AFI Silver Theatre’s AFI Holiday Classics:
Although holiday movies have been overrunning streaming sites for weeks, nothing compares to experiencing the classics in a theatre, including “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Miracle on 34th Street,” “Elf,” and “Die Hard.” The moving 1952 drama “The Holly and the Ivy” and the recently restored director’s cut of “The Muppet Christmas Carol” are two noteworthy additions to the Silver Theatre’s Holiday Classics series. till December 25. $10 to $13, $5 for kids under 12 years old.
Key Points
Library of Congress Holiday Celebration:
A family-friendly Christmas celebration is being held in the Library of Congress’ Thomas Jefferson Building, which has been festively adorned. You may anticipate musical performances, refreshments, and a storytime with Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, with a Christmas theme. 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Reservations necessary; free.
Pizzeria Paradiso Dupont Circle’s The Do Good Can Can This regularly occurring charity event for Martha’s Table personifies the giving season: Bartenders will swap you canned beers from Aslin, Right Proper, and other regional brewers in exchange for canned foods you may contribute to the neighbourhood organisation. 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free.
Goldie at Flash:
Goldie has always had one of the most endearing and aspirational characters in electronic music. When at his finest, he has supported his boasts: The label he co-founded, Metalheadz, is the defining imprint for the underground genre. His 1995 debut “Timeless” has continued to live up to its namesake by showcasing both the unfathomable depths and soaring heights of drum & bass music. The former graffiti artist has now transitioned into acting and writing, but he hasn’t stopped following his inspiration. As Subjective, he collaborated with engineer James Davidson to release the genre-defying “The Start of No Regret” earlier this year. 10 p.m. $30.
Dec. 16th, Friday
‘The Spirit of Kwanzaa’ at Cramton Auditorium:
By educating and assisting the upcoming generation of “preprofessional” dancers, The Dance Institute of Washington has been in the forefront of diversifying ballet in Washington, D.C. Dance, spoken word, and music are used in this year’s show, “Celebrating Life and Harmony,” to “portray the hardships and creativity within the Black experience.” Saturday and Friday at 7:00 p.m. $15-$30.
Prince vs Beyoncé at the Black Cat:
For for over 20 years, DJ Dredd has been preaching the gospel of Prince around Washington, D.C. Dredd has played at upscale lounges, wild weekend dance parties, and bar happy hours, but it was at the Prince dance parties at the Black Cat where he really established himself. There, he would mix songs by Michael Jackson, Madonna, and other pop stars with His Royal Badness’s classics and remixes to create epic battles, with the audience coming out on top. He returns to the Cat for this party with a fresh combination: Prince and Beyoncé. Prepare to dance all night long to music by Prince and the Queen B. 9:30 p.m. $15.
Christmas Illuminations at Mount Vernon:
The George Washington house is decked up in lantern-lit holiday decor, and at approximately eight o’clock, a fireworks show is launched to the tune of Christmas carols. A functioning blacksmith, Christmas carolers, and a camel named Aladdin are all present at an encampment, which also has a bazaar selling products from the 18th century. This is your only opportunity to witness the fireworks this year because Saturday is sold out. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. $26-$58.
Holiday Bingoat:
Even though it sounds unlikely, goat yoga happens occasionally in the DMV. But how often can you play bingo with goats that are dressed in awful Christmas sweaters? In Arlington, yoga instructor Beth Wolfe is holding Holiday Bingoat, which is exactly what it sounds like: dressed-up goats greeting bingo players. Expect prizes, goat selfies, and an invitation for people to dress in festive outfits to match the goats. 6 p.m. $40. Any child under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult.
‘A Candlelight Christmas’ with the Washington Chorus:
The 160-voice Washington Chorus performs traditional carols, Christmas pop songs, and a family sing-along at the Music Center at Strathmore on Friday and the Kennedy Center on Saturday and Sunday. ye.commastmastmastmastmastmastmastmastmastmastmastmastmas, and Saturday at 1 and 4 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 7 p.m. $19-$109.
Crossroads Reunion Weekend at Crossroads Two:
The Crossroads nightclub was the hub of the neighborhood’s Caribbean music culture until it closed in 2013, and no establishment has truly come close to taking its place. The Crossroads Reunion Weekend at Crossroads Two, a new moniker for the former Islands Lounge in Wheaton, offers the chance to hear some of the Crossroads club’s stars for people who miss the Bladensburg club or have never been there. According to the statement, rum punches will be half off on Friday as Sprang International and DJ Ghost perform reggae, soca, and Afrobeats. Beginning at 9 p.m. on Saturday are DJs Super Slice, Fyah Oats, and Cookie—famous faces from the yearly Carnival celebrations. Afro Dancehall Sundays, a new moniker for the venerable reggae celebration, kicks off at 5 p.m. on Sunday. Each night, early entrants are admitted free. Times change. Free-$20.
Holiday beer tasting and ugly sweater party at Valor Brewpub:
Jeff Hancock, the co-founder and former brewer of DC Brau, chose to brew a traditional Belgian Christmas lager for his inaugural holiday offering at Valor Brewpub. According to him, it is “likely a blend of Affligem Holiday Ale and Gouden Carolus Noel,” which on paper seems like a winning blend of strength and nippy spice. At the Friday happy hour at the Barracks Row microbrewery, try a Hancock’s beer. Holiday sweaters should be ugly. 4:30 p.m. Free.
The Starting Line at the Fillmore Silver Spring:
The Starting Line’s sound in 2002, when the Philadelphia-area emo-punk group issued its aptly named debut album, “Say It Like You Mean It,” was powered by adolescent love longing and sing-along choruses. The topics and styles of the two long-players that followed didn’t change much, yet there was no loss of enthusiasm or inventiveness in the melodies. Lost love, a mellow acoustic guitar start, and a rousing refrain appeared to be enough to keep singer-bassist Kenny Vasoli and his band going for all time. The band, however, took a break in 2008 and didn’t perform again until 2016, when they released the EP “Anyways.” The strongest tune on the three-song return, “Quitter,” is defiantly named and doesn’t let up at all. Since then, the group—now a quintet with longstanding touring keyboardist Brian Schmutz—hasn’t put out any new music. However, the more recent material fits in well with the earlier work, and both should sound – at least for the time being — perpetually youthful. 8 p.m. $32.50-$66.50.
Turnover at 9:30 Club:
A few years after the Starting Line made their debut, this Virginia Beach-based trio followed suit with a similar emo-punk sound. Following the departure of many guitarists, the band has adopted a midtempo dream-pop sound that is increasingly tempered by loose funk and disco. “Myself in the Way,” the group’s fifth album, was released last month. Austin Getz, the vocalist, incorporates such disparate influences as Chic and Pink Floyd while expressing the mindset of the epidemic era: The song’s title refers to both a long-term devotion to his fiancée and a greater appreciation for ordinary living. Other songs on the album include “Pleasures Galore,” whose digitally manipulated vocals steer the group away from their influences, and “Queen in the River,” which combines jazzy leads with rhythm guitar that has a reggae feel. Turnover now has a lot going on, yet the band masterfully ties everything together. 8 p.m. (doors open) (doors open). $25.
Sunday, December 11
Spoons, Toons and Booze Christmas Special at Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse:
At this time of year, everyone loves Charlie Brown and the Grinch, but throughout the 1980s and 1990s, it seemed like every Saturday morning cartoon series—from He-Man and the Smurfs to the X-Men and Robotech—had a Very Special Holiday Episode. They all get together for a morning of vintage cartoons at the annual Spoons, Toons and Booze screening, along with an all-you-can-eat “sugary cereal bar,” cereal-inspired drinks, an ugly sweater contest, and other festive fun. 12:00 on Saturday and Sunday. $15.
Winterfest at the Roost:
The Roost’s Christmas celebration include activities for the entire family, beginning at 11 a.m. with visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus and noon with costumed carolers singing well-known carols. Adults may sample eight seasonal beers, including Masthead’s Robot Santa’s Christmas Ale, Fat Orange Cat’s Baby Elves, and DC Brau’s Holiday Ginger, at the Shelter bar in the Southeast food hall. Bring a can of food to contribute to the neighbourhood charity Martha’s Table, and in exchange you’ll get a complimentary four-ounce pour of one of the limited-edition brews. Between 11 and 4 p.m. Free entry; different rates for beers.
Holiday markets:
As this is the penultimate weekend with a variety of markets featuring local small businesses and craftspeople, time is running out for holiday shopping. A portion of the Bryant Street development off Rhode Island Avenue is taken over by the one-day Procrastinator’s Holiday Market, which is in its eighth year and features more than 30 vendors offering a variety of gifts, live music, free train rides and other kid-friendly activities, as well as a station where visitors can make holiday cards. (Free from noon to 6 p.m.) One of Washington, D.C.’s top corner bars, All Souls is now dipping its toe into the seasonal market scene by providing a limited, carefully chosen selection of makers and food producers, such as textile artist An Made, book publisher Bold Fork, and sausage manufacturer Meats & Foods. (Free from 1 to 4 pm.) This is also the second and last weekend for the Victura Park Winter Holiday Market at the Kennedy Center, featuring more than a dozen merchants — including s’mores stations, and warm drinks — outside at the performing arts venue’s Reach extension. (Saturday and Sunday, noon to six o’clock. Free.)
Abbondanza! Minimal Intervention at Sonny’s Pizza:
The Sonny’s Pizza seasonal natural wine parties, which provide infinite tastings of bottles you haven’t heard of from Spain, France, and other nations, are among the top tasting events in Washington, DC, as we’ve previously stated. The final Abbondanza of the year, however, returns the attention to American makers of low intervention wine, hard cider, and beer as they share samples and describe their processes. Visitors include the Lightwell Survey and Midland vineyards in Virginia, the Pen Druid brewery, the Pleb Urban Winery in North Carolina, and the Greenpoint Cidery in New York. Pizza slices and beverages are limitless for three hours with VIP tickets allowing admission one hour earlier. 1 to 4 p.m. $75-$85.
Takoma Park Book Fair at Busboys and Poets:
We advise visiting the Takoma Busboys and Poets on a Saturday afternoon if someone on your shopping list might prefer a nice book than the typical holiday maker’s market food. The cafe’s bookstore is offering 10% off a selection of books, and at least 30 local writers are scheduled to sell and autograph books. Busboys also takes part in the Takoma Chocolate Crawl, when several establishments serve hot cocoa and apple cider (normal or spiked) all afternoon long. 1 to 4 p.m. Free.
Carter G. Woodson Birthday Celebration at Dunbar High School:
The Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site, which Carter G. Woodson bought on Ninth Street in Shaw a century ago, is now undergoing restorations by the National Park Service in preparation for its reopening in 2023. The DC Strings will perform, there will be poetry readings, and a panel of historians and academics will examine “Woodson the educator” as part of a celebration at the neighbouring Dunbar High School to celebrate “The Father of African American History” on his birthday. 1 to 3 p.m. Free.
Roy Boys 4th Anniversary and Last Hoorah:
The popular Shaw chicken and martini bar Roy Boys is celebrating a sad anniversary since it will close after one final weekend-long bash. Expect throngs eager for a chance to say farewell as well as drinks, sizzling chicken, and 90s music. till Sunday. Free.
Alma Laprida at Rhizome:
Alma Laprida, a composer and improviser, discovered a piece of equipment that had been abandoned in her closet for years while she was getting ready to move from Buenos Aires to Bethesda last year. It was her custom-made trumpet marine: a stringed mediaeval instrument that, when bowed, emits an old moan. When Laprida moved to the D.C. area, she quickly discovered Rhizome, a venue that frequently hosts the most daring performers and audiences in the region. Since then, she has made sporadic appearances there, playing both composed and improvised music on her trumpet marine while frequently running its two-stringed sound through amplifiers and effects pedals to discover what it is capable of in real time. She says, “I don’t want to control the instrument.” “I want to have a discussion with it. Because of this, my playing is pretty simple. I’m making an effort to play as little as possible and let the instrument handle itself. … I occasionally attempt to completely lose control of what I’m doing. These harmonics will start to form if you only let your arm hang a bit free. 7 p.m. $10-$20.
January 18th, 2019
Hanukkah celebrations:
The National Menorah being lit on the Ellipse is the main ceremony signalling the start of the Festival of Lights. The U.S. Army Band performs at this fun event, which has also featured free latkes and doughnuts in the past has been attended by the president, vice president (Joe Biden in 2014), members of the Cabinet, and Congress. (Free; reservations necessary.) 4 p.m. Other Sunday night activities include a “Glow in the Dark” celebration at Bethesda Row with glowing jugglers, arts and crafts, face painting, and free doughnuts and latkes (4:30 p.m. Free); Chanukah on Ice at the Pentagon Row ice rink with skating, refreshments for sale, and the lighting of a six-foot menorah (5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free admission; ice skating $13); and a (4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Free).
Hanukkah at Chai-vy and Cohen-y:
The Shaw neighbourhood pub Ivy and Coney becomes the Hanukkah-themed Chai-vy and Cohen-y around this time of year, expanding its standard menu of hot dogs and bottled beer to include latkes and Manischewitz. The bar provides a Shotnorah, a menorah-shaped device that allows up to eight individuals to take shots simultaneously, in addition to lighting candles every night at 7 o’clock. The bar opens on December 25 to commemorate “Chinese Food and Movie Day,” and the blue and silver decorations remain up until the end of the year.
Latke Pop-Up at the Green Zone:
The Green Zone in Adams Morgan is well-known for its Middle Eastern cuisine, beverages, and music, introducing patrons to a broad range of regional cuisines. A unique one-night-only latke pop-up joins those Lebanese gins and Iraqi sandwiches to celebrate the start of Hanukkah. We can tell you from firsthand experience that the classic potato latkes, zucchini fritters, and sufganiyot tend to sell out during the fifth annual festival, so get there early. 5 p.m. Free.
Holiday markets:
The Black Cat’s Rock ‘n’ Shop has served as the go-to location to buy gifts for your coolest/punkest pal since the early 2000s: The event, which this year features DJs Sally Go Round and Les the DJ providing the soundtrack, routinely features vintage clothing and handbags, used records, prints and posters, concert T-shirts, and homemade trinkets. (5 PM, Free) On Sunday, Northeast Washington offers two opportunities for those who enjoy shopping and a nice, refreshing beer: Red Bear’s Hoppy Holidays Market, which has included everything from children’s apparel to decorations to candles, is returning to the NoMa brewery with a roster of local manufacturers. (Free from noon to 6 p.m.) The Ivy City taproom of Atlas Brew Works is having a Festivus celebration with a pop-up makers’ market that is BYO complaints. sweaters should be ugly. (Free from 1 to 5 p.m.)
Holiday Concert and Sing-Along with the Capital City Symphony at the Atlas Performing Arts Center:
The 55-year-old community orchestra is featured in this sing-along holiday performance at the H Street NE arts complex. Don’t worry if you couldn’t obtain tickets for the sold-out Gay Men’s Chorus Holiday Show series; the orchestra will be accompanied by the chorus’s a cappella ensemble Potomac Fever. $35 at 3:30 p.m.; children under 16 are admitted free.
Oddisee at 9:30 Club:
Oddisee, a hip-hopper from Brooklyn who was born in Washington, D.C., first made a name for himself as a producer before adding his own fast-paced raps to his creative, intelligent tunes. He continues to be recognised for producing albums that are primarily instrumental, such as “Rock Creek Park,” which was motivated by bike trips through the D.C. to Maryland section of woodland. The musician founded Good Compny, a jazzy trio that will support him during this performance, after showcasing his talent with synth rhythms and vintage soul sounds. Oddisee provides incisive, all-encompassing views that avoid gangsta posturing, regardless of the background music. Negativity “ain’t worth the effort,” as he states in “Back of My Mind.” 7 p.m. $30.
D.C. Holiday Cocktail Seminar at Last Call:
You might be unsure about what drinks to give your visitors if you’re planning on entertaining throughout the Christmas season. It doesn’t have to be the most hectic part of the evening to make celebratory cocktails with friends. At Last Call, a yearly event organised by author and historian Philip Greene, some of D.C.’s most skilled mixologists, including Todd Thrasher of Tiki TNT, Andra “AJ” Johnson of Serenata, and Deke Dunne of Allegory, will lead you through their favourite holiday drinks. Sample beverages and small nibbles are served throughout the presentation. 6 to 8:30 p.m. $60.
Hanukkah parties:
A kid-friendly celebration featuring dreidel games, food, music, and “fun Chanukah-themed activities” is held at the Edlavitch DC JCC. (7 to 8:30 p.m. $10.) The “Hora and Heat” happy hour is being hosted by a number of groups for Jews in their 20s and 30s, including EntryPointDC of the DCJCC. Learn Israeli dances, try hot sauces and spicier olive oil, drink drinks with a Hanukkah theme, or spin a dreidel. For a clothing drive, visitors are urged to contribute gloves or socks for the winter. (5:30 to 9 p.m. $5.)
‘The Hip Hop Nutcracker’ at Strathmore:
This time of year, there are numerous renditions of “The Nutcracker,” and “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” has the well-known tunes and leitmotifs from Tchaikovsky’s soundtrack. But it also contains a modern urban setting and a squad of street-style dancers who windmill, helicopter and flip their way across the stage while a DJ and violinist remix the song into something that seems startlingly new. MC Kurtis Blow – inventor of the famous “Christmas Rappin'” — is the presenter and opening act. 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday. $34-$68.
Yerin Baek at Fillmore Silver Spring:
Yerin Baek started off as an adolescent in a prefab group, just like the majority of K-pop items off the factory line. The languid singer, however, went solo at the age of 19, developing her own brand of Western pop-soul, sometimes with English lyrics. (When she was 15 years old, her family relocated to New York City, which undoubtedly improved her skills.) Amy Winehouse and Avril Lavigne fans, Baek occasionally sings and plays guitar with the Volunteers, a rock-oriented side project. However, though not always in content, the music she creates under her own name is softer in tone. The synth-pop shuffle “Hate You,” from her second album “Tellusboutyourself,” has many f-bombs over its tinkling piano. Baek, unlike many K-poppers, writes all of her own content, which should provide her staying power in a business that’s typically eager to move on to the next gorgeous face. That wasn’t a corporate choice. 8 p.m. $40-$150.
Late-Night Season’s Greenings at the U.S. Botanic Garden:
Last winter, when the U.S. Botanic Garden was closed to visitors, the enormously well-liked model train display was moved to the outdoor gardens. There, locomotives, including Thomas the Tank Engine, chugged past intricately detailed recreations of agricultural scenes, the structures of which were all made of plants. The Botanic Garden will continue to operate the trains outdoors for another season even after the buildings have reopened. The yearly poinsettia exhibit, which is made of gourds, corn husks, bark, and other natural materials, has returned to its original location inside the Conservatory. Both the indoor and outdoor spaces are open until 8 p.m. on Tuesdays in December (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.). Free.
Holidays Cocktail Tasting:
Although eggnog is the seasonal beverage of choice, six Washington pubs close to the Navy Yard are attempting to show that holiday drinks may go beyond the traditional fare. Each location’s specialty holiday beverage, such as a winter spiced palmer at Tap99, an apple cider margarita at Agua 301, or a creamy winter-chata at Silver Social, is redeemable for one drink with one ticket. You can go to the bars in any sequence during the evening. 6 to 10 p.m. $20.
Arlington holiday lights bike ride:
Don’t forget to take in the holiday lights in your own neighbourhood despite the abundance of magnificent (and pricey) light displays that are starting to sprout nearby. Get festive on your bike and depart from Trek Bicycle in Clarendon for a 90-minute ride in the Arlington region. The pace will be leisurely and sociable, and helmets and lights are essential (sets will be available for those who don’t have them). 6 to 8 p.m. With a reservation, free.
Tuesday, December 20
Winter Solstice Forest Bathing at Oxon Run Parkway:
Ward 8 Woods Conservancy is offering a sunset stroll through the woods to commemorate the shortest day of the year. The public is invited to take part in a reflective stroll along Oxon Run Parkway by this nonprofit organisation that works to assist conserve the more than 500 acres of woodland in Ward 8 of Washington, D.C. Participants in forest bathing activities are expected to get more in one with nature, and when night falls, everyone will huddle around a roaring bonfire. 4 to 6 p.m. $10.
