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Holiday traditions aren’t just happening at home. Tree lightings, favorite holiday displays and many more festive activities are jingling all the way across the DMV.
Want to get out of the house on Thanksgiving Day? The U.S. Botanic Garden’s holiday display is open, along with Smithsonian museums, the National Zoo and the National Gallery of Art. Several ice skating rinks are also open, including ones at The Wharf and Washington Harbor.
- Weekend weather: Pile on your favorite sweaters, scarves and gloves. Cold, blustery weather is taking hold. Here’s the forecast.
Weekend highlights
Free & family-friendly
Season’s Greenings: Dino-Mite!
Opens Thurs., U.S. Botanic Garden
🔗 Details
A T. rex and other dinosaurs modeled out of plants are stalking the U.S Botanic Garden in a holiday display opening on Thanksgiving Day.
With D.C. landmarks made from flora, a model train looping through displays and greenhouse rooms bursting with poinsettias, this year’s Seasons Greenings is a delight for all ages.
Swing by when it opens on Thursday, or daily between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. through Jan. 4 (except Dec. 25).
“A Christmas Carol” at Ford’s Theatre
Through Dec. 31, D.C., $42+
🔗 Details
D.C. holiday tradition “A Christmas Carol” is back at Ford’s Theatre with Craig Wallace returning for his 10th season as Scrooge. He’s joined on stage by a wonderfully talented cast, including Erin Weaver, who’s won shelves full of Helen Hayes awards as the Ghost of Christmas Present. The show is reccomended for audiences aged 5 and up.
Family-friendly
Bull Run Festival of Lights
Daily through Jan. 4 (including Thanksgiving), Centreville, $32.45
🔗 Details
Drive through 2.5 miles of festive light displays, then jump out to enjoy a carnival with rides, bonfires, holiday shopping and a petting zoo. The carnival will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but the light display will be open. Pro tip: Check the website for a code to save on your admission fee.
Plaid Friday
Fri., various stores in Old Town, free to browse
🔗 Details
Black Friday in Old Town Alexandria is all about small businesses. Dozens of stores will offer up to 35% off. Early birds will love this: At many stores, you get steeper discounts the earlier you shop! See the list of discounts and store hours here.
The name doesn’t just reference the city’s Scottish heritage.
“We’re in plaid because it implies that our business community, our small and independent business community, is made of these woven fibers of different businesses that really create the fabric of our community,” Danielle Romanetti, owner of knitting shop Fiber Space, said.
Don’t miss out on the Arlington/Falls Church Small Business Weekend, either!
Free & family-friendly
Reston Holiday Parade and tree lighting
Fri., Reston Town Center
🔗 Details
This half-mile parade welcomes Santa and Mrs. Claus in a horse-drawn carriage at 11 a.m. before they help light the tree at 6 p.m.
Ride on a horse-drawn carriage or mini train or check out the ice skating rink while you’re there.
Free & family-friendly
CityCenterDC’s Tree Lighting
Sat., 5 p.m., New York Avenue and 11th Street NW
🔗 Details
Stop by to help News4’s Eun Yang count down to the lighting of CityCenterDC’s 75-foot tree. Grammy-winning singer Michelle Williams will perform alongside the American Pops Orchestra.
After the lights turn on, take a selfie at the photo-ready “flurry” experience during the festivities or any time through Dec. 21.
Make a day of it: The tree is a 5-minute walk from the National Mistletoe or a 10-minute walk from the Downtown DC Holiday Market. Head downtown early to visit Planet Word, the Museum of Illusions or the National Museum of Women in the Arts.
Family-friendly
Winter Wonderfest
Nov. 28 to Dec. 30, Nationals Park, $29.50
🔗 Details
Nationals Park is debuting a completely new holiday adventure.
Step onto the diamond for a winter carnival with something for everybody, including a 100-foot tubing slide, a snowball-throwing challenge, mini golf, LEGOs, and even curling (just in time for the Milan-Cortina Olympics)! For the 21+ crowd, plan to stop by the Après Chalet, an underground speakeasy in the batting cages.
Free & family-friendly
National Harbor Christmas Market and Holiday Craft Show
Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 21
🔗 Details
Find new vendors each day selling artisan goods, crafts and sweets in a festive atmosphere.
You can make a whole day (or more) out of National Harbor’s holiday events, which include a light show on the giant tree every night and fireworks each Saturday. Meet Santa at The Capital Wheel or swing by ICE! at Gaylord National.
Free & family-friendly
Frederick’s Merry Tuba Christmas
Sat., noon, Weinberg Center for the Arts
🔗 Details
Tuba Christmas concerts are planned in over 300 cities this year. Expect a lot of tubas and carols! Frederick’s Tuba Christmas is free, but organizers request that you bring canned food to donate.
There are a bunch of reasons for a holiday weekend trip to Frederick, including the Sailing Through the Winter Solstice lights display.
Commanders vs. Broncos
Sun., 8:20 p.m., Northwest Stadium, $72+
🔗 Details
It’s hard to be a Commanders fan right now. But the silver lining is that you can go to their home game against the Broncos for under $100!
Or, stay cozy at home and watch Sunday Night Football on NBC4.
Concerts this weekend
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis, 6:30 p.m. Friday, The Hamilton Live, $26.03 (standing)/$37.37 (seated)
Best bet for Thanksgiving hangover entertainment. The jazz-punk from versatile guitarist Anthony Pirog and Fugazi’s rhythm section (drummer Brendan Canty and bassist Joe Lally) was already plenty improvisational before they joined with saxophonist Lewis to create a true modern fusion, like Fugazi with reeds. They play heavy and fast to nimble and serene. Details.
Earl Sweatshirt, 8 p.m. Saturday, Fillmore, $45
One of the best rappers of a generation, Earl’s a hip hop savant who feels comfortably old school while sounding unlike anything before. His verbosity and seemingly innate knowledge of music keeps his content thick, whether name dropping another artist or paying homage to another lyric or song. And the timing – comical or musical – is never off mark. Rappers got jokes; Earl’s are smart and funny. Details.
d.c. space reunion party, 5 p.m. Sunday, The Atlantis, $32.50
A celebration of the local legendary venue that supported art and music of all kinds from ‘77-’91. In that tradition, this party will be a multimedia art show with music by locals from, inspired by and born of that scene. People who experienced d.c. space talk about it reverentially. The rest of us will settle for the best taste we can get. Details.
More to do in D.C.
Sculpture Garden Ice Rink returns: Mon., National Gallery of Art, $12-$15 admission and $7 skate rental
Light Yards: Nov. 25 to Jan. 2, The Yards Park, free
Concert – All Time Low and Mayday Parade: Weds., The Anthem
Season’s Greenings: Dino-Mite!: Opens Thurs., U.S. Botanic Garden, free
Downtown Holiday Market: Through Dec. 23 (closed on Thanksgiving), F Street NW (between 7th and 9th streets), free
Folger Frost Fair: Nov. 28 to Jan. 4, Folger Shakespeare Library, free
Festive Holiday French Macarons: Fri., 7 p.m., GalerÃa (1280 4th Street NE), $65
Concert – Gavin DeGraw’s Christmas Tour: Sat., Lincoln Theatre
CityCenterDC’s Tree Lighting featuring Michelle Williams: Sat., free
Concert – 2000s cover band So Fetch: Sat., 9:30 Club
Winter Wonderfest: Nov. 28 to Dec. 30, Nationals Park, $29.50
ZooLights: Through Jan. 3, National Zoo, $9
Frosted at Franklin Park: Through Jan. 7, downtown D.C., free
Theater – “ho ho ho ha ha ha ha” with Julia Masli: Through Dec. 21, Woolly Mammoth, $49
Concert – Brandy & Monica: The Boy is Mine Tour: Sun., 7 p.m., Capital One Arena
More to do in Maryland
Luminocity’s Wonder Journey holiday lights festival: Through Jan. 1, Montgomery County Fairgrounds, $33.47 (child)/$40.23 (adult)
Concert – Mannheim Steamroller Christmas: Fri., The Music Center at Strathmore
National Harbor Christmas Market and Holiday Craft Show: Saturdays and Sundays, Nov. 29 to Dec. 21, free entry
Meet Santa at The Capital Wheel: Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 2 p.m., Nov. 29 to Dec. 21, National Harbor, ride tickets $13+
Frederick’s Merry Tuba Christmas: Sat., noon, Weinberg Center for the Arts, free but canned food donations requested
Concert – A Swingin’ Little Christmas! Starring Jane Lynch: Sat., The Music Center at Strathmore
Concert – Earl Sweatshirt: Sat., The Fillmore Silver Spring
Movies on the Potomac – “Elf”: Sun., 2 p.m., National Harbor, free
Concert – Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: Sun., The Fillmore Silver Spring
Commanders vs. Broncos: Sun., 8:20 p.m., Northwest Stadium
More to do in Virginia
Bull Run Festival of Lights: Daily through Jan. 4 (including Thanksgiving), Centreville, $32.45 (check website for promo codes to save $5-$10)
Winter Lantern Festival: Opens Thurs., Tysons, $18.99-$25.99
Reston Holiday Parade and tree lighting: Fri., parade at 11 a.m. and lighting at 6 p.m., Reston Town Center, free
Mount Vernon by Candlelight: Sat. and Sun., (plus dates in December), Mount Vernon, $41
Holiday Tree Lighting + Santa Firetruck Parade: Fri., 6-9 p.m., Strawberry Park in Fairfax, free
Plaid Friday – Alexandria’s Small Business Black Friday: Fri., various stores in Old Town, free to browse
Arlington/Falls Church Small Business Weekend: Sat. and Sun., free to participate
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