It’s the holiday season, also known as that time of year where we are super into lights, cheesy songs, overeating and overshopping. Make sure you find a little fun for yourself and your family (whatever that may look like) during this busy, crazy season.
You can start by strolling around some of our local light displays. The trees at Eastern Market Metro Park put on a light show every hour on the hour, from 5-7 p.m. through January 3. How fun is that?
Bells more your speed? Then catch the ones at Yards Park– they are also swings! *Swing* by for fun and for the ‘Gram at Swinging Bells, through January 7, 2024 and enjoy the beautiful display! More info here.
Join Eastern Market in welcoming two fun holiday characters:
Santa will stop by the Market on Saturday, December 2 (and again on the 9th and the 16th) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Get your list ready and share it with the big man. More info here.
Betty the Yeti awakens from her slumber! Our local abominable celebrity will be at the North Hall of Eastern Market starting at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 3 (and again on the 10th and 17th) ready to say hello to the holidays with a hot cider toast. ROAR! More info here.
The National Community Church will be holding their Christmas Village at Capital Turnaround on December 2. Take a train ride, skate in your socks and take pictures with SANTA!! More info here.
Congressional Cemetery has a holiday market this Sunday, December 3. Enjoy crafts, treats, art and more as you stroll through the cemetery’s beautiful grounds. The event goes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. More info here.
Celebrate your neighbors at this year’s Brickie Awards with Councilmember Charles Allen. More info and RSVP link here.
The Folger IS BACK, baby! If you haven’t seen their latest production, The Winter’s Tale, or visited their beautiful new remodeled entrance, make it a plan with visiting family, get it as a gift for someone special or just treat yourself. The building looks beautiful and better than ever (see our Insta reel for a sneak peek) but the play! In one word, it’s perfect. You will cry, you will laugh, you will be a little or a lot confused, but you will have a wonderful time. For tickets and more information, click here.
Would it be a holiday without the United States Botanic Garden‘s decorations? Absolutely not. Every year, the gardens are decked out inside and out with stunning sculptures made entirely of plant materials. And every year, the trains come back, winding through scenes of farming and plant life across the world. This year’s theme is pollinators and plants! For more information and to plan your visit, click here. (But no, we will not accept the mosquito pollinating an orchid narrative here.)
Looking to get a tree this year? The Brent Elementary Annual Holiday Sale kicked off November 30 and you are invited! You can also donate a tree through Everyone Home DC. Come on by to 301 North Carolina Avenue SE. The times are as follows:Thursday, November 30, 4 pm – 7 pm
Friday, December 1, 4 pm – 7 pm
Saturday, December 2, 9 am – 5 pm
Sunday, December 3, 9 am – 5 pm
The Union Station Holiday Market is happening on Thursday, December 7 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Enjoy specially curated local vendors and enjoy cocktails from the 1908 Lounge. And at 6 p.m., watch the Norwegian Christmas Tree lighting ceremony! For more info, click here.
Enchant is back at Nats Park this holiday season, starting today! You know you want to be surrounded by twinkly lights and wonder! More info and tickets here.
And while you’re visiting Enchant, make a plan to drop by Duke’s Grocery‘s Holiday pop-up bar, Dreamland, which is opening tonight! Oo, pretty!
AND! Tap 99 is doing a Whoville Hideaway for the holidays, with Christmas beers, special cocktails and more! On Wednesday, December 6, 13, and 20, drop by and play Music Bingo! For more info on Tap 99 and their sister ice cream parlor, Kilwin’s, click here and here.
Hanukkah starts on December 7 in the evening and there are a couple of great events that you won’t want to miss:
The Community Menorah Lighting takes place on Thursday, December 7, at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 212 East Capitol Street. There will be doughnuts and hot cocoa! More info here.
Hanukkah Skate Night at Canal Park, December 8, 6-8 p.m. comes with free skate for the first 150 skaters. More info and tickets here.
The Rubell Museum recently reopened, bringing the public two new installations, “Singular Views: 25 Artists” and “Alexandre Diop: Jooba Jubba, l’Art du Defi or the Art of Challenge.” The art in these well-curated exhibits is fresh and bold and raw and deeply relatable. Bring tissues. More info here.
And even though this is happening on February 3-4, sign your kiddos up now for a sleepover they won’t forget. Sleepovers at the National Archives are back! Click here to sign up.
SKATING RINKS
Our area boasts several ice skating rinks so you can live your best icy life. Most rinks open around this time of year and stay open through February. Check the websites for additional info:
District Wharf
Canal Park
Sculpture Garden
Enchant Christmas at Nats Park (add-on to your admission ticket)
WEEKLY FUN
At ReLume, you can make something beautiful and have fun while doing it! From candles to seasonal decorations to starting a new hobby, you can do it all there. Make a holiday wreath this Sunday! More info here.
The Library of Congress is open late on Thursdays for Live! at the Library. These events are free but require timed passes. You can also sign up for a recording of the performance (more info here) and watch at home with your favorite alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage.
Want to get your square dance on with the DC Rawhides? They are yee-hawing their way into our hearts on select Friday and Saturday evenings, 7-11 p.m., at Eastern Market’s North Hall. Click here for more info.
Mr. Henry’s is THE place to listen to jazz on the Hill. They have performances Wednesday through Saturday, but we have a soft spot for Saturday Showcase. Tickets and more info on all the performers past and future here.
A Sunday tradition, the Flea Market at Eastern Market is your one-stop shop for wonderful art, clothing, cosmetics and more. Follow them on Instagram here.
Labyrinth has great events almost every night of the week, except for Monday. If you’re looking to demo board games or enjoy some of your favorites with old and new friends, check out their event calendar. Guess what? Labyrinth is open Mondays during the busy holiday season!
On Monday evenings, Trivia Kings takes over Barrel for trivia night. For more info, click here. (They also host trivia nights all over town.)
On Wednesday evenings, make it trivia! Two Girls Trivia runs a quiz at Fight Club starting at 7 p.m. For more information and quiz hints, check out their Twitter, @twogirlstrivia.
as you are on Barracks Row has great events happening almost every day of the week: from crafting on Wednesdays to karaoke on Thursdays and Sundays to Saturday dance parties, this queer-safe space welcomes everyone. Check out their calendar of events here.
Every Thursday and Friday, Kelly’s Irish Times has comedy! The Batting Cage Comedy show starts at 8 p.m. and is free on Thursdays. More info here.
At Wunder Garten, catch an NFL game and take a break from shopping! More info here.
The Miracle Theatre is showing Home Alone, just in time for the holidays, you flirty animal! Click here for tickets.
OFF-HILL
It’s so incredibly moving to see a Colombian tradition taking over the streets of Union Market District. La Noche de las Velitas is a sweet tradition I grew up with, where you light candles on the eve of the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary (December 8). Join La Cosecha on December 7, from 5-9 p.m. and enjoy bites from Michelin-starred restaurant Elcielo and music by DeSanguashington round out the evening. For tickets and more info, click here.
The District Boat Parade is coming to the Wharf on Saturday, December 2! What started as a very small neighborly assembly of decked-out vessels has turned into a must-see community event. Dress warmly and enjoy the Wharf! More information here.
Bring in the holiday season with s party! Metrobar‘s Winter Market is happening on December 3. More info here.
On December 6, go to Georgetown’s GLOW shopping night and drop by the Levain Bakery in Georgetown from 5:30-8 p.m. so you can nab a complimentary tote bag to put in your minimum six-cookie purchase! Btw, GLOW opens tonight, December 1!
The Angelika Pop-Up at Union Market has a great selection of movies, including RENAISSANCE: A FLIM BY BEYONCÉ THIS WEEKEND. I know you screamed when you read that. Check them out here and get tickets to the Beyoncé movie here.
Mondays can be tough days, but Songbyrd has Music Trivia this and every Monday up in Union Market district to gladden hearts and fuel your competitive spirit. The best part? It’s ALL AGES! Enjoy it with friends or as a family. More info here.
The Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center has FREE performances that you can also catch on their livestream. For more info click here.
Random Fun Things
Looking for a one-of-a-kind present? Well, you’re in luck because Lip Lab is opening at the Wharf this coming week! Create a one-of-a-kind lip shade for yourself or for someone special. How fun is that? More info here.
I was recently sent a sample of Kerastase’s Discipline Fondant Set– a set of three products designed to make frizz-prone hair not soak up all the available moisture in the air and grow exponentially. So far, I’ve really enjoyed the results! My hair is, in fact, a lot less frizzy and a lot more silky-feeling, especially when I follow the use instructions and let the product sit for a whole minute on towel-dried hair. So if you’re looking for a different kind of present for someone in your list, why not give the gift of fancy shampoos? You’re welcome!
PLAN AHEAD
The Stuart Hobson Drama Players will present The Addams Family as their winter musical. Let’s give these talented kids a packed house! Get tickets here. Their performances are as follows:
Friday, Dec. 8, 6:30 PM
Saturday, Dec. 9, 1 PM & 6:30 PM
Sunday, Dec. 10, 3 PM
The Capitol Hill Seventh-Day Adventist Church welcomes the community to their Christmas Open House at the Hill on Saturday, December 9, from 3-6 p.m. Enjoy tours of the 113-year old building, Christmas music, a Photo Booth, caroling and more! The Capitol Hill SDA church is located at the corner of 10th Street NE and Massachusetts Avenue NE.
Jade Fitness, 1310 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, will hold their first ever Holiday Sip & Shop event on Sunday, December 10 th from 1-4 pm. There will be local makers, local honey, a raffle, prizes and more. For more information, click here.
And at Union Station, watch a screening of a Manchester City Vs. Luton Town match and get your picture taken with several trophies on display. More info here. To get a photo op slot, RSVP here.
Also on December 10, join Congressional Cemetery for a Worldwide Candle Lighting ceremony. In this tumultuous world where we live, we don’t always allow time for silent contemplation and grief. Join a worldwide community in lighting a candle for those who have had children who preceded them in death. The event starts at 7 p.m. and you are asked to RSVP here.
On December 14, join the Capitol Riverfront BID for their Holiday tree lighting! The fun goes from 6-9 p.m. at Canal Park and the first 150 attendees get FREE SKATING! More info on this and other wonderful events here.
Get ready to Baroque out for Christmas! The Folger Consort’s Baroque Christmas Story at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, a Capitol Hill tradition since 1977, is happening December 15 through 22 and you’re invited! For more tickets and info, click here.
On December 16, join Hill Family Biking for a tour of tiny streets! Bike with like-minded folks and enjoy the sightseeing. Sign up here.
Do you miss the old Corner Store concerts? Hey, us too! One of the performers from past years, OCEAN Celtic Quartet, is performing not too far from the old Corner Store venue, at the Hill Center. Catch them on December 17! Tickets here.