Bell Raisers

At the National Bell Festival, “let freedom ring” is more than just a patriotic bon mot, it’s a call to action. Each Independence Day, we gather at the foot of the Taft Memorial and Carillon – just steps from Union Station and the National Mall in the heart of Washington, D.C. – to set bells ringing with flag-waving fervor.

How do you spend a leisurely afternoon in our nation’s capital on the Fourth of July? A picnic, of course! And no picnic is complete without a bit of entertainment or music. Thankfully, we had our bells.

Bell Raisers gathered at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands this weekend to view the three new bells cast for the Netherlands Carillon – centerpieces of an exhibit to celebrate the country's liberation from occupation in World War II.

The three bells are dedicated to three influential Americans whose legacy impacted the world, including the Netherlands, during and after World War II: Secretary George C. Marshall, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and humanitarian Eleanor Roosevelt.

As Black History Month comes to a close, the National Bell Festival was thrilled to join John Widmann, city carillonneur of Frederick, MD, inside the imposing Joseph D. Baker Tower and Carillon for his weekly performance on bells. A few intrepid Bell Raisers enjoyed a fascinating and behind-the-scenes look into the history and mechanics of the carillon – while listening to select repertoire inspired by the Black experience in America.

One name is synonymous with mystery and the macabre, but do you know the man behind the legend? Admittedly, we didn’t know much over here at BellFest, but it was fascinating to spend an evening discovering more about the one and only: Edgar Allan Poe.

It’s been a wet few days in the Washington, D.C. metro area, but a little rain doesn’t stop our intrepid Bell Raisers. We ventured out to the lusciously landscaped Meadowlark Botanical Gardens to see a bell whose prominence, scale, symbolism, and craftsmanship announce it as a bell of distinction.

At the National Bell Festival, we spend a lot of our time looking up – tilting our heads skyward for a glimpse of swinging bells or surveying Washington from the tops of bell towers. But this last Sunday, we decided to look down. Six feet down, in fact. 

Many of us have been dreaming of escaping the self-isolation of coronavirus, and while we aren’t able to help you leave your home (nor do we recommend it), we can certainly whisk you away for an evening of enchanting music, hearty laughs, and scintillating cocktails. At least, that’s what we did last Friday when we hosted a live-streamed concert for Bell Raisers. 

There are many perks to being a Bell Raiser. This last weekend, we enjoyed an unobstructed view of the magnificent capital skyline and a first-hand look at one of Washington's most impressive collections of bells. How? By climbing the 329-ft. Knights' Tower at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception! This impressive structure only opens to the public once a year, but the Basilica was very kind to open the doors to the Bell Raisers. 

In just over a week, Bell Raisers will experience an unobstructed view of the magnificent capital skyline and a first-hand look at one of Washington's most impressive collections of bells as Dr. Robert Grogan, carillonneur and Organist Emeritus, takes us on a private tour of the 329-ft. Knights' Tower at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. After the tour, Bell Raisers are invited to stay in the tower for a special carillon recital.