Christmas Happenings Fill the Weekend
The holidays are in full swing in the DMV. If you need a break from shopping or wrapping presents, there are plenty of holiday activities including light displays, concerts and plays to get you in the mood. The weather is going to be rainy but mild on Friday and Saturday with mostly sunny skies and temperatures near 50 on Sunday. Check out our Holiday Happenings Guide for ongoing holiday activities and our Outdoor Ice Skating Guides for a list of local rinks.
Red Line trains will single track between Friendship Heights and Medical Center beginning at 10 p.m. Saturday and all day Sunday with trains running every 16 minutes. On Sunday, additional trains will run every 8 minutes between Van Ness-UDC and Glenmont from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. All other lines will operate on normal weekend schedules.
Magical Musical Holiday Step Show
D.C.’s Step Afrika!, the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping, puts its annual Magical Musical Holiday Step Show on at the Atlas Performing Arts Center beginning this weekend. The family-friendly show will combine clapping, stomping and stepping for a dazzling array of percussive dance. Furry friends from the animal kingdom and a dance party hosted by DJ Nutcracker are also on the docket.
Dec. 12-22 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 4:30 p.m. Sunday at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $45 for adults and $25 for children. Call the box office at 202-399-7993 ext. 2 for availability.
Ice Maze
The largest clear ice maze in the United States comes to CityCenterDC this weekend. Seven-foot walls present a chilly challenge for visitors in this incredible construction that features roughly 110,000 pounds of ice. The free-to-enter maze will only be open for this weekend, so make sure to take advantage of it while you can.
Dec. 13 from 4-9 p.m., and Dec. 14 and 15 from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. at CityCenterDC, 825 10th St. NW. It is closed from 2-4 p.m. for repairs. Admission is FREE!
Mount Vernon by Candlelight
Mount Vernon’s residents and visitors host a festive evening during Mount Vernon by Candlelight. Enjoy the sounds of the holiday season while viewing spectacular Christmas trees highlighting the lives of the Washingtons. Your tour begins with a lantern lit walk of the historic area. Learn about holiday traditions of the 18th century while viewing the slave quarters and outbuildings of the estate. Inside the mansion, Lady Washington and other residents welcome you into their home and share stories of past Christmases. After the tour concludes, visit the greenhouse and participate in 18th century dancing, just as the Washingtons might have done during the holidays. Travel to the 12-Acre Field to visit Aladdin the Christmas camel. You can also visit an 18th-century soldiers’ winter encampment. The evening concludes with lives music, cider and cookies. The museum will be closed.
Dec. 12, 14 and 22 from 5-9 p.m. at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, Va. Tickets are $26 for adults 12 and older, $18 for youth ages 6-11 and kids 5 and younger are FREE!
An Irish Carol
The Irish have something to say about that “Carol” of yours, Mr. Dickens. For the ninth year, the Keegan Theatre stages An Irish Carol that subs Dublin pub owner David for Scrooge. He has distanced himself from his family through his profitable bar, but a visitor from the past, along with present figures and the prospect of a sad future could turn David around. With searing wit, fast-paced dialogue and a classic Irish sensibility, Matthew Keenan’s play is perfect for holiday laughs – and intended for audiences 16 and older.
Dec. 12-31 at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and Dec. 23, 7 p.m. Sunday and 3 p.m. Dec. 22 at Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. Tickets are $51-$65.
A Holiday Pops! Under the Mistletoe with Leslie Odom Jr.
The NSO Pops, the Washington Chorus and Ol’ Saint Nick himself present A Holiday Pops! Under the Mistletoe with Leslie Odom Jr., a program of holiday carols and seasonal sing-alongs that the entire family can enjoy. Hear the musical stylings of Leslie Odom Jr., the original player of Aaron Burr in Hamilton. He has also done notable work on the small screen and released two solo jazz albums. Odom will perform on Friday and Saturday night.
Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $29-$109.
Eureka Day
At Eureka Day School in Berkeley, all decisions are made by consensus, diversity and inclusion are valued, and vaccinations are a personal matter. When a mumps outbreak hits the school, it turns out that not everyone in the community has the same definition of social justice. Now the board of directors must confront the central question: how do you find consensus when you can’t agree on the facts? It is the vaxxers vs. the ani-vaxxers as the parents struggle to do what is right for their kids in this hilarious and timely play.
Through Jan. 5 at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and Dec. 18, 23 and 30, 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 29 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $20-$65.
Fiddler on the Roof
Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher brings his magic to one of theater’s legendary productions. The original Fiddler on the Roof won 10 Tony Awards, including a special Tony for becoming the longest-running Broadway musical ever. Now, you will be able to enjoy a reimagination of the fantastic play, a tale of family and faith told through riveting song and dance. Hear classics like Matchmaker, Matchmaker, If I Were a Rich Man and Tradition.
Dec. 13 at 8 p.m., Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets are $54-$124.
Russian Winter Festival
Meet Grandfather Frost, the Russian Santa Claus, and his granddaughter, the Snow Maiden at Hillwood Estate’s annual Russian Winter Festival, which brings holiday cheer and Russian traditions to the DMV this weekend. You can also make and wear your own traditional headwear and enjoy live performances as you explore the grounds of this historic estate.
Dec. 14 and 15 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, $12 for members, $10 for college students, $5 for children 6-18 and children younger than 6 are FREE!
AF (American Field) Holiday Pop-Up
Union Market is the perfect venue for this holiday shopping extravaganza that takes place this weekend. The AF Holiday Pop-Up (formerly American Field) features free cocktail, beer and wine samples from local vendors. Finish up your holiday shopping or get it started with more than 80 local and national brands and craftsmen featuring fashion, lifestyle, wellness, home décor and more.
Dec. 14 and 15 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Union Market’s Dock 5, 1309 5th St. NE. Tickets are $5 for general admission and $15 for VIP admission, which includes both days and entrance at 10 a.m.
The Holiday Show
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. promises “more sparkle than ever” for this year’s performances of its annual holiday show, which features disco dancers, muscle boys, candlelight processionals, handbells, falling snow, Santa Claus and a seven-foot-tall Christmas tree wearing heels. The set list includes old classics like It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and new entries into the holiday canon including What a Gay Ol’ Christmas Tree.
Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. at the Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. Tickets are $25-$65.
Winter’s Eve
Charming Glen Echo Park turns into a one-stop winter wonderland for families during the free Winter’s Eve festival. Take part in story time and singalongs, warm up at the hot chocolate bar and peruse the holiday art show and sale. Or you could make your own gifts: Find holiday craft rooms for kids and adults, along with a $35 glass-ornament-making class and $25 holiday portrait sessions.
Dec. 14 from 4-7 p.m. at Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, Md. Admission is FREE!
Sing! An Irish Christmas
Join Ireland’s own Keith and Kristyn Getty, known for modern hymns and carols such as In Christ Alone, in their eighth annual tour of Sing! An Irish Christmas. The Gettys are joined by their band of virtuosic instrumentalists fusing Celtic, bluegrass, Americana, modern and classical music along with cultural dance and the choral sounds of the holiday.
Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. at the the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $40-$85.
Kwanzaa Celebration
Dance Place in the Brookland neighborhood annually holds its annual Kwanzaa Celebration this weekend. Each of the seven principles of the holiday are honored, as director Sylvia Soumah guides some of the area’s finest dancers, including Coyaba Dance Theater and Coyaba Academy. Expect pounding rhythms, incredible moves and an undeniably communal atmosphere across performances.
Dec. 14 from 7-10 p.m. and Dec. 15 from 3-5 p.m. at Dance Place, 3225 Eighth St. NE. Tickets are $5-$15 at the door.
A Candlelight Christmas
The Washington Chorus consists more than 130 voices that work in tandem with brass, organ and percussion to create wonderful renditions of Christmas classics in A Candlelight Christmas. The chorus will be accompanied by the National Capital Brass and the audience will be asked to join in joyous sing-alongs. A beloved and traditional candlelight processional also takes place at this annual event. (The show will also be presented at Strathmore at 8 p.m. Dec. 14)
Dec. 15 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. and Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $19-$82.
Great Russian Nutcracker
The Music Center at Strathmore hosts the Moscow Ballet for what will be two nights of unforgettable performances of the classic Great Russian Nutcracker. The show features larger-than-life props, authentic Russian costumes and hand-painted sets. And of course, the Moscow Ballet is one of the most acclaimed in the world, meaning you will be able to witness masters of the craft just outside of the D.C. city line.
Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $29-$175.
Songs of the Season
The Choral Arts Chorus and Youth Choir come to the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall for the performance of classic holiday carols and seasonal favorites including O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, A Child Is Born in Bethlehem, O Holy Night, The First Noel, Silent Night, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and the Hallelujah Chorus in Songs of the Season. The entire family is invited to enjoy this festive celebration of the winter holidays. Hear soprano soloist Kristina Lewis as well.
Dec. 15 at 8 p.m., Dec. 16 at 7 p.m., Dec. 21 at 1 p.m. and Dec. 24 at 2 p.m at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $15-$72.
Ongoing events
All Work, No Pay from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. through February at the National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
Alonso Berruguete: First Sculpture of Renaissance Spain from 10 a.m.-5 p.m Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through Feb. 17 at the National Gallery of Art, Fourth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
Amadeus at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 7 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday through Dec. 22 at Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $27-$85.
CLOSED UNTIL MARCH! Animals, Collected from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.6 p.m. Sunday through Spring 2020 at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Tickets are $7-$10.
Americans from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through 2022 at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Fourth Street and Independence Avenue SW. Admission is FREE!
American’s First Veterans from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday through Apr 5 at Anderson House, 2118 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
Becoming Jane from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through summer 2020 at the National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW. Tickets are $10-$15.
Bonnard to Vuillard: The Intimate Poetry of Everyday Life from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon-6:30 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 26 at The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors 62+, and children 18 and younger are FREE!
By the Light of the Silvery Moon: A Century of Lunar Photographs from the 1850s to Apollo 11 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 5 at the National Gallery of Art, Fourth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
A Christmas Carol at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday through Jan. 1 as well as Dec. 18, 19, 23 and 26 and Jan. 1, and noon Dec. 4 and 5 at Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. Tickets are $32-$124.
Downtown Holiday Market from noon-8 p.m. daily through Dec. 23 along F Street between Seventh and Ninth Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Elephants and Us: Considering Extinction from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Sept. 13 at the National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
Enchant from 4:30-10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4:30-11 Friday and Saturday from Nov. 22-Dec. 12 and 4:30-11:30 p.m. from Dec. 13-30 at Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol Street SE. Tickets are $14.99-$33.99.
Encountering the Buddha: Art and Practice across Asia from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Nov. 29 at the Freer|Sackler Galleries, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
The End: A Mediation on Death and Extinction from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 20 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors 65 and older and students older than 18, and FREE for children 18 and younger.
Feel the Sun in Your Mouth: Recent Acquisitions from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through February at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Independence Avenue and Seventh Street NW. Admission is FREE!
Game Change: Elephants from Prey to Preservation from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Feb. 1, at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
Ginny Ruffner: Reforestation of the Imagination from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Jan. 5 at the Renwick Gallery, Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW. Admission is FREE!
Heroes: Principles of African Greatness, from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Dec. 31, 2020 at the National Museum of African Art, 950 Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
Hokusai: Mad About Paintting from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Nov. 8 at the Freer Gallery, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
I Am . . . Contemporary Women Artists of Africa from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through July 5 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, 950 Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
In Mid-Sentence from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Mar. 8 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Intersections: Los Carpinteros from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon-6:30 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 12 at the Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors 62 and older. Children 18 and younger are FREE!
Live Dangerously from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 20 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors 65 and older and students older than 18, and FREE for children 18 and younger.
Manifesto: Art x Agency from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. through Jan. 5 at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Independence Avenue and Seventh Street SW. Admission is FREE!
Marcel Duchamp: The Barbara and Aaron Levine Collection from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. through Oct. 12 at the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW. Admission is FREE!
Michael Sherrill Retrospective from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Jan. 5 at the Renwick Gallery, Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW. Admission is FREE!
Mid-Century Master: The Photography of Alfred Eisentaedt from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday through Jan. 12 at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for college students, $5 for children ages 6-18 and children younger than 6 are FREE!
Newsies at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday through Dec. 29 at Arena Stage,1101 Sixth St. SW. Tickets are $66-$102.
One Life: Marian Anderson from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. through May 17 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Outbreak from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through 2021 at the National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
The Outwin 2019: American Portraiture Today from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Aug. 30 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Pat Steir: Color Wheel from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Sept. 7 at the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW. Admission is FREE!
Picture Books of the Past: Reading an Old Master Painting from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily through Sept. 30 at the Museum of the Bible, 400 Fourth St. SW. Advance tickets are $19.99 for adults, $9.99 for children 7-17 and children and younger are FREE. Tickets at the door at $24.99 for adults, $19.99 for seniors, military, first responders and students, $14.99 for children 7-17 and children 6 and younger are FREE!
Picturing the American Buffalo: George Catlin and Modern Native American Artists from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Apr. 12 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Recent Acquisitions from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Aug. 30 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. through Jan. 3, 2021, at the National Archives, 701 Constitution Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday through Dec. 31 at the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets are $12.71-$21.21 online or $14.95-$24.95 at the door.
Sacred Dedication: A Korean Buddhist Masterpiece from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Mar. 22 at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
Sculpture Down to Scale: Models for Public Art at Federal Buildings, 1974-1985 from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. through June 6 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Sea Monsters Unearthed, Life in Angola’s Ancient Seas from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily through 2020 at the National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
Section 14: The Other Palm Springs, California from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through January at the National Museum of the American Indian, Fourth Street and Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
Seriously Funny: From the Desk of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday through Dec. 31 at the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Admission is $12.71-$21.21 in online or $14.95-$24.95 at the door.
Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday through September at the Library of Congress’ Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. Admission is FREE!
Subodh Gupta: Terminal from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through 2020 at the Freer|Sackler Galleries, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
The Touch of Color: Pastels at the National Gallery of Art from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 26 at the National Gallery of Art, Fourth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
Verrocchio: Sculptor and Painter of Renaissance Florence from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 12 at the National Gallery of Art, Fourth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
What Absence Is Made Of from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through March at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW. Admission is FREE!
LAST CHANCE! White Pearl at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 7 p.m. Sunday through Dec. 15 at Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20-$111.
Women Artists of the Dutch Golden Age from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 5 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW. Tickets are $10 for adults, and $8 for seniors 65 and older and students. Children 18 and younger are FREE!
Women of Progress: Early Camera Portraits from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through May 31 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.