Washington D.C.

blue

Get smarter, faster on what matters in D.C. with Mimi Montgomery, Cuneyt Dil, and Anna Spiegel.

Axios D.C.

Standard

Axios D.C. Partners

Axios D.C. Thought Bubble

Thought Bubble

A guide to fun things to do in D.C. this weekend.

Axios D.C. Weekender

Weekender

D.C. Alerts

Alert

Washington, DC Members

Membership

D.C. bars are embracing "Christmas in July" themes to fight the heat. 

Why it matters: It may feel like the Amazon, but these spots are giving North Pole.

Fun fact: Christmas in July isn't a Hallmark ploy — it's a tradition that originated at a southern summer camp in the 1930s to entertain homesick campers.

State of play: Dupont's "five-star dive bar," the Commodore, transformed into a winter wonderland with a "Frozened" pop-up through summer. Think icy blue lighting, penguin paraphernalia, and an igloo experience.

Go for boozy snow cones, stay for shotskis. 

Cool eats include gazpacho and chilled sesame noodles.

Meanwhile, Last Call Bar near Union Market is channeling the holidays with "Naughty List" cocktails — think Fireball, coffee liqueur and Coke — and $2 Jell-o shots.

On Thursday, there's an "Ugly T-Shirt Christmas Party" with DIY bedazzling.

On Friday, go for  "Ho-Ho-Ho Happy Hour" (12-7pm) with half-price Christmas cocktails.

What's next: Bad Santa will be doling out Jell-o shots and "Frosty's Margaritas" at Whitlow's on U on Friday during their Christmas in July party (6-10pm).

DJ tunes provided. Christmas attire rewarded.

It's "Christmas in July" at these frosty D.C. bars

Two side-by-side images: left shows a frozen ice shot glass with blue tinsel, two small penguin figures, and a white igloo figure. Right shows festive small pink, white, and green lit Christmas trees, cocktail drinks, and a poster in background.

Icy shots at Frozened (left) and July Christmas cocktails at Whitlow's. Photos: Courtesy the Commodore (left) and Whitlow's

D.C. bars are embracing &quot;Christmas in July&quot; themes to fight the heat. Why it matters: It may feel like the Amazon, but these spots are giving North Pole.

It's "Christmas in July" at these frosty D.C. bars

More Washington D.C. stories