Meridian Hill Park Loses Its Drummers, For Now

Sundays at Meridian Hill Park have become a little quieter.

Falling temperatures have put the weekly drum and dance circle at the park on its annual winter hiatus, the gathering’s leader, Afrika Abney, told locals in an email yesterday. Under a permit the drummers and dancers received from the National Park Service, they can’t perform unless it’s 65 degrees or warmer.

The park, also known as Malcolm X Park, hosted its last official drum and dance circle Nov. 15. The gathering’s most recent incarnation began in March, continuing a tradition that started in the 1950s.

Drummers and dancers are expected to return to the park at some point in the spring.