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CommunityMeridian Hill Park, Columbia Heights

Thousands celebrated Meridian Hill Park's 90th birthday

About 4,500 people came to a Jazz and Justice Festival for the 12-acre park in Columbia Heights, which opened in 1936.

Verified · Source: The Washington PostOct 16, 2026 · 1 min read
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The cascading fountain and reflecting pool at Meridian Hill Park, with no crowd
The fountain at Meridian Hill Park. This is not the 2026 birthday festival, and the crowd is not pictured. AgnosticPreachersKid / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

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About 4,500 people gathered for a Jazz and Justice Festival marking the 90th birthday of Meridian Hill Park, also known as Malcolm X Park. The 12-acre park in Columbia Heights opened in 1936. Longtime neighbors talked about the Sunday drum circle and about neighbors who patrolled and helped bring the park back to life.

The day was a birthday for a park people already use. The memories were about music, the fountain, and looking after the place together.

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