law Review Symposium: Suing Foreign Sovereigns in U.S. Courts
Law School · Washington
businessFREE
Investing in Your $ustainability CareerThu, 8 OctFREE
Investing in Your $ustainability Career
GW School of Media and Public Affairs · Washington
businessFREE
Taiwan Roundtable: Lawfare, Information, and Influence: China’s Toolbox for Shaping Cross-Strait EngagementFri, 9 OctFREE
Taiwan Roundtable: Lawfare, Information, and Influence: China’s Toolbox for Shaping Cross-Strait Engagement
1957 E Street NW · Washington
businessFREE
Fundamentals of Customer DiscoveryFri, 9 OctFREE
Fundamentals of Customer Discovery
Duques Hall · Washington
businessFREE
Politics & Prose and GW Presents: Barbara Kingsolver | PartitaFri, 9 OctFREE
Politics & Prose and GW Presents: Barbara Kingsolver | Partita
Lisner Auditorium · Washington
otherFREE
Book Launch: Mapping Urban Environmental Risks Using Open Source GIS.Wed, 14 OctFREE
Book Launch: Mapping Urban Environmental Risks Using Open Source GIS.
1957 E Street NW · Washington
techFREE
Women in International Law Speaker Series with Carolina Jiménez SandovalWed, 14 OctFREE
Women in International Law Speaker Series with Carolina Jiménez Sandoval
Law School · Washington
otherFREE
BIG FORUM HYBRID MEETING: Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency EthicsWed, 14 OctFREE
BIG FORUM HYBRID MEETING: Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Ethics
Milken Institute School of Public Health Building · Washington
otherFREE
Comrades Estranged: Labor and Citizenship in the Twentieth-Century Persian GulfThu, 15 OctFREE
Comrades Estranged: Labor and Citizenship in the Twentieth-Century Persian Gulf
Elliott School of International Affairs · Washington
literatureFREE
Prevention Innovation WorkshopThu, 15 OctFREE
Prevention Innovation Workshop
University Student Center · Washington
businessFREE
George Talks Business with Ronnen Harary of Spin Master, Co-Creator of Paw Patrol & BakuganThu, 15 OctFREE
George Talks Business with Ronnen Harary of Spin Master, Co-Creator of Paw Patrol & Bakugan
Media and Public Affairs Building · Washington
businessFREE
Statistics Seminar Series: Conditional Formulation of Gaussian Systems on Spatial Networks with Irregularly Distributed PointsFri, 16 OctFREE
Statistics Seminar Series: Conditional Formulation of Gaussian Systems on Spatial Networks with Irregularly Distributed Points
Duques Hall · Washington
businessFREE
Save the Date: Milken Institute School of Public Health 950 AwardsFri, 16 OctFREE
Save the Date: Milken Institute School of Public Health 950 Awards
Milken Institute School of Public Health Building · Washington
otherFREE
CCAS Professional Psychology Mixer (Washington, DC)Fri, 16 OctFREE
CCAS Professional Psychology Mixer (Washington, DC)
1957 E Street NW · Washington
otherFREE

Washington runs one of the world's richest free cultural calendars. Sabhas hold Carnatic concerts most evenings, temples host utsavams and bhajans, and Bharatanatyam margams, harikathas and discourses happen year-round — most with free admission and no ticket needed. This guide gathers them in one place and refreshes itself as new events are added.

It peaks in the Margazhi season (mid-Dec to mid-Jan), when hundreds of free and low-cost kutcheris fill the sabhas — but there's something on almost every week. Bookmark this page, or get the app for reminders near you.

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