Those staying in town for Thanksgiving can find plenty of ways to spend a solo day — or to distract a house full of out-of-towners — thanks to the recent reopening of the Smithsonian museums, all of which keep their doors open this Thursday. The National Gallery of Art, too, is operating its usual hours, and its Sculpture Garden ice rink is back in action. Thursday is also opening day for the U.S. Botanic Garden’s annual Seasons Greenings display (more on that below).
Once Turkey Day is in the rear view, the city revs up its holiday offerings. Black Friday brings plenty of markets (where you can get a start on your gift lists by shopping small), plus there’s Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park and the new Winter Wonderfest at Nats Park. Saturday brings the Washington Ballet’s “Nutcracker” season, candlelight tours at Mount Vernon and the kickoff for a 100-square-foot gingerbread village at the Roost. Holiday shopping and celebrations continue through the end of December — stay tuned for our holiday-centered event guides for even more ways to celebrate.
Wednesday, Nov. 26
Thanksgiving cookie-decorating at Colada Shop
For those still scrambling to choose a dessert for Thursday’s big meal, the Clarendon location of this local Cuban chain is hosting a cookie-decorating class. It’s intended for kids ages 2 to 10, and a ticket includes decorating supplies and hot chocolate. 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. $18.
Thursday, Nov. 27
Thanksgiving food and drinks
Still looking for Thanksgiving plans? Bars around the city are opening their doors for a meal and socializing. Busboys and Poets in Anacostia serves lunches to anyone who asks, accompanied by live music, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 250 people have taken up the offer in previous years. The Pug’s annual potluck begins around 9 p.m., with a smoked turkey and, usually, too many sides. Bring a dish to share, or just enjoy the feast. Murphy’s of Alexandria is open as usual at 11 a.m., showing football during the day and hosting live music from Ja Legacy Band and Rocky Guttman at 9 p.m. Freddie’s Beach Bar serves a dinner buffet at 4 p.m. for $30, followed by karaoke (reservations are requested). JV’s opens early to serve dinner, followed by a performance from guitarist Dave Chappell. As You Are opens at noon with no kitchen, but karaoke kicks off at 7. JR’s is open at 7 p.m. if you’re looking for a cocktails and show tunes fix.
‘Season’s Greenings: Dino-Mite!’ at the U.S. Botanic Garden
The U.S. Botanic Garden’s “Season’s Greenings” outdoor train display always delights the young and young at heart, but this year will be extra special: The large trains in the sprawling, multilevel railroad layout will chug past models of a Tyrannosaurus rex, velociraptor, triceratops and other dinosaurs crafted from plant materials, surrounded by living ferns and cycads, plus other plants whose ancestors would have been around in the Mesozoic era. Head inside for poinsettias and the annual displays of D.C. landmarks, such as the Smithsonian Castle and the Albert Einstein Memorial. The Botanic Garden will stay open late with live music on seven select evenings; see the website for more details. Through Jan. 4. Free.
Turkey Fry at Medium Rare D.C.
Out of oven space? Bring your thawed turkey (under 10 pounds, the restaurant asks) to Medium Rare’s Cleveland Park location for its 18th annual Thanksgiving event, where chefs will deep fry your bird free of charge. Hot apple cider and live music keep the party going. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free.
Friday, Nov. 28
Folger Frost Fair
Between 1608 and 1814, the Thames froze solid more than two dozen times. Londoners erected pop-up stalls, games and pubs on the thick ice, creating “frost fairs,” which the London Museum describes as “part market, part funfair and part carnival.” The Folger Shakespeare Library is trying to recapture that spirit with its month-long Frost Fair. The rotating schedule of activities includes tours, demonstrations of a 17th-century printing press, seasonal concerts and, on Dec. 19, a holiday sing-along. Bring the kids for story times, crafting stations, and workshops that include a “Shakespearean feast” (Saturday) and bringing Shakespeare to life through copying poses from works of art (Dec. 27). It’s not just about the Bard of Avon, either: The annual Emily Dickinson Birthday Tribute on Dec. 9 celebrates Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, with scholars discussing the 19th-century author’s work and legacy. Through Jan. 3. Prices vary; some activities are free, some are ticketed.
Winter Wonderfest at Nationals Park
Enchant, the annual holiday display that filled Nationals Park with an ice skating maze and holiday displays, skipped town, Bryce Harper-style, after the 2023 season. Its replacement is the Winter Wonderfest, which brings a 100-foot-long tubing slide, a mini golf course, train rides and a “snowball throwing challenge,” as well as, for the adults, a speakeasy hidden in the Nats’ batting cages. Both seasonal and stadium eats and drinks are available. Similar to the baseball season, there are theme nights, such as College Night and Pride Night, throughout the Wonderfest’s run. Through Dec. 30. $29.50; free for children 3 and younger.
Plaid Friday: Alexandria’s Small Business Black Friday
Shops open as early as 6 a.m. for bargain hunters during Old Town Alexandria’s Plaid Friday, and as you wander the historic streets, you’ll find dozens of small businesses offering discounts on books, shoes, clothing for adults and children, vintage finds, jewelry, toys, and housewares. You’ve been warned: The biggest discounts are available before 8 a.m. 6 a.m. Free.
Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park
If you don’t feel like braving the elements, the Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park allows you to enjoy more than 2.5 million LED lights from the comfort of your car as you drive a three-mile route through the park. There’s something new to look at every few feet, including animated Santa Clauses, a 54-foot-tall decorated tree and a giant purple tornado — one of more than a dozen festive displays nodding to the park’s famous “Wizard of Oz”-inspired playground. If the weather’s nice, you can see the sights on a tractor-pulled hayride, but visitors are not allowed to explore on foot. Through Jan. 1. $15 per car in advance, $20 at the gate. Admission free on Dec. 25. Hayrides: $10 per person.
F*** Black Friday at Right Proper Brewing
F*** Black Friday is the name for the “rebellious twist on Black Friday” at Right Proper Brewing in Shaw, where local makers sell stylish leather handbags, D.C. T-shirts, Persian-inspired ceramics, crocheted stuffed animals and other goods, while you browse with a beer in hand. Noon to 4 p.m. Free.
Reston Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting
Giant balloons, marching bands, floats and costumed characters are the opening act for Santa and Mrs. Claus, who arrive at Reston Town Center in a horse-drawn carriage. There’s ice skating, live music, train rides and other family-friendly activities before the annual Christmas tree lighting. Parade at 11 a.m., tree lighting at 6 p.m. Free.
Holiday Time Machine at Eastern Market
Preview some of the vendors and special guests from Eastern Market’s weekend street markets during Holiday Time Machine, a party in the historic market’s North Hall. Shop candles, jewelry and other gifts; sample hot chocolate, locally distilled spirits and specialty chocolate; and say hi to Bettie the Yeti and Santa. 6 to 10 p.m. $25-$30.
‘A Christmas Carol’ at Olney Theatre Center
Olney Theatre Center brings back Michael Russotto to star in its one-man production, where he embodies more than 50 characters over two hours, keeping to Charles Dickens’s original language. Through Dec. 28. $52-86.
‘Wicked: For Good’ One Day Choir at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial
New York-based Gaia Music Collective hosts a sing-along that’s not just for former theater kids. Anyone can join in, no audition needed, to sing songs from the second installment of the “Wicked” movie in a large, hopefully-harmonious, one-day choir. 6:30 to 9: 30 p.m. $15-$35 on sliding scale.
Saturday, Nov. 29
Washington Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ at Warner Theatre
The Washington Ballet’s two-decade-old production, which has become a D.C. holiday tradition, sets the story in Victorian Georgetown, with a Nutcracker resembling George Washington and a “Waltz of the Cherry Blossoms,” at the Warner Theatre. Through Dec. 28. $49-180.
Cover band dance parties
Would you be more into a mix with Rihanna and My Chemical Romance, or rocking out to No Doubt and Oasis? Choose your favorite musical decade between plan from 4 the 1990s and 2000s, and you’ll find a cover band playing the hits from each era on the Saturday night after Thanksgiving. Crowd-pleasing ’90s cover band White Ford Bronco plays Union Stage (9 p.m. $34-$63), and self-described “2000s revivalists” So Fetch head to 9:30 Club — and they’re even taking requests on Instagram for aughts anthems you want to hear during the show (8 p.m. $32.50.)
‘Gingerbread Lane’ at the Roost
Back in 2013, chef Jon Lovitch crafted a gingerbread village at the New York Hall of Science that included 152 buildings and covered 300 square feet. “Gingerbread Lane” earned him a spot in the Guinness World Records — and he beat his own record in 2017 with a display including 1,251 buildings. This year, Lovitch is coming to the Roost, where you can marvel at (but not eat) his impressive work, which covers 100 square feet and will be on display throughout the holiday season. If looking isn’t enough, register to learn the secrets of creating the perfect gingerbread house during a hands-on class with Lovitch. The first is Saturday, but there are more opportunities throughout December. Through Dec. 27; classes Saturday, then Dec. 8, 13, 22 and 27. Classes $42; viewing is free.
Candlelight Tours at Mount Vernon
See George Washington’s estate as the founding father would have and learn about holiday traditions of the late 1700s on Mount Vernon’s candlelight tours, offered several times throughout December. Explore the first and second floors of the Washington mansion (still in the midst of a revitalization project) and walk away with fun facts (did you know that the father of our country actually brought a camel to his estate for Christmas in 1787?) Friday and Saturday, then Dec. 12, 13, 19, 22 and 23, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. $41 for adults; $33 for children ages 6 to 11; free for children under 5.
Holly TrolleyFest at the National Capital Trolley Museum
A charming two-day festival returns to the Colesville museum this weekend, bringing kids’ craft, hot chocolate, photo ops, treats and — most notably — mile-long woodland train rides on historic street cars with Santa. Note that trolley rides will be scheduled 10 minutes past the ticketed time, and that one trip each day journeys without Ole Saint Nick. Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. $12 per person; free for children under 2.
City Center Tree-Lighting Ceremony
Celebrations get underway an hour before the 75-foot tree is lit, with a music performance, balloon artists, face painters, holiday treats and more. NBC4’s Eun Yang will host the official tree-lighting ceremony and countdown, and Grammy-winner Michelle Williams takes the stage for a concert. 5 p.m.; tree lighting at 6 p.m. Free.
The Crate Convention at the Go-Go Museum & Cafe
The Crate Convention, a regular event in Southeast with vendors selling records, comic books and magazines, pops up at the Go-Go Museum & Cafe and features guests offering original art and clothing, while DJs spin and artists create. Noon to 5 p.m. Free.
Takoma’s Market on the Street
The Takoma Collective, a group of Takoma Park-based makers and artists, takes over Laurel Avenue for the second Market on the Street of the season. More than 20 vendors will set up on the closed street, offering goods like original illustrations and vintage clothing. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free.
‘A Swingin’ Little Christmas! Starring Jane Lynch’ at the Music Center at Strathmore
The Golden Globe-winning “Glee” and “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” actress takes a spin in the spotlight for her own kitschy Christmas show, described as part cabaret and part comedy — think holiday TV specials of the 1950s and ’60s. She’s joined by Kate Flannery (“The Office”) and Tim Davis (“Glee’s” vocal arranger), plus the Tony Guerrero Quintet. 7 p.m. $28-$88.
Earl Sweatshirt at Fillmore Silver Spring
Increasingly, Earl Sweatshirt seems to be in conversation with himself, the audience an afterthought. On the cover of his latest album, the half-sarcastically titled “Live Laugh Love,” the former Odd Future wunderkind looks preternaturally aged, or at least nonplussed, with his glasses slipping off his nose and a blunt hanging out of his mouth. The album feels like a tumble through the artist’s subconscious, where lyrics are supersaturated with meaning but never lose their sense of humor. Earl continues to make his case for being the MF Doom of his generation, and after hiring an impostor to play him at a listening party, will the real Earl stand up on tour? 8 p.m. $45-$68.
Sunday, Nov. 30
‘Messiah’ Sing-Along at Clarendon United Methodist Church
Now in its 54th year, Clarendon United Methodist Church’s sing-long version of Handel’s “Messiah” features a chamber orchestra and soloists performing Part I, which tells the story of Advent and the Christmas season, and, of course, the “Hallelujah” chorus. A score is provided for those who want to join in, or you can bring your own. 7 p.m. Free; donations accepted.
‘Elf’ screening at National Harbor
Who says outdoor movies are just for summer? Bundle up the kids and head down to National Harbor for “Elf” on a giant LED screen as part of the neighborhood’s “Holiday Movies on the Potomac” series. Pick up a picnic at a nearby restaurant, and there’s plenty of room to run around if younger viewers get antsy before Buddy begins spreading Christmas cheer by singing loud for all to hear. 2 p.m. Free.
d.c. space reunion concert at the Atlantis
Washington long-timers will remember d.c. space — the all-in-one restaurant, bar, performance space, art gallery and artist studio on the corner of Seventh and E streets NW — as a heartbeat of the city’s creative culture. This reunion party at the Atlantis celebrates its legacy, with help from bands like Birthday Girl, the Grandsons and FlyBoy. Proceeds benefit community radio stations WPFW and WOWD. 5 p.m. $33.
Eric Byrd Trio’s ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’
Is there a more perfect holiday album than Vince Guaraldi’s smooth soundtrack to “A Charlie Brown Christmas”? It’s been 60 years since Guaraldi upended traditional carols with cascading piano and enchanted generations of listeners with bouncy bouts of the “Linus and Lucy” chorus. The 25-year-running Eric Byrd Trio has made a holiday tradition of performing the album live at the Hamilton (this year’s matinee and evening shows are on Nov. 30), but the group provides other opportunities to catch the charming classic throughout the season in Annapolis, Takoma, Frederick and Laurel. 3 and 6:30 p.m. $15-$45.
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony at Fillmore Silver Spring
Modern rap is lousy with artists in the Future-Young Thug lineage, but they obviously aren’t the only artists with an outsize influence on hip-hop. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony probably wins the title as the most influential but least celebrated act in contemporary conversations, despite having made triplet flows and melodies a key part of a sound that would inspire a generation of rappers-turnt-sangers in the years since the ’90s breakthrough. 8 p.m. $45-$149.
Navidad Flamenca at Atlas Performing Arts Center
Atlas on H Street NE is hosting a holiday season kickoff with traditions from Spain and Puerto Rico. Watch flamenco dancing, hear Spanish holiday music and participate in a “parranda,” joined by the Furia Flamenca Dance Company and a cast of musicians that includes guitarists, singers and percussionists. 5 p.m. $30.
Monday, Dec. 1
Caroling at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel
The ornate marble lobby of the historic Willard Intercontinental Hotel is home to one of the most soothing holiday traditions in Washington. Every night through Dec. 23, the hotel invites a local choral or vocal group to sing, just steps from the hotel’s attractively decorated tree. The diversity of the lineup is what will have you coming back throughout the season: The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington’s Potomac Fever ensemble grooves through Mariah and other seasonal pop hits (Dec. 1); the Washington Saengerbund performs traditional German carols and folk songs (Dec. 13); The chamber consort Philomela specializes in French and English Christmas and folk songs (Dec. 19); the costumed Renaissance Revelers sing (shockingly) medieval and Renaissance tunes (Dec. 6). There are high school groups from across the region, including Georgetown Visitation Madrigals (Dec. 5) and the Annandale Singers (Dec. 11). There’s a special Veuve Cliquot in the lobby, though the audience can also order cocktails and wine from the hotel’s Round Robin Bar. Through Dec. 23 from 6 to 8 p.m., with a half-hour intermission. Free.
D.C. Cocktail Week
The annual D.C. Cocktail Week, sponsored by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, encourages the exploration of food and mixed drinks as delightful pairings; almost 100 locations around the area offer a snack-and-a-drink special. Some combinations we have an eye on: the Salt Line’s $21 clarified Toki Highball with crispy clam cakes; Agora’s $22 Aroma cocktail (bourbon, date-infused sherry, demerara syrup and saffron bitters) with Lahmacun flatbread (with ground lamb, New York strip and peppers); and Oyamel’s $22 laid-back pairing of classic or mezcal margaritas with tacos or quesadillas. Through Dec. 7. Prices vary; see a list of participants and pairings on the event’s website.
The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show at Capital One Hall
Christmas’s favorite drag queens Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme return for their annual holiday show at the Tysons Corner theater. The spectacle includes annual favorites alongside fresh comedy skits and new songs (which, in previous years, featured a Christmas pageant and the “Nativity Twist”), plus all-out dancing and campy costumes. 6 p.m. $56-$224.
Eastern Market Holiday Sip & Shop
Shop from Capitol Hill retailers on Barracks Row and in Eastern Market, and grab a tasting of different wines at each location chosen by the sommeliers at DCanter. Participating businesses (some with discounts) include Labyrinth Puzzles and Games, Hill’s Kitchen, Eastern Market Pottery, Capitol Hill Books, Relume, Spin Time Records, Little District Books and Clothes Encounters. 5 to 8 p.m. Free.
Tuesday, Dec. 2
Chanukah Holiday Market at Edlavitch DCJCC
The city’s largest Hanukkah shopping evening offers menorahs and dreidels among the typical market arts, goods, cards, jewelry and tchotchkes from independent makers. Grab a hot beverage or snack while you shop. The event is free, but organizers ask that attendees bring rice, pasta or canned fish for their food drive. 7 to 9 p.m. Free; RSVP required.
Wednesday, Dec. 3
E.U. Film Showcase at the AFI Silver Theatre
The E.U. Film Showcase is a sumptuous holiday feast for foreign-film fanatics. Now in its 38th year, the three-week festival is a chance to see the official Oscar selections from 17 European countries (and the Philippines), numerous selections featured at the Cannes and Venice film festivals, and eight North American premieres. Dirty cops, covid, Kafka, coming of age and AI-generated Draculas are featured among more than 50 films on the schedule. Beyond the screen, there’s a chance to do some networking at the post-screening receptions sponsored by embassies including Finland, Italy and Poland. Through Dec. 21. $15 per film; $250 all-access passport.
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