Your Destination Guide to Washington DC

Celebrate the holidays in Washington, DC and the surrounding area. DC is full of holiday spirit with wonderful festivals, holiday lights, family traditions and a plethora of family fun activities. See our rundown of the top Washington, DC Christmas time events.

ZooLights at the National Zoo © cliff1066™ on Flickr

ZooLights at the National Zoo: November 25, 2011 - January 1, 2012: LED lights will illuminate the Zoo’s beautiful trees, walkways, and buildings, and life-size animal silhouettes and festive holiday décor will make this a perfect night out at the area's only free holiday light show at Zoolights at the National Zoo.

Gaylord National's ICE! Winter Tradition Featuring DreamWorks' Merry Madagascar: November 18, 2011 - January 8, 2012: Gaylord National's popular ICE! winter holiday attraction returns with an all-new, hilarious theme: ICE! featuring DreamWorks' Merry Madagascar. From November 18th to January 8th, 2011, the DreamWorks Animation holiday TV special will be brought to life in an interactive world of colorful ice sculptures carved entirely from TWO-MILLION pounds of ice.

Season's Greenings at the US Botanic Garden: November 24, 2011 - January 2, 2012: The winter solstice and holiday season is a culturally important time celebrated for thousands of years. Plants have always played an important role, from the fragrant conifers and other evergreens used for wreaths and holiday trees to mistletoe, poinsettia and other holiday blooming plants.

Holiday Model Train Display at Union Station DC: Now - January 2, 2012: The joy of model railroading transcends generations as it sparks the imagination of young and old alike often creating memories that last a lifetime. As a leading model train manufacturer, M.T.H. Electric Trains from nearby Columbia, Maryland produces a wide range of products spanning HO, O, G and Standard gauges.

Ford's Theatre Presents A Christmas Carol: November 18 - December 31, 2011: . Join the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they lead the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of transformation and redemption.

Christmas at Mount Vernon Estate: November 25, 2011 - January 6, 2012: Christmas at Mount Vernon has been named as one of the "12 Places to Catch the Holiday Spirit" by AAA! Mount Vernon is decking the halls for a special daytime program November 25th, 2011 – January 6th, 2012.

18th Annual Symphony of Lights in Symphony Woods, Columbia, MD: November 21, 2011 - January 1, 2012: Symphony of Lights is a spectacular display of more than 70 larger-than-life, animated and stationary light creations in Symphony Woods, Columbia, MD.

Holidays at the National Harbor, W/ Fun, Food & Fireworks - FREE!: November 25, 2011 - January 1, 2012: On Friday, December 2nd, 9th, 16th & 23rd, 2011 from 6pm - 9pm on the Plaza by the big Christmas Tree, enjoy time with friends and family as you stroll along the streets of National Harbor and enjoy all the great in store offers.

The Washington Ballet Presents The Nutcracker: December 1 - 24, 2011 For 50 years, generations of Washingtonians have grown up loving—and introducing loved ones to—TWB’s The Nutcracker.

7th Annual Downtown Holiday Market Washington, DC: December 2 - 23, 2011: Bringing a unique and festive shopping "village" to the heart of Downtown DC, the Noon to 8pm market features more than 175 regional artisans, crafters and boutique businesses of ethnically produced goods.

Festival of Lights at the Washington, DC Mormon Temple: December 2, 2011 - January 1, 2012: One of the D.C. area's great community traditions, the Festival of Lights at the Washington, DC Mormon Temple features free concerts nightly in the comfortable, state-of-the-art theater located in the Visitors' Center.

Santa's Workshop at the Ellipse in Washington, DC: December 3 - 24, 2011: Santa and his elves are eager to welcome you! The Santa’s Workshop will be open from Saturday, December 3rd – Saturday, December 24th, 2011.

Mount Vernon Estate Candlelight Tours: December 3 - 18, 2011: "Mrs. Washington" hosts an enchanting evening of candlelit tours, fireside Christmas caroling, and samples of hot cider and ginger cookies.

IceBox, Washington Project for the Arts' Holiday Gift Shop: December 2 - 23, 2011: Featuring crafts, jewelry, housewares, and small works of art, all hand made by WPA member artists, IceBox is the perfect stop for all of your holiday shopping.

Smithsonian Gardens Holiday Traditions Daytime Tour: December 7, 9 & 10, 2011: Bedecked in their bright holiday finery, the Smithsonian gardens are a welcoming destinations this time of year. Cindy Brown, a Smithsonian Gardens Education Specialist, will lead a tour laced with history and how-to’s through the Enid A. Haupt and Mary Livingston Ripley Gardens.

National Symphony Orchestra Pops: The Perfect Gift at the Kennedy Center: December 8 - 11, 2011: Celebrate the holidays with the National Symphony Orchestra Pops, Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke, and the Canadian Tenors, four gifted young men with diverse vocal styles, undeniable charm, and international solo success.

United States Army Band Presents "A Holiday Festival" Concert: December 9 - 11, 2011: The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” will celebrate the holiday season with the annual “A Holiday Festival” concert at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC, the weekend of December 9th - 11th, 2011.

Holiday Candlelight Tours at Montpelier Mansion: December 9 & 10, 2011: Warm up your winter evenings with festive music, lovely candlelight and traditional holiday greens on a Holiday Candlelight Tour at Montpelier Mansion on Friday, December 9th & Saturday, December 10th, 2011.

Off the Walls Holiday Art Sale at the The Corcoran College of Art + Design: December 8 - 10, 2011: The Corcoran College of Art + Design’s annual Off the Walls Holiday Art Sale features jewelry and wearable art, ceramics, and fine art.

12 Days of Merriment in Georgetown, A Holiday Shopping Tradition: December 9 - 20, 2011: As cheerful and grand as the holiday season, 12 Days of Merriment in Georgetown is full of exclusive holiday promotions, playful contests and activities, and discount parking deals to make holiday shopping that much easier.

Christmas with the Fairfax Choral Society, Carols from the Old and New Worlds: December 10, 2011: Welcome in the holiday season with the three hundred voices of the Fairfax Choral Society as theye present Christmas with FCS - Carols from the Old and New Worlds on Saturday, December 10th, 2011.

Caroling in the Rotunda at the National Gallery of Art: December 10 - 18, 2011: Caroling in Rotunda at the National Gallery of Art, surrounded by seasonal blossoms, has become a favorite family activity at the Gallery during the holidays.

The Georgetown Chorale Winter Concert: December 11, 2011: The Georgetown Chorale holiday concert, A Promise of Light will take place Sunday, December 11th, 2011, at 3pm in the afternoon at Christ Lutheran Church, 8011 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, Maryland.

Historic Alexandria Candlelight Tours: December 10 & 11, 2011: Take a break from the fast pace of the season and experience the unique charm and history of Old Town Alexandria. As part of the Civil War Sesquicentennial events, experience 1860s Alexandria during the holidays. Tour Gadsby's Tavern Museum, Carlyle House, Lee-Fendall House and the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary, as part of your holiday celebration.

Lotus Uprising Holiday Extravaganza: December 17, 2011: Join Lotus Uprising, a musical yoga supper club, on H Street for an epic holiday extravaganza on Saturday, December 17th, 2011. There will be holiday jingles, the tunes of Collin Crowe, an ugly holiday sweater contest, and of course, mistletoe.

Family Christmas Concert at Kennedy Center Concert Hall: December 17, 2011: Perfect for the young and the young at heart, this theatrical concert warms up the holiday season with a heartfelt tale about two children who capture the spirit of Christmas with a very special gift.

National Symphony Orchestra Presents Handel's Messiah at the Kennedy Center: December 15 - 18, 2011: Continue a Christmas tradition with Handel's epic masterpiece, Messiah, conducted by Matthew Halls and performed with holiday spirit by the NSO, acclaimed guest singers, and the University of Maryland Concert Choir.

Holiday Treasures from Russia Concert at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall: December 19 - 24, 2011: The Choral Arts Society of Washington presents Holiday Treasures from Russia at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Monday, December 19th, 2011 at 7pm, Wednesday, December 21st, 2011 at 7pm and Saturday, December 24th, 2011 at 1pm.

National Hanukkah Menorah Lighting Ceremony: December 20, 2011: The National Hanukkah Menorah Lighting Ceremony is coming up Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 at 4pm. The Lighting Ceremony will take place at The Ellipse, near the White House (at the NW end, near Constitution Avenue), Washington, DC.

The Water-Skiing Santa and his Kneeboarding Reindeer: December 24, 2011: Don't miss this one of a kind Washington, D.C. tradition - The 26th Annual Water-Skiing Santa and his Kneeboarding Reindeer on December 24th, 2011! Also featuring the flying elves, the jet-skiing Grinch, and Frosty the Snowman in a dinghy. The event starts at 1pm sharp - rain or shine.

Z-Burger Celebrates President Obama’s 50th Birthday with 50¢ Burgers & Milkshakes all day today - Thursday, August 4th, 2011. Just go to Z-Burger’s Tenleytown location and mention “Happy Birthday Mr. President” to the cashier to receive a single burger (beef, turkey or veggie) to your liking and a birthday cake flavored milkshake to wash it all down for just 50¢ each. Read More >

You do not have to be a rocket scientist or an astronaut to work for NASA. Engineers, pilots, physicists, astrobiologists and, yes, artists, too, have helped further the mission of the space agency. In 1962, NASA administrator James E. Webb invited a group of artists to illustrate and interpret the agency's missions and projects. Artists, participating in the NASA art program, many of them renowned, have been documenting the extraordinary adventure of spaceflight ever since. Granted special access to historic moments, they have offered their perspectives on what they have witnessed. Read More >

The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian announces the 2011 schedule for its sixth annual concert and festival series promoting Native musicians, films, performers and artists from across the Western Hemisphere. This June the museum hosts the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the Siletz Tribe of Oregon during festivals that celebrate each community's unique music, culture, food and art. In July, the museum's annual Living Earth Festival coincides with the opening of the exhibition, "Conversations with the Earth: Indigenous Voices on Climate Change." Read More >

The West End Farmers Market brings together hundreds of people every Sunday (rain or shine), from May 1st through November, 2011. Parents bring their children, couples meet up with friends, and dogs of every size and breed happily socialize with each other. Read More >

Kicking off one month earlier this season on Saturday, April 9th and continuing the second Saturday of every month until October, the 2011 Ballston Arts & Crafts Market is Arlington's only 100% handmade Market. Held in Ballston's tree-lined Welburn Square, this Market has everything from diverse jewelry designs and organic body products to adorable plushes and screen-printed T-shirts. Read More >

Just outside Washington DC in Silver Spring, Maryland there lies a Pirate's Tavern with tasty fare fit for a king of the seas.  Bring your family and your appetite in for hearty food, costumed servers, and live entertainment at an establishment simply entitled "Piratz Tavern".  This is an imaginative oasis in the midst of the DC suburbs which transports guests to the historical Spanish Main. Read More >

The Air and Space Museum invites visitors to "earn their wings" as they choose from a number of simulated air experiences.  Guests may either take an interactive flight which allows them to control the action in an aerial combat or ride in a space or air craft.  While "flights" are 2 passenger experiences, "rides" accommodate up to eight passengers.  This is an exciting way for family, friends, or groups to take their Air and Space experience to a new level. Read More >

Washington DC's Air and Space Museum invites guests to take a "Journey to the Stars" at their Albert Einstein Planetarium.  This planetarium enjoys a 70 ft. dome, Sky Vision digital projection, and digital surround sound to create an exciting cinematic experience.  While free shows are offered at restricted times throughout the week, the main events in the Einstein Planetarium are the dynamic "Journey to the Stars" and "Black Holes".  This past week I had the pleasure of enjoying one of these impressive Planetarium adventures. Read More >

In the midst of a record-breaking 60th Anniversary season and inaugural year in the Mead Center for American Theater, Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith announces 11 selections for the second year in the new venue. Furthering the Mead Center as a national center for the production, presentation, development and study of American theater, year two continues the dynamic, diverse and impressive work from our country's theater artists. Read More >