Aerial view of The Wharf, Washington, DC’s new $2.5 billion, waterfront neighborhood on the Southwest waterfront. (PRNewsfoto/The Wharf)
One month from opening, officials at Hoffman-Madison Waterfront (HMW), the master developer of the $2.5 billion, world class, mixed-use waterfront neighborhood The Wharf, announces opening day headliner The Bacon Brothers and more than 50 bands and performers that will help the city celebrate The Wharf’s Kickoff Celebration which begins Thursday, October 12 and runs through late Spring 2018 (with the opening of the restored and expanded 200-year-old Municipal Fish Market).
The Wharf’s Kickoff Celebration begins with a waterfront ceremony on the morning of Thursday, October 12 on District Pier. The ceremony will be followed by a full day of live music and entertainment that culminates in a headliner happy hour concert by The Bacon Brothers, the “forosoco – folk rock soul country” band made up of award-winning actor and singer Kevin Bacon and his brother, Michael. The Bacon Brothers Concert and all outdoor waterfront activities are free to the public.
Through Sunday, The Wharf’s Kickoff Weekend will feature more than 30 renowned bands and musical performers from around the DC region including Howard Gospel Choir of Howard University, Batala Washington, Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, White Ford Bronco, GoGo Gadjet, Pebble to Pearl, Oh He Dead, Aztec Sun, Wil Gravatt Band, Children’s Chorus of Washington, Jimi Smooth and HitTime and more. In addition to the musical performers, the weekend’s celebrations will include more than 20 buskers and performers including stilt walkers, face painters, muralists, magicians and The Wharf’s signature waterfront fireworks.
“It’s incredibly exciting to be here in the 30-day home stretch after a decade of detailed planning,” said Monty Hoffman, Founder and CEO of PN Hoffman. “We’re bringing an unparalleled celebration to the Nation’s Capital. The Wharf has always been about connecting the people to the waterfront—bringing fun and excitement to this Federal City.” Hoffman added, “great food and entertainment will be hallmarks of The Wharf long past opening day.”
“The Wharf will not just become a must-visit destination in Washington, DC – but will inspire and engage the Capital City with its brilliant waterfront location, shopping, dining and entertainment options,” said Amer Hammour, Chairman of Madison Marquette. “One month from now, we are looking forward to welcoming friends, family and visitors to an exciting Kickoff Celebration weekend that will honor and celebrate The Wharf’s historic neighborhood with ceremonial, community and culturally-sparkling events,” Mr. Hammour added.
Starting on October 12, those visiting and living at The Wharf will be able to enjoy numerous restaurants ranging from casual eateries to elegant dining on the waterfront, including Del Mar by Fabio Trabocchi, Requin by Mike Isabellaand Hank’s Oyster Bar by Jamie Leeds. Music venues include The Anthem, Pearl Street Warehouse and Union Stage. Visitors will also be among the first to benefit from the various new methods of transportation options surrounding The Wharf including the free Southwest Shuttle, with stops at The Wharf, National Mall and L’Enfant Plaza; the free Wharf Jitney that will ferry people from The Wharf to East Potomac Park and back; and a regional water taxi operated by the Potomac Riverboat Company. A full list of expected October 12 openings and a Kickoff Celebration calendar of events is attached.
To help visitors and tenants navigate all the new offerings The Wharf is creating a District Wharf app that will contain a live news feed, updates and information on events, a directory as well as real-time transportation updates and more. The app will be available on all app platforms in early October.
A sneak peak of The Wharf’s offerings can be seen at https://www.wharfdc.com/sneak-peek/.
The Wharf
The Wharf, developed by Hoffman-Madison Waterfront, is a $2.5 billion, world-class, mixed-use waterfront development centrally located on the Potomac River, along the historic Washington Channel. Situated along the District of Columbia’s Southwest Waterfront and adjacent to the National Mall, The Wharf stretches across almost one mile of waterfront on 24 acres of land and more than 50 acres of water from the Municipal Fish Market to Fort McNair. When complete, it will feature more than three million square feet of residential, office, hotel, retail, cultural, and public uses including waterfront parks, promenades, piers and docks.
Led by PN Hoffman and Madison Marquette, the development group is comprised of ER Bacon Development, City Partners, Paramount Development and Triden Development. The first phase of The Wharf opens in October of 2017 and will celebrate with a six-month long series of events and public activities debuting on Thursday, October 12.
More information is available at www.wharfdc.com.