WASHINGTON, Dec. 5— It was celebrity time in the capital this weekend as well-known figures from opera, the theater, film, music and the dance joined with official, cultural and social Washington in honoring five artists for their achievements. The occasion was the fifth annual Kennedy Center Honors, which this year, were given to George Abbott, Lillian Gish, Benny Goodman, Gene Kelly and Eugene Ormandy.
The laurels - gold-plated brass medallions - were presented at a small dinner Saturday evening in the Benjamin Franklin Room of the Department of State, with Cary Grant, one of last year's honorees, making the citations, and Roger L. Stevens, board chairman of Kennedy Center, bestowing the medals.
''It seems to us natives out in the Golden West that this evening is very special; I am honored and pleased,'' said Gene Kelly, who was accompanied by his three children, Tim, Kerry and Bridget.
A Goodman Trio
Benny Goodman summed up his feelings with three words: ''Boy, oh boy!''
''This is the greatest honor I've ever received,'' said a beaming Mr. Ormandy. ''Lifetime achievement must include all the mistakes that I've made.''
''You do the honors honor,'' Isaac Stern told Lillian Gish, who looked fragile and lovely in a creamy Grecian gown. ''It feels very nice,'' she announced.
Tonight's festivities began with a White House reception for 400 guests. President and Mrs. Reagan, in an informal receiving line, greeted a glittering crowd. In attendance were such celebrities as Helen Hayes, Van Cliburn, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Jose Ferrer and Claudette Colbert, as well as Edwin Meese 3d, White House chief of staff, Secretary of State George P. Shultz and Senator Charles H. Percy, Republican of Illinois, An Old Hollywood Friend
Nancy Reagan was particulary delighted that Miss Gish was among those honored. ''She's an amazing and darling woman whom I've known since childhood,'' Mrs. Reagan said the other day. She added that she had stayed with Miss Gish when she first went to Hollyood to pursue a film career.
As the honorees and guests assembled in the East Room, President Reagan told them: ''In the years these artists have devoted to their crafts, their countless performances have lifted our lives from the commonplace to share the sublime. They mingle our everyday world with their world of pageantry and dreams. They enrich us all.''
The gala that followed at 8 P.M. in the Kennedy Center Opera House was a celebration of the artists' lives as well as of their art. The honorees sat in a tier to the right of the Presidential box, for a bird's-eye view of the proceedings, including film, music, dance and verbal bouquets.
Walter Cronkite was master of ceremonies, and the program was in five segments, each focusing on one of the honorees. Hal Prince introduced the segment on Mr. Abbott, Eva Marie Saint that on Miss Gish, Andre Previn on Mr. Goodman, Eugene Istomin on Mr. Ormandy and Yves Montand on Mr. Kelly. And on the Stage
On stage, Betty Buckley sang ''Memory'' from ''Cats''; a quintet made up of Van Johnson, Hal Linden, Eddie Albert, Tom Bosley and Jean Stapleton pranced through the musical skit ''You've Gotta Have Heart'' in a tribute to Mr. Abbott; Isaac Stern played his fiddle; the Metropolitan opera star Leona Mitchell sand ''Mi Chiamano Mimi'' from ''La Boheme''; Peggy Lee, in black and gold spangles, rendered a throaty ''Why Don't You Do Right,'' and Cyd Charisse, Donald O'Connor, Betty Comden and Adolph Green gave to tip of their respective hats to Gene Kelly with a ''Singin' in the Rain'' number.
Lionel Hampton, whose rendition on the vibes of ''Air Mail Special'' set feet tapping, had had an eye operation this week and was released from the hospital only on Thursday. ''I went home, packed my bags and headed for Washington.'' he said Sunday morning. ''There was no way I was going to miss this show.''
Gregory Hines, who danced and sang in ''I Got Rhythm,'' had left a brand new son, three-day-old Zachary, back in New York. ''I was hesitant about leaving him because it's a very important bonding time,'' he said early Sunday.
For Peggy Lee, the evening was special ''because it's for Benny,'' she explained. Life Among the Theater Hits
And Eddie Albert was there for his mentor, George Abbott. ''He taught me what not to do,'' Mr. Albert said the other day. ''I was singing in radio, and he gave me my first job on Broadway in 'Brother Rat.' That was followed by three hits in a row, and I thought that was the way life was going to be.''
The event will be seen on CBS-TV, Christmas night at 9. Following the Opera House performance, 1,700 people dined on veal and beef tenderloin in the Grand Foyer. For those who had not yet had their fill of singing and dancing, there was the music of Buddy Rich's band with vocals by Jon Hendricks.
Illustrations: Photo of Nancy Reagan and Lillian Gish

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