Happy Weekend!
Quick links to ideas for ongoing DC fun:
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* The Great Indoors
* Local Hikes with Kids
* Off-the-Beaten-Path DC Museums
* MD & VA Museums
* Baltimore with Kids
* Bike Rides
* Stunning Spaces
* Peaceful Places
Holiday Marketing
Where: Several locations Around the Area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
‘Tis the season for holiday shopping! Several festive holiday markets kick off this weekend, bringing lots of ops to find unique gifts and more fun — festive food and drinks, live entertainment, and seasonal activities, will get you into the holiday spirit. The DowntownDC Holiday Market in Penn Quarter, DC Holiday Market in Dupont Circle, and the Museum & Makers Holiday Market are a few… and see all the holiday markets that will be here this season.
Light Up the Season
Where: Around the area
When: Evenings
Admission: Varies by locale
Twinkling lights forming enchanting displays are easily a holiday season favorite. A few annual light displays open this weekend, welcoming guests to their sparkling wonderlands. One is listed in this round-up, and you can see other locations in the 2026 Guide to the Holiday Season. Some you can walk through for an up-close experience, others you tour by car. If you opt for the latter, dress the kids in PJ’s, turn up the holiday tunes, and bring along a thermos of hot chocolate. Either way, be prepared to be dazzled!
ICE, ICE, Baby
Where: National Harbor, MD
When: Starts Friday thru December 31
Admission: $39-50 (look for discount)
The popular holiday spectacle, ICE!, begins on Saturday, and tickets are still available for opening day. This year it’s with an “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” theme, and you walk through frozen holiday scenes depicting the story and slide down small ice slides — all kept at a very chilly 9 degrees. Read more about it, plus other National Harbor holiday activities, in this post from a few years ago.
Holiday Kick-Off Celebration
Where: Tysons Corner Center | Tysons, VA
When: Friday, 6-8pm
Admission: Free
Join Tysons for an enchanted evening to celebrate the start of the Holiday season! Enjoy Santa’s grand arrival, holiday performances, retailer market, giveaways, and more, all in the midst of the expanded Enchant Holiday Light Experience sponsored by George Mason University.
Saturday Morning LIVE
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: Saturday, 10am
Admission: Free
At this session of Saturday Morning Live, step under the Big Top for Marvelous Mickey, Circus Star, presented by Only Make Believe. Designed especially for ages 3-6, but fun for the whole family, it’s a great way to introduce little ones to the magic of live performance. If advanced spots are taken, note that walk-ins are welcome as space allows.
More Show Time
Where: Theatres around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue
* Mamma Mia! at National Theatre
* Les Misérables at OlneyTheatre
* The Emperor’s New Clothes at Creative Cauldron
Holiday Makers Market & Festival
Where: Wisconsin Ave & Jennifer St | Friendship Heights, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free
Bring the whole family for a festive day of holiday shopping and fun, including giveaways, crafts, and live music. Browse dozens of local artisans, creative vendors, and neighborhood small businesses offering unique gifts, handmade goods, and delicious prepared foods.
Family Day: Maps and Navigation
Where: Udvar-Hazy Center | Dulles, VA
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free, but parking is $15
How do you find your way to school, across the country, through the skies, or even to another planet? Explore how people map and navigate their world! Try hands-on activities, conversations with experts, and navigation and mapmaking experiences.Discover how the concepts of location, direction, and route planning connect everyday travel with aviation and space exploration.
Family Day: Giving Thanks
Where Library of Congress | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Saturday, 10:30am -3:30pm
Admission: Free
Celebrate fall family cooking traditions by decorating and filling your own recipe book. Learn about fall festivals around the world from Library staff, and chat with librarians about their work with related special collections.
Open Studio: Corrugated Masks
Where: Hirshhorn Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free
Drop in to get creative at the Hirshhorn’s weekly program. Draw inspiration from the Museum’s newly renovated Sculpture Garden and learn about Mark Grotjahn’s artwork — he began creating his “masks” using discarded cardboard boxes from his studio. Based on his artistic practice, make sculptures out of recycled cardboard and other loose parts!
Family Workshop:Painting Rescue
Where: Asian Art Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 11am-12:30pm & 1:30–3pm
Admission: Free
How do conservators save a painting when the paint begins to flake away? Discover the answer in this hands-on workshop for kids ages 6–11 and their caregivers. Explore South Asian and Southeast Asian artworks in The Art of Knowing, then learn how conservators keep paintings intact. Through simple experiments, investigate how liquids can travel through tiny spaces — the same process conservators use to guide adhesive beneath fragile paint flakes. Then create your own artwork using the same scientific principle, known as capillary action, to make colorful designs.
Spirit in the Semis
Where: Audi Field | Southwest DC
When: Saturday, 12pm
Admission: Ticket prices vary (check for deals)
The Washington Spirit are headed to the NWSL playoff semifinals after winning an exciting quarterfinal match last weekend! This round, they’re playing the Utah Royals for a chance to move on to the finals. Tickets are sold out, but you can check here for resale — there are good seats still available!
Holiday Tree Lighting
Where: CityCenter | Downtown DC
When: Saturday, 5-7pm
Admission: Free
Kick off the holiday season at CityCenterDC’s annual holiday tree lighting. The evening will include a joyful music performance by headliner, Jordin Sparks, alongside the incredible American Pops Orchestra, balloon artists, face painters, holiday treats and more. NBC4’s Eun Yang will host the official tree lighting ceremony and countdown. Enjoy the dazzling 75-foot tree, visit two resident 25-foot reindeer, and capture the spirit of the holidays with a photo under the Palmer Alley Dream Closet art installation!
Light Up the Carousel
Where: Gleb Echo Park | Glen Echo, MD
When: Saturday, 6-8pm
Admission: Free
Glen Echo Park is kicking off the holiday season with an inaugural lighting of the carousel! The 105-year-old Denzel carouselwill be illuminated with a stunning display of twinkling lights. Note that rides will not be offered, but hot cider, food truck fare, and plenty of photo ops will be available. The opening reception for Glen Echo’s Holiday Art Show & Sale will also be happening, and all are welcome to join.
Roam Free
Where: Dumbarton Oaks Gardens | Georgetown, DC
When: Throughout the weekend, 2-5pm
Admission: Free
One of my favorite KFDC tips to impart because it’s one of my favorite places in DC: From November through December 31 this year, there is no fee to visit the enchanting gardens at Dumbarton Oaks. Stroll among the various plats, find lovely tucked away places to sit, and get ready for delights as you turn every corner. Hours are limited, but you can make a longer day of it with play time at Montrose Park next door, a hike at Dumbarton Oaks Park right behind the gardens, or a bite to eat at one of of the many options in Georgetown. Be sure to reserve passes in advance!
Open House & Family Fun Day
Where: NCRC | Downtown DC
When: Saturday, 9:30-11:30am
Admission: Free
Are you exploring preschool options in the DC area? Join the National Child Research Center this Saturday for a morning of family fun and to learn all about their programs. Children can enjoy gardening, story time, and nature in art as well as exploring NCRC’s extensive playground.Families can meet NCRC faculty and parents and tour the classrooms. NCRC offers half-day and full day programs for children ages 2-5 years old. Register in advance here.
Christmas at the Harbor
Where: National Harbor | Oxon Hill, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: Free, though some activities cost extra
National Harbor’s holiday celebation begins this weekend and runs through January 3. ICE! at the Gaylord is the big attraction, but there is plenty to do there to warrant a visit without the frozen entertainment. There is much more to do at the Gaylord Resort, and even more outside of it — a nightly tree lighting show, a Christmas market, fireworks, movies on the Potomac and more. Read more about the Gaylord experience in this post.
Caps vs Devils
Where: Capitol One Arena | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Saturday, 7pm
Admission: Tickets prices vary (check for deals)
The Capitals are playing at home on Saturday night, hosting the New Jersey Devils. Plan an outing in the Penn Quarter neighborhood before… hit the National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum or stop by the DowntownDC Holiday Market or enjoy a family dinner before the game!
American Art Family Day
Where: American Art Museum | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Sunday, 11:30am – 3:30pm
Admission: Free
Explore SAAM’s newly reopened collection galleries with a day of family-friendly activities. Drop in for a still life sketching studio, then complete an elements of art activity in the galleries. Kids 12 and under can enjoy a selection of crafts and coloring pages in the Kogod Courtyard. Food and drink specials will be available for purchase from the Courtyard Café.
Ride for Your Life
Where: Capitol Hill & National Mall, DC
When: Sunday, 1pm
Admission: Free
Join Hill Family Biking as they partner of the Ride for Your Life DC, a ride honoring lives changed by traffic violence and inspiring action to create safe streets for everyone. The event starts and ends on the Mall between 3rd and 4th St, so we’ll be meeting at Stanton Park at 1pm for a short 1.3 mile ride to join participants from across the region. After the ride, there will be a rally in front of the Capitol and fun activities for everyone back at John Marshall Park.
Wizards vs Rockets
Where: Capital One Arena | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Sunday, 7pm
Admission: Tickets prices vary (check for deals)
The Wizards are playing at home Sunday evening. Catch the action on the court as they play the Detroit Pistons. Plan on a pre-game meal in Penn Quarter — some family-friendly recs: Jaleo, Carmine’s, Reren, and Shake Shack.
College Hoops
Where: Colleges around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Ticket prices vary
The college basketball season just started, and with so many universities in the area, there’s always some good hoops action going on — and it’s also a great time for families. Here are a few games you can catch this weekend:
* GW men vs Harvard on Friday at 7pm
* Maryland men vs UVA on Friday at 8pm – Go, Terps! (Sorry, Owen)
* GW women vs Long Island State on Saturday at 5:30pm
* American men vs Harvard on Sunday at 1pm
* Maryland women vs Columbia on Sunday at 1pm – Go, Terps!
* Georgetown women vs Howard on Sunday at 2pm
Get Your Skate(s) On
Where: Ice rinks around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by rink
A few of the area ice rinks are open, and weather should be good for gliding at least one day. Rockville Town Square, Reston Town Center, and Westpost at Pentagon Row are open, and more will welcome skaters soon. This post has details on all of the places you can skate the day (and night) away!
Savor Autumn
Where: Around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
The trees may be starting to lose their leaves, but there’s still plenty of autumn left in the area — and a bunch of great ways to enjoy it. This post has recommendations for where to savor the season around the DMV.
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* The round-up of places offering indoor fun and games is not just good for planning a family outing; many of the spots would also be great for birthday parties!
* With the recent reopening of the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden, it’s a great time to highlight even more places to enjoy art al fresco around DC.
* Hanuakkah happenings and holiday season shows start this weekend with Hanukkah Spectacular at Woolly Mammoth.
* REI’s deals section is always worth a browse.
* Just put a couple of cute long sleeve T’s in my Amazon cart: this and this.
* This Good Hang with Alanis Morrissette was a really good listen.
* A lot of this is way off — more doodles than goldens, more Subarus than Land Rovers, and we live in row homes not brownstones — but it’s still cute. 🙂
