BLD Southeast 2026: Full Schedule

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9:00am EDT

Capitol Tour with Bart Houlahan (1 of 2)

Wednesday September 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

Limited Capacity full

This is one of two events with Bart Houlahan, please only sign-up for one.

Attendees will meet outside the Longworth House Office Building to begin a tour of the U.S. Capitol with Bart Houlahan, one of the founders of B Lab.

This will be unlike any typical Capitol tour because Bart has special access as the spouse of Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan! Bart will start the tour by taking BLD Southeast attendees to visit Congresswoman Houlahan’s office. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the day-to-day work of a member of Congress before exploring the Capitol complex with Bart. Depending on access and timing, the tour may even include a ride on the Capitol subway!

Reminders:

We recommend taking the Metro, as there are multiple entrances to the building and Uber drivers may not always take you to the correct entrance. If you choose to Uber, please make sure you are dropped off at the main entrance on Independence Ave. (1 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003)
Arrive 30 minutes early so there is plenty of time to go through security. Please be on time, as the tour will not wait for late arrivals.
Dress code: No shorts, tank tops, or jeans please. We recommend conference/business casual attire.
Please review the U.S. Capitol Police's prohibited-items list before arriving. (Certain items, including knives, pepper spray, aerosols, and oversized bags, are not permitted. If the tour enters the U.S. Capitol itself, food and beverages, including water, are not permitted inside). The less you bring the better.

Transportation:

Walk to the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro Station from Hotel Hive, The River Inn, and the George Washington University Student Center (10 min)
Take the Orange line (in the direction of New Carrollton), the Silver line (in the direction of Downtown Largo), OR the Blue line (in the direction of Downtown Largo) eight stops to the Capitol South Metro Station. (20-30 min)
Walk 5 minutes to the entrance of Longworth House Office Building (1 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003)

Where to meet:

After security, turn right. You will immediately see an alcove where Bart will meet the group. The tour will leave promptly at the scheduled start time, so please do not be late.

Wednesday September 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Longworth House Office Building 1 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003

Excursion

10:15am EDT

National Museum of African American History & Culture

FULL

Wednesday September 16, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am EDT

National Museum of African American History & Culture

Limited Capacity full

BLD has reserved up to 20 tickets for attendees to visit the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Attendees are welcome to explore the museum at their own pace alongside fellow conference-goers. Click here to visit the current exhibitions at the museum and here for the museum maps.

After your visit, be sure to check out the Sweet Home Café for lunch, located in the National Museum of African American History & Culture. There will be a special NOLA Kitchen Menu Celebrating America's 250th Anniversary. The menu celebrates African American cooking and the menu options can be found here.

Transportation:

Walk to the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro Station from Hotel Hive, The River Inn, and the George Washington University Student Center (10 min)
Take the Orange line (in the direction of New Carrollton), the Silver line (in the direction of Downtown Largo), OR the Blue line (in the direction of Downtown Largo) five stops to the Smithsonian Metro Station. (20 min)
Walk 10 minutes to the entrance of National Museum of African American History and Culture (1400 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20560)

Wednesday September 16, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am EDT
National Museum of African American History & Culture 1400 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20560

Excursion

10:30am EDT

Capitol Tour with Bart Houlahan (2 of 2)

FULL

Wednesday September 16, 2026 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT

Longworth House Office Building

Limited Capacity full

We recommend taking the Metro, as there are multiple entrances to the building and Uber drivers may not always take you to the correct entrance. If you choose to Uber, please make sure you are dropped off at the main entrance on Independence Ave. (1 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003)
Arrive 30 minutes early so there is plenty of time to go through security. Please be on time, as the tour will not wait for late arrivals.
Dress code: No shorts, tank tops, or jeans please. We recommend conference/business casual attire.
Please review the U.S. Capitol Police's prohibited-items list before arriving. (Certain items, including knives, pepper spray, aerosols, and oversized bags, are not permitted. If the tour enters the U.S. Capitol itself, food and beverages, including water, are not permitted inside). The less you bring the better.

Transportation:

Walk to the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro Station from Hotel Hive, The River Inn, and the George Washington University Student Center (10 min)
Take the Orange line (in the direction of New Carrollton), the Silver line (in the direction of Downtown Largo), OR the Blue line (in the direction of Downtown Largo) eight stops to the Capitol South Metro Station. (20-30 min)
Walk 5 minutes to the entrance of Longworth House Office Building (1 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003)

Where to meet:

After security, turn right. You will immediately see an alcove where Bart will meet the group. The tour will leave promptly at the scheduled start time, so please do not be late.

Wednesday September 16, 2026 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Longworth House Office Building 1 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003

Excursion

10:30am EDT

Gabs & Grabbers (Clean Up)

Wednesday September 16, 2026 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT

Lace up your walking shoes and join Nathan Stuck from Profitable Purpose Consulting and a local DC organization for a morning of good conversation and service. We'll gab and will grab litter along the way. It's a great chance to connect with fellow attendees, get some fresh air, and give back to the community that's hosting us. Exact meeting location to be announced soon, so stay tuned.

Wednesday September 16, 2026 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT

Excursion

10:30am EDT

Pamper in Provence with L'Occitane

FILLING

Wednesday September 16, 2026 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT

L'Occitane en Provence

Limited Capacity filling up

Join L'Occitane for "Pamper in Provence," an immersive self-care experience featuring personalized, head-to-toe beauty consultations. Using an innovative skin-scanning tool, L'Occitane's team will assess each guest's unique skin and beauty needs, offering tailored recommendations across skincare, body care, hair care, and fragrance. Guests can enjoy complimentary mini-facials, customize their own bottles, hand creams, and lip balms with charms and bedazzling, and take advantage of an exclusive 20% discount on in-store products.

Service Opportunity: Guests are also invited to bring beauty items — any brand, not just L'Occitane — for recycling, including hard-to-recycle items, as part of L'Occitane's sustainability partnership with G2 Revolution.

Reminder: You will be standing throughout the majority if not all of this event.

Transportation:

Take an Uber (10 min) from the River Inn, Hotel Hive, the George Washington University Student Center to L'Occitane (3106 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007)
Walk (20 min) from the River Inn, Hotel Hive, the George Washington University Student Center to L'Occitane (3106 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007)
Take the bus (10 min) from Pennsylvania Av NW & 22 St NW to M St NW & Wisconsin Av NW. The bus is not free. You can use a contactless credit or debit card, Apple Pay, or Google wallet. Walk (2 min) to L'Occitane (3106 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007)

Wednesday September 16, 2026 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT
L'Occitane en Provence 3106 M St. NW Washington DC 20007

Excursion

3:00pm EDT

National Portrait Gallery Tour

Wednesday September 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT

National Portrait Gallery

Join fellow attendees for a free tour of the National Portrait Gallery, focused on the Highlights of the Collection. This one starts promptly at 3:00 PM, so please don't be late. Docent-led tours are subject to availability — if a docent isn't available, or if you'd simply prefer to explore on your own, free digital audio tours are also available.

Current Exhibitions at the National Gallery: https://npg.si.edu/whats-on/current-exhibitions

Transportation:

Walk to the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro Station from Hotel Hive, The River Inn, and the George Washington University Student Center (10 min)
Take the Orange line (in the direction of New Carrollton), the Silver line (in the direction of Downtown Largo), OR the Blue line (in the direction of Downtown Largo) three stops to Metro Center Metro Station (5 min)
Walk to the National Portrait Gallery (8th St NW & G St NW, Washington, DC 20001) (10 min)

Wednesday September 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
National Portrait Gallery 8th and G Streets NW Washington, DC 20001

Excursion

3:30pm EDT

Black History Walking Tour - PAID EXCURSION

Wednesday September 16, 2026 3:30pm - 5:00pm EDT

Ben's Chili Bowl

This is a paid excursion and limited spots are available. Please click here to pay and sign up.

This tour will be approximately 1.5 hours long. Here's what you can expect:

View one-of-a-kind murals featuring notable Black history makers like Duke Ellington, Harriet Tubman, Barack Obama, and more.
Learn about the jazz and cultural renaissance that shaped today's African American successes, musicians, talents, activists and leaders.
Visit U Street's vibrant Black-owned businesses and iconic attractions including the African American Civil Way Memorial and Museum.
Discover historic entertainment venues like the Howard Theater and Lincoln Theater, which hosted legendary artists such as Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong.

Guests are encouraged to dress comfortably in preparation for walking a duration of about 2 hours. Tours are taken at your own risk. You are responsible for personal preparation on tours, including but not limited to bringing appropriate clothing, footwear, drinking water, and protection from weather. Tours take place in urban environments. Use designated pathways, remain with the tour group, and use caution when navigating roads, bike paths, and any obstacles in sidewalk. In the case of unexpected circumstances, such as construction or parades, follow the directions of the tour guide to get through the area safely. Minors must be accompanied by supervising adults on all tours. The booking party is responsible for sharing all information regarding the tour with any other persons included in the reservation.

Cancellation Policy: The tour proceeds rain or shine. There are no refunds for tours. In the case of inclement weather, you will be notified in advance for a reschedule date or delay in tour start time. If the tour is cancelled, you will be provided a voucher in the amount of the tour to use as a credit for a future tour booking.

At the end of the tour, those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are invited to join us at Busboys and Poets for a BIPOC Happy Hour!

If you are someone who does not identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, but would still like to attend a Happy Hour, we invite you to join us at Urban Garden Brewhouse (DC’s First Black Woman-Owned Brewery)! There will be a table reserved for BLD attendees.

Transportation:

Walk to the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro Station from Hotel Hive, The River Inn, and the George Washington University Student Center (10 min)
Take the Orange line (in the direction of New Carrollton), the Silver line (in the direction of Downtown Largo), OR the Blue line (in the direction of Downtown Largo) six stops to the L'Enfant Plaza Metro Station (10 min)
Take the Yellow line (in the direction of Greenbelt) OR the Green line (in the direction of Greenbelt) to U Street/African-Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo Metro Station (8 min)
Take the 13th Street NW and U Street NW exit and walk to Ben's Chili Bowl (1213 U St NW, Washington, DC 20009) (2 min)