Friday Freebies

Who doesn’t love free stuff?

WTOP is relaunching “Friday Freebies,” bringing you the top freebies you can get in the D.C. region, every week.

We’ll run them down every Friday morning on air at 103.5 FM and here on WTOP.com.

Know of a freebie you’d like featured in WTOP’s Friday Freebies roundup? Let us know!

Get in the Christmas spirit with free events and gift add-ons

Christmas tree lightings and decorating get underway (Getty Images/iStockphoto/Malkovstock)
  • More than 500,000 Christmas lights, all in one place! You’ll find those and more at the free Festival of Lights at the Washington D.C. Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kensington every day, now through Jan. 1, 2025.
  • The Winter Community Day & Columbia Heights Tree Lighting Ceremony is Dec. 6 from 2-8 p.m. at the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza. There will be holiday music, hot cocoa, local vendors and freebies and deals at local businesses.
  • Plan to gift someone some bourbon for the holidays? Some distillers offer free personalized labels you can add to the bottle, including Woodford Reserve and Four Roses.
  • If you’re mad for plaid and pipe and drum bands, Alexandria’s annual Scottish Christmas Walk Parade happens rain or shine on Dec. 7, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • Admission is free to the annual “Seasons Greenings” holiday exhibit at the U.S. Botanic Garden in D.C., running now through January 5, 2025, except Dec. 25. Enjoy outdoor gardens, replicas of D.C. landmarks made from plants, and a model train display.

Deals coming early before Black Friday: How to get free LEGO sets, see live performances or tee times

Black Friday calls for an extended list of Friday Freebies this week!

It starts with the best freebies we could find for holiday shoppers, followed by free events and other goodies for freebie hunters.

  • Be one of the first 250 customers at a Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s store on Nov. 29, and you’ll get a mystery promo card worth between $10 and $50. The card will be valid Dec. 6-28.
  • Now through the end of the year, buy $200 in gift cards to Benihana and you’ll get $60 in promotional cards valid between Jan. 2 and March 31, 2025.
  • Spend $40 or more at a LEGO store on Nov. 29 and you’ll get a free “Santa’s Sleigh Ride” LEGO set while supplies last.
  • The first 25 MyLowe’s Rewards members to visit each store on Nov. 29 get a holiday “bucket of gifts” worth as much as $150.
  • At Red Lobster, buy $50 in gift cards by Dec. 31, and you’ll get two $10 off bonus coupons valid between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28, 2025, excluding Valentine’s Day.
  • Make a $70 fragrance purchase at Ulta, and get a free robe or throw blanket. The offer is valid through Jan. 4, 2025, or while supplies last. Certain brands are excluded.
  • Victoria’s Secret is offering online shoppers a free VS Shine tote with a $85 purchase, or the tote plus a free blanket with a $150 purchase. Both offers are while supplies last, through 8 p.m. on Dec. 1.
  • Mosaic District holds a Holiday Tree Lighting and Santa Firetruck Parade on Nov. 29, that will include live performances and meet-and-greets with Santa himself.
  • On Dec. 1, Chesapeake Beach will kick off the holiday season with a tree lighting, live holiday music, local vendors and a cozy fire pit.
  • Dec. 1 is the Silver Spring Christmas Market and Holiday Craft Show at Veterans Plaza. There will be holiday music, food and dessert vendors, and of course, art and crafts vendors.
  • Go online to request a coupon good for a Kinder Bueno milk chocolate and hazelnut cream bar at participating stores. The coupon expires Feb. 28, 2025.
  • Get 30 minutes of free play time at TopGolf, as part of the rollout of its new Sonic the Hedgehog game.

Baysox tickets and more

The Bowie Baysox host their first ever Holiday Launch Event at Prince George’s Stadium on Nov. 23, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. There’s no charge to get in, and there will be free hot chocolate and cookies, a craft zone, a kids’ park and a bunch of local vendors.

Through Dec. 8, donate blood to the American Red Cross to get two free pairs of socks celebrating the Red Cross and the 30th anniversary of the beloved sitcom “Friends.” The offer is good while supplies last.

Shipgarten in McLean is throwing a Renaissance Festival on Nov. 23 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. that includes jousting, a knight sword show, a kid’s corner and a costume contest. Admission and parking are free.

Nov. 23 is the Opening Reception for Glen Echo Park’s Holiday Art Show and Sale. Admission is free. You’re encouraged to RSVP, but it’s not required.

Alexandria’s free annual holiday tree lighting ceremony happens Nov. 23 at 6 p.m. in Market Square. Afterward, enjoy “music and merriment” and visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

How to enjoy free s’mores and a chance at free boneless wings

For a limited time at Applebee’s, if there’s an interception during any NFL game on a Sunday, you’ll get 6 free boneless wings with a $10 purchase the next day. (Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images for Applebee’s Grill + Bar)
  • Throw on a flannel (required!) and head to Attaboy Barrel House in Frederick, Maryland, for its free Flannelhead Fall Market, from 4-8 p.m. on Nov. 15. There will be a fire pit with free s’mores and a bunch of vendors selling their wares.
  • For a limited time at Applebee’s, if there’s an interception during any NFL game on a Sunday, you’ll get six free boneless wings with a $10 purchase the next day.
  • Tysons Corner Center’s Holiday Kick-Off Celebration is on Nov. 15 from 6-8 p.m. at the center’s outdoor plaza. Snack on complimentary s’mores and enjoy performances, fireworks and the main event: Santa Claus’ big arrival.
  • Wunder Garten in Northeast D.C. is hosting a Wicked “Welcome to Oz” event Nov. 16 from 8 p.m. till midnight. Dress as your favorite “Wicked” character, enjoy themed decor, curated cocktails, fun and prizes. Admission is free.
  • At the grand opening of Chicken Salad Chick’s new restaurant at Greenbriar Town Center in Fairfax on Nov. 20, the first 100 people in line at 10:30 a.m. win a free order of chicken salad once a week for a year. The next 99 in line get a free order of chicken salad once a month for a year. Other giveaways follow Nov. 20-23.

How to access deals that’ll get you in the holiday spirit

In this Friday, June 29, 2018, photo, Nicole and Dennis Drake, co-owners of Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchises in Gainesville and Ashburn, Va., are photographed in their the Ashburn, Va., store. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

How to get free cycling gear, watch live bands or attend an election night watch party

Bike Arlington is handing out free bike lights, reflective vets and other gear to help cyclists become more visible when they ride after dark. (Getty Images)
  • Ahead of this weekend’s time change, Bike Arlington is handing out free bike lights, reflective vets and other gear to help cyclists become more visible when they ride after dark. The giveaway is happening Friday, Nov. 1, from 4-6 p.m. at the Washington & Old Dominion Trail at Columbia Pike.
  • See more than 100 live bands for free, and grab a wristband good for dozens of discounts at businesses during Adams Morgan PorchFest, Nov. 2 from 2-6 p.m. To make way for the fun, 18th Street NW will be closed to traffic between Columbia and Kalorama roads.
  • Teddy & The Bully Bar’s election night watch party on Nov. 5 will include a free buffet from 4-5 p.m.
  • Free Donut Wednesdays are back! Dunkin’ Rewards members can get a free classic donut with any drink purchase every Wednesday through Dec. 25.
  • Better than free: LEGO is trying out a “Brick Take Back” program! For a limited time, turn in your spare bricks and get rewarded with as much as $6 per pound on a LEGO e-Gift Card.

How to get free doughnuts, watch a movie and visit some spooky plants

capital_color_botanicalgarden_AP.jpg
The U.S. Botanic Garden newest exhibit is “Fierce Flora: Tales of Survival and Demise,” which features plants armed with unique defenses such as carnivorous sundew, deadly nightshade and prickly pear cactus. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

How to get a free medium coffee, watch Charlie Brown or see a great concert

Sign up to join Dunkin’ Rewards, and get a free medium drink when you make a purchase every day during your first two weeks as a member! (Photo: Business Wire)

From free coffee to watching local artists, here’s our list for this Friday and beyond:



How to get free cookies, BOGO subs and pizza in October

Footlong Subway sandwiches are buy one, get one free through Oct. 13. (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Subway)

From free pizza to parking for a nearby event, here’s our list for this Friday and beyond:



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