The Ultimate 2024 Guide for Things to Do During the Holidays in Washington, DC
’Tis the season to…
A holiday card from us, to you
Dear Neighbors,
Christmas is my favorite holiday, and as such here is my holiday card to you. I wish you great memories in my favorite city this year, and best wishes in 2025.
Special thanks to my web designer, Kara McCartney for making this holiday miracle come to life.
Your Neighbor, Jade
P.S. If you’re looking for holiday cards to send to loved ones, I’m a big fan of these cards which I found last year at Copenhaver in Dupont Circle.
HOLIDAY KEY
🎁= inside
🌲= outside
❄️= Jade pick
Museum exhibits + events
ongoing Tingle Bells at Artechouse ($20 for locals, 🎁, Wharf)
ongoing Zoo Lights ($6, 🌲, Woodley Park) ❄️
Starts Nov 28 US Botanic Gardens’ Seasons Greenings (free, 🎁/🌲, National Mall) ❄️ —note there are extended hours on Dec 10, 12, 17, 19, and 26 till 8pm)
Dec 4 Wordplay Wednesday: Holiday Edition ($5+, 🎁, Downtown)
Dec 6: Making Holiday Magic: Iconic Christmas Fashions ($25, 🎁, National Mall)
Dec 7 The Universal Message of Kwanzaa (free, 🎁, National Mall)
Dec 8 Beyond the Book Family Holiday Festival with DC Library (free, 🎁, Chinatown)
Dec 11 DAR Holiday Open House (free, 🎁, National Mall) ❄️
Dec 12: Disco Christmas at Tudor House ($50, 🎁, Georgetown) ❄️
Dec 12: Light Up the Night at Capital Jewish Museum ($12+, 🎁, Downtown)
Dec 12 Library of Congress Holiday Celebration (free, 🎁, National Mall)
Dec 28 Library of Congress Winter Holiday Celebration (free, 🎁, National Mall)
Holiday light festivals
ongoing Zoo Lights ($6, 🌲, Woodley Park) ❄️
Nov 29-Jan 5 DC Holiday Hunt (free, 🌲, various neighborhoods)
Dec 7 Holiday Boat Tour (free, 🌲, The Wharf)
Dec 7 Illuminate Upshur (free, 🌲, Upshur)
Dec 7 La Noche De Las Velitas (free, 🎁/🌲, Union Market)
Holiday markets
Nov 22- Dec 23 Downtown Holiday Market (free entry, 🌲, Downtown)
Nov 22- Dec 15: DC Holiday Market (free entry, 🌲, Dupont Circle)
Dec 1 Free Community Day & Makers’ Market at NMWA (free entry, 🎁, Downtown)
Dec 1 A Little from Here and There at Thip Khao (free, 🌲, Columbia Heights)
Dec 5 Red Bear Holiday Market (free entry, 🎁, NOMA)
Dec 6-13 Heurich House ($12+ entry, 🌲, Dupont Circle)
Dec 6 Big Bear Holiday Market (free entry, 🎁/🌲, Eckington)
Dec 6 Holiday Book Festival & Closeout Sale! (free entry, 🎁, Downtown)
Dec 6 & 7 Student Holiday Art Market (free entry, 🎁, Foggy Bottom)
Dec 7 Swedish Holiday Market ($12, 🎁, Georgetown)
Dec 7 Her-Story Holiday Market (free entry, 🎁, Logan Circle)
Dec 7 Janney Winter Market (free entry, 🎁, Tenleytown)
Dec 7 Art Enables Holiday Market (free entry, 🎁, Brookland)
Dec 7 Chevy Chase Winter Market (free entry, 🌲, Chevy Chase)
Dec 7: Georgetown Jingle (free, 🌲, various locations in Georgetown)
Dec 8, 15 Dacha Holiday Market (free entry, 🌲, Navy Yard)
Dec 8 Rock'n'Shop (free entry, 🎁, 14th St)
Dec 8 Brookland Art Walk’s Holi-Clay Festival (free entry, 🌲, Brookland)
Dec 9 Sip & Shop (free entry, Eastern Market)
Dec 10-12: Holiday Market at the Square (free entry, 🎁, Downtown)
Dec 11 Chanukah Holiday Market ($7+, 🎁, Logan Circle)
Dec 13 Takoma Park Gift Market (free entry, 🌲, Takoma)
Dec 14: Cleveland Park Winter Market (free entry, 🌲, Cleveland Park)
Dec 14 Wunder Garten Krampusnacht & Yuletide Market (free entry, 🌲, NoMa)
Dec 14: Holly Jolly Market (free entry, 🎁, Logan Circle)
Dec 14 2024 Procrastinator's Holiday Market (free entry, 🌲, Rhode Island Ave)
Dec 14 Umoja Holiday Market (free entry, 🎁, Anacostia)
Dec 14 Upshur Craft Fair (free entry, 🌲, Upshur)
Dec 14 Van Ness Main Street Annual Pop-Up Market (free, 🌲, Van Ness) ❄️
Dec 15 Little Grand Holiday Market (free, 🌲, H St)
Dec 17 Main Hall Holiday Market at Union Station (free entry, 🎁, Union Station)
Pop-up bars + parties
Pop-Up Bars
ongoing Winter Chalet at Dirty Habit ($, 🎁/🌲, Chinatown)
ongoing Holiday Pop-Up at Urban Roast ($, 🎁, Penn Quarter)
ongoing Holiday Bar at Colada Shop ($, 🎁, 14th St.)
ongoing Lulu’s Wine(ter) Holiday Garden ($, 🎁/🌲, U St.)
Nov 22 onwards Lydia on H St Holiday Pop-Up Bar ($, 🎁, H St.)
Nov 27 onwards Miracle at Death Punch ($, 🎁, Adams Morgan)
Nov 29- Dec 31 Sippin Santa at Black Whiskey ($, 🎁, Logan Circle)
Dec 5 Dreamland: A Narnia Inspired Bar at Duke’s Grocery ($, 🎁, Navy Yard)
TBD Ivy and Coney Pop Up Bar
Parties + Dances
Dec 1 Ugly Christmas Sweater Party at metrobar (free, 🌲, Edgewood)
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Dec 7 80's Holiday Extravaganza Dance Party at Black Cat ($20, 🎁, 14th St)
Dec 8 Fourth Annual Winter Festival at Calico (free, 🎁/🌲, Blagden Alley)
Dec 11 Holiday Bottles: Natural Wine Tasting at Sonny’s ($15, 🌲, Park View)
Dec 15, 29 Sparkle & Sleigh Drag Brunch ($20, 🎁, Dupont Circle)
Dec 18: Chanukah Happy Hour: Fire and Ice (free, 🌲, Edgewood)
Dec 19 "Toast to the Holidays" Cocktail Tasting ($24, 🎁, Navy Yard)
Lectures and Trivia
Dec 3 The Gothic Ghosts of Christmas ($17, 🎁, Penn Quarter)
Dec 5 Holiday Trivia at Atlas Brew Co (free, 🎁, Ivy City)
Dec 9 Slavic Solstice Magic ($17, 🎁, Penn Quarter)
Dec 16 The Green Knight and Medieval Yule ($17, 🎁, Penn Quarter)
Dec 16 Holiday Trivia at Songbyrd (free, 🎁, Union Market)
Dec 17 How Dickens Reshaped Christmas ($17, 🎁, Capitol Hill)
Holiday food + treats
Dec 4 Coquito for the Holidays ($42, 🎁, Adams Morgan)
Dec 5 Skate with Switzerland (free, 🌲, Georgetown)
Dec 7 Christmas Cookie Decorating ($80, 🎁Georgetown)
Dec 7 Cake and Cookie Decorating ($60, 🎁, Dupont Circle)
Dec 7 Mistletoe & Martinis Ice Cream Cocktail Class ($65, 🎁, Chinatown)
Dec 14: Gingerbread House Decorating ($65, 🎁, Logan Circle)
Dec 14 Annual Gingerbread House Decorating Party ($60, 🎁, Logan Circle)
Dec 14 Mistletoe & Martinis Ice Cream Cocktail Class ($65, 🎁, Chinatown)
Dec 15 Winter Wonderland Spice Blending ($55, 🎁, Union Market)
Nov 29- Dec 1 “Elf” in Concert ($34+, 🎁, Kennedy Center
Dec 6: “Home Alone" ($6)
Dec 8 “Elf” Movie Party ($17)
Dec 8 “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” Movie Party ($17)
Dec 8 “Home Alone” ($6)
Dec 13 “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” ($8)
Dec 13 “Dial Code Santa Claus” ($12)
Dec 13 “Black Christmas” ($12)
Dec 14 “Elf” Movie Party ($17)
Dec 14 “Miracle on 34th Street (1947)” ($6)
Dec 14 “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” ($6)
Dec 15 “Elf” Movie Party ($17)
Dec 15 “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” Movie Party ($17)
Films
Dec 15: “Elf” ($6)
Dec 19 “Die Hard” ($12)
Dec 20: “It’s A Wonderful Life” ($8)
Dec 20 “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” ($12)
Dec 21: “The Polar Express” Pajama Party ($6)
Dec 21: “Elf” ($6)
Dec 21: “A Christmas Story” ($6)
Dec 21 “It’s A Wonderful Life” ($8)
Dec 22 “The Polar Express” ($6)
Dec 22 “A Christmas Story” ($6)
Dec 27 “The Polar Express” ($6)
Dec 27 “Elf” ($6)
Dec 28 “Home Alone” ($6)
Dec 28 “Miracle on 34th Street (1947)” ($6)
Dec 28 “It’s A Wonderful Life” ($8)
Dec 29 “A Christmas Story” ($6)
Christmas tree lightings
Nov 23 Capitol Hill Christmas Tree Lighting (free, 🌲, Capitol Hill)
Nov 23 City Ridge Tree Lighting Festival (free, 🌲, City Ridge)
Nov 30: Christmas Tree Lighting (free, 🌲, Anacostia)
Nov 30: City Market at O Holiday Tree Lighting (free,
Nov 30 City Center Christmas Tree Lighting (free, 🌲, City Center)
Dec 3 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting (free, 🌲, Capitol Hill)
Dec 5 National Christmas Tree Lighting (free, 🌲, National Mall)
Dec 6 Cathedral Commons Holiday Tree Lighting & Celebration (free, 🌲, Cathedral Commons)
Dec 6 Capital Riverfront Christmas Tree Lighting (free, 🌲, Navy Yard)
Dec 6 Columbia Heights Tree Lighting Ceremony (free, 🌲, Columbia Heights)
Dec 7 Rhode Island Row Holiday Tree Lighting (free, 🌲Brentwood)
Hanukkah + menorah lightings
Dec 11 Chanukah Holiday Market ($7+, 🎁, Logan Circle)
Dec 12: Light Up the Night at Capital Jewish Museum ($12+, 🎁, Downtown)
Dec 15: Menorah Workshop (free, 🎁, Rhode Island Ave.)
Dec 18: Chanukah Happy Hour: Fire and Ice (free, 🌲, Edgewood)
Dec 20 Hanukkah Skate Night (free skate rentals for first 100 attendees, 🌲, Navy Yard)
Dec 21 Clay Flower Menorah Workshop ($35, 🎁, Capitol Hill)
Dec 22: Celebrate Chanukah with Jews of Color and their Families (free, 🌲, Logan Circle)
Dec 25 National Menorah Lighting (free, 🌲, National Mall)
Dec 28: Community Menorah Lighting (free, 🌲, Capitol Hill)
Dec 29: Chanukah Story Trail and Gelt Drop! (free, Capitol Hill)
TBD Ivy and Coney Bar ❄️
Performances
Music
Nov 29- Dec 1 “Elf” in Concert ($34+, 🎁, Kennedy Center
Dec 1 Advent Lessons and Carols (free, 🎁, National Cathedral)
Dec 2 Merry TUBACHRISTMAS (free, 🎁, Kennedy Center)
Dec 4 NSO at The Anthem: Ugly Sweater Holiday Concert ($40, 🎁, The Anthem)
Dec 5 Notes of Honor: A Holiday Pops! (free, 🎁, Kennedy Center)
Dec 6 & 7 A Holiday Pops! ($29+, 🎁, Kennedy Center)
Dec 6-8 Handel's Messiah ($45, 🎁, National Cathedral)
Dec 7: Georgetown Jingle (free, 🌲, various locations in Georgetown)
Dec 9 Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra: A Bohemian Christmas ($37, 🎁, Atlas Theater)
Dec 7, 14, 15 The Holiday Show with Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC ($25+, 🎁, Lincoln Theatre)
Dec 11 & 12 KEM: Home for the Holidays ($59+, 🎁, Kennedy Center)
Dec 11 Fairytale of New York ($35+, 🎁, Lincoln Theatre)
Dec 13 & 14 Celtic Woman White Christmas Symphony Tour ($29+, 🎁, Kennedy Center)
Dec 14 & 15 Cathedral Choral Society’s Joy of Christmas ($$, 🎁, National Cathedral)
Dec 15, 24 A Family Christmas ($20, 🎁, Kennedy Center)
Dec 15, 21 & 22 A Candlelight Christmas ($15+ 🎁, Kennedy Center)
Dec 16, 24 O Night Divine! ($20+ 🎁, Kennedy Center)
Dec 19 Country Christmas Sing-Along Spectacular (free, 🎁, Kennedy Center)
Dec 19-22 Handel’s Messiah ($42+, 🎁, Kennedy Center)
The Nutcracker
Nov 30-Dec 29 The Washington Ballet presents The Nutcracker ($49+, 🎁, Warner Theatre) ❄️
Nov 27- Dec 1 Philadelphia Ballet: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker ($49+, 🎁, Kennedy Center)
Dec 7 & 8 A Chocolate City Nutcracker ($30, Atlas Theater)
Dec 20-22 The Hip Hop Nutcracker ($56+, Warner Theatre)
Theatre
Nov 21-Dec 31 A Christmas Carol ($30+, 🎁, Fords Theatre)
Dec 4-31 An Irish Carol ($64, 🎁, Keegan Theatre)
Dance
Dec 12-15 A Magical Cirque Christmas ($39+, Warner Theatre)
Dec 13-22 Step Afrika!'s Magical Musical Holiday Step Show ($76+, 🎁, Arena Stage)
Dec 14 Navidad Flamenca (Flamenco Holidays) ($40, 🎁, Dance Place)
Dec 14 & 15 Kwanzaa by Coyaba Dance Theater ($30, 🎁, Dance Place)
Dec 20-22 The Dance Institute of Washington: The Spirit of Kwanzaa ($35, 🎁, Atlas Theater)
Dog friendly
Dec 4 Santa Paws at The Morrow (free, 🎁, NOMA)
Dec 7 Dog Photos with Santa ($20 per dog, 🎁, Eckington)
Dec 8 Paws and Pints Holiday Party (free, 🌲, Ivy City)
Ice rinks
Ice Rinks
opens Nov 23 National Gallery of Art ($12 adult, $6 skate rental, 🌲, National Mall)
opens Nov 27 Wharf Ice Rink ($25 adult & skate rental, 🌲, The Wharf)
TBD Canal Park ($12 adults, $5 skate rental, 🌲, Navy Yard)
TBD Washington Harbour ($11, adults, $7 skate rental, 🌲, Georgetown)
Events
Nov 24 Southwest Skates (Southwest DC residents skate for free, 🌲, The Wharf)
Dec 5 Skate with Switzerland (Georgetown)
Dec 21 Hanukkah Skate Night (free skate rentals for first 100 attendees, 🌲, Navy Yard)
Volunteering
Various Dates So Others Might Eat
Dec 14 Wreaths Across America
Dec 15 District Clean-Ups
Dec 17 Holiday Donation Drive ($18)
Make a wreath + shop garlands +buy Christmas trees
Wreaths + Plants
Dec 2 Winter Wreath Workshop ($75, 🎁, Navy Yard)
Dec 4 DIY Disco Ornament Wreath ($45, 🎁, Capitol Hill)
Dec 4 Winter Wreath Workshop ($75, 🎁, Navy Yard)
Dec 6 Winter Wreath Workshop ($75, 🎁, Navy Yard)
Dec 7 Holiday Wreath Making ($60, 🎁, Ivy City)
Dec 7 Holiday Wreath Decorating ($65, 🎁, Potomac Ave)
Dec 9 Winter Wreath Workshop ($75, 🎁, Navy Yard)
Dec 11 Winter Wreath Workshop ($75, 🎁, Navy Yard)
Dec 12 Winter Wonderland Terrariums ($55, 🎁, Shaw)
Dec 13 Winter Wreath Workshop ($75, 🎁, Navy Yard)
Dec 16 Winter Wreath Workshop ($75, 🎁, Navy Yard)
Dec 18 Winter Wreath Workshop ($75, 🎁, Navy Yard)
Dec 21 Seasonal Wreath Worskhop ($95, 🎁, Eckington)
Christmas Tree Sales
ongoing Snappy’s + Electric Cool-Aid Christmas Tree Lot (Shaw)
weekends until Dec 22Union Market Christmas Tree Lot (Union Market)
starts Nov 24 Salt Line’s Christmas Tree Lot at Dock 79 (Navy Yard)
Dec 5-8 Brent Elementary School (Capitol Hill)
Dec 6-8 Scout Troop 500 + Pack 230 Christmas Tree Sale (Capitol Hill)
Dec 7 National Arboretum Christmas Tree Sale (National Arboretum)
Ornaments
Nov 23 Holiday Ornament Workshop ($15, 🎁, Van Ness)
Dec 14 Stencil Ornaments ($5/each, 🎁, Van Ness)
Dec 15 Ornament Painting Party ($5/each,🌲, Blagden Alley)
Dec 16 Laser Cut Ornaments (free, 🎁, Chinatown)
Dec 22 Ornament Painting Party ($5/each,🌲, Blagden Alley)
Dec 16 My Year in Books ($20, 🎁, Capitol Hill)
Illustration + Painting
Nov 30 Draw A Christmas Tree Keepsake ($50, 🎁, Union Market)
Dec 3 Festive Wreath Illustration ($40, 🎁, Capitol Hill)
Dec 7 Christmas Cookie Decorating ($80, 🎁, Georgetown)
Dec 8 Happy Little Winter Trees ($50, 🎁, Georgetown)
Dec 8 Paint a Christmas Village ($25, 🎁, Capitol Hill)
Dec 11 Christmas Linocut Workshop ($40, 🎁, Capitol Hill)
Wrapping Presents
Dec 9 Make Your Own Wrapping Paper (free, 🌲, Blagden Alley)
Dec 10 Custom Gift Tags ($20, 🎁, Capitol Hill)
Dec 16 Present Wrapping Party (free, 🌲, Blagden Alley)
Dec 23 Stocking Decorating (free, 🌲, Blagden Alley)
Decor + Other
Dec 14 Holiday Craft Festival (free, 🎁, Mount Pleasant)
Dec 18 DIY Snow Globe ($25, 🎁, Capitol Hill)
Dec 21 Nutcracker Nonsense: Acrylic Pour Class ($65, 🎁, Georgetown)
flowers/workshop: Holiday Centerpiece Workshop ($175, 🎁, Eckington)
Dec 30 Decorate Your Own Champagne Flute (free, 🌲, Blagden Alley)
Other crafts
Spread the holiday cheer.
This holiday guide is our gift to you.
We make no money from your attendance to any of these events.
Thank you again. Happy Holidays. Your Neighbor, Jade