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Library of Congress Holiday Celebration: The festively decorated Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress is hosting a holiday party fit for families. Expect musical performances, refreshments and a Christmas-themed story time with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Free; reservation required.
The Do Good Can Can at Pizzeria Paradiso Dupont Circle: This long-running fundraiser for Martha’s Table encapsulates the season of giving: Bring canned goods to donate to the local nonprofit, and bartenders will trade you canned beers from Aslin, Right Proper and other local breweries. Noon to 9 p.m. Free.
Goldie at Flash: Goldie has always been one of electronic music’s most charismatic personalities and most ambitious talents. At his best, he’s backed up the bluster: His 1995 debut “Timeless” has continued to live up to its title by demonstrating both the bottomless depths and soaring heights of drum and bass music, and the label he co-founded, Metalheadz, is the defining imprint for the underground genre. And even as the erstwhile graffiti artist has moved into acting and writing, he’s continued to follow his muse, teaming with engineer James Davidson as Subjective and releasing the genre-hopping “The Start of No Regret” earlier this year. 10 p.m. $30.
‘The Spirit of Kwanzaa’ at Cramton Auditorium: The Dance Institute of Washington has been at the forefront of diversifying ballet in D.C., training and supporting the next generation of “preprofessional” dancers. This year’s production, “Celebrating Life and Harmony,” uses dance, spoken word and music “to portray the struggles and creativity within the Black experience.” Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. $15-$30.
Prince vs Beyoncé at the Black Cat: DJ Dredd has been spreading the gospel of Prince across D.C. for more than two decades. While he’s spun at upscale lounges, frenzied weekend dance parties and bar happy hours, Dredd really made a name for himself with the Prince dance parties at the Black Cat, where he’d alternate classics and remixes by His Royal Badness with tunes from Michael Jackson, Madonna and other pop stars, creating battles royal in which the audience were the real winners. This party finds him returning to the Cat with a new combination: Prince vs. Beyoncé. Get ready to get down to tracks from Prince and the Queen B all night long. 9:30 p.m. $15.
Christmas Illuminations at Mount Vernon: George Washington’s estate is aglow with lantern-lit festive decorations, and around 8 p.m., a fireworks display is set off, choreographed to Christmas music. A market features 18th-century crafts, and an encampment includes a working blacksmith, Christmas carolers and a camel named Aladdin. Saturday is sold out, so this is your only chance to see the fireworks this year. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. $26-$58.
Holiday Bingoat: As improbable as it seems, goat yoga occurs with some frequency in the DMV. But how often can you play bingo alongside ugly-Christmas-sweater-wearing goats? Yoga teacher Beth Wolfe is hosting Holiday Bingoat at the Faith Lutheran Church hall in Arlington, which is exactly as it sounds: dressed-up goats meeting and greeting bingo players. Expect prizes and goat selfies, and humans are invited to wear holiday sweaters to match the goats. 6 p.m. $40. Children must be 10 or older and accompanied by an adult.
‘A Candlelight Christmas’ with the Washington Chorus: The 160-voice Washington Chorus returns to the Music Center at Strathmore on Friday and the Kennedy Center on Saturday and Sunday with traditional carols, holiday pop classics and a family singalong. It’s joined in festive celebration by two local high school choirs and guest musicians — and, perhaps, a visit from a North Pole celebrity. Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 1 and 4 p.m., and Sunday at 7 p.m. $19-$109.
Crossroads Reunion Weekend at Crossroads Two: Until its closure in 2013, the Crossroads nightclub was the epicenter of the local Caribbean music scene, and no venue has really replaced it. For those who miss the Bladensburg club, or never experienced it, there’s a chance to hear some of the stars of the Crossroads at the Crossroads Reunion Weekend at Crossroads Two, a new name for the former Islands Lounge in Wheaton. The announcement promises Sprang International and DJ Ghost spinning reggae, soca and Afrobeats on Friday, alongside half-price rum punches. Saturday brings DJs Super Slice, Fyah Oats and Cookie — familiar names from the annual Carnival events — beginning at 9 p.m. Sunday wraps up with Afro Dancehall Sundays, a new name for the long-running reggae party, which starts at 5 p.m. Admission is free for early arrivals each night. Times vary. Free-$20.
Holiday beer tasting and ugly sweater party at Valor Brewpub: For his first holiday offering at Valor Brewpub, Jeff Hancock — the co-founder and former brewer of DC Brau — decided to brew a classic Belgian holiday ale. He describes it as “probably a mix of Affligem Holiday Ale and Gouden Carolus Noel,” which sounds, on paper, like a winning combination of strength and warming spice. Try Hancock’s beer at the Barracks Row brewpub’s Friday happy hour. Ugly holiday sweaters are encouraged. 4:30 p.m. Free.
The Starting Line at the Fillmore Silver Spring: Adolescent romantic yearning and shout-along choruses were the twin engines of the Starting Line’s sound in 2002, when the Philadelphia-area emo-punk band released its perfectly titled debut album, “Say It Like You Mean It.” Two subsequent long-players showed little growth in themes and style, but also no flagging of passion or melodic invention. It seemed that lost love, a gentle acoustic-guitar intro and a surging refrain would sustain singer-bassist Kenny Vasoli and his cohorts forever. But in 2008, the quartet went on hiatus, playing only the occasional reunion show until they reemerged in 2016 with a EP, “Anyways.” The three-song comeback’s punchiest song is defiantly titled “Quitter,” and doesn’t slack off at all. The band (now a quintet with the full membership of longtime touring keyboardist Brian Schmutz) hasn’t released any new material since. But the newish stuff jibes neatly with the older material, and both should sound bright, joyous and — at least for now — forever young. 8 p.m. $32.50-$66.50.
Turnover at 9:30 Club: This Virginia Beach-formed quartet debuted a few years after the Starting Line with a similar emo-punk style. Several guitarists later, the band has shifted to a midtempo dream-pop style that’s increasingly tempered by easygoing funk and disco. The band’s fifth album, “Myself in the Way,” was released last month. It mixes such divergent influences as Chic and Pink Floyd while reflecting singer Austin Getz’s pandemic-era outlook: The title song is about both making a long-term commitment to his fiancee and being more appreciative of everyday life. Other tracks include “Pleasures Galore,” whose digitally altered vocals push the band far from its roots, and “Queen in the River,” which layers jazzy leads over reggae-style rhythm guitar. There’s a lot going on in Turnover’s current music, but the band mortars the pieces together skillfully. 8 p.m. (doors open). $25.
Spoons, Toons and Booze Christmas Special at Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse: Charlie Brown and the Grinch get all the love at this time of year, but back in the 1980s and 1990s, it seemed like every Saturday morning cartoon franchise had a Very Special Holiday Episode, from He-Man and the Smurfs to the X-Men and Robotech. The annual Spoons, Toons and Booze screening brings them all together for a morning of classic cartoons, plus an all-you-can-eat “sugary cereal bar,” cereal-inspired cocktails, an ugly sweater competition and more holiday fun. Saturday and Sunday at noon. $15.
Winterfest at the Roost: The Roost’s holiday celebration offers attractions for the whole family, starting with visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus at 11 a.m. and costumed carolers singing familiar songs at noon. Meanwhile, adults can try eight seasonal beers at the Southeast food hall’s Shelter bar, including Masthead’s Robot Santa’s Christmas Ale, Fat Orange Cat’s Baby Elves and DC Brau’s Holiday Ginger. Bring a canned good to donate to local nonprofit Martha’s Table and trade it for a free four-ounce pour of any of the special drafts. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free admission; beer prices vary.
Holiday markets: Time is running out for holiday shopping, as this is the final weekend with a selection of markets with local small businesses and makers. The one-day Procrastinator’s Holiday Market, now in its eighth year, takes over part of the Bryant Street development off Rhode Island Avenue with more than 30 vendors offering a variety of gifts, live music, free train rides and other activities for children, and a holiday card-making station. (Noon to 6 p.m. Free.) All Souls is one of the best corner bars in D.C., and the low-key Shaw hangout is now dipping its toe into the seasonal market scene, offering a small, curated selection of makers and food producers, including textile artist An Made, Bold Fork Books, and sausage maker Meats and Foods. (1 to 4 p.m. Free.) This is also the second and final weekend for the Victura Park Winter Holiday Market at the Kennedy Center, with more than a dozen vendors — and s’mores stations, and warm drinks — outside at the performing arts venue’s Reach expansion. (Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Free.)
Abbondanza! Minimal Intervention at Sonny’s Pizza: We’ve said before that the seasonal natural wine parties at Sonny’s Pizza are some of the best tasting events in D.C., offering endless sips of bottles you haven’t heard of from Spain, France and other countries. But the final Abbondanza of the year turns the focus back to the U.S., with producers of minimal intervention wine, hard cider and beer discussing their techniques while sharing samples. Guests include Virginia’s Lightwell Survey and Midland wineries and Pen Druid brewery, North Carolina’s Pleb Urban Winery, and New York’s Greenpoint Cidery. Tickets include three hours of unlimited drinks and slices of pizza; VIP tickets allow entry one hour early. 1 to 4 p.m. $75-$85.
Takoma Park Book Fair at Busboys and Poets: If someone on your gift list would prefer a good book to the usual holiday maker’s market fare, we suggest heading to the Takoma Busboys and Poets on Saturday afternoon. At least 30 local authors are slated to sell and sign books, and the cafe’s bookstore offers 10 percent off selected titles. Additionally, Busboys is a participant in the Takoma Cocoa Crawl, which finds restaurants and businesses offering hot cocoa and apple cider (regular or spiked) throughout the afternoon. 1 to 4 p.m. Free.
Carter G. Woodson Birthday Celebration at Dunbar High School: A century after Carter G. Woodson purchased a home on Ninth Street in Shaw — a building now known as the Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site — the National Park Service is finishing renovations on the property, with plans to reopen the site in 2023. The Park Service and partners honor the birthday of “The Father of African American History” with a tribute at the nearby Dunbar High School, featuring previews of forthcoming exhibits at the house, music from the DC Strings, poetry readings, and a panel of historians and scholars discussing “Woodson the educator.” 1 to 3 p.m. Free.
Roy Boys 4th Anniversary and Last Hoorah: It’s a bittersweet anniversary for Shaw chicken-and-cocktails hot spot Roy Boys, which is closing after one last weekend-long party. Expect cocktails, ’90s jams, hot chicken — and crowds wanting a chance to say goodbye. Through Sunday. Free.
Alma Laprida at Rhizome: Last year, as composer and improviser Alma Laprida prepared to relocate from Buenos Aires to Bethesda, she came across a piece of gear that had been sitting untouched in her closet for years. It was her custom-made trumpet marine: a stringed medieval instrument that, when bowed, generates an ancient sigh. In the D.C. area, Laprida quickly found her way to Rhizome — a venue that routinely hosts the area’s most adventurous musicians and audiences — and she’s appeared there semi-regularly since, performing both composed and improvised pieces on her trumpet marine, often running its two-stringed sound through amplifiers and effects pedals, learning what it can do in real time. “I don’t want to dominate the instrument,” she says. “I want to have a dialogue with it. That’s why I play in a very minimalistic way. I’m trying to play as little as I can and let the instrument do its thing. … Sometimes, I try to not control what I’m doing at all. Just let your arm go a little loose and these harmonics will appear.” 7 p.m. $10-$20.
Hanukkah celebrations: The most prominent event marking the beginning of the Festival of Lights is the lighting of the National Menorah on the Ellipse. Attended in past years by the president, vice president (including Joe Biden in 2014), and members of the Cabinet and Congress, this festive celebration includes performances by the U.S. Army Band and free latkes and doughnuts. (4 p.m. Free; reservation required.) Other Sunday night events include a “Glow in the Dark” celebration at Bethesda Row with glowing jugglers, arts and crafts, and face painting, as well as free doughnuts and latkes (4:30 p.m. Free); Chanukah on Ice at the Pentagon Row ice rink, with skating, refreshments for sale and the lighting of a six-foot menorah (5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free admission; ice skating $13); and a First Night of Hanukkah party at Metrobar, where guests can BYO menorahs and enjoy vegan doughnuts and hot drinks (4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Free).
Hanukkah at Chai-vy and Cohen-y: At this time of year, Shaw neighborhood bar Ivy and Coney transforms into the Hanukkah-themed Chai-vy and Cohen-y, adding latkes and Manischewitz to its usual menu of hot dogs and canned beer. In addition to lighting candles at 7 p.m. each night, the bar offers a Shotnorah — a menorah-shaped contraption that allows up to eight people to take shots simultaneously. The blue-and-silver decorations stay up through the end of the year, and on Dec. 25, the bar opens to celebrate “Chinese Food and Movie Day.”
Latke Pop-Up at the Green Zone: The Green Zone in Adams Morgan is known for its Middle Eastern drinks, music and food, exposing customers to a wide variety of flavors from across the region. To mark the beginning of Hanukkah, those Lebanese gins and Iraqi sandwiches are joined by a special one-night-only latke pop-up. No reservations are available for the fifth annual event, so arrive early: We can tell you from personal experience that the traditional potato latkes, zucchini fritters and sufganiyot tend to sell out. 5 p.m. Free.
Holiday markets: Since the early 2000s, the Black Cat’s Rock ’n’ Shop has been the place to pick up presents for your coolest/punkiest friend: Vintage dresses and purses, secondhand vinyl, prints and posters, concert T-shirts, and handmade knickknacks regularly feature at the event, which is soundtracked this year by DJs Sally Go Round and Les the DJ. (5 p.m. Free.) If you like to combine shopping with a cold, refreshing beer, there are two chances in Northeast Washington on Sunday: Red Bear’s Hoppy Holidays Market returns to the NoMa brewery with a lineup of local makers; previous iterations included everything from children’s clothing to ornaments to candles. (Noon to 6 p.m. Free.) Atlas Brew Works is hosting a Festivus party in its Ivy City taproom — BYO grievances — that includes a pop-up makers’ market. Ugly sweaters are encouraged. (1 to 5 p.m. Free.)
Holiday Concert and Sing-Along with the Capital City Symphony at the Atlas Performing Arts Center: This singalong holiday show features the 55-year-old community orchestra at the H Street NE arts center. If you missed a chance to get tickets for the sold-out Gay Men’s Chorus Holiday Show series, don’t fret — the symphony will be joined by Potomac Fever, an a cappella group made up of members of the chorus. 3:30 p.m. $35; free for ages 16 and younger.
Oddisee at 9:30 Club: D.C.-born, Brooklyn-based hip-hopper Oddisee established himself as a producer, then added his own fast-paced raps to his intricate, sophisticated tracks. He’s still known for sometimes making mostly instrumental music such as “Rock Creek Park,” an album inspired by bike rides through the D.C.-to-Maryland slice of forest. After demonstrating his skill with synth beats and classic soul samples, the musician formed Good Compny, a jazzy trio that will back him at this show. Whatever the underlying music, Oddisee offers sharp, wide-ranging observations that forgo gangsta posturing. As he puts it in “Back of My Mind,” “negativity ain’t worth the exertion.” 7 p.m. $30.
D.C. Holiday Cocktail Seminar at Last Call: If you’re planning to entertain during the holiday season, you might be wondering — or panicking — about what beverages to serve your guests. Making festive drinks for friends need not be the most stressful part of the evening. Let some of D.C.’s most accomplished mixologists, including Todd Thrasher of Tiki TNT, Andra “AJ” Johnson of Serenata and Deke Dunne of Allegory, guide you through their favorite holiday cocktails at Last Call, during an annual event hosted by author and historian Philip Greene. The seminar includes sample drinks and light bites. 6 to 8:30 p.m. $60.
Hanukkah parties: The Edlavitch DC JCC hosts a family-friendly party with dreidel games, snacks, music and “fun Chanukah-themed activities.” (7 to 8:30 p.m. $10.) Meanwhile, a group of organizations for Jews in their 20s and 30s, including the DCJCC’s EntryPointDC, are joining forces for the “Hora and Heat” happy hour at Franklin Hall. Take Israeli dance lessons, sample spicy olive oil and hot sauces, sip Hanukkah-themed cocktails, or spin a dreidel. Guests are asked to bring winter socks or gloves for a clothing drive. (5:30 to 9 p.m. $5.)
‘The Hip Hop Nutcracker’ at Strathmore: There are many versions of “The Nutcracker” at this time of year, and “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” includes the familiar melodies and leitmotifs from Tchaikovsky’s score. But it also features a modern urban setting and a crew of street-style dancers who windmill, helicopter and flip their way across the stage while a DJ and violinist remix the music into something that feels remarkably fresh. MC Kurtis Blow — creator of the groundbreaking “Christmas Rappin’” — is the host and opening act. Monday through Thursday at 8 p.m. $34-$68.
Yerin Baek at Fillmore Silver Spring: Like most products of the K-pop assembly line, Yerin Baek began as a teenager in a prefab group. But the limpid-toned soprano went solo at 19, pursuing her own version of Western pop-soul, often with English lyrics. (Her family moved to New York City when she was 15, which no doubt boosted her proficiency.) Baek is an Amy Winehouse and Avril Lavigne fan who sometimes sings and plays guitar with a rock-oriented side project, the Volunteers. But the music she makes under her name is gentler in sound, if not always in content. Her second album, “Tellusboutyourself,” includes a synth-pop shuffle, “Hate You,” that deploys multiple f-bombs above its tinkling piano. That was no corporate decision: Unlike many K-poppers, Baek writes all her own material, which should give her staying power in a biz that’s usually ready to move on to the next pretty face. 8 p.m. $40-$150.
Late-Night Season’s Greenings at the U.S. Botanic Garden: With the U.S. Botanic Garden closed to the public last winter, the wildly popular model train exhibit moved to the outdoor gardens, where locomotives, including Thomas the Tank Engine, chugged past elaborate reproductions of agricultural scenes, with all structures made from plant materials. While the buildings have reopened, the Botanic Garden will keep the trains alfresco for another season. Meanwhile, the annual display of poinsettias and famous D.C. landmarks constructed with gourds, corn husks, bark and other natural materials has moved back to its usual place inside the Conservatory. On Tuesday nights in December, both indoor and outdoor areas are open until 8 p.m. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free.
Holidays Cocktail Tasting: Eggnog is the drink of the season, but six Washington bars near the Navy Yard are trying to prove that festive cocktails can go beyond the classics. One ticket is good for a signature holiday drink from each location, including a winter spiced palmer at Tap99, an apple cider margarita at Agua 301 and a creamy winter-chata at Silver Social. The bars can be visited in any order throughout the night. 6 to 10 p.m. $20.
Arlington holiday lights bike ride: With tons of elaborate (and expensive) light displays appearing in the area, don’t miss the holiday lights around your own neighborhood. Dress up your bike in Christmas garb and start at Trek Bicycle in Clarendon for a 90-minute ride around the Arlington area. Helmets and lights are required (sets will be on hand for those who don’t have them), and the pace will be slow and social. 6 to 8 p.m. Free with reservation.
Winter Solstice Forest Bathing at Oxon Run Parkway: Mark the darkest day of the year with a sunset walk in the woods, courtesy of Ward 8 Woods Conservancy. This nonprofit dedicated to helping maintain the more than 500 acres of forest in D.C.’s Ward 8 is inviting the public to participate in a contemplative stroll through Oxon Run Parkway. Forest bathing activities are meant to connect participants with nature, and as the sky grows dark, everyone will gather around a glowing campfire. 4 to 6 p.m. $10.
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