Summer is officially here, and the park is looking better each day!  We have a few updates to share as we head into Jul:

• Independence Day Cleanup - July 5th
• Spring Landscape Maintenance
• NPS Update
• Board Changes

Independence Day Cleanup July 5th

We're excited that July 4th celebrations will seem a bit more normal after two years of COVID restrictions.  Of course, we also expect that the Park will look a little worse for wear after the festivities conclude.  We will hold our annual Independence Day Cleanup as usual:

Tuesday, July 5, 9:00am

We'll clean up after the Independence Day revelers, and may do a bit of light landscape maintenance.  The cleanup should take an hour or less.  Sign up on our Events page to join us!

How quickly April has ended and May has begun!  With this email, we are kicking off the next five years of partnership with the National Park Service.  As promised, here is a recap of the Titanic 110th Anniversary, plus other timely information for May.

• Highlights from Titanic 110th Anniversary
• Cultural Landscapes Inventory
• SW BID hosts Spring in Southwest

Highlights from the Titanic 110th Anniversary

Big Announcements
The National Park Service and the Friends unveiled new and exciting plans for the Park at our Gala & Tribute:

The Park Service is planning to begin design of the concrete sidewalk restoration in 2024, with construction start in 2025.  The concrete restoration will maintain the historic aggregate pattern in the park, and will address stormwater management and care of trees.  

The Friends will raise funds for wayfinding and interpretive signs, and these signs can be installed in advance of the concrete restoration.  Proceeds from the Gala put us well on our way to being able to purchase the first sign for the Park.  We'll be working with the Park Service to understand design, placement, and cost options.  (The image shown is just a conceptual image.) More to come!

• Wow, what a wonderful weekend we had, commemorating the 110th Anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, and celebrating 5 years of partnership with the National Park Service!  We will share information in the next week or so about how many visitors we reached, how much money we raised for the Park, and exciting news we heard about restoration plans in a few years.

  Today, I'd like to share a few things we might have told you about earlier, if only we weren't so focused on the Anniversary.  Read on to learn about:

  • East Potomac Park Traffic Safety Improvements
  • City Nature Challenge April 29 - May 2
  • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Pictures, Please!

Here it is, the week that we commemorate the 110th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, and celebrate five years of partnership with the National Park Service.  We have just a few things left to say, besides please come to the Park April 14 - 17!

• More Ranger Talks!
• Just 5 Tickets left!
• Volunteer Shifts available
• Remember the Pearl
• Have You Wondered...?

More Ranger Talks!

We have 3 additional Ranger talks scheduled on April 16 and 17.  Join Park Ranger Jan Brueger as she tells us about The Women of the Titanic Memorial. Talks will be held:

Saturday, April 16 - 4:00pm
Sunday, April 17 - 12:00 pm and 2:00pm

Meet at the Titanic Memorial.  No RSVP required. 

See our full list of Talks & Tours and please come to one or more!  

We've added 4 Ranger talks to our schedule for the Titanic 110th Anniversary.  And, there are just 5 days left to buy tickets to the Gala & Tribute!  Read on to find out about these topics and more:

• Ranger Talks April 15 - 16
• Just 5 Days Left to Buy Tickets
• Sign Up for Volunteer Shifts
• Remember the Pearl
• Have You Wondered...?

Ranger Talks April 15 - 16

We have 4 Ranger talks scheduled on April 15 and 16.  Join Park Ranger Joe Mohr as he asks:  Why do we care more about the loss of the Titanic than other shipwrecks? Are you afraid of Icebergs? Talks will be held:

Friday, April 15 - 10:00am and 2:00pm
Saturday, April 16 - 12:00 pm and 2:00pm

Meet at the Titanic Memorial.  No RSVP required. 

See our full list of Talks & Tours and please come to one or more!  In addition to the scheduled Talks & Tours, Ranger Mohr will be in the park on the 15th and 16th for informal discussions and to answer questions.

The National Park Service has begun restoring the tiles in the activity well near the Titanic Memorial.  The park is going to look great in April - just in time for our Titanic 110th Anniversary Activities.

Read on for the latest: 

• Just 12 Days Left...
• Pull a Shift, Get a Hat
• Have You Wondered...?

Just 12 Days Left to Buy Tickets

There are just 12 more days to buy tickets for the Gala & Tribute on April 16!  Join over 80 friends and neighbors who have already bought their tickets, and share your love of the Park with NPS Rangers and community leaders who will be attending.  We'll reveal the latest plans for improving the park while we sip wine and share Titanic-inspired hors d'oervres like Chartreuse Peaches.

Tickets are on sale through April 9 - make sure you get yours before the deadline!

Note: Arena Stage maintains its own COVID protocols to ensure that guests and patrons can enjoy their facilities safely.  These precautions may be more stringent than DC COVID requirements, and are subject to change.  

Peak bloom for the cherry blossoms is this week!  The Cherry Blossom Festival has events from now through April. From April 14 - 17 we will commemorate the Titanic 110th Anniversary.  Read on as we cover: 

• Tours & Talks
• Twenty Days to Buy Your Tickets
• Pull a Shift, Get a Hat
• Have You Wondered...?

Tours & Talks

We have scheduled informal Tours & Talks on two dates:

Friday, April 15 at 4:00 pm 
Saturday, April 16 at 10:00 am

Meet at the Information Table near the Titanic Memorial - no RSVP required

Paddy Katzen will lead a walk through our Stories of Bravery, Tragedy, and Survival, sharing insights from the stories she researched. 

We expect to schedule another talk or two during the 110th Anniversary weekend....so stay tuned!

Excitement is building for our Titanic 110th Anniversary events:  ticket sales are picking up, new neighbors have joined our email list, and we're getting questions from folks in the Park and around Southwest about the Gala & Tribute and other events in the park.  In this email, we cover:

• Buy Your Tickets
• Pull a Shift, Get a Hat
• Thank you, Sponsors! 

Buy Your Tickets

Tickets are selling briskly for the Gala & Tribute on April 16, so be sure to get yours now!  Attending the Gala & Tribute is a great way to show the Park Service and other invited guests how important Titanic Memorial Park is to the Southwest community.  You'll get to chat with NPS staff who help us maintain the Park daily, and who are planning for a major renovation of the Park in a few years.

Our menu of heavy hors d'oervres is inspired by dishes served on the RMS Titanic, and provided by Distinct Taste Catering.  Tickets are on sale through April 9 - make sure you get yours before the deadline!

Note: Arena Stage maintains its own COVID protocols to ensure that guests and patrons can enjoy their facilities safely.  These precautions may be more stringent than DC COVID requirements, and are subject to change.  

The Titanic 110th Anniversary is just 6 weeks away!  In this email, we have more details about the events taking place from April 14 - 17, including ways for you to get involved.

• Sponsor the Gala & Tribute - Deadline March 5
• Buy Your Tickets - Deadline April 9
• Titanic 110th Anniversary Events in the Park
• Sprucing up the Park
• Volunteer Spotlight

The 110th Anniversary is just 2-1/2 months away!  This e-mail is a call for volunteers to make the anniversary a success.

First, though, thanks to everyone who has bought tickets to the Gala already, and a special thank you to the early sponsors who stepped up!  You can buy your own tickets, and see our current list of sponsors, here: