Downtown D.C. is turning into a huge holiday village this year
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A rendering of the revamped Downtown DC Holiday Market, courtesy of Perkins Eastman
Santa isn't just coming to town — he's taking over downtown D.C., which will transform into a sprawling holiday village with new markets, an indoor ice rink, light installations and more.
Why it matters: Holiday fun aside, the city's winter programming is snowballing in an ongoing effort to bring vibrancy and more business downtown.
⛸️ Driving the news: Shiny new things! The Holiday Skate Spectacular takes over the National Building Museum (Dec. 16-Jan. 4) with a free, synthetic indoor rink. Skate rentals are just $5.
- Look for themed skates like disco and "glow nights," and kids-only sessions.
But first, the nearby DowntownDC Holiday Market (Nov. 22-Dec. 23), which marks its 20th year in Penn Quarter, is undergoing "a rejuvenating transformation" under fresh management from The Makers Show, which runs major markets in Boston and Brooklyn.
- Expect an expanded lineup of 110 vendors and businesses, most of which are women-, LGBTQ+ or BIPOC-owned. Look for jewelry, home goods, crafts, stationary, food stalls, a chalet-style market bar with hot cocktails and more.
The intrigue: The tinseltown shakeup came with some drama that led to the market's original organizer launching DC Holiday Market at Dupont Circle (Nov. 22-Dec. 15), a locally-focused shopping experience.
🎨 Over by Chinatown, Sandlot co-founder Ian Callender tells Axios he's planning the "Gallery Space at Gallery Place," temporarily taking over the huge, Metro-adjacent retail space vacated by Urban Outfitters four years ago.
- Callender, whose arts and culture-driven venues pop up in vacant or transitioning lots around the city, isn't going all-in on a holiday theme. But he plans to activate the two-story venue to coincide with the season.
- His vision: a local artist gallery and studio space on the first floor, and a homegrown vendor market above.
What he's saying: "The issue remains that artists don't really have a home to showcase their work, let alone create work or benefit financially from their work," says Callender, an organizer of D.C.'s massive Art All Night festival. "That's historically a problem we've been trying to solve."
❄️Also new: The National Mistletoe Activation, which launches in late November, will bring a sparkling art installation near the Carnegie Library.
- For more lights, Frosted at Franklin Park (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) returns with a free display.
💸 Follow the money: The city's $6.5 million Family Fun Destinations grant program, designed to "enhance family-friendly experiences" downtown, is boosting a flurry of holiday activity. Two new recipients include:
- Step Afrika!, an African American dance company, which will put on a Magical Musical Holiday Step Show (Dec. 13-22) at Arena Stage.
- The Washington Ballet, which will create a new family-focused experience of the annual "Nutcracker" at Warner Theatre (Nov. 30-Dec. 29). The ballet company also plans to host pop-up activations around downtown.
Between the lines: One big-time holiday happening that's not returning: Enchant at Nationals Park. The mega-holiday pop-up is sticking to West Coast venues this year.
🎄 Yes, but: So many other holiday activities are coming back. We can't wait for all the ice skating rinks, ZooLights, holiday boat parades at the Wharf and Alexandria, and many more.