Written by Carissa Rice

Some nights remind you exactly who you were when you first fell for a song. For me, that night
was the GLOW Block Party in DC, the third and final block party of 2026, headlined by The
Chainsmokers (@thechainsmokers) and presented by Club GLOW (@clubglow). As a true
millennial who had their songs on repeat in college, going back to a Chainsmokers show felt like
2016, infinity scarves and overly filtered pictures. Add a Saturday afternoon and a stacked
lineup of house and EDM artists, and it was an easy yes.

Club GLOW turned Pennsylvania Avenue into a day-to-night dance party with the Capitol as the
backdrop, and the vibes were unmatched. Two stages, art installations, local food vendors, and
bars gave the day tons to explore. The fits were the first thing I noticed. Considering it was a
week before Halloween, people got super creative, like a dead bride spinning her festival
bandana. SO cool!

On the Main Stage, MK (@marckinchen) brought a special sunset set that I’ve been thinking
about ever since. Lavern (@lavernmusic), Eyezic (@eyezicofficial), and Emmy Adelle
(@emmyyadelle) kept the energy up too, which made it sooo hard to step away for food. When I
finally did, I grabbed sticky rice and mango from a local vendor, one of my faves but enjoying it
between some of my favorite DJ sets of the year was a moment.

I can’t forget the Homegrown Stage. BRI b2b CLXDA, Doug, Raasi, Syre, and Whynot
showcased DC’s local talent, and as a DC native, I found it very inspiring. Major green flags to
@clubglow for giving locals a whole stage!

Then came the main event. The Chainsmokers’ first large-scale DC show in seven years was
indescribable, but if I had to pick one word, it would be EPIC. I heard so many of their hits, like
“Closer” and “Something Just Like This,” but when they played “Don’t Let Me Down,” my
absolute fave btw, the crowd lost it in the best way. Hearing songs I used to play on repeat with
thousands of people around me felt like a realized dream. My favorite memory is the new
friends I made. I went alone but met up with other Festival Babes, and we partied, sang, and
danced all night. Love, love, love!

Pro tip: don’t miss it next year 🙂

Experiencing it with The Festival Babes (@thefestivalbabes) made it the best time. Until the
next GLOW Block Party, I’ll actually be rewatching my concert videos on repeat.

Caressa Rice
@202rice ig/tt