Wanderlist: 80+ Awesome Things to Do in DC in November

November brings a flurry of activity. Whether you want to enjoy the beautiful fall weather or are already looking for Christmasy things to do, there’s something for everyone to do this month. Celebrate Dia de los Muertos, experience eating dinner in the dark, sip seasonal beers, hop aboard a feminist bus tour, get down at a special edition of Club Quarantine live and sooo much more!

​Read on for all the unexpected events you need to add to your November calendar.

FEATURED CONTENT

Immersive installations are all the rage but Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies, the latest at Artchouse DC, is by far the most epic multi-sensory exhibition we've experienced. It's powerful, moving, and visually stunning. The art meets technology exhibit incorporates many facets of the Black experience, with surrealist art by Vince Fraser and stirring spoken word poetry from Ursula Rucker.

Artechouse is the first digital art gallery to kick off the immersive art craze, so if you're wondering what it's all about, Ase is definitely the exhibit to start with.

🎟 $7 off admission with Promo Code: Curious7
⏰️Restrictions: Valid online through 11/13 only

Legend:

• ​🆓 ​: This is a free event
• ​💲:  Donation or paid ticket required
• ​👤:  This is an in-person event
• 💻: This is an on-line/streaming event
• 🎄 This is a holiday-themed event

Rubell Museum opens. The new Rubell art museum in Southwest DC is now open. Owned by the Miami art collectors Don and Mera Rubell, the inaugural Marvin Gaye-inspired exhibition What’s Going On includes nearly 200 works by an eclectic mix of around 40 well-known contemporary artists from the collection of the Miami-based art collectors Don and Mera Rubell, from Carrie Mae Weems and Hank Willis Thomas to Maurizio Cattelan and Richard Prince. 🎟💲Ongoing

Air and Space Museum reopens. Smithsonian Air and Space Museum reopens with eight new galleries, inviting visitors to explore air and space in new ways. The rest of the museum remains closed and will reopen in 2025. 🆓 Ongoing

Stained glass. Visit the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America for their specialized  Stained Glass Tour on the feast of All Saints, to honor the saints of the Franciscan Order and others who are depicted in the church’s stained-glass windows.  Among the saints are St. Francis, St. Bonaventure, St. Clare, and St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Explanations are given of the symbols in the windows as well as a short synopsis of the life of the saints. 🆓 Nov 1

Can I Kick It? Songbyrd hosts their long-running "Can I Kick It?" series featuring a screening of the Shaw Brothers kung fu theatre classic One-Armed Swordsman. Shaolin Jazz co-creator DJ 2-Tone Jones will be providing a mix of hip hop and more to score the film live (scene-by-scene). Food and drink options will be available throughout the evening as well. 🆓Nov 1

KNCDC x TWB. The Korean Cultural Center and Embassy of the Republic of Korea present a performance celebrating 140 years of Korea-US Ties. Registration required 🆓🎟 Nov 1

Eating in the dark. Experience a unique tasting experience with a secret menu at Dining in the Dark where you'll be blindfolded to enjoy the nuances of each ingredient as you heighten your senses of taste and smell. Tickets selling fast! 🎟💲Nov 1 through the end of the month

Portraits of Frida. In celebration of the Day of the Dead, Corazón Folklórico DC performs Portraits of Frida, a ballet folklórico, or traditional Mexican dance, honoring Frida Kahlo. Registration required. 🆓🎟 Nov 2

Mexican Cultural Institute open house. Celebrate Día de Muertos Month of Chihuahua at the Mexican Cultural Institute's open house where you'll experience the opening of the traditional Day of the Dead Altar, pan de muerto and hot chocolate (while supplies last), mariachi, folkloric dance by Corazón Folklórico DC, and four short films, every hour on the hour. 🆓 Nov 2

Fall Series: Live Music at Franklin Park. Have lunch in Franklin Park while enjoying live music from Downtown DC BID's Fall Series featuring great talent curated by Washington Performing Arts. This month, features singer Pam Ward, a DC native whose love of music and dynamic vocals are inspired by gospel music. 🆓 ​Nov 3

Phillips after hours. The Phillips Museum hosts Phillips after 5: Life in Color in celebration of their collections where you can enjoy beer tastings from Denizens Brewing Co and a live performance from local recording artist TOMMI, blending R&B, soul, and Afrobeat influences. Try your hand at a craft project or reimagine the colors in the collection with adult coloring pages.  Afterwards, explore the museum and join a pop-up talk highlighting their newest acquisitions. 🎟💲Nov 5

Revenge is fun. Throughout the month-long run of Death by Narwhals' REVENGE OF THE FUN exhibit, over 20 curated local musicians, dancers and writers will perform in parallel to the visual art exhibition. In sharing their own music, dance and words, they will provide a sort of soundtrack to the show. 🎟💲Nov 4 - Dec 2

Movie night with Lincoln. Kick back and enjoy family movie night at Lincoln's Cottage. Bring a picnic (or popcorn) and sit back! This month's movie is Inside Out. 🆓 Nov 4

Trabants parade. You won't want to miss this unique event! Celebrate the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall at this festive gathering of the quintessential Cold War car—the Trabant. The Spy Museum hosts the ONLY Trabant Rally in the United States where you'll find some of the finest examples in the US of this rare automobile.  🆓 ​​Nov 5

Get crafty.  Try your hand at creating art inspired by works of art on view at the National Gallery of Art in an informal, relaxed environment. 🆓 ​Nov 5

DC Beer Festival. Dozens of craft breweries featuring their fall seasonal beers. come together at National Park for the DC Beer Festival. Taking place throughout the stadium's concourse including Centerfield Plaza, Budweiser Brew House, Bud Light Loft and Budweiser Terrace, the DC Beer Fest will have over a dozen food trucks throughout as well as lawn games, DJs, and more! 21+ only. 🎟💲Nov 5

Women of Color in the Suffrage Movement. Not all women gained the right to vote in 1920. Park Ranger Kenya J. Finley-Jean talks about the Women of Color who played an active role in the struggle for voting rights in the 19th and 20th centuries. 🆓Nov 5

Czech Christmas. Start celebrating the holiday season at the Embassy of the Czech Republic's Christmas Market. Browse stands filled with beautiful handcrafted ornaments, Bohemian crystal, exquisite bead and glass jewelry, fine art, Moravian wines and traditional liquors. Enjoy live music and the taste and smell of mulled wine as well as an assortment of delicious Czech pastries and gingerbread, and savory cuisine and pet live animals from the Nativity scene for selfies. 🆓 🎄​​Nov 5

Double exposure. CulturalDC and Transformer co-present a two-part exhibition, Cosmic Garden, an immersive experience exploring the expansive works of artist Holly Bass and Maps Glover. The exhibition includes videos from archives of individual and collaborative performances, as well as separate audio and sound as well as tactile experiences. This work is informed by the Black experience, particularly the way video documentation functions to legitimize and validate Black life in a society that seeks to erase Black people’s humanity. Opening reception, Nov 5; Coffee with the Artists: November 19. 🆓​ Nov 5 - Dec 18

Bite me.  Rorschach Theatre presents a fresh take on Dracula from the novel Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really where ferocious women stab at the heart of the patriarchy itself. Pay-What-You-Can Previews take place October 14-16, and Parks residents and followers can get a discount: use code word: PARKS22 for $10 Off. 🎟💲Now to Nov 6

All the Tea. National Museum of Women in the Arts (still closed, sads), hosts a special live and in-person edition of The Tea in partnership with Sofar Sounds and Mason Exhibitions Arlington. The curated show will feature three short sets from incredible performers from all music genres, and sometimes even spoken word, comedy, or dance. 💲🎟Nov 6

Classic rom-com. Based on the 1938 rom-com starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, Holiday takes a turn on the stage at Arena Stage. An up-and-coming Wall Street lawyer from a working-class family aspires to quit and enjoy life once he’s made enough money, a prospect that doesn’t thrill his wealthy, well-born fiancée but excites her more unconventional sister. Can his dreams survive his soon-to-be bride’s narrow view of affluence? 🎟💲Now to November 6

Graffiti museum tour. Experience the 14th Street Graffiti Museum, the only space in the city to learn about the history of graffiti in DC and its connection to contemporary street art culture, with a guided tour led by curator and OG graffiti legend Cory Lee Stower. 🎟💲Starts Nov 6 (various dates throughout the month)

Mount Pleasant Lantern Walk. ​The Mount Pleasant Children’s Puppet Hour invites everyone to join them for a lantern walk through the neighborhood to mark the end of Daylight Savings Time and the onset of winter’s early darkness. The troupe will be parading through the streets of Mount Pleasant with displays and music and other surprises! Everyone is encouraged  to bring lanterns to the parade and decorate your house if you live along the route. 🆓Nov 6

Concerts at National Gallery of Art. National Gallery of Art hosts a series of live music concerts at the West Garden Court  celebrating the shared history of India and Persia, National Chamber Music Month, Native American Heritage Month and the American landscape photographs of Robert Adams. Registration required 🆓​🎟Nov 6, 13, 20 + 27

DMV Black restaurant week.  Discover and dine at Black-owned restaurants and culinary businesses in the DC-metro area during DMV Black Restaurant Week. This year’s DMV Black Restaurant Week includes dine-in, carry-out, and delivery promotions at dozens of local businesses. 💲Nov 6-13

Moonlight arboretum tour. Did you know that the American University campus is an accredited Arboretum with over 4000 trees and more than 500 different species and varieties of woody plants? Bundle up for a guided walking tour, under the light of the Harvest Moon, of the AU Arboretum and Gardens and stroll through campus as you learn about the history of the university along with learning about the trees and gardens and the sustainable features throughout campus. This is a family friendly event and pets are welcome.  🆓​ Nov 7

Black Broadway virtual tour.  Stroll through the Greater U Street area once known as Black Broadway on a guided virtual tour led by an local Author and Journalist. You'll visit the area's oldest landmarks, view one of a kind murals, meet notable history makers, sightsee 100-year old theaters, and learn about the Jazz and Cultural Renaissance that paved the way for today's most famous African American successes, educators, musicians, talents, and heroes. 🎟💲​💻​Nov 7

Election analysis. Profs and Pints presents: What the 2022 Election Results Mean, a detailed assessment of the results of the 2022 midterm elections and their likely impact on American government and politics, with Matthew Green, professor and chair of the Department of Politics at Catholic University. ​🎟💲Nov 9

National Gallery Nights. Discover how artists capture the charm, nostalgia, and complexities of the American experience during National Gallery of Art's late-night event. Enjoy pop-up talks examining the rich diversity of America and its people, dance to hits from Motown to contemporary pop, and challenge your friends to classic board and card games. Registration required 🆓​🎟Nov 10

Georgetown skating rink opens. Enjoy views of the Potomac River and historic Georgetown as you glide along the ice at the Washington Harbour Ice Rink. 🎟💲Opens Nov 11 (weather permitting)

Veterans Day Observance. The Friends of the National World War II Memorial and the National Park Service co-host ceremony to pay tribute and lay wreaths at the War War II Memorial in honor of the more than 16 million men and women who served with the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. 🆓 Nov 11

No day at the beach. DC Arts Center hosts the staging of Stranded, a new play where two couples have been stranded on an island. As their relationships change, the stress of their situation is exacerbated. 🎟💲Starts Nov 11 (various dates throughout the month)

Pottery on the Hill. Pottery on the Hill returns for a celebration of functional pottery (that which can be regularly used, such as dinnerware, drinkware, vases, platters, and more) featuring top ceramic artists from across the country. This is a great opportunity to get a jumpstart on shopping for the holidays, giving the special people in your life a gift as unique and one-of-a-kind as they are. You can also shop on the online shopping page. RSVP encouraged but not required. 🆓💻👥Nov 11 - 13

Charity pop-up dinner/brunch. Experience an exclusive pop up dinner or brunch in support of Emma’s Torch, a non-profit social enterprise providing culinary training to refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking. Guests will experience an exclusive menu curated by their first-ever D.C. area students. 🎟💲Nov 11 (dinner) + Nov 13 (brunch)

Forest bathing walks. Connect with nature with a guided forest bathing session while exploring a new collection to highlight the unique seasonal diversity at the National Arboretum. Registration required. 🎟💲Nov 11, 19, 28

Black Thought Presents. Making its DC debut as part of The Roots Residency at the Kennedy Center, Delirious is the exciting comedy series created and curated by the MC of the legendary Roots crew. Featuring the hottest new comedians, Delirious explores popular culture and society through a humorous, yet poignant, lens. 🎟💲Nov 12

National Harbor Holiday Tree Show. Watch National Harbor's new 60-foot Christmas tree come to life nightly with a breathtaking light show accompanied by holiday medley performed by the United States Air Force Band. NOTE: From November 12 – December 17 the show will be accompanied by fireworks. 🆓 🎄​Nov 12 - Dec 31

Cancel Cultured Pearls. Miss Richfield 1981 will not be cancelled, and you won’t either when you see her new show, Cancel Cultured Pearls. This all-new extravaganza will explore ways to live in our new politically correct cancel culture. Using original songs, videos, audience interaction, and occasional dance moves, Miss R will leave you entertained and more culturally savvy. 🎟💲Nov 12

Crypt music. Enjoy an intimate concert featuring a few of D.C.’s best musicians in Congressional Cemetery's historic 1903 Chapel. Don’t miss one of DC’s best kept secrets, with professional musicians playing in a beautiful setting. Limited seating; first come, first served. 🆓Nov 12

Anacostia walking tour for kids. Washington Architectural Foundation is partnering with with The River East Design Center  to host an Anacostia Walking Tour for kids grades 3 to 8 to discover the beauty and history of the buildings in Anacostia and learn about the architecture. This will be an in-person tour, guided by an architect. Young people will learn how to identify and differentiate architectural styles and expand their vocabulary banks with key architectural terms. Each participant will receive their very own tour kit. 🎟💲Nov 12

See you at the circle. Live outdoor music can still be found as Dupont Circle's See You at the Circle music series continues. This month's performance includes a DJ set followed by Leonardo Garcia y Son Horizonte, an ensemble formed over ten years ago to explore a wide variety of original compositions, authentic arrangements, and a wide variety of Salsa and Salsa Jazz, from the classics (salsa dura), including the band's original salsa music. 🆓 Nov 12

SPONSORED CONTENT

HERstory on the move. A Tour of Her Own's bus tour "HERstorical Places & Feminist Spaces" highlights women's history and DC culture through the lens of public art, tourism, preservation, and service. Based on sites highlighted in their book 111 Places in Women's History That You Must Not Miss, this four-hour women's history tour brings these stories from the pages of our book to the streets of DC. Nov 12
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NOTE: Our network is welcome to a 35% discount on all programs in The LINEUP as well as all annual memberships. Use promo code CURIOUSCARAVAN2022 at checkout.

​Time flies. What is time anyway? In this one-man show based on H.G. Wells’ ground-breaking novel, which influenced generations of science fiction writers, Time Machine takes an inventor through several eras in the future. Is it an adventure? A prophecy? Or a nightmare? 🎟💲Now  - Nov 13

Flamenco Festival. ​The 18th edition of “Fuego Flamenco Festival” brings together leading Flamenco artists from Spain and the U.S. in an expanded three-week festival.This year’s edition of Fuego Flamenco Festival invites dancer Antonio Granjero and Entreflamenco, who will debut in Fuego Flamenco. The Festival also features the unique style of Flamenco Men, together with the Flamenco guitar of José Almarcha accompanied by dancer Lucía Ruibal. 🎟💲Now to Nov 13

Images from the White House. On display at Lost Origins gallery, Through the Eyes of History celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the White House News Photographers Association with 50 of the most compelling, indelible, or seldom seen images captured by their members over the last 10 decades. 🆓Now to Nov 13

Embellished Legacies. Scholar Julia Bryan-Wilson discusses how women of color artists have used embellishment as a strategy to blur the lines between function and décor at Renwick. Her talk examines how these artists’ practice of intricately adorning domestic objects can expand our understanding of women’s work. Wilson's monograph on Nevelson is forthcoming in 2023. Registration required 🆓💻👥​Nov 16

Let me see your peacock. Don't miss a beloved tradition as the National Museum of Asian Arts opens the shutters in the Peacock Room and see this unique masterwork of art and design in a whole new way as natural light reveals details of James McNeill Whistler's painted interior and accents the gleaming surfaces of Charles Lang Freer's collection of Asian ceramics. 🆓 ​Nov 17

Secret DC. Discover our nation's capital's hidden history, untold stories, and shocking secrets with author JoAnn Hill. who will discuss her book Secret Washington, DC: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure and for scavenger hunt enthusiasts, her newest book DC Scavenger. Copies of Secret Washington, DC will be available for sale. Registration required. 🆓 Nov 17

Legendary. National Book Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Patti Smith discusses her new book, A Book of Days which features 365 photographs that take you through a single year and includes vintage photographs, previously unpublished photos from life on and off the road, and, in intimate daily notations, dispatches from her travels around the world. She'll also perform a few songs. 🎟💲Nov 17

Play Misty for me. Pioneering Black ballerina Misty Copeland talks about her new book, The Wind at My Back, and another trailblazing Black ballerina—her mentor, the late Raven Wilkinson, and how they changed the dance world. 🎟💲Nov 18

To (holiday) market we go. Kick off your holiday shopping at the 18th Annual Downtown Holiday Market returns to take over two blocks of F Street. This year’s lineup features 70+ exhibitors including Black-owned and minority-owned businesses, and  six food vendors will provide tasty treats and hot beverages, spread across the market. 🆓🎄​Nov 18 - Dec 23

Native Cinema Showcase.. Sit back and enjoy the National Museum of the American Indian's annual film showcase of the best in Indigenous film. The online program includes a total of 35 films (six features and 30 shorts) representing 30 Native nations in eight different countries: US, Canada, New Zealand, Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Colombia and Sweden. There are 10 Indigenous languages spoken in the films. Genres include documentaries, music videos, kid-friendly shorts, films in Indigenous languages and more. 🆓 Nov 18 - 25

Fall sugar cookies. Sign up for this hands-on sugar cookie decorating class to learn the basics of icing and how to make decorating easier. You'll leave with five all sugar cookies and cookie and icing recipes to take home. Drinks, beer and wine are included in your ticket. 💲🎟 Nov 19

Club Quarantine Live. DJ  and Kennedy Center Hip Hop Culture Council Member D-Nice becomes the first DJ and hip hop artist to headline the Kennedy Center Opera House with a very special edition of Club Quarantine Live! Join D-Nice and special guests Too $hort, EPMD, LeToya Luckett, Digable Planets, Israel Houghton, DJ Clark Kent, Kenny Burns, and Igmar Thomas’s Revive Orchestra for this historic celebration. 💲🎟Nov 19

Till trilogy. The Till Trilogy is a series of plays by noted playwright Ifa Bayeza that reflect on the life, death, and legacy of Emmett Till. The Ballad of Emmett Till  follows the last two weeks of Emmett Till’s life on his journey from Chicago to Money, Mississippi in 1955; Benevolence follows two couples – one Black and one White – as they process the role of violence and loss in their relationships and communities following his death; and That Summer in Sumner simulates the 1955 trial for the murder of Emmett Till with palpable energy and profound theatricality. Tickets can be purchased individually for each play or bundle them. 🎟💲Now - Nov 19

Cocktails for tea lovers. You'll be the holiday hostess with the mostest after you learn to make your own signature cocktail using tea. Your host will guide you through the process of making 3 cocktails teaching you how to muddle, mix and shake your own cocktails. Each participant will leave with 2 cocktails recipes and a recommended pairing. 💲🎟Nov 20

Ward 8 Woods hike. Go off-the-beaten-path (literally!) and explore Bald Eagle Hill, wooded area between the DC-Maryland line, Joliet Street SW, and South Capitol Street, on a guided hike. The hike will be guided but off-trail, with total hiking time around 1 to 2 hours. 💲🎟Nov 20

Jazz at Goethe. The Goethe-Institut kicks off the new ‘Jazz@Goethe’ concert series with drummer Angel Bethea. This series continues in the spirit of the DC Public Library’s ‘Jazz in the Basement’ series, which the Goethe-Institut co-hosted for several years in its previous location on K street. 💲🎟Nov 20

Ice, ice baby! ICE, Gaylord National Resort longtime holiday tradition, returns after a two-year hiatus. Using more than 2 million pounds of ice, the holiday classic, A Christmas Story ,will be brought to life in ice sculpture form by a team of 40 world-class ice artisans from Harbin, China. This year, guests will experience over 10 scenes from the hilarious family tale including the old man’s major award, Aunt Clara’s pink nightmare, the ultimate triple dog dare at the school’s flagpole and more! 💲🎟🎄Nov 20 - Dec 31

Elegies. Penned by Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist William Finn (Falsettos, A New Brain, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Elegies commemorates the lives of people both real and fictional with rousing theatricality and unforgettable songs. From Finn’s friends, to his mother, to his dogs, to the victims of the World Trade Center collapse, these characters and their stories will enchant and enrich your spirit in this stunning masterwork that celebrates the human experience and life’s infinite joys. 💲🎟Now to Nov 23

Wharf ice rink opens. Experience The Wharf Ice Rink—DC’s only over-water ice skating rink. From November through February, head to Transit Pier right outside The Anthem and lace up your skates—bring your own or rent some rink-side—to glide over the ice and enjoy amazing views of the water and monuments. 💲🎟🎄​ ​Nov 23

A Christmas Carol. The classic holiday tale about Christmas Past, Present and Future as they lead the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of transformation and redemption returns to Ford's Theatre. 💲🎟🎄Nov 23 - Dec 31

Turkey Trot. Burn off some pre-Thanksgiving dinner calories while helping feed the hunger at  SOME’s 21st Annual Thanksgiving Day Trot for Hunger 5K. As the largest and only DC-based Trot in the region, the race starts at Freedom Plaza for a timed or untimed 5K, our Little Turkey 1-Miler, and a family-friendly finisher festival! Can't make it downtown? Take part in the virtual Race: From November 1-30, run a timed or untimed 5K from your neighborhood or local park all while raising funds and spreading awareness of SOME’s mission! 💲Nov 24

Native American dance. In honor of Native American history month, learn about the meaning and history of hoop dancing in Native culture at the Native American Museum. Demonstration by five-time world champion hoop dancer Tony Duncan (San Carlos Apache/Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara). 🆓 ​Nov 25

All of the lights. Kick off the holiday season at The Wharf as they officially light their Christmas tree and transform the waterfront into a winter wonderland with thousands of twinkling lights. 🆓🎄​Nov 25

Zoolights. The colorful glow of D.C.’s beloved Smithsonian’s National Zoo holiday tradition is back for 2022. Colourful fairly lights are strung up around its paths and rest areas, with glowing animal and creature sculptures set around the park. Delightful for children especially, there is a light show set to music to be enjoyed each night. Everyone can appreciate the live musical performances scattered through the festivities, along with holiday stalls set up for shopping, getting a quick bite, or warming hands around hot cider or cocoa. Over 500,000 (environmentally-friendly!) LED lights dazzle, making the park a wonderland. 🆓🎄Nov 25 - Dec 30

Enchanting. Enchant Christmas DC turns Nationals Park into a magical wonderland. Experience a world of adventure featuring over 4 million sparkling lights creating an immersive walk-thru, story-themed maze. Discover our charming Village offering ice-skating, live entertainment, dining, holiday shopping, Santa & Mrs. Claus, and much more. Tickets on sale now. 💲🎟🎄Nov 25 - Jan 1

Capitol Hill Christmas tree lighting. Join the Capitol Hill BID for the 16th Annual Capitol Hill Holiday Tree Lighting! with hot chocolate and doughnuts while local musical groups Joyous Voices, Adalia Jimenez and Capitol Hill Arts Workshop’s Suzuki Strings perform your favorite holiday carols! 🆓🎄Nov 26

Posh Christmas tree lighting. CityCenter DC hosts the annual lighting of one of the most elegant and over-the-top Christmas trees and displays in the city. 🆓🎄Nov 26

NGA ice skating rink opens. Strap on your ice skates and take a spin on the ice surrounded by the grand architecture of national museums and monuments. Enjoy splendid views of large-scale sculptures from artists in our renowned collection, including Alexander Calder, Louise Bourgeois, and Roy Lichtenstein. Group and individual skating lessons available. 💲🎟🎄Nov 26

Get your GLOW on. It's back! GLOW, Georgetown's annual outdoor public light art experience returns for the holiday season. Set against the historic backdrop of DC’s oldest neighborhood, it’s a whole new way to shine. 🆓​🎄​Nov 26 - Jan 22

Post-Thanksgiving hike. Escape the city hustle and bustle for a rugged ramble through northwest D.C. parkland and enjoy picturesque scenery featuring creeks, woodlands, and unexpected sites like the New Zealand Embassy, Divine Science Church, and the park where renowned scientist and writer Rachel Carson enjoyed bird watching. 💲🎟Nov 26

Death and cake. Death is a scary and taboo subject to some, but not at this Congressional Cemetery event. Death Café is a global movement facilitating thoughts and discussion about the often taboo subject of death, It’s a intimate informal gathering to discuss death while eating cake and drinking tea. It has no agenda other than providing a safe space to have an open ended conversation. You're encouraged to bring a food or beverage item to share; $5 donation suggested. Registration required. 🆓Nov 29

Fairmont hotel tree lighting. The courtyard at the Fairmont hotel will be filled with tiny white lights and turn into a glittering crystal garden for the annual tree lighting ceremony. Holiday classics will be performed by the award-winning Georgetown Visitation Madrigals and children will enjoy decorating holiday cards and families will be entered to win prizes. Santa Claus will make a special appearance with Georgie the hotel’s Canine Ambassador, and spend time listening to children’s Christmas wishes after the ceremony. Guests are encouraged to bring a gift for Horton’s Kids* - such as Legos, basketballs, footballs, dolls, books, games or arts and crafts for kids ages 5 – 18. 🆓🎄Nov 29

Ugly sweater. Get ready for all those ugly sweater parties! Swap one or bring an old one to upcycle; limited supplies will be available. Registration required. 🆓🎄Nov 30

Capitol Christmas tree. Coming all the way from North Carolina, the Capitol Christmas tree will be lit during the official tree lighting ceremony on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol building. The tree will be decorated with handmade ornaments created by North Carolinians. 🆓🎄​Nov 30

Hands-on quilt making. You'll be in stitches in a hands-on workshop introducing you to the basics of quilt-making hosted by Phillips@THEARC and Quilts 4 DC, the Wee Bee Quilters of DC, a nonprofit quilting bee.  In US history, the needle and thread acted as a form for women to express their voices in the personal, domestic, and political domains.  Quilt-making can explore themes of memory, identity, narrative and often delves into abstraction through geometric patterns. Materials provided. 🆓 Nov 30

African-American art of the South. The National Gallery of Art exhibits more than 40 paintings, assemblages, sculptures and drawings from essential Black artists, including Thornton Dial, Lonnie Holley, Mary T. Smith, Purvis Young, James “Son Ford” Thomas and many more. Incredible quilts made from scraps of fabric and old clothing crafted by the women of Gee’s Bend, Alabama are also on display as part of an in-depth look at the significance of cultural and spiritual traditions on some of the finest contemporary art. 🆓 Now through March 26, 2023

Purple. Hirshhorn exhibits John Akomfrah: Purple, the artist’s largest ever video installation, an immersive six-channel work, to Washington D.C. for the first time. An enveloping, hour-long symphony of image and sound, Purple weaves together original film with archival footage against a hypnotic score to address themes related to climate change. 🆓 Now - Summer 2023

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