Washington, D.C

The Weekend Scene: Last call to deck the halls in the DC area

Published

2 years ago

December 27, 2024

The Weekend Scene: Last call to deck the halls in the DC area

Closing time! One last call for decking the hall and wrapping up your holiday cheer.

Celebrate Hanukkah with menorah lightings in Clarendon and National Landing and Kwanzaa at the Anacostia Community Museum and The Kennedy Center.

Though decorations are already deeply discounted, it’s your last weekend to check out plenty of Christmas classics, too.

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is all about catching up. Get extra sleep, exchange those not-quite-right gifts and check out some cool stuff you may have missed in the holiday hustle.

For one, it’s the finale weekend for the Washington Ballet’s “The Nutcracker.” We’re sorry to report that Tommy and Aimee Cho will not be on stage.

4 things to know about the weekend

See these holiday displays before they’re gone

Free pick
Holiday Walk of Lights at Neabsco Regional Park
Through Fri., Woodbridge
🔗 Details

Stroll the boardwalk covered with lights, enjoying characters and a holiday market. It’s free to visit. It’s friendly to pets, strollers and wheelchairs.

Winter Lights Festival at Seneca Creek State Park
Through New Year’s Eve, Gaithersburg
🔗 Details

Drive past hundreds of illuminated displays and trees on this 3.5-mile path. Tickets must be purchased in advance and cost $15 to $25 per vehicle.

Free pick
Seasons Greenings
Through Jan. 5, U.S. Botanic Garden
🔗 Details

The Conservatory and Garden have transformed into the ultimate holiday wonderland with botanical wreaths and décor, thousands of poinsettias and iconic D.C. landmarks made from plants.

Tingle Bells: An ASMR-Inspired Holiday Special
Through Jan. 5, ARTECHOUSE DC in Southwest, $17+
🔗 Details

The holidays can be a bit much sometimes with all of the hustle and bustle. Take some time to soothe your mind by visiting Artechouse’s Holiday Special: Tingle Bells. The ASMR-inspired experience soothes your senses with calming soundscapes and captivating visuals.

The newest addition to the multi-sensory experience is the Spectacular Factory, where you’ll feel like you landed in a dream in a holiday gift factory that came to life.

Can’t-miss museum exhibits

Free pick
“OSGEMEOS: Endless Story”
Through August, Hirshhorn Museum

Colorful and whimsical, this exhibit of twin brothers Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo’s art takes over a full floor of the Hirshhorn with an incredible amount of work from paintings and sketches to larger-than-life sculptures. Make sure to grab timed tickets and stop by the Basquiat × Banksy exhibit, too.

Free pick
“Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment”
Through Jan. 19, the National Gallery of Art in D.C.
🔗 Details

Don’t miss the only U.S. stop for this exhibit on the origins of the impressionist art movement. It’s filled with heavy hitters like Paul Cézanne and Claude Monet, plus lesser-known artists. Stop by to warm up after a morning ice skating in the Sculpture Garden!

JewCE: The Jewish Comics Experience
Through March 2025, Capital Jewish Museum, $10 (for non-members and those over 12 years old)
🔗 Details

In this new exhibit, you can explore 100 years of Jewish cartoons, comics, and graphic novels at the Capital Jewish Museum. Learn about the Jewish origins of iconic comic book superheroes from the 1930s through the 1960s.

A comic experience isn’t complete without reading a comic or two! After you’re done taking it all in, hang out in the reading room and enjoy comics, graphic novels, creator biographies, and works represented in the galleries.

Free pick
In Slavery’s Wake
Through June 8, 2025, National Museum of African American History and Culture, free (timed passes required for museum)
🔗 Details

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is opening its newest exhibit called “In Slavery’s Wake: Making Black Freedom in the World.” The multi-lingual experience is the museum’s first international traveling exhibition and will explore how racial slavery, colonialism and Black freedom-making influence the world.

The exhibit will be split into six sections on Concourse Level C and features 100 objects, 250 images, and 10 multi-media interactives and films.

The Future Scene: New Year’s Eve with the family

Free pick
Noon Yards Eve
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Yards Park
🔗 Details

A balloon drop at noon? We’re in! Let the little ones get in on the New Year’s Eve fun early with carnival games, a magic show, bounce houses and more. Take a selfie under the 13-foot illuminated Swinging Bells on The Yards’ Sun Deck, too.

First Night Alexandria
Starts at 2 p.m., $10-$22 to enter festival
🔗 Details

The longstanding family-friendly festival will celebrate its 30th year with music, arts and community at the center of Historic Old Town Alexandria. The festival will begin with performances for children and a day party for all ages.

The first round of fireworks is set to go off at 6 p.m. over the waterfront.

If you’re not ready for bed yet, explore Old Town for live music, comedy and more on 12 stages inside churches, stores and more until another round of fireworks at midnight.

Tickets for the festival range from $10 to $22 with free admission to children ages two and under.

Visit Alexandria has a list of great places for spotting fireworks even if you don’t go to the festival.

New Year’s Eve dance parties through the decades

Dance New Year’s Eve away with cover bands and DJs playing the greatest hits from their favorite eras.

Go old school cool with Peaches O’Dell and her 11-piece, big band orchestra at Black Cat’s New Year’s Eve Swing Ball. At The Anthem, Sammy Rae & The Friends blend indie rock band, jazz, soul and funk.

Gimme Gimme Disco: A Dance Party Inspired by ABBA at The Atlantis delivers a one-of-a-kind ’70s vibe while The Fillmore Silver Spring has a Black Sabbath cover band.

All about the ’80s? You’ll want to see The Legwarmers at the State Theatre in Falls Church, The Reagan Years at The Tally Ho Theater in Leesburg or the Ultimate 80’s NYE Dance Party with DJ D at Jammin Java in Vienna.

Show off your ’90s and Y2K fashion for White Ford Bronco at The Lincoln Theatre or Uncle Jesse, a ‘90s and early aughts cover band at Farm Brew Live in Manassas.

Love T.K.O., the Howard Theatre’s party with Mariah The Scientist, channels all eras of R&B.

If you’ve ever worn ripped tights as a fashion statement, maybe Indie Sleaze New Year’s Eve with Melina and Dahger at Songbyrd is your vibe.

Concerts this weekend

The Shirks, 8 p.m. Friday, Black Cat, $20
D.C. band plays classic, ‘70s-style punk rock – short and fast. Opener Baby Alcatraz and the Aurelions offer early rock & roll inspired instrumentals. Details.

“Salad Days” 10th Anniversary Party, 8 p.m. Saturday, Black Cat, $20
This celebration of the seminal documentary about D.C.’s punk scene features performances by D.C. supergroup Hammered Hulls, featuring Alec MacKaye and Mary Timony, and Birthday Girl DC – a terrific teen indie rock trio of D.C. alternative rock progeny with a bright future. Details.

More things to do in D.C.

Kwanzaa programs at Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum: Events daily, Dec. 26-31, Southeast D.C., free

DowntownDC Holiday Skate Spectacular: Through Jan. 4, National Building Museum (401 F Street NW), free

Sculpture Garden Ice Rink: Daily, National Gallery of Art, $12 ($6 for skate rentals)

National Christmas Tree: Through Jan. 1, The Ellipse at President’s Park, free

Light Yards: Through Jan. 1, The Yards Park, free

Hot To Go – A Chappell Roan party: Fri., 9 p.m., 9:30 Club, $22

Best of DC Comedy Showcase: Fri. and Sat., DC Improv, $22+

The Legacy of the Dibinga Sisters and OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center (Kwanzaa celebration): Fri., The Kennedy Center, free

Seasons Greenings: Through Jan. 5, U.S. Botanic Garden, free

& Juliet: Through Jan. 5, The Kennedy Center, $45-$239

Life of Pi: Through Jan. 5, The Kennedy Center, $49-$179

Things to do in Maryland

Washington DC Temple Festival of Lights: Through Jan. 1, 9900 Stoneybrook Dr, Kensington, free

Disco Biscuits: Fri. and Sat., Fillmore Silver Spring, $60+

Winter Wonderland Extravaganza on the Farm: Sat., Charity’s Hope Family Farm in LaPlata, $7.18

Things to do in Virginia

Silent Disco! at Punch Bowl Social Arlington: Sat., 4238 Wilson Blvd. in Arlington, $10+

Winter Walk of Lights: Nov. 8 to Jan. 5, Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, $18-$22

Aurora’s Winter Circus Adventure: Through Dec. 29, Dulles Town Center, $35+ (adult)/$28+ (child)

Want to know what’s up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.

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Washington, D.C

About 120 Iowa National Guard soldiers leave today for D.C. deployment – Radio Iowa

Published

3 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

Dozens of Iowa National Guard soldiers leaving Iowa today will spend the next six months serving in Washington, D.C..

Last August, President Trump issued an executive order declaring there was an epidemic of crime in the nation’s capitol and he immediately mobilized National Guard troops from the District of Columbia. The Pentagon then started asking state guard units to deploy to D.C. and made a request of Governor Kim Reynolds last year. “They asked earlier and I said no because we had one of the largest deployments that we’ve had for a long, long time and I just felt we were stretched pretty thin,” Reynolds said.

In May of last year, nearly 2000 Iowa National Guard soldiers were deployed to the Middle East. The final group of those soldiers returned to Iowa last month. Reynolds said the Pentagon “circled back” recently and asked her to send a group of Iowa Guard soldiers to D.C. and she’s deployed 120 Iowa Guard soldiers to D.C. “to ensure the safety and security” of people who are in the nation’s capitol, “especially with everything that’s going on with the 250th birthday of our country,” Reynolds said, “and so we were able to participate and do our share.”

Reynolds told reporters the federal government will pay the entire cost of the deployment. Reynolds will speak this morning at a private send off ceremony for the Iowa Guard soldiers before they leave for D.C. There were over 5000 National Guard troops in Washington this past Sunday, including 185 from Nebraska and over 100 from Minnesota.

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Washington, D.C

Why Gov. Kim Reynolds turned down previous request to send National Guard to D.C.

Published

14 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Why Gov. Kim Reynolds turned down previous request to send National Guard to D.C.

DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) — One hundred and twenty members of the Iowa National Guard are leaving Friday for Washington, D.C., where they will assist with security measures and America 250 celebrations at the request of the Trump administration.

Reynolds initially said no

Gov. Kim Reynolds said she had previously declined the Trump administration’s request, citing the strain of one of the state’s largest recent deployments.

“They asked earlier, and I said no because we had one of the largest deployments that we’ve had for a long, long time and I just felt that we were stretched pretty thin,” Reynolds said.

Nearly 2,000 Iowa National Guard members had spent a year or more deployed to the Middle East. Those soldiers have since returned home.

Guard members now available following Middle East return

With those troops back, Reynolds said Iowa was in a position to fulfill the president’s request.

“We have them all back. They circled back, especially with everything that’s going on with the 250th uh birthday uh of our country. And so we were able to participate and do our share,” Reynolds said.

Different states have sent National Guard members to Washington, D.C., since last August.

Reynolds said the federal government will pay the costs of Iowa’s deployment to Washington, D.C.

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Washington, D.C

Metro Red Line Summer Shutdown: Changes to shuttle bus service after concerns

Published

24 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Metro Red Line Summer Shutdown: Changes to shuttle bus service after concerns

WASHINGTON – Metro riders are seeing changes Thursday morning as WMATA adjusts its shuttle bus system following concerns about long lines and confusion tied to the Red Line summer shutdown.

Express shuttles to North Bethesda will now only pick up on Wisconsin Avenue near the Trader Joe’s. Local shuttles serving Bethesda, Medical Center and Grosvenor have been moved to the Friendship Heights Metro station, while some regular Metrobus routes are picking up on Western Avenue.

Red Line Shuttle Service Updates

• Local shuttle boarding will be relocated to Bus Bay K – the current C83/D96 bus stop on Wisconsin Ave.
• C83 and D96 buses will be relocated to the bus shelter on Western Ave near Wisconsin Ave.
• Express shuttle boarding will remain in the 5300 block of Wisconsin Ave NW.

What we know:

FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick says Red Line riders say the shutdown has added time to their commute, though many are trying to stay positive. The shuttles connect North Bethesda and Friendship Heights through September 6, when Purple Line construction is expected to wrap up.

Metro Red Line summer shutdown leads to long shuttle lines

Metro Red Line Summer Shutdown: Changes to shuttle bus service after concerns

The workaround relies on dedicated shuttle bus lanes along northbound and southbound Wisconsin Avenue/355 and up to Rockville Pike. But truck drivers, delivery drivers and passenger vehicles have been stopping or parking in those lanes, forcing shuttles to go around and slowing traffic.

Metro and Montgomery County police have increased enforcement to keep the lanes clear. Metro Transit Police say they asked more than 60 drivers to move out of the bus lanes in the first days of the shutdown.

Metro is also adding about 100 parking spaces at Friendship Heights in the former Lord & Taylor garage. Some Montgomery County riders are opting for the MARC train downtown instead.

Metro’s Red Line shutdown is now in full effect: Here’s what you need to know