clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

NoMa’s POW! WOW! mural festival returns in May

For the third year, artists will enliven the Northeast D.C. neighborhood by beautifying walls with street art

By Michelle Goldchain
Photo by Michelle Goldchain

Starting May 5, 20 local, national, and international artists will take to Washington, D.C.’s streets to enliven them with brand new murals and public artworks. This is the third straight year that NoMa has hosted POW! WOW!, a 10-day international mural festival.

In a statement, NoMa Business Improvement District (BID) President Robin-Even Jasper said, “We absolutely love POW! WOW! and look forward to hosting the festival again. The dynamic artworks that brighten up NoMa are treasured by residents and workers, and a strong draw for visitors.”

The festival will kick off from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on May 5 at the Wunder Garten beer garden at 1101 First Street NE. Across the street at 1150 First Street NE, there will be “live art” as well as a tour of every mural site in the Northeast D.C. neighborhood, beginning at 3 p.m. at the corner of First and Pierce streets NE.

For a list of this year’s artists, see below:

  • Rylsee (Cyril Vouilloz) Berlin + Geneva
  • Richt (Rich Thorne), Bristol, England
  • Mari Inukai, Japan
  • Jeff Gress, Hawaii
  • Taj Tenfold (Taj Francis), Kingston, Jamaica
  • Birdcap (Michael Roy), Memphis, Tennessee
  • Johan Moorman, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
  • Mike Murphy/Perceptual Art, Brooklyn
  • Joys (Cristian Bovo), Padova, Italy
  • LAP (Luis Alberto Pérez), Ponce, Puerto Rico
  • Wingchow (Christina Wing Chow), Richmond
  • Golden Rabbit Silent Monkey (Henley Bounkhong), Silver Spring, Maryland
  • Kate Fleming, Arlington, Virginia
  • Asad “Ultra” Walker, Washington, D.C.
  • CRI (Juan Pineda), Washington, D.C.
  • BroCoLoco, Washington, D.C.
  • Marcella Kriebel, Washington, D.C.
  • No Kings Collective (Brandon Hill, Peter Chang)
  • Zunzima (Takashi Nakajima), Washington, D.C.
  • Kelly Towles, Washington, D.C.

For more events to expect during the 10-day festival, see below:

POW! WOW! 2018 D.C. events

Date Time Frame Event Type Location
Date Time Frame Event Type Location
May 6 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mural Tour First and Pierce streets NE
May 8 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mural Tour First and Pierce streets NE
May 9 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. R.A.R.E. Digital Art Network Auction 52 O Street Studios
May 9 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. POW! WOW! D.C. Dance Party U Street Music Hall
May 10 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Secret Walls Live Graffiti Battle Dock 5 at Union Market
May 12 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Mural Tour First and Pierce streets NE
May 13 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Mural Tour First and Pierce streets NE