Food

9 Fun Food Events Around DC This Weekend

On the menu: festive ice cream, brunch with Santa, and a Puerto Rican cocktail class.

Photograph courtesy of Ice Cream Jubilee.

Who says it’s too cold for ice cream? Ice Cream Jubilee is hosting holiday tasting parties at its Navy Yard, 14th Street, and Ballston Quarter locations on Thursday at 8 PM. Visitors will get flights of six mini-scoops with seasonal flavors like chocolate-orange and cardamom-amaretto, plus a pint to take home. Tickets are $16. The ice cream shop will also have tasting parties Friday at 8 PM and Saturday and Sunday at 3 PM.

Experience an evening of jazz with bass clarinetist Todd Marcus at Sandbox in Georgetown on Friday at 6:30 PM. Jazz aficionados can enjoy the performance by Marcus and his trio in the intimate event space. There will be a one-beverage minimum and $20 minimum for light fare during the event.

On Saturday at noon, culinary historian Michael W. Twitty will be at the National Museum of African American History and Culture to discuss his James Beard Award-winning book, The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South. Twitty will share stories from his own family and explore the complex history of food in the south. Register for a free ticket online.

Image courtesy of All-Purpose Capitol Riverfront.

Winterfest rolls on at Wunder Garten through Sunday, December 22. On Saturday at 7 PM, head over to the decked-out beer garden for the Night of 1,000 Santas dance party, complete with a DJ and holiday cocktails. Will you be naughty or nice? RSVP here.

Head to the massive St. James sports complex for a breakfast with Santa from 10 AM to noon on Sunday. Your kids will enjoy two hours of play in the entertainment center, elf face painting, and photos with Saint Nick himself. Not to worry, parents: there’s fun for you, too. Unlimited mimosas will be available at the event. Tickets are $25 for non-members.

Want to share a mimosa with Mrs. Claus? On Sunday, All-Purpose Capitol Riverfront is hosting a brunch with Santa and his life partner in the winter garden patio. Take advantage of the photo-op with the North Pole’s first couple while sipping on $21 bottomless Aperol spritzes, mimosas, bloody Marys, and bellinis. Reservations are strongly advised.

Learn to make the classic Puerto Rican holiday cocktail, coquito, with chef Juancarlo Parkhurst of the forthcoming La Famosa on Sunday at 2 PM. Parkhurst is teaming up with Cotton & Reed, near Union Market and will guide guests through three variations of the coconut nog. Snacks accompany the cocktails and guests will leave with one bottle of rum and coquito mix. Tickets are $66.

Share the giving spirit at the third annual Light Up The Season fundraiser at the Four Seasons on Sunday from 1 to 4 PM. The event, which benefits Children’s National Hospital, will include festive activities like ornament making, pop-up boutiques, and musical performances plus light refreshments. Tickets are $50 for children 16 and under, $85 per adult, and $250 per family of four.

Image from last year’s Light Up The Season event. Photo courtesy of MoKi Media.

And heading into next week…

On Tuesday at 7:30 PM, head to Sixth & I for an evening of storytelling from prominent DC food insiders. The panel includes Kith and Kin chef Kwame Onwuachi, celebrity chef Carla Hall, Ashish Alfred of Duck Duck Goose and many more, all of whom will recount personal stories of struggle and success. Tickets are $30, or $35 at the venue.

Editorial Fellow

Madeline Rundlett is an editorial fellow for Washingtonian. She previously covered All-Met sports for the Washington Post and was an editorial intern at The Hill. Madeline graduated from the George Washington University with a degree in Political Communication in 2019.