By now you have your signs ready to go – which had better be 20’ x 3’ x ¼” or smaller– and you are raring to march tomorrow. What else should you know? A brief outline:
Photo by user @DCsignsofResistance via Instagram
Tomorrow, March 24, there will be two rallies
- The Rally for DC Lives will start at 9 a.m. at Folger Park, 3rd and D Streets SE. This event is a special rallying cry for the District and will be attended by Mayor Bowser, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, as well as Councilmember Charles Allen and D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson. There will also be student speakers from several wards. You can click on the Evenbrite page for more information. Bring your posters and your marching shoes because after the rally, everyone will be WALKING THIS WAY toward the…
- March for Our Lives, which will start at noon at 3rd Street NW and Pennsylvania Avenue. You can get more details at the March website. There will be student speakers and big celebrities like Ariana Grande. It’s going to be big. The site has a great DC FAQ section from which I obtained the info below.
What else should I know?
- DC Gov Portal: The DC Government has a portal for the March For Our Lives event. You can sign up to get text alerts, but bear in mind that such a heavily attended event might bring cell service disruptions.
- Entry/exit points: The rally will take over Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 12th Streets NW and the area will be closed along Pennsylvania Avenue, between 3rd and 12th Streets NW. The main stage will be at 3rd Street NW. There are access points at three places in the perimeter: Pennsylvania Avenue and 12th Street, NW; Constitution Avenue and 7th Street, NW; and Indiana Avenue and 7th Street, NW.
- Bus and Rail: WMATA has a March portal for additional information on how to get around. The system will be open starting at 7 a.m. and trains will be running every 8 minutes. Federal Triangle Metro station will be closed and Judiciary Square will be operating on a very limited basis. Routes that go along Pennsylvania Avenue will be redirected or, in some cases, canceled for the duration of the march. To see if your route is affected, go here.
- Lost someone? If you get separated from people, there will be reunification services operating out of RFK Stadium.
- Can I get around by car? Honestly? It’s going to be hard. Streets in the perimeter of the march will be closed or partially blocked. Avoid driving in the downtown area altogether, if you can. The Metropolitan Police Department has a list of street closures you can access here.
- Oh yeah! The hashtag for the the event is #marchforourlives