Park After Dark
Save the Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 6-9 pm
Tickets and Sponsorships Available Now!
RSVPs due by Wednesday, September 9 or when tickets sell out.
Join us for the largest annual fundraising event in support of the C&O Canal National Historical Park, as we celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary and the unique role the C&O Canal played in our country’s early history!
The evening offers one of the most influential gatherings of the C&O Canal community, as the C&O Canal Trust’s Board of Directors, President & CEO, and C&O Canal National Historical Park leadership team join together with donors, stakeholders, stewards, volunteers, and other supporters to celebrate the shared history and unique historical, cultural, and natural resources of this treasured national park.
The evening’s program begins with cocktails on the lawn of the historic Great Falls Tavern, music of the canal by the Seneca Creek Bluegrass Band, followed by a catered dinner canal side, and a Silent Auction featuring C&O Canal-inspired art and adventures donated by over 60 small businesses located in various canal towns, from the port of Cumberland in Western Maryland, to Georgetown in the District of Columbia.
The spotlight fund for this year’s celebration will focus on the iconic Great Falls Tavern. Learn more about the unique history of the Tavern through the course of the canal’s growth and heyday as a vibrant community of trade, built on America’s first highway, the canal, envisioned by George Washington himself!
Following the dinner program, activities include the much-beloved ranger-guided hike to Olmsted Island, s’mores around the campfire, and a fireside chat with a ranger about the unique history of the Tavern and life along the canal.
Can’t attend? Donations welcome!
Tickets and Sponsorships are available now!
Thank you to our Park After Dark 2026 Sponsors
Canal Patron
Francis and Carolyn Grant-Suttie
Canal Traveler
Paul and Laurie Juola
Photo credits: Turner Photography and Paul Graunke