Capital Concerts

What Capital Concerts does

Capital Concerts, Inc. is a privately held American television production company headquartered at 499 South Capitol Street SW, Suite 504, Washington DC. Founded approximately in 1980, the company specializes in producing large-scale patriotic television specials for national broadcast on PBS. Its two flagship productions are the National Memorial Day Concert, broadcast live from the U.S. Capitol and reaching its 37th annual edition in 2026, and A Capitol Fourth, an Independence Day concert special marking its 25th anniversary. Both productions feature the National Symphony Orchestra and headline recording artists, and are described by the company as PBS's highest-rated performance specials.

The company's underlying technology stack is centered on live event production and linear television broadcasting for public television, with no proprietary software, API, or digital product surface disclosed. Capital Concerts co-produces the National Memorial Day Concert with WETA Washington DC and relies on PBS as its exclusive national distribution partner, which gives the productions coast-to-coast reach across American households.

Capital Concerts generates revenue primarily through corporate sponsorships. Lockheed Martin serves as lead corporate sponsor, with additional support from American Airlines, General Dynamics, and the Horatio Alger Association. The broadcasts are free to consumers via PBS, so there are no ticket sales, subscription fees, or direct consumer pricing mechanics. The customer base is dual-sided: PBS as the broadcast buyer, and defense-sector and patriotic-aligned corporations as funding sponsors; the end audience is the broad American public, with a particular focus on military veterans, active-duty service members, and Gold Star Families honored in the Memorial Day production.

Name

Capital Concerts

Legal name

Capital Concerts, Inc.

Website

https://capitalconcerts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Capital Concerts is a Washington DC-based private television production company that produces the National Memorial Day Concert and A Capitol Fourth, two annual patriotic PBS broadcast specials funded by corporate sponsorships and co-produced with WETA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television Production & Broadcast Entertainment

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Civic & Municipal Festivals (City Days, Public Celebrations) (MPAGAEAA)

Keywords

• Patriotic television production
• Public television specials
• Concert broadcast production
• National holiday programming
• Live event production

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorship: The company generates revenue primarily through corporate sponsorships. Lockheed Martin serves as lead corporate sponsor, with additional support from American Airlines, General Dynamics, and the Horatio Alger Association. These sponsors fund the production costs and gain visibility associated with national patriotic events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Capital Concerts is a television production company that produces two flagship annual patriotic television specials — the National Memorial Day Concert and A Capitol Fourth — broadcast nationally on PBS. Both productions are filmed as live events at the U.S. Capitol and feature the National Symphony Orchestra and notable recording artists, paying tribute to U.S. military service members and celebrating America's most important national holidays.

Product overview

Capital Concerts is the nation's leading producer of patriotic television shows, operating as a single-product television production company. The company produces two flagship annual PBS broadcast specials: the National Memorial Day Concert and A Capitol Fourth. After more than 45 years, these two award-winning productions have become national traditions, bringing Americans together to celebrate freedom and democratic ideals and to pay tribute to those who defend them. Both productions are broadcast annually on PBS and feature performances by the National Symphony Orchestra and notable recording artists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Memorial Day Concert An annual patriotic television concert broadcast live from the U.S. Capitol, paying tribute to American military personnel, veterans, and their families. Features the National Symphony Orchestra and notable recording artists. Aired annually on PBS as part of the Memorial Day tradition.
• A Capitol Fourth An annual patriotic television concert celebrating America's Independence Day, described as the premier celebration of the nation's most important holiday broadcast on PBS. Features the National Symphony Orchestra and notable recording artists.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WETAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 May 2026WETA Washington D.C. is the co-producing partner for the National Memorial Day Concert alongside Capital Concerts. As a major public television station, WETA brings production expertise and broadcast infrastructure to the partnership.
• Lockheed MartincoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLockheed Martin serves as the lead corporate sponsor of the 2026 National Memorial Day Concert. The defense contractor provides significant funding support and receives prominent brand visibility associated with honoring military veterans and service members.
• American AirlinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmerican Airlines provides additional corporate sponsorship support for the National Memorial Day Concert, contributing to production funding in exchange for brand association with the patriotic event.
• General DynamicsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGeneral Dynamics provides additional corporate sponsorship support for the National Memorial Day Concert, receiving brand visibility in connection with the national tribute to military personnel.
• Horatio Alger AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Horatio Alger Association provides additional support for the National Memorial Day Concert. The association, which honors American entrepreneurs and scholars who overcome adversity, aligns with the concert's themes of perseverance and service.
• PBScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPBS serves as the exclusive broadcast partner for Capital Concerts' productions. Both the National Memorial Day Concert and A Capitol Fourth are broadcast nationally on PBS, reaching millions of American viewers. These are described as PBS's highest-rated performance specials.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• WETA: WETA is the co-producing public television station for Capital Concerts' National Memorial Day Concert and a major PBS producer/distributor. It is the closest operational peer given the embedded partnership in producing and broadcasting patriotic performance specials.
• White Cherry Entertainment: White Cherry Entertainment produces televised performance specials including the Grammy Awards and Tony Awards red-carpet coverage. Closely comparable to Capital Concerts as a TV-first production company specializing in music and performance events.
• Done and Dusted (formerly Don Mischer Productions): Done and Dusted is a live television event producer behind the Oscars, Emmys, and Tony Awards broadcasts. Comparable to Capital Concerts in producing high-prestige, single-event televised specials for mass national audiences.
• WGBH: WGBH is a flagship PBS station and a major producer of national public-television programming (Frontline, Nova, American Experience). Comparable to Capital Concerts as a public-broadcasting-affiliated producer of nationally distributed specials.
• WNET (Thirteen): WNET/Thirteen is one of the largest PBS content producers, including long-running performance programs such as Great Performances. It is directly comparable as a non-profit/public-television affiliated producer of cultural programming.
• Ken Ehrlich Productions: Ken Ehrlich Productions is best known as the long-time producer of the Grammy Awards telecast. Comparable to Capital Concerts as a specialist producer of annual televised music performance specials, including patriotic and tribute programming.

Broad incumbents

• IMG (Endeavor): IMG, part of Endeavor, produces premium live events and sports/media content including tennis majors and fashion weeks. Comparable as a large-scale producer of televised live events and branded cultural programming.
• AEG Presents: AEG Presents is one of the world's largest live concert and event promoters, producing tours and festivals globally. Comparable to Capital Concerts at the live-event layer, but operates at vastly greater scale and with a commercial, multi-venue portfolio.
• Dick Clark Productions: Dick Clark Productions produces large televised music and cultural events such as the American Music Awards and New Year's Rockin' Eve. Comparable in scale and event-TV focus, but operates as a broader, commercial incumbent rather than a patriotic-specialist.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Capital Concerts