Woodley Park restaurants and bars, retailers and other businesses have seen some of their biggest streams of revenue dry up this year, with the coronavirus pandemic virtually wiping out customers normally brought in to the area by the Omni Shoreham Hotel, the Wardman Park Hotel and the National Zoo.
But that hasn’t dampened holiday spirit.
More than 30 businesses are participating in Woodley Park Main Street Holiday Lights.
It is part of the broader, citywide D.C. Holiday Lights campaign that lets people vote on their favorite commercial corridor’s holiday decorations.
“Despite the very real hardships Woodley Park businesses are facing this year, they have come together to create a beautiful landscape to welcome residents and visitors to gift shop, dine out, get their holiday haircuts and experience this village-like neighborhood during the holidays,” said Jennifer Kuiper, executive director of Woodley Park Main Street.
The Woodley Park businesses participating are concentrated along the 2600 to 3000 blocks of Connecticut Avenue and the 2300 to 2500 blocks of Calvert Street.
As part of the D.C. Holiday Lights campaign, people can vote online for their favorite holiday display for the “People’s Choice” award winner in Woodley Park. A separate panel of judges will be choose winners for several categories of awards.
For the citywide D.C. Holiday Lights scavenger hunt campaign, shoppers and just strollers can earn entries for each participating commercial corridor they visit during the month of December and cast their vote to pick “The Best of DC.” The more entries they earn, the better the chances of winning prizes from local businesses across the District.
Other neighborhoods participating in the holiday lights display include Cleveland Park, Mount Pleasant, Dupont Circle and U Street, among others.
There will be a virtual awards ceremony Dec. 16.
