The short version: This is the weekend DC switches into holiday season. The DowntownDC Holiday Market opens on F Street NW on Friday, Nov 13, and CityCenterDC lights its tree on Saturday, Nov 14, with JoJo headlining (festivities start at 5 PM, free). The Renwick opens "Handwork: Contemporary Craft" on Friday and the National Portrait Gallery opens "Photographic Memory" on Saturday, both free. Geese close out their tour at The Anthem Friday night and the Capitals host the Devils Saturday at 7 PM.
Every year there's one weekend when the city stops pretending it's still fall. This is it. The market stalls go up on F Street, the lights go on at CityCenter, and the group chat starts asking who's hosting what in December.
The smart move is to treat this weekend as the opening night of the season. Walk the market Friday, see the lights Saturday, and bring a few people home afterward instead of fighting for a 9 PM table downtown. If you want the room to feel easy from the first pour, start with how the best hosts in DC design a room for connection. Here's what's worth your weekend.
What's happening in DC this weekend?
| Day | What | Where | Why go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Nov 13 | DowntownDC Holiday Market opens | F Street NW, Penn Quarter | 100+ local artisans, the season's first gift run |
| Fri, Nov 13 | "Handwork: Contemporary Craft" opens | Renwick Gallery | The museum's new craft showcase, free |
| Fri, Nov 13 | Geese, final tour date | The Anthem, The Wharf | The last night of the tour, and it's ours |
| Sat, Nov 14 | CityCenterDC Holiday Tree Lighting with JoJo | The Park at CityCenter | DC's most stylish tree lighting, free |
| Sat, Nov 14 | "Photographic Memory" opens | National Portrait Gallery | Fifty years of portrait photography, free |
| Sat, Nov 14 | Capitals vs. Devils | Capital One Arena | A 7 PM puck drop, steps from the lights |
| All weekend | The stay-in night | Your place | The after-party everyone actually wants |
DowntownDC Holiday Market
The market opens Friday, Nov 13, on F Street NW and runs through Dec 23, with more than 100 local makers selling handcrafted gifts. Friday and Saturday hours are 11 AM to 9 PM, and it's free to walk. Go Friday afternoon before the crowds and knock out the host gifts early (WTOP, Washington Times).
"Handwork: Contemporary Craft" at the Renwick
The Renwick's new exhibition opens Friday, Nov 13, at the corner of 17th and Pennsylvania. It's the centerpiece of a national celebration of American craft, open daily 10 AM to 5:30 PM and free, with an opening open house Friday from 11 AM to 2 PM. Glass, clay, fiber and wood up close. It's the kind of afternoon that makes you look at your own table differently (Smithsonian American Art Museum, Craft in America).
Geese at The Anthem
The Brooklyn band plays The Anthem Friday at 8 PM, and DC is the last stop on the tour. Final nights tend to be the loose, generous ones. Book dinner on The Wharf first and make a night of it (Live Nation, Songkick).
CityCenterDC Holiday Tree Lighting with JoJo
Saturday, Nov 14, at The Park at CityCenter, 1098 New York Ave NW. Festivities start at 5 PM, the official program at 6 PM, and JoJo headlines. It's free. Streets around 10th and I close to traffic from 2 to 9 PM, so take Metro or a car and skip the parking hunt (CityCenterDC, MPD traffic advisory).
"Photographic Memory" at the National Portrait Gallery
Opening Saturday, Nov 14, "Photographic Memory: Fifty Years of Collecting" brings together more than 120 photographs, from daguerreotypes to digital, including works never shown before. Free, second floor, and it runs a full year, but opening weekend has the energy (PetaPixel, My Modern Met).
Capitals vs. Devils
The Caps host New Jersey Saturday at 7 PM at Capital One Arena, a few blocks from the tree lighting. Lights at 6, puck drop at 7. That's a full Saturday in Penn Quarter (NHL.com, ESPN).
The Host's Play: the after-the-lights dinner
Here's the move. Invite six to ten people for Saturday. Meet at CityCenter at 5:30, watch the lights go on, and be back at your place by 7:30 with coats off and glasses poured. Set a dress code that's easy to hit: velvet, cashmere, one good piece of jewelry. Put a single question on a card at each seat: what's the one gathering you want to host before the year's out? You'll have your December calendar by dessert.
For the table, the Winter Wonderland Board is built for exactly this night: prosciutto roses, triple-cream brie dusted with edible silver, Bosc pears and candied walnuts on an 18 x 24 board that serves 18 to 20 ($529, 48 hours' notice, so reserve by Thursday for Saturday). Add the Osetra Caviar ($100) for a toast when the lights come on. Pour a dry rosé and a Pinot Noir and you're done.
Frequently asked questions
What's happening in DC this weekend?
The DowntownDC Holiday Market opens Friday, Nov 13, on F Street NW, and the CityCenterDC Holiday Tree Lighting with JoJo is Saturday, Nov 14, starting at 5 PM. The Renwick and the National Portrait Gallery both open new free exhibitions, Geese play The Anthem Friday, and the Capitals host the Devils Saturday at 7 PM.
What are the best things to do in DC this weekend for adults?
Walk the holiday market Friday afternoon, catch Geese at The Anthem Friday night, and spend Saturday in Penn Quarter: the National Portrait Gallery's new photography show, the CityCenterDC tree lighting at 5 PM, then the Caps at 7 PM or dinner at home with friends.
What time is the CityCenterDC tree lighting with JoJo?
Festivities begin at 5 PM on Saturday, Nov 14, at The Park at CityCenter, 1098 New York Ave NW, with the official program at 6 PM. It's free. Nearby streets close to cars from 2 to 9 PM, so plan on Metro or a drop-off.
So text the group chat tonight, pick Saturday, and set the table before you leave for the lights. The season starts this weekend. From our table to yours.
District Boards is a family-owned, chef-curated charcuterie and grazing company in Washington, DC, hand-delivering across DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia.
