Celebrate the holidays with shimmering lights at these festive ceremonies around town.
November:
City of Alexandria Tree Lighting
301 King St., Alexandria | Saturday, November 18, 6-8 PM
Join Mr. and Mrs. Claus in front of Alexandria City Hall to see the city’s 40-foot tree light up. A town crier will call the festivities to order.
Capitol Hill Holiday Tree Lighting
701 Pennsylvania Ave., SE | Saturday, November 18, 5:30 PM
Sip hot chocolate and snack on donuts while “Sonny” the tree gets a holiday glow up at the Eastern Market Metro Plaza.
Reston Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting
11900 Market St., Reston | Friday, November 24, 11 AM and 6 PM
Reston’s half-mile parade take places on Market Street at 11 AM with Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving in town via horse-drawn carriage. See the Christmas couple again that evening during a tree lighting at 6 PM.
CityCenterDC Holiday Tree Lighting
825 10th St., NW | Saturday, November 25, 5-7 PM
Celebrate the 10th annual tree lighting in CityCenterDC with a 75-foot tree, musical performances, balloon artists, holiday snacks, and light displays.
Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting
First St. SE | Tuesday, November 28, 5 PM
This year’s tree is a 63-foot Norway Spruce from West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson will light up the massive spruce, decked out with ornaments decorated by children in West Virginia.
Village at Shirlington Light Up the Village
2700 S Quincy St., Arlington | Thursday, November 30, 6-8:30 PM
Find holiday music, horse-drawn carriage rides, face painting, and more at this Christmas event. The tree lighting takes place at 6:30 PM, followed by photos with Santa and other seasonal festivities.
National Christmas Tree Lighting
1450 Pennsylvania Ave., NW | Thursday, November 30, 6 PM
The 40-foot Norway Spruce (also from West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest) gets lit on November 30 with ornaments made by people in every state. Visitors can check out the tree from December 2 to January 1. If you didn’t win a raffle ticket to attend the lighting, CBS is broadcasting the event on December 15 at 8 PM.
December:
City Ridge Tree Lighting and Holiday Market
20 Ridge Sq., NW | Saturday, December 2, 3-8 PM
Find ice carving, caroling, Christmas crafts, and a market with over 50 vendors at City Ridge’s holiday event. The tree lighting takes place at 7 PM on December 2, and the holiday market will continue on December 3 from 11 AM to 4 PM.
Herndon Holiday Tree Lighting and Sing-Along
730 Elden St., Herndon | Saturday, December 2, 5-6 PM
Santa rides into town on a fire truck for a tree lighting and caroling at Herndon Old Town Hall. Bring pantry items for a food drive: Donated goods go to nonprofit Cornerstones for distribution at local food pantries.
Del Ray Holiday Tree and Menorah
Mount Vernon Ave., and E. Oxford Ave., Alexandria | Sunday, December 3, 6 PM
The neighborhood ushers in the winter holidays with a tree and menorah lighting in Pat Miller Square. Afterwards, stroll down Mount Vernon Avenue to see the hand-painted holiday windows.
National Menorah Lighting
1450 Pennsylvania Ave., NW | Thursday, December 7, 3-6 PM
The annual festivities take place on the Ellipse in President’s Park. Along with the massive menorah, expect musical performances and special guests throughout the evening.
Rosslyn Cheer and Tree Lighting
1800 North Lynn St., Arlington | Thursday, December 7, 5-8 PM
Stay warm with boozy cider during the tree lighting event at Central Place Plaza. There will also be live music and popcorn treats.
Union Station’s Norwegian Tree Lighting
50 Massachusetts Ave., NE | Thursday, December 7, 6 PM
Union Station is hosting the 27th annual tree lighting ceremony in the station’s Main Hall. Each year, the tree is decked out with Norwegian and American flags for a red, white, and blue display. Attendees can also browse the holiday market, open December 7 to December 10 from 11 AM to 7 PM.
