The Parks at Walter Reed, the mixed-use campus on the former Army Medical Center grounds in Petworth, is stacking its calendar with free events for the neighborhood, starting with a jazz concert and a thousands-strong used book sale on Saturday, Aug. 22.

Jazz in The Parks returns to the Great Lawn at 1301 Main Drive NW that evening, with children's performer Marsha Goodman-Wood of Marsha and the Positrons taking the stage at 5 p.m. and headliner Gracie Jay following at 6 p.m. The series has been named one of the area's top five outdoor spots for live music by Washingtonian magazine, according to the event listing.

Jay, a vocalist and arranger who studied under Branford Marsalis for her master's degree at North Carolina Central University, relocated to D.C. from New Orleans about two and a half years ago. In a late-2025 profile with VoyageBaltimore, she described the move as "a leap of faith," adding: "Over the past two and a half years, D.C. has truly surprised me. I'm gigging almost every night, booking shows for other musicians, and building a new creative community."

Goodman-Wood, a former cognitive neuroscientist turned teaching artist with Wolf Trap, leads a "kindie" band whose 2018 album Positronic won a Parents' Choice Gold Award.

Earlier that same day, nonprofit Turning the Page will host a Carpe Librum Bookstore Pop-Up on the Marketplace Plaza at 7175 12th Street NW from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thousands of gently used books, CDs, DVDs and vinyl records will be priced at $7 or less, with proceeds funding the organization's literacy and family engagement programs for DC Public Schools, Petworth News reported.

All events are free.

Turning the Page ran a similar pop-up in Crystal City in late July that featured more than 5,000 donated items, according to ARLnow.

The Aug. 22 double bill kicks off a packed schedule at The Parks at Walter Reed running through November. Here's what else is coming:

  • Friday, Aug. 28 — Happy Hour: '80s + Motown Hits, 5:30–7:30 p.m. on the Great Lawn (rescheduled after wildfire smoke postponed the original date). Food available from nearby Whole Foods Market, Cantina Paraíso and The Charmery.
  • Sunday, Aug. 30 — Flea Market, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. at Marketplace Plaza. Vendors sell clothing, accessories, furniture, rugs and home goods. Returns the last Sunday of each month through November.
  • Saturday, Sept. 12 — Art All Night, noon–5 p.m., organized by Upper Georgia Avenue Main Street as part of D.C.'s citywide arts celebration. Same day: a WalkingTown DC guided tour of the campus's transformation, with a discounted rate for neighborhood residents.
  • Saturday, Sept. 26 — Jazz in The Parks season finale with saxophonist Langston Hughes II headlining and children's entertainer The Great Zucchini opening. Also a pit stop for the Washington Area Bicyclist Association's 50 States Ride.
  • Hand dancing with DJ Rick G — Sundays, 2–6 p.m., on Aug. 16, Aug. 30, Sept. 13, Sept. 27 and Oct. 11. Beginners welcome; early arrivals can learn basic steps.
  • Outdoor fitness — Yoga with Yoga Heights (Thursdays 6–7 p.m., Sundays 9–10 a.m. through late September); Zumba with One Rule Dance starting Sept. 13 on Sunday mornings.

Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. On-site food vendors, including Atlantic Barbeque, will be present at the jazz concerts. The campus is a 12-minute walk from the Takoma Metro station on the Red Line, and bike parking is available on site. Free parking is in the Marketplace Garage at 1155 Dahlia St. NW.

In case of rain, Jazz in The Parks cancellations will be announced no later than one hour before showtime.