Park After Dark
Join us for Park After Dark 2025 at the Historic Great Falls Tavern in Potomac, MD! This signature C&O Canal Trust event, held under the stars beside the canal, is the largest annual fundraising event in support of the C&O Canal National Historical Park. Over 150 guests will enjoy a lively evening spending time with supporters of this national treasure and hearing directly from Trust and National Park Service leadership about current initiatives and plans for the future.
The evening offers one of the most influential gatherings of the canal community and includes music of the canal featuring Seneca Creek Bluegrass Band, seated dinner, silent auction featuring canal-inspired art and weekend getaways showcasing the unique history and recreational activities of canal towns along the Potomac river, s’mores and campfire chat, and an optional ranger-guided hike to Olmsted Island.
Proceeds from the event support the mission of the C&O Canal Trust, the official nonprofit partner of the C&O Canal National Historical Park, and directly fund priority preservation initiatives and programs of the park, which hosts millions of visitors each year. This year, the evening’s program will shine a spotlight on historic culverts throughout the park that are an integral structural component of the foundation for the canal’s 184.5-mile-long towpath that connects the port of Cumberland, Maryland, to the harbor in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Park After Dark 2025 sponsors are key to the success of this event and the mission and goals of the Trust. For more information and details, contact our Development team at [email protected] or view sponsorship opportunities below. Sponsorship opportunities close August 15, 2025.
Ticket sales close September 5, 2025.
Last year, at Park After Dark, the Trust raised nearly $200,000 to support the park, including over $38,000 for Canal Classrooms, the C&O Canal’s outdoor education program actively inspiring the next generation of park stewards. Thank you to all who made our success possible!
Help us sell out our tickets this year by buying a table and inviting friends to join us and learn more about the Trust and our vital mission to support the C&O Canal for current and future generations.
Tune into our e-newsletters and follow us on social media to receive announcements about future events.
With Many Thanks,
C&O Canal Trust Staff
Thank you to our Park After Dark 2025 Sponsors
Canal Visionary
Canal Patron
Francis and Carolyn Grant-Suttie
John Guttmann and Holly Cannon
Canal Explorer
Canal Traveler
Cheryl Altschuler
Gay and Tony Barclay
Sandy, Wyatt, Zeze Grace
Howard Morse and Laura Loeb
Canal Preserver
Marc Grossman and Mildred Patterson
The Healthier, Greener, Kinder Foundation
