All Things Go at 10: A Festival of Unity, Music, and Unforgettable Performances

The All Things Go music festival turned 10 years old this year, and what a party it was! On September 28 and 29, music lovers packed into the sold-out Merriweather Post Pavilion near Washington DC for two amazing days of songs, dancing, and fun.

Sometimes festivals have to scramble at the last minute. For All Things Go it was a day before the show when singer Chappell Roan backed out posting on Instagram, “I apologize to people who have been waiting to see me in NYC & DC this weekend at All Things Go, but I am unable to perform. Things have gotten overwhelming over the past few weeks and I am really feeling it,”. True to their commitment to people’s health, All Things Go issued its support for Roan, saying in a statement on X that “health and well-being always comes first.”

Fans were treated to an extra performance from the cool indie pop band MUNA who stepped in to save the day. They even played one of Chappell’s songs, “Good Luck, Babe,” to show their support.

The festival had tons of famous singers across many types of music. Saturday was packed with talent – Laufey played with the Kennedy Center Orchestra to close out the night. Earlier that day, Janelle Monáe wowed the crowd, and Jack Antonoff’s band Bleachers got everyone dancing. Rising stars like Ethel Cain and Remi Wolf also played, giving fans a chance to discover new favorite artists.

Sunday was just as exciting, with Irish singer Hozier (who has played for sold-out crowds at The Anthem in DC) headlining. Pop star Renee Rapp, who will be in the new “Mean Girls” movie, brought tons of energy to the stage. Country-pop singer Maren Morris also performed. Indie musicians like Soccer Mommy and Indigo De Souza showed off their talents too. In a pre-event interview, Sammy Rae of Sammy Rae and The Friends was super excited to be playing. “We’re honored to be part of this incredible lineup,” they said.

This wasn’t just any music festival. All Things Go is known for being super welcoming to everyone – some fans even call it “Gay-Chella”! Thirty-six different artists played on two stages over the weekend. The weather tried to mess things up – it was hot on Saturday, and by Sunday it was somewhat muddy, but that didn’t stop anyone from having fun. Fans just ignored the weather and kept dancing.

The festival also tried to help the environment by working with a group called REVERB to make the event more eco-friendly and teach people about green jobs.

After 10 years, All Things Go has become one of the coolest music festivals around DC. Even though some things didn’t go as planned, it showed that music can bring people together. For those who missed out this year, don’t worry – some of the artists will be back in the area soon. For example, Sammy Rae & The Friends will be back in DC for New Year’s Eve at The Anthem. It’s not too early to start planning for next year’s festival, keep on the lookout for date and artist announcements.

Dan Rozman