WHEATON ARTS PARADE & FESTIVAL

Category: Event Calendar

Date and Time for this Past Event

• Sunday, Sep 27, 2026  10am - 5pm

Location

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Details

Wheaton Arts Parade Turns 10: A Decade of Creativity, Culture & Community

Wheaton is getting ready to celebrate a decade of creativity, culture, community and a whole lot of fun!

The 10th Annual Wheaton Arts Parade and Festival returns to downtown Wheaton on Sunday, September 27, bringing artists, musicians, dancers, community organizations, families, and art lovers together for one of the community’s most colorful and uniquely Wheaton celebrations.

The celebration begins at 10am with the one-of-a-kind Wheaton Arts Parade.

Unlike a traditional parade, this is a celebration where everyone can be an artist and everyone can participate. More than 20 handmade, non-motorized works of art will make their way through Wheaton as participants push, pull, carry, wear, or perform their creations.

Bands, dance groups, artists, community organizations, and giant works of art will fill the streets as the parade travels through the Wheaton Triangle before culminating at Marian Fryer Town Plaza, 2424 Reedie Drive.

Whether you’re marching in the parade or cheering from the sidelines, there’s no wrong way to experience the fun.

Keep the Celebration Going

After the parade, the celebration continues throughout the afternoon with a visual and performing arts festival from 10am to 5pm.

Explore more than 50 artist booths featuring original artwork, discover local organizations, and enjoy live performances across three stages and two dance floors.

The entertainment lineup will showcase the incredible talent and diversity of the Wheaton community, including musicians presented by Strathmore and Carpe Diem Arts, local school groups, and dance companies performing everything from ballet to hip hop.

And, of course, no Wheaton celebration would be complete without great food! Festival-goers can enjoy an array of food vendors featuring flavors ranging from pupusas and pizza to burgers and Brazilian BBQ, along with a biergarten by Silver Branch Brewing.

Fun for the Whole Family

There will be plenty for younger festival-goers to discover, too.

The Kids’ Zone will offer free activities including face painting, balloon twisting, and chalk art, while community organizations will host art-making activities and giveaways throughout the festival.

Everyone will also have a chance to help create a community mural that begins during the parade and continues throughout the festival (another opportunity for visitors to leave their own creative mark on this 10th anniversary celebration.)

Celebrating What Makes Wheaton Special

For 10 years, the Wheaton Arts Parade has brought people together through creativity and self-expression. It reflects the diversity, imagination, and community spirit that make Wheaton such a special place to live, work, visit, and create.

As Executive Director Dan Thompson puts it, the parade is “colorful, creative, a little unconventional”—and, most importantly, it belongs to the community.

So bring your family. Bring your friends. Bring your creativity.

Come celebrate 10 years of making Wheaton more colorful, creative, and connected!

Admission: Free
Parking: Free
Metro: Wheaton Metro Station on the Red Line

Free parking will be available throughout Wheaton on Sunday, with recommended parking at the WMATA parking garage on Veirs Mill Road and the Price-Fern parking lot behind Safeway. Additional parking will be available after noon in the Ennalls Avenue lot. Attendees are encouraged to use public transportation when possible.

Learn more, view the parade route and festival map, and get event details:
Wheaton Arts Parade & Festival Website

Read the full press release:
10th Annual Wheaton Arts Parade and Festival Press Release