Join the Garden plants and critters for an evening of home-grown music –– somewhere between a house show and barnyard jam. While tipping the bands is encouraged the event is free and open to all. Bring a blanket to sit on and snacks to share :)

produced by Lucy

Every last Thursday of the month, we explore a question about the connection between public space and how we live our lives. 

This series invites you, wherever you join us from, to think critically about the way we build the world around us, and how it in turn builds us. Drawing from themes in psychology, urbanism, sociology, public health, art, and others, together we will read introductory essays and literature and connect theory with our experiences.

No prior knowledge needed! Light readings will be provided day-of to prompt discussion. Come ready to think, observe, and participate.

hosted by Zoe and Rachel

We’re so excited to invite you to our first session of the Thriving Mindfully series hosted by the U Street Neighborhood Association’s 2026 Artist-in-Residence Ananda Leeke !

At this U Street neighborhood gathering, participants will...  

💭 Engage in a land acknowledgement ritual
😌 Be introduced to Thriving Mindfully, a heart-centered approach to being present with breathing and intention setting exercises
🎶 Listen to music
💌 Express and document their love and gratitude for U Street

All will be invited to share and discuss their thoughts.

NOTE: This gathering is taking place at the True Reformer Building in the Community Room (1200 U St). Please email brittany@ustreetcommunity.org to RSVP.

Our meditation community meets weekly to re-center, connect, and cultivate intentions. With a mix of guided, silent, and relational practice, we ground ourselves in presence and compassion. All levels of experience warmly welcomed.

Hosted by regulars and guests alike, bring a practice for the circle to share.

POSTPONED due to rain… keep an eye out for the reschedule real soon though!

Join us in the Temperance Alley Sanctuary rewilding project to explore the flavors of our native plants. We'll be tasting a variety of teas and dishes prepared with foraged ingredients as we discuss the history and tradition of plants as food and medicine. We also welcome you to bring a foraged tea or dish.

The Temperance Alley Sanctuary is a community rewilding project of the Temperance Alley Garden – a place to quiet down, to observe, and to cultivate reciprocity between ourselves and the land. We welcome you to join in rewilding this urban lot to bring back native biodiversity, a time capsule of DC’s Indigenous history, and an ecological classroom to practice community land stewardship.

Bring a reusable cup for teas (hot and iced) and any foraged dishes you'd like to share.

hosted by Joe

All levels flow in the garden for our community donation-suggested classes with the beautiful greenery and open blue sky. Perfect for grounding and centering. Bring yourself, water, and a mat (we’ll have a few extra on hand).

Let’s get ready to Host!

Partner with a Stump Fellow to program your submitted event ideas for the month of AUGUST. Anyone can join as we discuss garden event planning, budgeting, and partnerships. Your ideas and energy are more than welcome! Come early to mingle and brainstorm your ideas before submitting.

*HouseKeeping Circles happen at the end of each month, they are the functional meetings where we calendar events for the next month of programming, approve any new spending, and can vote to change any Garden policies if needed. These meetings have official minutes that keep a record of our decisions and are shared with the rest of the U Street Neighborhood Association for transparency.

Start your week with a mindful moment of reset and reconnection at the Garden, every Monday at 8am!

Join us Monday morning to sip something warm, connect with neighbors, and ease into the day. We will have space for socializing and space for quiet reflection and journaling.

Drop in anytime. Bring a beverage, your breakfast, a journal, or nothing at all.

hosted by Zoe & Friends

Join Temperance Alley Garden and the Congressional Cemetery's Death Doula Laura Lyster-Mensh in hosting a summer Death cafe!

Death Cafe is a global movement facilitating thoughts and discussion about the often taboo subject of death. Join us in a candle-lit, intimate, and informal gathering to discuss death while eating cake and drinking tea! At previous cafes we've talked about our fears and thoughts around death; death of places; death in the media; and much more. We welcome all to join us!

hosted by Leah, Jacob, & Laura

Scripting Worlds is a flow-paced creative gathering for anyone who needs a reason to slow down and think (or feel) — without an agenda, a deadline, or a blank page that stares back.

We'll start with a calming body-based practice to help you move from "go-mode" into something quieter (think: less tension, more breathing room). From there, it's open writing and illustration time — completely unstructured, prompted only by a single word, phrase or question to get you started. You can write toward the life you want. Draft the first chapter of something. Process a hard week. Dream up something bold, half-formed, or completely new.

The point isn't productivity, it's permission without a pressing need to finish — just start. You don't have to be a writer or an artist to attend. Just show up & explore more of your imaginative side :)

What to Bring:

–Yourself
–Something to drink
–Something comfortable to sit on (i.e. mat, blanket, chair, pillow)

What to Expect:

–Reflection
–Creativity
–Good company

Come as you are. Leave with a little more clarity, a little more breathing room, and maybe something that surprises you. 🌱

hosted by Nayo, Kunal, & Amy

Come get your hands in the soil with our partners at Farm the District (FTD), every Saturday throughout the growing season. Whether you’re a first-timer or returning veteran, all are needed to help tend to our shared backyard. There’s plenty of projects to keep all hands busy, including weeding, watering, composting, harvesting, repairing, crafting, and ongoing side projects. The Farm Leads will help you learn all about the tasks of the day, and you’re welcome to come & go as you please!

As always, we’ll also be giving an orientation tour for newcomers. Welcome neighbors!

No previous acting experience required!

This introductory workshop offers a practical exploration of the actor’s craft through voice, movement, improvisation, and scene work. We begin with a physical and vocal warm-up inspired by training methods from theatrical traditions around the world, preparing participants to work with focus, presence, and ensemble awareness.

From there, participants will be introduced to the fundamentals of text analysis through a concise handout and guided discussion. A series of improvised scenes will explore dramatic conflict by focusing on characters with opposing needs, before transitioning to “contentless scenes”-short dialogues whose words carry no inherent meaning. Using the principles of text analysis, participants will discover how objectives, relationships, and circumstances transform simple language into compelling dramatic action, culminating in a final round of scene presentations.

Co-hosted by Nick & Zoe

Nick is a director of contemporary performance specializing in devised theatre and reimaginings of classic texts. He apprenticed under Lee Breuer, a key figure in American experimental theatre, and earned an MFA in Directing from UC San Diego, where he also taught undergraduate acting courses. His work has been presented in Los Angeles, New York, and Montana. He is currently developing theatre productions in Milan with Civil Words APS.

Grab a chair and a blanket and join us for a free outdoor screening of Showing Up, a film about art and relationships presented by Filament and Living Room DC.

A sculptor preparing to open a new show must balance her creative life with the daily dramas of family and friends in Kelly Reichardt's vibrant and captivatingly funny portrait of art and craft.

Filament is a new screening initiative building an audience for independent and art films in Washington DC.

Living Room is a neighborhood space in Mount Pleasant to drop in, spend time, and make art. We offer drop-in hours, workshops, and community events. Our goal is simple: make creativity part of everyday life. At Living Room: making is accessible, connection is natural, and art becomes part of how we gather.

Arrive at 7:30pm to mingle and find a seat on the lawn. The screening will begin at dusk…

Thanks to A24 for making the screening possible!

hosted by Alex, Kunal, Filament, and Living Room DC

It's getting hot in here! Do you have hopes for what a different future for our planet would look like? Want to engage in conversation with neighbors about your dreams and ideas for sustainability, environmental justice, or activism?

Join us for Climate Sketchbook Club-- an evening of mindful, casual art making and conversation. You'll be paired with others to sketch objects around the garden while engaging in conversation prompts related to our connection with the Earth and other living beings.

Absolutely no art skillz or prior knowledge needed to participate-- anyone with an open mind is encouraged to come! No need to come with anything, but if you have additional art supplies, feel free to bring them.

hosted by Sally

Emergency Contraception for DC (EC4DC) is training new volunteers!

We will be training interested volunteers in-person on how to table for EC4DC. The session only takes 30 minutes and includes some important info on de-escalation, tabling best practices, mutual aid, and how EC/Plan B works. You will walk away certified for tabling around DC.

Snacks will be provided :)

hosted by Lucy and EC4DC Board Members

Our meditation community meets weekly to re-center, connect, and cultivate intentions. With a mix of guided, silent, and relational practice, we ground ourselves in presence and compassion. All levels of experience warmly welcomed.

Hosted by regulars and guests alike, bring a practice for the circle to share.

Repurpose scrap to make beautiful sculptures! In this workshop, you'll learn to combine wires, basic masking tape, and paint to make funky floral sculpture that sits on your head!

hosted by Zoe

All levels flow in the garden for our community donation-suggested classes with the beautiful greenery and open blue sky. Perfect for grounding and centering. Bring yourself, water, and a mat (we’ll have a few extra on hand).

Tin Fish amateur? Sustainable Sardine lover? All are welcome for this talk and taste where we'll sample different tins and pairings as we discuss our connection to the food we eat on a local and international level.

Feel free to bring a snack or (non-alcoholic) drink to pair with our tins.

hosted by Chelsea

Start your week with a mindful moment of reset and reconnection at the Garden, every Monday at 8am!

Join us Monday morning to sip something warm, connect with neighbors, and ease into the day. We will have space for socializing and space for quiet reflection and journaling.

Drop in anytime. Bring a beverage, your breakfast, a journal, or nothing at all.

hosted by Zoe & Friends

Shorts will be shown. Praises will be lauded. Awards will be given.

A public screening of the short films shot within the previous 12-hours…

We gather to watch our creations! Snacks, drinks and great company provided. Films must be submitted by 8pm to abide by the 12 hour rule! Prizes (see below) will also be awarded!

Grand Jury Prizes:
🏅 Most Niche DC reference
🏅 Best Temperance Alley Garden reference
🏅 Most Daring
🏅 Most Experimental
🏅 Silliest Dance Sequence
🏅 Most whimsical

hosted by Stephen & Kunal

Writer’s block? Not enough time? Daydream of being a Director? Scriptwriter? Producer? Cinematographer? Actor? Editor? Or seeking a good time?

Let’s lean into play and discover our films together! Meet your neighbors at Temperance Alley Garden (TAG) and disperse to make a short together in 12hrs.

Here is how the day will go:

💭 Sunday 7/19 at 8-10am – Meet up, form groups (if interested) and brainstorm ideas for the short films! Feel free to come with a basic premise but otherwise the full process should take place over the weekend. It's ok to just arrive with a blank slate too! We will have brainstorming ideas for types of characters, settings, and plot lines for crafting a short film. If you can't make the early meetup then no fear - let us know and we will pair you with a group!

🎥 We invite you to discover your film by spending the day around the city, writing/filming/editing and other chaotic inputs of making a film. The goal is to keep films to around 3 minutes. It does not have to follow traditional formats, we encourage play and new ideas for what a film could (a series of vertical videos, etc.) "Zero Budget" works encouraged - phones will suffice for video and iMovie/Canva can work as an editing software.

🍿 7:30pm at Temperance Alley Garden – We gather to watch our creations! Snacks, drinks and great company provided. Films must be submitted by 8pm to abide by the 12 hour rule! Prizes (see below) will also be awarded!

This doesn’t have to be an all day undertaking! You are welcome to fully engross in the filmmaking process for the whole day or simply act as a background extra for a couple minutes. We would love to have you! Invite your creative friends and artistic rivals!!

Absolutely no experience is necessary - let's just enjoy playing with film together!

Grand Jury Prizes:
🏅 Most Niche DC reference
🏅 Best Temperance Alley Garden reference
🏅 Most Daring*
🏅 Most Experimental
🏅 Silliest Dance Sequence
🏅 Most whimsical

*Don’t get arrested

hosted by Stephen & Kunal

Talking to Strangers CHALLENGE WEEK: Reflections and Celebration!

When we redirect our attention from our phones to the people all around us and show up with bravery and openness, connection comes easily. This is the reflection/celebration for the people who participated in the Offline Connections Challenge! 

Now that you’ve spent the week pushing yourself to put yourself out there in real life, we are going to debrief and swap stories about the weird and wonderful people we met along the way.

This is an Attention Sphere event hosted by Kendall & Luca

Have you wondered about the ways you recall or preserve your personal story & memories, or the collective story of our families, community, and land? How we can collect, preserve, and nurture memories to cultivate our stories, histories, and truths? Join us for a grounding, connection-centered session exploring memory, storytelling, and archiving.

Activities include a walkthrough of the Temperance Alley Garden and its evolution through community storytelling and rewilding (particularly with the Temperance Alley Sanctuary), a guided conversation on preserving memory and history, and an arts-based reflection on how you want to carry your story forward via archiving, storytelling, scrapbooking, etc. If interested, please bring photos to collage and any scrapbooking/archiving materials you may desire to use or share. 

hosted by Alisha, Amy, and Kunal.

Come get your hands in the soil with our partners at Farm the District (FTD), every Saturday throughout the growing season. Whether you’re a first-timer or returning veteran, all are needed to help tend to our shared backyard. There’s plenty of projects to keep all hands busy, including weeding, watering, composting, harvesting, repairing, crafting, and ongoing side projects. The Farm Leads will help you learn all about the tasks of the day, and you’re welcome to come & go as you please!

As always, we’ll also be giving an orientation tour for newcomers. Welcome neighbors!

Alongside Creatives Club & Jam…

Come learn how to apply and receive henna with the garden community, for both an indulgent sensory and creative experience! We'll use the plant life and objects around us to inspire our designs. No experience is necessary. If you are prone to stains, wear dark clothing!

hosted by Alaanah

Come gather for some productive artistic time together while the garden is blooming around us. Bring a project you're working on, your instrument of choice, or just come socialize with fellow creatives. Some basic art supplies will be provided.

Hosted by Cory & Creatives Club DC

POSTPONED DUE TO HEAT ADVISORY :(