25 Things to Do in the DC Area This Week and Weekend

Merry holidays, DC!

Christmastime brings a number of family-friendly holiday shows and community events to town. Check out A Christmas Carol before it closes, or spend December 25 at the National Menorah Lighting ceremony.

Best Things to Do This Week and Weekend

December 23–December 29

1. 1. National Menorah Lighting. Attend the National Menorah Lighting on the White House Ellipse this week in commemoration of Hanukkah. The glowing ceremony features a performance by the Military Bands of the Military District of Washington and guest appearances from diplomats and members of Congress, as well as food, and the annual National Menorah Essay Contest (Wed, free, virtual, Ellipse at the White House).
   2. John Oliver stand-up. From his stint on The Daily Show to his popular late-night HBO program, the British comedian has gained a major following for his quips on American politics. At the Kennedy Center, Oliver is performing a brand new stand-up set to add some giggles to your holiday plans (Fri through December 31, $79+, Kennedy Center).
   3. A Christmas Carol. Ring in holiday cheer at Ford’s Theatre’s seasonal tradition, A Christmas Carol. Music, joy, and a hint of misery follow the tale of grumpy Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. Vocalist and actor Craig Wallace is back again this year to perform the role of Scrooge (through December 31, $49+, Downtown).
   4. SPIN DC Holiday Hangover. Social club and ping-pong venue SPIN is offering a playful break from the holiday craze with a multi-week Holiday Hangover party. Through the New Year, groups can book a private ping-pong table for one hour of competitive play, eat game-fueling bites, and sip cocktails at a discounted rate. On select weekends, there’s late-night jam sessions with a live DJ (through January 5, $10+, Downtown).

Want More Things to Do?

Arts and culture:

• Watch a movie screening of Home Alone at the Library of Congress (Thurs, free, but registration required, Library of Congress).
• Watch two documentaries, Pelé & Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali, at the library for the holidays (Thurs, free, Woodbridge).
• Attend a guided Jellyfish Terrarium Workshop at PlantHouse (Fri, $26+, Alexandria).
• You could meet your love match on a Tantra Speed Date (Sun, $50+, Northwest DC).
• Toast to the New Year at Hank’s Oyster Bar’s Sparkle & Sleigh Drag Brunch (Sun, $20, Dupont).

Community and heritage:

• Learn the history of Jewish Washington on a Hanukkah Walking Tour (Wed, $30, Penn Quarter).
• Sip hot cocoa and eat hot potato latkes with neighbors at a Chanukah Festival (Thurs, free, Alexandria).
• Celebrate Kwanzaa with the Playback Theatre (Sat, free, Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum).

Theater and shows:

• It’s the last chance to see the Death on the Nile murder mystery at Arena Stage (closes Sun, $59+, Southwest DC).
• Check out Patrick Page’s dramatic performance in All the Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented the Villain (closes Sun, $39+, Downtown).
• Embrace the holiday spirit at the Washington Ballet’s closing performances of the Nutcracker (closes Sun, $62+, Warner Theatre).
• Don’t miss the hilarious musical A Hanukkah Carol, or Gelt Trip! at Round House Theatre (closes Sun, $50+, Bethesda).
• Sing karaoke and laugh to live comedy at Capitol Square Bar & Grill (Tues, donations welcome, Northeast DC).
• Laugh your way into 2025 with comedian Cedric the Entertainer at New Year’s Comedy Jam (Fri, $59+, Fairfax).

Music and concerts:

• Sing holiday carols at O Night Divine! Choral Arts concert (Tues, $20+, Kennedy Center).
• There’s a Christmas Day Organ Recital at Washington National Cathedral (Wed, free, virtual, Northwest DC).
• Groove to Bollywood beats at Union Stage (Fri, $15+, Wharf).
• Dance all night at a Chappell Roan pop party (Fri, $22, Shaw).
• The Disco Biscuits are playing two shows at The Fillmore Silver Spring (Fri-Sat, $92, Silver Spring).

Things to do with kids:

• Youngsters can create holiday cards and bookmarks at the Library of Congress’ Winter Holiday Celebration (Sat, free, but registration required, Library of Congress).
• See outdoor illuminations and zoom down the eight-lane Penguin Plunge at Winter City Lights (closes Sun, $27 for adults, $23 for seniors $18 for ages 4-12, Olney).

If you enjoyed these events, please don’t forget to share this post with a friend on social media, and sign up for our newsletter for more things to do.

Briana Thomas

Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.