Politicos, Musicians, Astronauts: Photos of the Best Parties Around DC
Party photographer Dan Swartz’s monthly roundup.
Written by Dan Swartz | Photographed by Daniel Swartz | Published on
Nguyen Quang Huy, Tran Thi Bich Van, scientist/comedian Bill Nye, and Vietnamese ambassador to the US Nguyễn Quốc Dũng at Amazon MGM’s Project Hail Mary screening.
38th Annual Lombardi Gala at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium
Musician Jordin Sparks, NFL veteran and Lombardi Gala guest host Brandon Short, philanthropist Adrienne Arsht, and Georgetown University Medical Center’s Norman J. Beauchamp Jr.
March 18
Amazon MGM’s Project Hail Mary screening at the National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum director Christopher Browne, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman, and Amazon’s Ashleigh de la Torre.Nguyen Quang Huy, Tran Thi Bich Van, scientist/comedian Bill Nye, and Vietnamese ambassador to the US Nguyễn Quốc Dũng.Congressman George Whitesides, astronaut Scott Kelly, Amiko Kelly, and astronaut Sandra Magnus.
March 25
The Greater Washington Board of Trade’s 106th Mid-Winter Dinner at Washington National Cathedral
Virginia Secretary of Transportation Nick M. Donohue, Maryland Secretary of Transportation Kathryn Thomson, and the Greater Washington Board of Trade’s Jack McDougle.The Amazon Housing Fund’s Senthil Sankaran with Amazon’s Julia Satin and Patrick Phillippi.Giant Food’s Felismina Andrade (left) and Jonathan Arons (far right) with DC Department of Buildings director Brian J. Hanlon and the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s Shawn Townsend.
March 26
Pink & White Party at Café Riggs
Café Riggs’s Will Pickart (second from left) with Riggs Washington DC’s Mario Corona, Addison Hall, and Luuk Ouderdorp.Influencer Barnette Holston and the Minority Business Development Agency’s Natasha Anderson.
March 30
The Center for Democracy and Technology’s Spring Fling at Crimson
Outten & Golden’s Jenny Yang, the Center for Democracy and Technology’s Alexandra Reeve Givens, and the Howard Law Artificial Intelligence Initiative’s Roy Austin.Georgetown University’s Renée DiResta, the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI Policy’s Riana Pfefferkorn, TechFreedom’s Berin Szóka, and Anchor Change’s Katie Harbath.OpenPolicy’s Amit Elazari and the Consumer Technology Association’s Michael Petricone.
March 31
“Women United” Exhibition Reception at the Next Whiskey Bar at the Watergate Hotel
Black Bloggers DC’s Ayana Bailey (left) and Christina Baucom (far right) with artist Flávia Junqueira and Unix Gallery’s Daniela Mercuri.
April 7
The Embassy of Japan’s National Cherry Blossom Festival Season and America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration at the Ambassador’s Residence
Japan Sakura Queen Yuka Shimizu, deputy secretary of State Christopher Landau, Japanese ambassador to the United States Shigeo Yamada, and US Cherry Blossom Queen Malissa Bouakham.The National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Diana Mayhew and the Embassy of Japan’s minister of public affairs, Masatsugu Odaira.Former assistant secretary of State for educational and cultural affairs Marie Royce and undersecretary of State for public diplomacy Sarah Rogers.
This article appears in the May 2026 issue of Washingtonian.
March 14
38th Annual Lombardi Gala at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium
Musician Jordin Sparks, NFL veteran and Lombardi Gala guest host Brandon Short, philanthropist Adrienne Arsht, and Georgetown University Medical Center’s Norman J. Beauchamp Jr.
March 18
Amazon MGM’s Project Hail Mary screening at the National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum director Christopher Browne, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman, and Amazon’s Ashleigh de la Torre.Nguyen Quang Huy, Tran Thi Bich Van, scientist/comedian Bill Nye, and Vietnamese ambassador to the US Nguyễn Quốc Dũng.Congressman George Whitesides, astronaut Scott Kelly, Amiko Kelly, and astronaut Sandra Magnus.
March 25
The Greater Washington Board of Trade’s 106th Mid-Winter Dinner at Washington National Cathedral
Virginia Secretary of Transportation Nick M. Donohue, Maryland Secretary of Transportation Kathryn Thomson, and the Greater Washington Board of Trade’s Jack McDougle.The Amazon Housing Fund’s Senthil Sankaran with Amazon’s Julia Satin and Patrick Phillippi.Giant Food’s Felismina Andrade (left) and Jonathan Arons (far right) with DC Department of Buildings director Brian J. Hanlon and the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s Shawn Townsend.
March 26
Pink & White Party at Café Riggs
Café Riggs’s Will Pickart (second from left) with Riggs Washington DC’s Mario Corona, Addison Hall, and Luuk Ouderdorp.Influencer Barnette Holston and the Minority Business Development Agency’s Natasha Anderson.
March 30
The Center for Democracy and Technology’s Spring Fling at Crimson
Outten & Golden’s Jenny Yang, the Center for Democracy and Technology’s Alexandra Reeve Givens, and the Howard Law Artificial Intelligence Initiative’s Roy Austin.Georgetown University’s Renée DiResta, the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI Policy’s Riana Pfefferkorn, TechFreedom’s Berin Szóka, and Anchor Change’s Katie Harbath.OpenPolicy’s Amit Elazari and the Consumer Technology Association’s Michael Petricone.
March 31
“Women United” Exhibition Reception at the Next Whiskey Bar at the Watergate Hotel
Black Bloggers DC’s Ayana Bailey (left) and Christina Baucom (far right) with artist Flávia Junqueira and Unix Gallery’s Daniela Mercuri.
April 7
The Embassy of Japan’s National Cherry Blossom Festival Season and America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration at the Ambassador’s Residence
Japan Sakura Queen Yuka Shimizu, deputy secretary of State Christopher Landau, Japanese ambassador to the United States Shigeo Yamada, and US Cherry Blossom Queen Malissa Bouakham.The National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Diana Mayhew and the Embassy of Japan’s minister of public affairs, Masatsugu Odaira.Former assistant secretary of State for educational and cultural affairs Marie Royce and undersecretary of State for public diplomacy Sarah Rogers.
This article appears in the April 2026 issue of Washingtonian.
