HO-HO-HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS
R TWINKLING LIGHTS
Frederick Festival
of Lights
Dec. 14, 7 p.m.; City Hall Courtyard,
Downtown Frederick, MD
Enjoy holiday greetings, carols and
inspirational messages that highlight
the true meaning of the holiday season.

Attendees also get to join in for a moving
candle lighting ceremony.

Winter Lights Festival
Through Dec. 31, Sunday-Thursday:
6-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday: 6-10 p.m.

Seneca State Park,
Gaithersburg, MD
Winter Lights features more than 450
illuminated displays and enchantingly-lit
trees in a 3.5-mile drive through beautiful
Seneca Creek State Park.

ZooLights at the Zoo
Through Jan. 1, 5-9 p.m.

National Zoo, Washington, D.C.

Head out to ZooLights for a night of live
music performances, delicious treats, a
32 December 2018 washingtonFAMILY.com
dazzling light show and tons of holiday
shopping. More than 500,000 captivating
lights transform the Zoo into a winter
wonderland! Bull Run Festival
of Lights
Through Jan. 6; Bull Run Regional
Park, Centreville, VA
Experience the magical 2.5 miles of
holiday light displays. After viewing the
lights, head to the holiday village to enjoy
rides, refreshments and photos with
Santa Claus.

Georgetown GLOW
Through Jan. 6, 5-10 p.m.;
Georgetown’s Commercial District,
Washington, D.C.

Experience the
magic of the
season with
Georgetown GLOW. This
outdoor public
light art exhibition is one-of-a-kind.

With D.C.’s oldest neighborhood as its
background, it’s one of the most unique
exhibits in the D.C. area.

SOUNDS OF
THE SEASON
Jingle Ball
Dec. 10, 7:30 p.m.; Capital One
Arena, Washington, D.C.

The iHeart Radio Jingle Ball Tour is
back with another fantastic lineup.

Artists including Shawn Mendes, The
Chainsmokers, Meghan Trainor and
more will be performing at this year’s
biggest D.C. holiday concert.

Cathedral Choral
Society: Joy of Christmas
Dec. 15, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m., Dec. 16,
4 p.m.; Washington National
Cathedral, Washington, D.C.

This beloved annual concert includes
Christmas favorites and a carol
sing-along in one of the District’s
most majestic settings. This year’s
performance will include a new carol
by composer Paul Moravec.

Miss Ellie’s
Hanukkah Songfest
Dec. 1, 11 a.m.; The National
Theatre, Washington, D.C.

Come sing and dance to the story of
Hanukkah with Ms. Ellie! Kickoff the
beginning of the Festival of Lights and
be ready to join in on the fun — march
like a brave Maccabee, spin like a
dreidel and wiggle like a latke!
Holiday Sing-A-Long
Dec. 1, 4 p.m.; Wolf Trap,
Vienna, VA
This annual musical celebration
includes a free performance by the
United States Marine Band and a
sing-a-long of Christmas carols and
Hanukkah songs with local choir and
vocal groups. Don’t forget to bring a
candle and join the tradition of exiting
the Filene Center with a candlelight
processional during the last verse of
“Silent Night.”
ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS/MARYSAN
eady to celebrate the most
wonderful time of the year?
Whether your perfect day of holiday
cheer involves latkes, yuletide carols,
dazzling light displays or dances with
Sugar Plum Fairies, there are a ton of
ways to enjoy the magic of the season
around the DMV. So grab your family,
your friends and your best holiday
sweater and head out to one of these
top local spots for holiday fun!



IN THE DMV
Hanukkah Youth
Choir Festival
BY BRITNI PETERSEN
Chanukah on Ice!
Dec. 9, 4 p.m.; Temple Beth Ami,
14330 Travilah Rd., Rockville, MD
Dec. 8, 6-8 p.m.; Pentagon Row
Outdoor Ice Rink, 1201 S. Joyce
St., Arlington, VA
Come celebrate the 8th night of
Hanukkah at Temple Beth Ami with
youth choirs from 10 congregations in
the area. Enjoy a candle lighting service,
choral presentation and special guest
appearances. Hosted by Chabad Lubavitch of
Alexandria-Arlington, this family-fun
ice-skating event also includes a free
raffle, the lighting of a 6-foot Menorah,
hot latkes, Kosher hot dogs and more.

Village at Leesburg
International TUBACHRISTMAS Concert
Through Jan. 1, 2019; Marriott
Gaylord National Harbor, National
Harbor, MD
Dec. 9, 2-3 p.m.; Village Market
Blvd. SE and Balch Dr. SE,
Leesburg, VA
Experience an international holiday
tradition when tuba players gather
at the Village at Leesburg to play the
sounds of the season!
ICY SPLENDOR
Gaylord National’s ICE!
Enjoy a winter
wonderland created from two
million pounds
of ice sculptures
and displays.

This year’s theme is A Charlie Brown
Christmas! HOLIDAY STAGE
Bethesda’s Annual
Winter Wonderland
The Center for Ballet
Arts Presents:
Nutcracker in a Nutshell
Dec. 15, 3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.; Dec.

16, 3 p.m.; Rachel M. Schlesinger
Concert Hall and Arts Center,
Alexandria, VA
Bring the family out to enjoy an
abridged version of the beloved classic
tale! The Center for Ballet Art’s annual
performance is sure to get everyone in
the holiday spirit.

Kwanzaa Celebration
at Dance Place
Dec. 15, 8 p.m.; Dec. 16, 2 p.m. &
6 p.m.; Dance Place, 3225 8th St.,
N.E., Washington, D.C.

Celebrate the seven principles of
Kwanzaa at Dance Place’s annual
Kwanzaa Celebration! Watch special
performances by Coyaba Dance Theater
and Coyaba Academy.

The Hip Hop Nutcracker
The Second City’s Love,
Factually Dec. 1, 1-4 p.m.; Veterans Park,
Woodmont and Norfolk Ave.,
Bethesda, MD
Watch blocks of ice transform into
wintery works of art during a live ice
sculpting presentation! Then, listen to
choral performances from local school
groups, munch on some tasty treats and
take pictures with Santa Claus.

Dec. 4-Dec. 31; The John
F. Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts,
Washington, D.C.

Come out for a fast-paced performance
that mingles the classic movie’s most
beloved characters and moments in
an original take sure to warm your
icy heart. Love, Factually’s mashup
of parody, original comedy, music,
improv and audience participation will
have you laughing out loud.

Dec. 18, 8 p.m., Dec. 19, 8 p.m.;
The Music Center at Strathmore,
North Bethesda, MD
By popular demand, The Hip Hop
Nutrcracker is back! Experience a
unique Nutcracker show that takes
Tchaikovsky’s classic score and
mashes it up with explosive hip-hop
choreography. All-star dances, a DJ
and an electric violinist bring this story
to life.

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