Two guides to keep open this month: every Christmas light show near DC, with prices side by side, and ice skating rinks near DC, including which ones allow skate aids. For this week's picks with times and tips, see the homepage or this weekend.
Deadline this week: the free lottery for National Christmas Tree Lighting tickets closes Wednesday, Nov 4 at 3pm ET.
Free printable
The DC Holiday Planner 2026
Our 6 favorites, all 17 Christmas light shows side by side, a December fridge calendar, plus Santa, trains, Nutcrackers and Noon Year's Eve. Print it for the fridge or keep the phone version.
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This Week: November 3-8
Tree Lighting with Santa at Tanger Outlets
FREEThe earliest Santa arrival we found this year: Santa lights the tree, plus crafts and music.
Official site →Tiny Tots Show at The Puppet Co.
TICKETSA 30-minute puppet show for 18 months to 4 years. The room stays lit, there are no loud surprises and the doors stay open.
Official site →
Parade of Trabants at the Spy Museum
FREETwenty years of boxy East German cars outside the Spy Museum. Vote for a favorite and try Berlin-style graffiti.
Full event details →Tree Lighting and Fireworks at National Harbor
FREEA 60-foot tree lights up to music, then fireworks. The nightly tree show repeats every 30 minutes until 9pm through Jan 3.
Official site →
Last Week at Cox Farms
ONLINE TICKETSThe last week of the fall festival before Cox closes for the season. Tickets are online only.
Full event details →
Last Week of Pumpkin Village
TICKETSZip lines, hill slides and the animal park on one ticket, for one more week.
Full event details →Holiday Movies on the Potomac
FREEOutdoor family movies on the big screen: Elf, The Grinch, Free Birds and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Bring blankets.
Official site →Veterans Day and Mid-November: Nov 9-15
Mount Vernon Salutes Veterans
$16-30, VETERANS FREEStory times at 11 and 3, kids make thank-you cards for veterans from 10 to 4, fife music and a hands-on Navy and Marines station.
Official site →Veterans Day Ceremony in Rockville
FREEA short local ceremony with a wreath-laying and rifle salute. A good first Veterans Day for school-age kids.
Official site →
Winter Walk of Lights Opens
FROM $19The first big light show of the season: a paved 0.6-mile trail, lights over the lake and s'mores.
Full event details →Coca-Cola Caravan at Mosaic
FREEThe holiday trucks stop at Mosaic for an easy weeknight outing.
Official site →
DowntownDC Holiday Market Opens
FREE121 vendors in front of the National Portrait Gallery, with a kids' play area next to the stage.
Full event details →Mythical Beasts at The Puppet Co.
TICKETSDragon, phoenix and gryphon puppets with a guest artist, for ages 4 and up.
Official site →
ICE! at Gaylord National Opens
TIMED TICKETSThe Grinch carved from 2 million pounds of ice, with two-story ice slides. Kids 3 and under are free.
Full event details →
Bull Run Festival of Lights Opens
$30-45 PER CARA 2.5-mile drive-through, then bonfires, s'mores and a petting zoo at the Holiday Village.
Full event details →
Bright Nights at Cameron Run Opens
$9 ONLINEWalk-through lights, lighted mini golf, a scavenger hunt and a giant maze.
Full event details →
American Art Family Day at SAAM
FREEA free family day of art-making at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Full event details →Lights Season Opens: Nov 16-22
Washington Harbour Ice Rink Opens
$10-12DC's biggest outdoor rink, on the Potomac. Skate aids rent for $10.
Full event details →A Christmas Carol at Ford's Theatre
$25-117A DC holiday tradition with live music and a children's ensemble. Best for kids around 7 and up.
Official site →
ZooLights Opens
$10Over a million lights and 100+ animal lanterns. Check the calendar, it is only open on select nights.
Full event details →
Garden of Lights Opens
FROM $13.99A half-mile walk through a million lights. Kids 4 and under are free.
Full event details →Merriweather District Tree Lighting
FREEThe tree lighting and the opening of the Color Burst ice rink ($12 plus tax, skates $3) on the same night.
Official site →
Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade
FREEGiant balloons, floats and bands down Georgia Avenue. Take the Red Line to Silver Spring.
Full event details →A Bison Celebration at NMAI
FREE MUSEUMKids stitch a felt bison to take home and color a quilt block, plus short films. Part of Native American Heritage Month.
Official site →Holiday Village Market at Mosaic
FREEOutdoor holiday shopping next to a playground, which is the only way holiday shopping works with kids.
Official site →The Grinch Musical at Imagination Stage
FROM $16A big holiday musical at a theater built for kids. The theater calls it great for all ages.
Official site →Frosty the Snow Man at Adventure Theatre
TICKETSA short, funny holiday show for ages 3 and up, back by popular demand.
Official site →Thanksgiving Week: Nov 23-30
Sculpture Garden Ice Rink Opens
$12-15Skating on the National Mall. Skate aids are not allowed here.
Full event details →
Season's Greenings Opens on Thanksgiving
FREEFree model trains past plant-made national parks. A good walk after the big meal.
Full event details →Trot for Hunger + Little Turkey 1-Miler
$15 KIDS MILEDC's big Thanksgiving run, with a kids' mile ($15) and a family finish festival. Register online.
Official site →Turkey Chase Tot Trot in Bethesda
$22.20 TOT TROTThe 50-meter Tot Trot is perfect for toddlers. The 2-mile and 10K are there for the grown-ups.
Official site →Alexandria Turkey Trot
REGISTERThe 51st year of this 5-miler through Del Ray, with a stroller division.
Official site →Native American Heritage Day at NMAI
FREE MUSEUMFamily activities at the American Indian Museum the day after Thanksgiving.
Official site →
Reston Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting
FREEThe 34th year: a morning parade and an evening tree lighting at Reston Town Center.
Full event details →Tree Lighting and Santa at Mosaic
FREEMusic and dance, Santa's grand entrance and the tree lighting.
Official site →
Mount Vernon by Candlelight Begins
FROM $33Candlelit Mansion tours set at Christmas 1776, with Aladdin the camel and free cider and cookies.
Full event details →Gaithersburg's Winter Lights Opens
$15-25 PER CARA 3.5-mile drive past 450+ displays. Tickets online only.
Full event details →
Symphony of Lights Opens
$25 PER CARA drive-through with 300,000+ bulbs. On Nov 29 families can walk it with strollers.
Full event details →Puppet Nutcracker at The Puppet Co.
TICKETSA puppet Nutcracker for ages 3 and up. At the pajama party show, kids wear PJs and bring a new pair to donate.
Official site →
The Washington Ballet's Nutcracker
FROM $49A DC version with George Washington and Lady Liberty, about two hours long.
Full event details →Grand Illumination in Annapolis
FREEAnnapolis lights its tree by the water. Kids can also vote for their favorite gingerbread house at the Visitors Center.
Official site →Coming in Early December
The Festival of Lights in Kensington opens Dec 2 (free), the National Christmas Tree lights up Dec 3, Christmas Village at Leesburg Animal Park starts Dec 4, and Saturday, Dec 5 is a big one: the Scottish Walk Holiday Parade and the Boat Parade of Lights in Old Town Alexandria, plus the first Holiday on the Farm night at Frying Pan Farm Park.
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