My husband had always wanted to see the Friday Evening Parade, so we reserved tickets for the two of us and his father to see the presentation. I didn't really know much about the 8th and I traditions, so the experience was a really beautiful look into the discipline and pageantry of the Marine Corps. We parked at the recommended lot ($15) and took the huge MC bus to the drop off point. (I seriously have no idea how they navigate that bus through the tiny streets, but it was a very comfortable ride.) At the gate, you can scan your QR code on the emailed tickets, or they can look up the name for your party on their digital list. There was plenty of stadium seating, and they made sure everyone knew where they could get water or locate the bathrooms. They also have a small outdoor gift shop and offer veteran discounts. Before the presentation started, some members of the band came out to visit with the audience and answer questions. The actual parade was amazing. The precision and form of each group was flawless, and the music was specially organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America. The Silent Drill Platoon was the shining star of the parade. The coordination of the routine was perfection, and the difficulty of their movements was stunning to see. The members of this platoon were masters of the craft, and it was truly an honor to see them perform in person. If you've never seen the parade before, I so highly recommend it! read more

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Great DC and local attraction rich in history and current military appreciation goodness. Plus who wouldn't find Chesty the English Bulldog and Barracks' mascot adorable (can a Marine be adorable? Maybe not.). The Silent Drill Team, two bands, and amazing drill by Marine Barracks Washington is incredibly impressive. Definitely bring water for a summer evening performance. The bleachers are cushioned but a second cushion is recommended. Gates close at 8pm and the parade starts 45 minutes later. That's a lot of sitting...but worth it! Definitely a must see! read more

Marine Barracks - Friday parade - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

On the south end of Capitol Hill's Barracks Row is the longest standing Marine barracks in the country built by Thomas Jefferson in 1801. Within the barracks is one of the oldest houses in the city built in 1803 to house the commandants of the entire Marines. The commandant still lives in the house. From March/April through August every year, the Marine band puts on free concerts on Fridays for the community. All are welcome! read more

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I agree with previous reviewers that this is a hidden gem in DC. Not that many people seem to realize that there are parades open to the public. The evening parade offered in the summer is a great activity for people that live in and around DC and for those that are visiting. Also, it's FREE! You can't beat that. I do recommend reserving tickets ahead of time to get better seats (facing the middle of the field). We ended up sitting at the end of the field (I guess because we reserved our tickets later?), although there really wasn't much enforcement so I think we could've sat in the middle section which still had plenty of open seats when we got there. Given that it was our first time and we weren't sure exactly what to do, we just went with the end and tried to sit as high as possible. The event is well-organized - there are metal detectors that you'll have to go through, but they're pretty quick at getting everyone through. Also, given that the shows are in the summer, they have water and bathrooms available for everyone. The parade was great - there is a lot of waiting and the bleachers get crowded, but the show is worth it. My dad, who is fiercely patriotic, really enjoyed seeing all the demonstrations and was stomping along to the music played by the band and the drum and bugle corps. The silent drill platoon is one of the best parts. They're incredibly impressive. Also, watching the colors being retired and the bugle player on the roof playing taps is very cool. Overall, I really enjoyed it and think local residents (and their visitors) should definitely take advantage of being so close to "the Oldest Post of the Corps!" P.S. My boyfriend was ready to take home "Chesty," the official mascot of the barracks! read more

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You don't have to be a Marine to enjoy this display of pride, pageantry, precision and discipline. I believe this event is held every weekend and we had no trouble ordering tickets online just a week or so before the date we chose, though we did have to sit in the side bleachers (section 10) which is kind of like the endzone, whereas most of the action takes place at the 50 yard line. The Barracks are just a short walk from Eastern Market metro, down a busy street filled with restaurants and other businesses. You know you've arrived when you start seeing Marines in full dress uniiform mingling outside. NOTE: while the event is causal, it is respectful and customary to dress nicely. Further, if you hope to score upgraded seats (people get moved if there are empty seats in the center sections) you have little chance if you are in a t-shirt and shorts. (In the same way you won't get upgraded to first class on an airline if you are wearing pajama bottoms.) You arrive at your gate, go through security checkpoint and are escorted to your seat by a Marine. The bleachers are pretty compact, restrooms and water are available at the far end where the bleachers are. We were told that normally the event starts on time, but this night, it started very late. Young Marines keep crowds entertained while you wait, providing information and history, telling jokes, and orchestrating "OohRah" competitions with neighboring seating sections. As some have said, this may be appropriate for very small kids, as there is a lot of waiting and sitting and watching. More active children are likely to get antsy. Various musical groups perform patriotic marches, as well as the Silent Drill Platoon, which is hauntingly beautiful. Live in DC or just visiting, the Evening Parade is a unique and moving way to honor our military and country. read more

Marine Barracks - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Jon-- Full disclosure: I am a Marine who might have a bit of a bias for snappy displays of martial pageantry. So I'll try to write from the point of view of someone who has never heard of the sharp fellows at 8th & I. . . The Evening Parade is probably one of DC's hidden gems. Everything is sharp and precise, from the creases of the Marines' trousers to the unnaturally straight columns of Marines marching in. For about an hour, you'll hear a lot of big brassy tunes (I've never heard Ode to Joy played quite like THAT before. . . ) from the two Marine bands in residence, see a lot of Marines marching with polished rifles and blindingly bright swords (swords? yes, swords.). There is something in the brain that delights in watching the inhumanly precise synchronization of these guys as they go through their marching routine. And of course, the cannons going off are pretty cool too. Cannons? You'll have to see it for yourself. . . If you have a friend that works there, badger him or her for tickets and an invite to either the Staff NCO Club or the Officers' Club. It's really worth it. My friends and I had a great time knocking back a few drinks in the Marines' classy digs, which featured a bugler tooting his bugle to announce that the bar and buffet were open, drinking songs around the bar, and passing by President Clinton's unpaid bar tab nailed to the wall by the bathroom for all to see (true stroy). If you don't know anyone that works there, fear not. If you plan ahead and hit the website on the Yelp page, you can reserve tickets ahead of time. It's really a great time and off the beaten path! read more

We have been to this three times with friends that come in from out of town. Not alot of people have heard about this but let me tell you it is INCREDIBLE! Each time I have been equally impressed. We sat in the same area 2 of the 3 times and the 3rd time we stood in line to try and get tickets and were able to. We did end up sitting at the end on the bleachers and it was a different perspective than we had had in the past. The one great thing about the end is when the Evening Parade is over they march to the bleachers and turn with amazing precision to leave the parade field. Very Impressive. Seeing the Silent Drill team is harder from this side but you are able to see and are in awe of what they are able to do. The very end of show they lower the flag and a lone bugler plays Taps. Will definitely go again when given the opportunity! This is something that I suggest to friends when they say they are visiting DC. I do not suggest taking young children. read more

I was fortunate to be a guest of a friend who had gotten reservations to attend the evening parade this past Friday night. It was raining earlier in the evening and we weren't sure whether the evening parade was going to be cancelled, but we learned that they try not to cancel because so many people make reservations in advance and come from out of town. We parked at Maritime Plaza and then took the shuttle bus to the Barracks. (Both reservations to the parade and parking were free.) We waited in line based on the gate number that was listed on our reservation e-mail. We then went through a metal detector and had our bags checked before we were brought to the bleachers to be seated. The bleachers have padding on top of them, which is nice, but we were packed in pretty tight. Marines got the crowd warmed up by explaining what we'd be seeing, making a few jokes, and seeing whether anyone in the crowd was from their home states. All of them were very friendly and entertaining. The actual parade was wonderful! We saw the President's Own Band, as well as the Fife and Drum Corp perform. One of the highlights was the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon. They were extremely talented and demonstrated some tricky maneuvers. It was humid the evening we went, but there was free water provided. I have attended the Military Tattoo in Edinburgh and this reminded me of that event, albeit on a smaller scale. Overall, an enjoyable only in DC-type event! read more

This was a great experience overall and is definitely a hidden gem in Eastern Market that not a lot of people know about. The only reason we discovered it is because we were walking home one night, we lived close by over the summer, and saw the huge crowd and asked what was going on and then we able to go the to the following parade. The President's band performed and they were excellent. They are the top band in the country and have a unique position in their performances for such important events. I recommend getting there a little early, especially during the summer where there are peak visitors and making sure you a dressed relatively nicely. You don't have to go all out but a nice outfit is important as a sign of respect and for the type of even itself. Also, it is a tad bit of a long performance so leave the afternoon open when you attend. The people are extremely hospitable and even provide water for guests. Great event for the family to attend together and learn a little something about the country! read more

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We got to the baracks at 7:00 well before the crowds and all the seats along the long end of the parade ground were completely empty. As we walked in a female marine sgt was guiding us to seats on the end of the grounds which were also empty. However a gentlleman who did not appear to be a marine took us over and sat us in the first row of the end bleachers behind the chair seats. There were already ACTIVE duty marine seated there. So we figured if it was good enough for the marines, they were good enough for us. WHAT a mistake. The quad at the baracks are deceptively long and even when the band and the silent drill team were in the center we couldn't see or hear them well. Plus our young daughters could not see anything and the seats in front of us obscured their view. Many people sitting with us left early because they saw nothing. I don't know what I'm more pissed at, my expectation being shorted, my kids not being able to see or the actuve marines who got shafted. I will say, the guards and battalion at Marine Baracks Washington are ladies and gentlemen, pure professionals and it was an honor to be in their presense as well as sitting next to guys who will or have seen combat. That said- unless you ae somebody, you may not get good seats even if you get there early. It might not be worth it. read more

We stumbled upon this amazing house while walking around the neighborhood before brunch on a Friday morning. We had no idea it was even here, but it's impressive stature drew us to it immediately. We stopped to take a few photos in front near the fence line. Just then a kind, fully uniformed marine came out of the little security booth from the corner of the property to tell us that we could take pictures full on (we had been sort of angling and taking just the view down the street out of respect). He also told us some history of the building and its location, and answered a few questions that we had. We didn't know about the parade, and it was the middle of winter, so it was the wrong season anyhow. But I can assure you that on our return visit to DC the parade will be a must for us for sure. read more

I have been to this parade many times in years past and I was very excited to take my family to see it on July 22nd. I have to say that it was somewhat disappointing. First of all, they didn't get started until close to 9 PM so that means we had to sit for 2 hours which is a really long time. Maybe there was a reason, but if there was it wasn't explained to us. Secondly, the (very dashing) Marines assigned to each bleacher section were charged with keeping us entertained and enthusiastic, and they were also charged with sharing some history of the barracks. It may have been ok if each guy had a megaphone, but they didn't. Some of us could sort of hear the guy shouting in the section next ours, but we couldn't hear our assigned person at all, and we got nothing from that experience which ended up being a pretty long time (waiting, waiting). The band was great, the drum majors incredible, the silent drill is awesome - but it could have been a much better experience if they had started on time and if they had been audible. There is a really great restaurant right across the street that I highly recommend! http://www.cavamezze.com (Capitol Hill) read more

Got tix to the Silent Drill from a friend. I believe it's Tues and Fri nights in the summertime. This is a wonderful opportunity to witness the rifle platoon (and band!). Very humbling, unique experience to DC... definitely do this. read more

Evening Parade at Marine Barracks Washington on Friday evenings through the summer is a fantastic evening of patriotism, inspiration, music and drill. The US Marines are impressive in their presentation and display meticul attention to every detail. The USMC Fife and Drum band put on a phenomenal concert, complemented with timely thunder of the cannons. I attended on August 25th with a great friend who is a former Marine -- our second time experiencing the spectacular show together. This event is a great night out -- eat dinner nearby and arrive early. Tickets are free and available through www.marinebarracks.marines.mil/parades/general-information. read more

Wow! Here's another awesome perk of living in the metro area! The parade was a great display of precision marching, joyous music and rifle flinging! IMHO there aren't enough accolades for our dear men and women in the military. What an awesome group of selfless individuals! I liken it to teaching and other public service gigs...its pretty much a thankless, non-paying gig, when you calculate the hours required and lives touched vs compensation received. We reserved tickets online and the ticket (obtained via email) advised us to enter at Main Gate, 4 south. As we approached on foot uniformed Marines were everywhere answering questions and directing guests to the appropriate entry point. However, arriving "early", around 7:00, as the ticket encouraged does create a mind/rear numbing wait time as the show doesn't start till nearly 9:00:( Our seats were metal bleachers with a pad. Once seated it's not very easy to get down out of the bleachers without inconveniencing everyone around you. I adore little ones but would NOT recommend bringing an under 8 year old. On this, the last parade of the season, guests were shown their space on the bleacher and later asked to squish together to accommodate what may have been a higher than usual crowd level. Our seats were in the "end zone" and my view of the field was somewhat obstructed due to the bleacher rails. We took metro so I can't speak about the reserved parking and shuttle service. On site there is a gift shop, free water and restrooms available with easy access. All in all a beautiful evening (temps in the 70's!) but one I probably won't do again unless we have out of state visitors. read more

I agree. The Friday evening parade is something you should not miss. Great music. Great pageantry. Great patriotism. The tickets are free and you can reserve ahead of time online or get there early and wait in line for unused seats. This is a wonderful opportunity, whether or not you are on a budget. The neighborhood, especially along 8th St., is full of restaurants and shops, and an ice cream shop, which unfortunately was not open after the show, so stop there on the way. read more