Art Whino, ESL Music and Chris Cooley Launch Two-Day Soiree At The Yards

After a year of construction, the new $42 million, 5.5-acre park and boardwalk adjoining Nationals Park is launching in a big way next weekend -- with two days of outdoor festivities featuring 60 plus artists from Art Whino, a stage full of acts from D.C.'s own ESL Music and a double shot of fireworks to top it all off.

The celebration at "The Park at the Yards" -- the alleged "centerpiece" of Forest City Washington's sparkly new condo and retail development on top of former oh-so-scenic Navy Yard property -- runs from 9 AM Friday through 10 PM Saturday.  The festival opens up with a reception for Art Whino's "Beautiful Minds" installation (pictured below) and -- get this -- a beer garden from Capitol City Brewing Company and cocktails care of Georgetown's Mie N Yu.  Washington Redskins tight end (and local swinging dick) Chris Cooley and “Hell's Kitchen” winner, Chef Rock Harper of Ben’s Next Door, will also be putting in appearances on the behalf of sneaker aficionados Suite Nation.

Three international electro acts from Thievery Corporation’s ESL Music label -- Federico Aubele, Second Sky and Ursula 1000 -- then take the stage come nightfall while some post-Nats game fireworks rain down on the crowd.  And that's just Friday, folks.

Saturday's line-up includes most of the same arts and culinary installations, along with a slew of gratis, all-ages activities -- from yoga and dance to live painting and t-shirt screening.  Plus, there will be another round of fireworks and a goddamn trapeze show, which -- let's face it -- you don't see at every real estate-related soiree.

In fact, there's too many sponsors, events and free swag involved with this "grand opening" to list here, so head over to the Capitol Riverfront's homepage to get all the particulars.

[photo via]