Umbrella Art Fair
Our end-of-the-week picks for Nov. 21-23, 2025
We've gathered up some fun things to do in DC this weekend. You can also read what else is going on during the week and throughout the month.
It's time to celebrate history in a whole new way! The Countdown to DC250 check-in challenge is here, a month-long adventure that takes you through historic landmarks, museums and hidden gems throughout DC in celebration of America's 250th.
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Friday
Umbrella Art Fair
Circle the calendar for this free three-day fair at The Square in DC. Umbrella showcases culture, creativity and cuisine in an event that could only go down in “America’s most worldly city.” The fair prioritizes the daring and the bold and prides itself on serving as a platform for independent artists and entrepreneurs.
More Info | RSVP
The Square, 1850 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
Visit reopened Smithsonian museums
On Friday, the National Museum of American History, the National Air and Space Museum and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center will reopen to the public. The National Zoo, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of African Art, the National Museum of Asian Art reopen at normal times on Saturday, with the National Museum of Natural History slated to open at 12 p.m. All other museums and research centers will reopen on a rolling basis by Monday, Nov. 17. Visit the Smithsonian's website for more information.
A Christmas Carol
In this time-honored holiday tradition in the nation’s capital, acclaimed actor Craig Wallace assumes the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in a lavish Victorian-style musical production of Charles Dickens’ timeless classic. Scrooge’s riveting journey alongside the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future is a joy even if you’ve experienced it a hundred times before – especially in one of the world’s most historic theaters.
Tickets
Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
ho ho ho ha ha ha
Julia Masli’s award-winning show that changes literally every night returns to Woolly Mammoth Theatre with a special festive edition. The audience’s problems are invited to the stage and wow, does Masli have some surprising and hilarious solutions. Prepare to see a production unlike any you’ve ever seen.
Tickets
Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Saturday
Folger Shakespeare Library
Imagining Shakespeare: Mythmaking Storytelling in the Regency Era
For the first time since 1805, 14 paintings from the renowned Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London are on view together. Visit the Folger Shakespeare Library and capitalize on this rare chance to see the tremendous collection, which features depictions of scenes from the Bard’s plays as imagined by leading artists of the day.
Hours | Free Admission
Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
DowntownDC Holiday Market
This year's edition of the DowntownDC Holiday Market will occupy the street and sidewalk on F Street between 7th and 9th Streets, NW. Now in its 21st year, its bright lights bring Penn Quarter and Chinatown to life, providing a holiday spark to the neighborhood. The spacious, open-air village is free and open to the public, kicking off the season just ahead of Thanksgiving (closed on Thanksgiving Day) and closing just before Christmas.
Free admission
F Street between 7th and 9th Streets NW, Washington, DC
ZooLights
Join the thousands of visitors who make ZooLights, powered by Pepco, a part of their annual holiday tradition. The event includes live music performances, tasty winter treats and plenty of opportunities for holiday shopping. Environmentally friendly LED lights and dozens of glowing animal lanterns transform the Smithsonian's National Zoo into a winter wonderland. Note that timed passes are required. Admission is just $6.
Hours & Admission
Smithsonian’s National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
Hadestown
Winner of eight Tony Awards in 2019 (including Best Musical), Hadestown is a vibrant musical experience that blends two mythic tales into a hair-raising voyage into the underworld. Expect an energetic ensemble of dancers and singers as your imagination is swept up in the tales of Orpheus and Eurydice and King Hades and his wife, Persephone.
Tickets
The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004
Signature Theatre Company
Fiddler on the Roof
The welcoming environs of Signature Theatre are the perfect setting for a beautiful staging of this iconic musical. Fiddler on the Roof concerns Jewish milkman Tevye and his community in Czarist Russia as they deal with rising anti-Semitism and a world quickly changing around them. Legendary songs include “Sunrise, Sunset” “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Matchmaker”.
Tickets
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206
Sunday
DC Holiday Market at Dupont Circle
The 1500 block of 19th Street NW hosts 30-plus small businesses with artisanal goods, boutique brands, worldwide handcrafts and unique gift items, plus festive decor, local performers and beloved holiday treats.
Free Admission
1500 Block of 19th Street NW, Washington, DC
Out of Many: Reframing an American Art Collection
The Phillips Collection presents both well-known and understudied artists in a dynamic new exhibit meant to examine the complexity of American art as the country turns 250 years old. Visitors can experience how artists have depicted landscapes, cultures, stories and people from the early 20th century to the present.
Hours & Admission
The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600-1750
More than 40 Dutch and Flemish women artists are showcased in a new exhibit at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Pieces include paintings, lace, prints, paper cuttings, embroidery and sculpture, all of which deepens understanding of the Dutch and Flemish visual culture of the period. Artists displayed include Gesina ter Borch, Maria Faydherbe, Anna Maria de Koker, Judith Leyster and Magdalena van de Passe.
Hours & Admission
National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
Ambe J. Photography
Fremont Ave.
A daring production at Arena Stage pits three generations of Black men against each other in a game of Spades. At the center is the family’s matriarch, who’s equal parts beloved and feared. Raw and emotional, what begins as a night at the card table turns into a powerful reckoning with masculinity, identity and family secrets.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Lizzie the Musical
Keegan Theatre unleashes a punk-rock musical that uncovers the fascinating legend of Lizzie Borden. An all-female rock score supports a reinterpretation of an infamous 1892 axe murder in a show that blends gothic horror, riot grrrl vibes and plenty of thrills. Unapologetic and bold, expect Lizzie to rattle the walls this fall.
Tickets
Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
Places to Stay
Need some inspiration for a place to stay in between events? Washington, DC is filled with a multitude of hotels to fit your needs. Whether you are looking for that specialty boutique hotel or booking at your favorite hotel brand, Washington, DC's booking engine has it all. Find your stay today!
Do you know where you’ll be dining pre- or post-event? From pop-up restaurants to award-winning hot spots to laid-back food halls, our DC food guide is perfect for helping you plan a more memorable experience.
