Marine Barracks — Local services in Washington

I attended the marine barracks parade and enjoyed it. Gates open at 7pm and close at 8pm. There is no dress code. The parade actually starts around 8:45 and ends around 10ish pm. In the meantime they will have marines walking around and interacting or a band playing. You can bring in water but not food. So the seating is divided into two sides between the official party. Gates 2 is on the left and gate 10 is on the right. The best seats are closest to the viewing party. So gate 6 might be the best. But you wanna come early for good seats as people fill in. If you naturally look left use gate 10 and naturally look right use gate 2.

While it's split evenly: in my opinion I felt gate 2 & 4 had more movement on the left side of the field than the right side. One thing to note is that the cannons are fired on the right side of the field which is gate 10

I'm assuming the gates don't change but gate 2 is left closer to the commandants house and gate 10 is right closer to the highway.

Last but not least at the end you can meet marines and take pictures. I did not do this because the viewing party has first priority so it...

Whenever I come to DC, this is an event I never miss. The marine barracks is truly an amazing experience. The band, precision of the marines during their marches, and the significance of the events and what the place represents are what makes DC and the US. For anyone who is interested in experiencing what America is all about, I’d definitely recommend attending this free event.

Please reserve your tickets. The parade is available every Friday. The gates open at 7 and close at 8. The event itself starts at 8:45 and goes on till 9:30 or so. There is free water and restrooms. Try to sit high on the seating, that way you will be able to see the marines.

Beware of the sounds at the cannons....

Visited for the Evening Parade with family to watch our Marine. Had an amazing time listening to the history behind the parade and the fantastic performances of the The President's Own United States Marine Band, The Commandant's Own United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Silent Drill Platoon. From before the performance where the Marines greet and answer questions to the performances and afterwards when you get to interact with the distinguished guests, the Marines, and Chesty XVI! Definitely worth coming out on a Friday to enjoy a performance. Reserve your tickets ahead of time to choose a section but there isn't a bad seat...