The holiday season is aglow across the D.C. area as twinkling lights, towering Christmas trees and radiant menorah displays transform public spaces into festive wonderlands. These events bring communities together to celebrate the holiday season. Here’s a roundup of some of the D.C. region’s must-see light displays that will brighten your winter nights.
Check back every Thursday for a roundup of Things to do in the D.C. area.
Here are the holiday lightings to anticipate in D.C.:
- Nov. 22 to Jan. 4, 2025: ZooLights
- Nov. 23: Christmas tree lighting in Capitol Hill
- Nov. 23: Tree lighting at City Ridge
- Nov. 25 to Jan. 1, 2025: Light Yards in Navy Yard
- Nov. 30: Holiday tree lighting at CityCenterDC
- Dec. 3: Lighting of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree
- Dec. 6: Tree lighting in Columbia Heights
- Dec. 7: Holiday boat parade and party at The Wharf
- Dec. 25: National menorah lighting at the Ellipse
- Dec. 28: Menorah lighting in Capitol Hill
And here are the Maryland holiday lightings to look forward to:
- Nov. 22 to Jan. 5, 2025: Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton
- Nov. 23 to Dec. 29: Winter City Lights in Olney
- Nov. 23: Tree lighting and fireworks in National Harbor
- Nov. 24 to Jan. 1, 2025: Lights on the Bay in Annapolis
- Nov. 29 to Dec. 31: Winter Lights Festival in Gaithersburg
- Nov. 29 to Jan. 4, 2025: Merriweather Symphony of Lights in Columbia
- Nov. 29 to Jan. 1, 2025: Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park in Upper Marlboro
Finally, here are some Virginia holiday lightings to expect:
- Through Jan. 5, 2025: Winter Walk of Lights in Vienna
- Through Jan. 12, 2025: DMV Winter Lantern Festival in Tysons
- Through Jan. 15, 2025: Bull Run Festival of Lights in Centreville
- Nov. 23: Holiday tree lighting and ALX275 closing event at Market Square in Old Town Alexandria
- Nov. 23: Tree lighting and holiday firelight event in Occoquan
- Nov. 29 to Dec. 23: Winter Glow and Christmas Illuminations at Mount Vernon in Mount Vernon
- Nov. 29: Holiday parade and tree lighting in Reston
- Nov. 29: Holiday tree lighting and Santa fire truck parade in Fairfax
- Nov. 29 to Jan. 6, 2025: The Winter Village at Cameron Run in Alexandria
- Dec. 5: Tree lighting in Rosslyn
- Dec. 5: Tree lighting in Arlington’s Shirlington neighborhood
- Dec. 7: Holiday boat parade of lights in Alexandria
- Dec. 8: Tree and menorah lighting in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood
Here’s what else is happening in the D.C. area:
DC
Holiday & Hops
This Thursday, head to the Heurich House Museum for a special holiday event with seasonal beer pours from Red Bear Brewing and Dad Strength Brewing, plus cocktails from Sangfroid Distilling. Guests are invited to wear their favorite ugly sweater to celebrate. Tickets are $32 for museum members and $35 for nonmembers.
D.C. Risoprint Fair
Celebrate the art of risography this weekend at Eastern Market’s North Hall. Risography is a stencil printing method that’s a cross between photocopying and screen printing. On Saturday and Sunday, the D.C. Risoprint Fair is showcasing thousands of prints, books and other works using this process, presented by local visual arts news source East City Art. The event is free and open to the public.
The Native American History of Washington, D.C.
D.C. Public Library is hosting a conversation with author Armand Lione for his book, “Native American History of Washington, D.C.,” in honor of Native American History Month. The event is at Georgetown Neighborhood Library on Saturday.
Maryland
Holiday Art Show & Sale
At Glen Echo Park, shop for the holidays from Saturday through Jan. 5, 2025, at the Popcorn Gallery and Stone Tower Gallery. This show and sale includes art mediums such as ceramics, glass, painting, jewelry and holiday ornaments.
Holiday Maker-Mart & Open House
The Howard County Arts Council is hosting a juried holiday market at the Howard County Center for the Arts in Ellicott City. The market runs from Saturday through Dec. 5 with handmade goods from local artisans. For more holiday markets to consider, check out WTOP’s recent Things to Do guide.
Outdoor viewing of NFL game
View the upcoming Washington Commanders vs. Dallas Cowboys game on a big screen outside at the Plaza in National Harbor. The event is Sunday.
Virginia
Alexandria Cider Festival
Bask in the autumnal season with a glass (or two) of cider. The Alexandria Cider Festival on Saturday includes cider tastings, a souvenir glass, live music, tavern games, access to a food truck and a little history too. Tickets to the event cost $55 through Friday, which is also when online sales end. Afterward, tickets can be purchased at the door for $65. A designated driver ticket is $25.
Old Town Alexandria Cookie Crawl
This annual event is back in Old Town Alexandria with a kickoff to the holiday season with 30 locations in the neighborhood participating in a cookie crawl. On Saturday and Sunday, participants in this family-friendly event get to enjoy cookies found throughout the walkable shopping district. The event is sold out, but the public can still join the waitlist. Tickets cost approximately $50.
Renaissance Festival
Shipgarten in Tysons invites the public to get into the Medieval spirit by watching knights joust and savoring turkey legs on Saturday. Other activities and events include arrow shooting, a tug-of-war, a knight sword show and stein hoisting.
Vienna Turkey Trot
There’s still time to sign up for a run Sunday in Vienna. The Vienna Turkey Trot includes the options for participants to run a 10K, 5K or a fun run, hosted by the James Madison High School Band. All proceeds benefit the JMHS “Pride of Vienna” Band and the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department.
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