If you’ve ever walked through NoMa and wondered how one of the neighborhood’s colorful murals came to life, this September you can watch it happen.
NoMa in Color, the NoMa BID’s annual mural festival, returns September 11–18, bringing 17 artists to the neighborhood to create 16 new large-scale murals. Throughout the week, visitors can stop by mural sites, watch artists paint, and see the works take shape in real time.
Now in its 11th year, NoMa in Color has helped establish the neighborhood as the Mural Capital of DC. More than 200 murals have been created in NoMa since the festival began, and with this year’s additions, more than 75 murals will be on display throughout the neighborhood.
The festival is an especially fun way to experience NoMa because the art isn’t happening behind closed doors. The murals are being created right in the neighborhood, giving passersby a chance to see artists at work and watch blank walls transform into colorful new pieces.
The week culminates on Friday, September 18, from 4–8 p.m., with NoMa in Color: Color Jam at Alethia Tanner Park. The free community celebration will feature music, brews and an opportunity to celebrate the artists and their new work. Come check out the murals, meet the people behind them, and then join head the Color Jam celebration to toast another year of public art in NoMa.
The festival is made possible in part through the generous support of sponsors and partners, including WMATA Art in Transit, Events DC, Lime, Union Market Ace Hardware, and The Morrow Hotel. Whether you’re an art fan, a mural hunter, or simply looking for something colorful to do in DC this September, come watch NoMa’s newest murals come to life—and then join the celebration at Color Jam.
NoMa in Color: September 11–18, 2026 Color Jam: Friday, September 18, 4–8 p.m. at Alethia Tanner Park Free and open to all.
For mural locations, artist information and weather updates, visit nomabid.org/annual-events/noma-in-color/.