Is DC for lovers? We’re about to find out. The DowntownDC Business Improvement District is hosting an official attempt to break the Guinness World Record for couples kissing under mistletoe. The event, National Kiss Under the National Mistletoe, will take place on Saturday, December 13, at Anthem Row (800 K St., NW), from 3 to 6 PM. While the event is free to attend and open to the public, couples of consenting age who want to help break the record must register to secure their spot.
The “National Mistletoe,” by artist My Ly, is a 10-foot-wide sculpture suspended 30 feet in the air and decorated with greenery, ribbons, and a quintessential jingle bell. The art installation will be on view for its second year, from November 21 to January 31, 2026.
Gerren Price, CEO of the DowntownDC BID, says the ball of mistletoe is “meant to inspire joy and romance” as part of the BID’s holiday event series. It appears to have worked some magic: last year, one couple got engaged beneath it.
To set the mood, the National Kiss Under the National Mistletoe will include live entertainment from the Ellington Carthan Quartet featuring Valentina Maria, live art, photo booths, and other activities. Food and drinks will be available for purchase from City Tap House and Root & Vine.
The big smooch is scheduled for 5 PM. With a Guinness World Record official on-site to certify the attempt, participants should be able to find out relatively quickly if they achieved the goal. The Guinness World Record for kisses beneath mistletoe currently belongs to Anheuser-Busch, which gathered 480 kissing partners in St. Louis at their 2019 Brewery Lights celebration.
Beyond the bragging rights, Price hopes that the chance to make “kiss-tory” will bring joy to DC at a time when people really need it.
“I want everyone in the city, in the region—really, in the world—to know that DC is beautiful, DC is safe, DC is full of joy,” he says, adding that the BID’s holiday lineup is full of “welcoming events that celebrate our city’s diversity and inclusivity, that celebrate love and connection.”
Dara T. Mathis is a journalist and nonfiction writer who joined Washingtonian in Fall 2025 as an Editorial Fellow. A 2024 recipient of the American Mosaic Journalism Prize, she resides in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
