H Street Festival returns to DC for its 19th year

WASHINGTON ( DC News Now ) — The H Street Festival is coming to D.C. bigger and better for its 19th year on Sept. 21.

The festival is one of the District’s most looked forward to as well as greatly attended.

The H Street Festival is 12 blocks long and has 15 staging areas that have music, dance, performances, fashion, heritage arts, poetry and many other things.

The festival started 19 years ago as a block party and has now grown into a 150,000-participant event.

“The whole point of the festival is to showcase our local businesses because this is a very unique and eclectic corridor,” Wuiping Yap, H Street Festival coordinator, said.

Tens of thousands of people means big business for many small businesses.

Dumpling Hot Pot Beyond has been open for a little more than a year but this will be their first time participating in the festival.

“I want to let the people know our food, our restaurant, and our food is, classic Chinese food,” said owner Ike Ge.

A few doors down, Sticky Rice owner, Jason Martin, has been participating for 17 years.

“150,000 people. People who may have not ever come down the corridor, or also neighbors who come all the time,” Martin said.

He’s among more than 35 businesses on the corridor taking part.

“It brings in so much more business than any other day of the year,” Martin said.

Streets close at 3 a.m. on Saturday.

If you’re going to the festival, organizers recommend taking public transportation. The closest Metro stop is Union Station.

Capital Bikeshare will also have a bike valet from noon to 7 p.m. at 10th and H Street NE.

Click here to learn more about the festival.

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