11 things to do around D.C. this weekend
A hoop dancing performance, tree lighting, holiday markets, and more happenings for this Thanksgiving weekend.
We’re jumping right from one holiday to the next this weekend with a tree-lighting ceremony and multiple holiday markets. You can also flex your creative muscles by practicing improv, writing hip-hop lyrics, indulging in arts and crafts, and watching a hoop dancing performance. Have at it!
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29
Put down those Thanksgiving leftovers and stretch your legs with a race across the city. In this scavenger hunt by District Bridges, you compete for prizes from local spots like Captain Cookie, Pho Viet, Cracked Eggery, Washington Improv Theater, Solid State Books, and more. The game runs through Jan. 5. (Various locations; FREE)
For Native American Heritage Day, Lakota hoop dancer Starr Chief Eagle will put on four performances in the Potomac Atrium of the American Indian Museum. The event is meant to honor Zitkala-Ša, an artist and activist who campaigned for Native Americans to gain full U.S. citizenship while maintaining tribal standing. (American Indian Museum; Performances begin at 11:30 a.m.; FREE)
Kennedy Center teaching artist Bomani Armah is hosting a community songwriting session where he’ll teach folks how to write hip-hop rhymes individually and as a group. Bomani, best known for his single "Read a Book,” will also perform live for guests. Get there early to enjoy some food and drinks and peruse the collection of books and videos. (Sankofa Video and Books; 7 p.m.; $25)
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30
No, there’s no such thing as too many holiday markets. Shop the National Harbor Christmas Market and Holiday Craft Show for handmade gifts and seasonal treats while enjoying winter wonderland-themed decor. The event runs on Saturday and Sunday and will feature a different selection of local crafters and makers each day. (American Way, National Harbor; 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.; FREE)
Participate in a high-fun, low-stress crash course in improv. Learn how professionals at the Washington Improv Theater create spontaneous, off-the-cuff theater while igniting a sense of play. No theater or comedy experience necessary. (Martin Luther King Jr. Library; 1 p.m. - 2:30- p.m.; FREE)
Celebrate Small Business Saturday at the Post Punk Flea Market put on by Fiction DC, featuring more than 35 vendors and rotating DJ sets. Per usual, expect the local wares to appeal to the goth kid in your heart: “spooky/dark/alt. home decor, candles, jewelry, pet accessories, candy, baked goods and art,” per Atlas Brew Works on Instagram. There will be a food truck from The Burger Shop selling lunch, too. (Atlas Ivy City; 2 p.m. - 10 p.m.; FREE)
In its 11th year, this annual event will feature a live performance from Jordin Sparks alongside the American Pops Orchestra, plus balloon artists, face painting, two 25-foot reindeer, and more. The tree lighting program starts at 6 p.m. (CityCenterDC; 5 p.m.; FREE)
Smash Records 40th Anniversary Party
Celebrate four decades of alternative music and fashion with this Adams Morgan mainstay. The anniversary show will feature local group Des Demonas, who will celebrate the release of their newest LP, plus ‘90s punk band The Goons, Indie Rock group Lorelei, special DJ sets, and more. Stop by the Red Room for a peek at the new SMASH! docuseries. (The Black Cat; 8 p.m.; $15 in advance, $40 at the door).
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1
A Day With(out) Art at the National Portrait Gallery
Centering AIDS awareness, A Day With(out) Art is an internationally recognized day of action founded in 1989. The Portrait Gallery’s program will feature a film screening of shorts, art activities, an oral history listening station, health resources, and curator-led tours of the exhibition Felix Gonzalez-Torres: Always to Return, which explores artist Gonzalez-Torres’s use of portraiture, views on identity, and ideas about how history is spread. For a more in-depth look at the exhibit, sit in on a conversation with the exhibit’s co-curators at 3:30 p.m. (National Portrait Gallery; 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.; FREE)
Seasons Greetings Display at the Botanical Garden
Check out the U.S. Botanical Garden’s holiday decor and display of model trains, which run through scenes of pollinators with related plants (think: a bat and a banana flower, a chocolate midge and cacao flower, a honeycreeper bird and lobelia flower). The trains will roll in the gated outdoor garden. Inside the conservatory, you can explore nearly two dozen D.C. landmarks made with various plant parts. (10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; US Botanical Garden; FREE)
The National Museum of Women in the Arts’ community day will include a holiday market featuring goods from women and gender-expansive vendors, art-making activities, guided tours of exhibits, and more. The museum’s library and research center will also be open for browsing. (NMWA; 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; FREE, but reservations required)
