Art All Night Is a Hit in Georgetown
By • September 14, 2026 0 329
By Natalie Gordon
Georgetown was extra hectic this weekend as the Art All Night festival returned to Wisconsin Avenue. The annual event took place at 18 locations around the neighborhood from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Art all Night started in Shaw in 2011 and has since expanded to all eight wards in the District. It has been held in Georgetown since 2021.
At the Georgetown Neighborhood Library, Michael Hyman’s Soles of Imagination gave attendees the chance to decorate their sneakers. They could also paint, create their own flip-flops, listen to live music and get balloon animals, among other activities at the library,
Library Manager Linda Jones came up with the flip-flop idea herself. Jones said many more people come for Art All Night than would normally visit the library.
“We get to see new faces and then they become regulars after the event,” she said.
Another highlight was the Ethiopian coffee ceremony at Cottage House Ethiopian Cuisine, where there was live music in the backyard and upstairs. Danait Bezabh, owner of Cottage House, which opened in January, said she enjoys showing people how Ethiopian coffee is made.
“I was so surprised because most people don’t drink coffee in the afternoon, so I tried to make it very light, but everyone had it,” she said.
Georgetown Lutheran Church was bustling with children decorating puppets. Michelle Puhl-Price, who owns Outta Our Minds Puppets, was surprised by the turnout. She said she “cleaned her shelves” of materials for the event. An art teacher in Montgomery County, Puhl-Price puts all the puppets together herself.
Dancing on the Waterfront drew crowds throughout the night. The initiative, started by Dr. Morris Jackson, offered open dance for the duration of the event. Several musical performers outside of Georgetown Lutheran also drew crowds and could be heard down Wisconsin Avenue.
The Phoenix Clothing & Jewelry Store was full of attendees walking around with glasses of wine (and sometimes beer) in hand. The Phoenix, which has been in Georgetown for more than 70 years, originally began as a small boutique inspired by previous owners’ travels through Mexico.
Trish Peva, an event planner at the Phoenix, said one attraction for customers is the Alebrijes of Oaxaca, brightly colored animal figures traditionally made in Mexico. “They come in and they get attached to them,” she said.
All in all, Art All Night was a hit, especially for smaller businesses gaining traction in the area. The O Street Collection, a new art gallery, opened its doors for the first time during the event.
“D.C. is known for a lot of things and is in the news for a lot of things these days,” said Ward 2 Council member Brooke Pinto, who attended Art All Night. “But what is really important for people to know is that we have incredible art and culture here, that is second to none in the world.”
Ward 2 Council member Brooke Pinto, Ruth Allan of L’Enfant Gallery and Rachel Shank of Georgetown Main Street. Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.
Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.
Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.
Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.
Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.
Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.
