The National Bell Festival invites bells and bell towers across the region to ring out together on New Year’s Day, creating a canopy of sound over our nation’s capital. Cathedrals and churches, community organizations and historical structures, national parks and memorials, and the people of Washington, D.C. are encouraged to gather and contribute to the sound.
Ring in the New Year. Literally.
Join us on January 1, 2020, at 2:00pm Eastern by ringing bells simultaneously for twenty minutes. This symbolic gesture of ringing bells together celebrates our commitment to community and our great expectations for the year ahead.
Where can I hear the bells?
Residents and visitors in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding communities may be able to hear the bells by simply powering down and quietly listening to the city around. For the best experience, capture the spirit of BellFest at one of these area locations:
- All Souls Episcopal Church
- Armed Forces Retirement Home
- Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
- Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
- Robert A. Taft Memorial and Carillon
- Washington National Cathedral
…and more! Our list of participating bells is expanding. If you’d like to involve a bell tower in your neighborhood, give us a ring!
Let the community ring!
This New Year’s Day, make some noise. Join one of our exciting listening parties, events, performances, or activities at locations across the city. Bring your friends. Meet a neighbor! And take a moment to enjoy the rich, bellowing tolls that bring us all a little bit closer together. That’s the meaning behind our motto: civitas resonet. Let the community ring!
