It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas

There are plenty of holiday events happening in the DMV this weekend. The 10-day Georgetown Glow light display begins and there is a holiday card workshop at the National Postal Museum. The Decatur House holds its holiday open house on Sunday and the Nationals Winterfest is at the convention center this weekend and team’s new manager will be on hand along with players. If you have an ugly holiday sweater, you can wear it in the Ugly Sweater Run at National Harbor and the National Building Museum celebrates its 35th birthday with free admission.

This weekend on Metro, Yellow and Green Line trains will operate at regular intervals. Red Line trains will operate every 18 minutes on Saturday and every 20 minutes on Sunday. The Forest Glen station on the Red Line will be closed Sunday from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. for a drill and trains will pass through the station without stopping. Shuttle buses will be available between Forest Glen and Wheaton. Orange, Silver and Blue Line trains will operate every 18 minutes beginning Saturday at 8 p.m.

Over a million lights decorate Brookside Gardens in Wheaton. (Photo: Montgomery Parks)

Garden of Lights

Garden of Lights, a winter garden walk-through light display returns to Montgomery County for its 18th season with more than 1 million colorful lights shaped into hand-crafted, original art forms of flowers, animals and other natural elements. Stroll from garden to garden enjoying twinkling tree forms, fountains, sparkling snowflakes overhead and more. Step inside the conservatory to enjoy G-Scale model trains wind through a seasonal landscape. Afterward, warm up inside the visitors’ center while you sip hot cocoa and listen to one of the nightly musical performances.

Through Jan. 3 except Dec. 24 and 25 from 5:30-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5:30-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallen Ave., Wheaton. Admission is $25 per car/van Monday through Thursday and $30 Friday through Sunday. Cash only. The conservatory winter display and garden railway exhibit are open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily free of charge.

Holiday Market Festival & Bonfire

A vendor at Rosslyn’s Holiday Market Festival. (Photo: Rosslyn BID)

Head to Rosslyn for holiday shopping, fun and entertainment at the Holiday Market Festival and Bonfire. Gateway Park will host more than 20 unique vendors offering handcrafted home goods, gourmet food, art, toys and more. Food trucks will be on site and a live jazz trio will perform from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The band Jeff From Accounting will perform from 5-8 p.m. and the bonfire will be lit and a DJ will provide music from 6-9 p.m. Wine and beer will also be available.

Dec.11 from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. at Gateway Park, 1300 Lee Highway, Arlington. Admission is FREE!

New York City: A Portrait Through Stamp Art

A stamp of the Empire State Building. (Photo: National Postal Museum)

When someone mentions New York City, you think of Broadway, tall buildings, life in the big city and the Statue of Liberty. All of those things and more are represented in New York City: A Portrait Through Stamp Art, a 30-piece exhibition of original artwork publicly displayed for the first time. It is part of a collection of more than 5,000 original pieces of art commissioned by the U.S. Postmasters General for stamps issued during a 70-year period. The exhibit includes the final approved art that can be seen on many U.S. postage stamps, as well as concept drawings that were submitted but never used. The stamps represent baseball, Broadway, city life, icons, politics and music.

Through Mar. 13 from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily except Dec. 25 at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!

Georgetown Glow

Georgetown will light up with displays from five artists including Latent E Scapes, shown above. (Photo; ULR and Sho)

Five artists, including locals Kelly Towles and Hiroshi Jacobs, will give light to Georgetown Glow, a public art installation on the C&O Canal. This year’s exhibition encourages contemplation of, and interaction with, the natural environment. The historic C&O Canal, reminiscent of Georgetown’s founding as a port town just steps from bustling M Street serves as the primary location for the works. The event, which expands to 10 days this year, will feature outdoor music performances on Saturday and Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at Grace Church. And you can meet the Glow artists Saturday at Hickok Cole Architects at 5 p.m.

Through Dec. 20 from 6-10 p.m. along the C&O Canal in Georgetown. Admission is FREE!

Ugly Sweater Run

Runners at last year’s Ugly Sweater Run pose in front of a fireplace backdrop. (Photo: Ugly Sweater Run)

The Ugly Sweater Run is a festive 5K that features runners wearing the ugliest holiday sweaters they have. If you don’t own the appropriate attire, organizers will be happy to sell you something to wear. The hydration stations swap hot chocolate for water, and there’s a Sam Adams beer waiting at the finish line. The start line includes inflatables, photo stations, games and cheerful holiday music. Awards will be given for best ugly sweat, best kids sweat, best pet attire and best real/fake mustache/bear. All participants get a knit hat.

Dec. 12 starting at 9 a.m. at 165 Waterfront St. in National Harbor. Early registration is $40; day-of registration is $50. Parking is free.

Visitors can make holiday cards Saturday at the National Postal Museum. (Photo: National Postal Museum)

Holiday Card Workshop

Kick off the holiday season by creating heartfelt, one-of-a-kind handmade Christmas cards at the National Postal Museum’s Holiday Card Workshop. Use holiday stamps from all over the world to inspire your creativity and decorate your cards. In addition to stamps, a variety of craft supplies await you at the workshop.

Dec. 12 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
 
 

National Building Museum’s 35th Birthday

The National Building Museum celebrates it 35th birthday with free admission Saturday. (Graphic: National Building Museum)

Thirty-five years ago Saturday, an act of Congress established the nation’s only museum dedicated to the history and impact of the built environment. To celebrate its 35th birthday, the museum is throwing open its doors and offering free admission as well as birthday festivities throughout the day. Visitors will have the opportunity to participate in a Lego community build in which visitors of all ages are welcome to build and rebuild a collective structure over the day.

Dec. 12 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Admission is FREE!

The 800 block of Upshur Street NW will host an arts and crafts street fair. (Photo: Petworth Business Association)

Upshur Street Art and Craft Fair

The coolest street in Petworth welcomes a variety of vendors selling handmade goods such as the leatherworkers of Stitch & Rivet at the Upshur Street Art and Craft Show. Merchants also sell food and drinks, and there’s a craft area for children.

Dec. 12 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. in the 800 block of Upshur Street NW. Admission is FREE!
 
 

Nationals Winterfest

Doug Fister gives pitching instructions at last year’s Nationals Winterfest. (Photo: Zach Dulli/Instagram)

New Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker will be at this year’s Nationals Winterfest along with Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg, Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman and many others to sign autographs and talk baseball with. Expect to see the Racing Presidents, Santa Claus and a snow globe for selfies as well.

Dec. 12 and 13 from 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. (season ticket holders get in at 10 a.m.) at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Place NW. Admission is $30 for adults, $20 for children ages 4-12 and free for kids 3 and younger.

Holiday Open House

The Decatur House’s free open house Sunday will include a White House gingerbread exhibit. (Photo: White House Historical Association)

The day-long family-friendly holiday open house at the White House Historical Association’s Decatur House features activities and demonstrations for all ages exploring the White House gingerbread exhibit and the theme of this year’s official White House Christmas ornament honoring the first National Christmas Tree Lighting by President Calvin Coolidge in 1923. Music will be performed throughout the day by students from the Levine School of Music and events by former White House floral designer Jennie Lewis, former White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier and others.

Dec. 13 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.at the Decatur House, 1600 H St. NW. Admission is FREE!

Yumeji

The Freer Gallery will screen Yumeji free at 2 p.m. Sunday. (Photo: Seijun Suzuki)

The Freer Gallery has been diving into Seijun Suzuki’s Taisho Trilogy of thematically linked films this month, and things wrap up on Sunday with Yumeji, the 1991 finale that tells the story about painter Takehisa Yumeji, who was known as much for his paintings of beautiful women as for his bohemian lifestyle. As played by rock star Kenji Sawada, the Yumeji of Suziki’s film is a serial seducer haunted by thoughts of his own death while pursuing ideals of beauty in his art. The Suzuki’s films2 have influence the work of Quentin Tarantino and John Woo, among others.

Dec. 13 staring at 2 p.m. at the Freer Gallery of Art, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!