13 things to do around D.C. this weekend

It's holiday market season, and twinkling lights are going up. Plus: Take a free art class, or preview an immersive performance.

Trees shine on a dark night with blue holiday lights.
Get in the holiday spirit with the Meadowlark Botanical Garden’s annual light display. (DC Gardens / Flickr)

The weather is starting to cool, holiday markets are back, and we have your weekend schedule ready to go. 

THURSDAY, NOV. 13

The Lavender Scare Film Screening and Talkback
📍 Edlavitch DC JCC
⏰ 7 - 9 p.m.
💸 $11-16
Watch a screening of the first-ever documentary to tell the story of the Eisenhower administration's campaign to fire federal government employees suspected of homosexuality.

Cuffing Season
📍 Continental Pool Lounge
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
💸 $10-15
This meet-and-mingle for singles comes just in time for cozying up on the couch. Attendees can hear from matchmaking service The Court, have their tarot cards read, and maybe even meet their happily-ever-after.

A colorful display of Mexican wrestling masks.
Lucha Libre Mexican wrestling, magicians, and contortionists will all be at the Yards this Friday. (Larry Costales / Unsplash)

FRIDAY, NOV. 14

Dupont Holiday Market
📍 New Hampshire Ave NW, just north of Dupont Circle park
12 - 8 p.m.
💸 FREE
It’s the opening night of the annual DC Holiday Market at Dupont Circle. Start your holiday shopping with both goods from local artisans and crafts from around the world. Find a full list of exhibitors on the organizer’s website. 

Side Yards
📍 The Yards 
5:30 - 8:30 p.m.
💸 FREE
Ring in the weekend with a family-friendly night festival featuring Lucha Libre Mexican Wrestling and carnival entertainment, including magicians, contortionists, and jugglers.

Preview Show: The Moving Art Gallery 
📍 The Dance Place
7 p.m.
💸 $10-45, FREE for government workers
Ahead of their performance on Saturday, sit in on a preview of The Moving Art Gallery by the Creative Space. After the show, stay behind for a live technical rehearsal experience and artist talkback.

A woven black and tan textile
Learn about Kuba textiles and woven art from Central Africa, virtually or in-person at George Washington University. (Jeppestown / Flickr)

SATURDAY, NOV. 15

Museums & Markets Holiday Market
📍 Strathmore
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
💸 FREE, with $10 suggested donation
Wouldn’t it be fun to get your holiday gifts from the region’s favorite museum shops and local artisans? Every purchase at the art center’s holiday market supports the region’s non-profit museums and local artists.

Rug and Textile Appreciation Morning: Weaving Abstraction
📍The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum
11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
💸 FREE
Join George Washington University guest curator Vanessa Drake Moraga as they explore Kuba textiles and woven art from Central Africa. Participants can also join virtually over Zoom! 

Your weekly roundup of ways to get involved in D.C.
Plus, plug into mutual aid, or learn jiu jitsu for a cause.

Scratch That! Scratch Paper Art
📍Art Enables 
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
💸 FREE
Stretch your creative muscles at Art Enable’s Saturday workshop, where you’ll learn the basics of scratch paper art. The series is part of the art studio and gallery’s monthly, family-friendly hands-on programming.

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📍MLK Library 
12 - 1:30 p.m.
💸 FREE
Stretch your imagination at a Creative Tech Saloon, where technologists and artists will gather to present their work, code live, discuss game design, and meet others from the region.

Bridge District hARvesT Jam
📍600 Howard Road SE 
1 - 4 p.m.
💸 FREE
This one-day event brings together artists and artisans from Ward 8 and throughout the region. Attendees can expect live art installations, spoken word and acoustic sets, vendors, and a celebration of the artistry of the District community.

A pencil sits on a pad of paper on a wooden table.
Tune up your storytelling skills with a free workshop at Potter's House. (Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash)

SUNDAY, NOV. 16

The Queen of Swords by Jazmina Barrera
📍 Lost City Books
5 p.m.
💸 FREE
End your weekend with Mexican writer Jazmina Barrera and translator Megan McDowell, as they discuss Barrera’s new biography of the influential Mexican writer Elena Garro. Author, critic, and translator Lily Meyer will moderate the conversation.

Meadowlark Winter Walk of Lights
📍 Meadowlark Botanical Gardens 
Timed tickets available in intervals from 5:30 - 9:30 p.m.
💸 $20.85
It’s the most wonderful time of year: Walk the half-mile garden trail and take in the grounds of a gorgeous Northern Virginia park, sparkling for the holiday season. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are available for purchase.

Thanksgiving Storytelling Workshop
📍 The Potter's House Café & Bookstore 
10:30 a.m.
💸 FREE
Learn a new way to express gratitude through this workshop from Story District. Attendees will leave with a three-to-five-minute structured story, prompts if you need them, and coaching on their storytelling skills.

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