- Holiday happenings: Here's the best of the season.
- Out for a shopping spree? Break for a bite at these restaurants.
- Thanksgiving dining: Where to eat out and grab takeout.
Bourbon County: Black Wednesday at Bier Baron: Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout series is one of the most anticipated beer releases of the year. Bier Baron will have four of this year's six bourbon barrel-aged releases, including the Coffee Stout and the potent Barleywine, alongside other rare Goose Island ales. 4 p.m. Free admission; all beers and flights priced individually.
Superfriendsgiving at Petworth Citizen: Resident mixologists Chantal Tseng and Dan Searing create drinks inspired by the characters of “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Justice League” at this friendly cocktail battle. 6 p.m. to midnight. Free.
Thursday, Nov. 23
'Season's Greenings' at the U.S. Botanic Garden: At the U.S. Botanic Garden, model trains will chug along a track decorated with plant-based figurines of such American roadside attractions as South Dakota’s Corn Palace and New Jersey’s Lucy the Elephant. The Garden Court will be decked out with botanical versions of D.C. landmarks, with the plant version of the National Museum of African American History and Culture making its debut. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free.
Thanksgiving Day Swing Dance at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage: A free, 45-minute beginning swing dance lesson is followed by two hours of hits by Count Basie, Duke Ellington and other big bands. The event features an appearance by the incomparable Jean Veloz, who Lindy Hopped in “Swing Fever,” “Groove Movie” and other 1940s films. 6 p.m. Free.
Go out for a drink: Many bars are closed on Thursday night, but if you need to get out of the house, here are a few places to try. DC Reynolds opens at 5 p.m. with a free Thanksgiving spread and buy-one, get-one-free happy hour, and will accept donations for the “Power Up Puerto Rico” charity. JV's, celebrating its 70th year in Falls Church, opens at 3:30 p.m. with a special Thanksgiving menu. The Dave Chappell Band plays blues and rockabilly, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Shaw wine bar Maxwell Park has a special Friendsgiving drink menu, with half-bottles under $30, and is open from 7 p.m. to midnight. The Black Cat, which opens at 6:30 p.m., has been providing a home-away-from-home on holidays for more than two decades. Hill Country is open from noon to 8 p.m. for barbecue, whiskey drinking and football viewing. City Tap House in Dupont Circle offers “Friendsgiving” with traditional Thanksgiving dishes cooked in Allagash beers, with more from the Maine brewery on tap. Doors are open from 11:30 a.m. to midnight.
Friday, Nov. 24
Miracle on Seventh Street opening night: After pop-up bars dedicated to cherry blossoms, Super Mario Brothers, “Game of Thrones” and Halloween, we’re back where it all began: the holiday-themed Miracle on Seventh Street pop-up bar. Expect an overdose of Instagram-ready festive decor — remember last year’s sweater-wearing goats and the room full of narwhals? — while sipping cocktails inspired by holiday flavors and grooving to seasonal tunes. Dress warmly and expect to wait in long lines to get in. 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Free.
Downtown Holiday Market opening night: After 13 years, the Downtown Holiday Market has become a seasonal fixture in Washington. More than 180 exhibitors rotate through the booths in front of the Smithsonian American Art Museum at Eighth and F streets NW, so if you don’t find the handbag or Alpaca wool gloves you were looking for, come back another day. The market also has live music and food and drink vendors. Noon to 8 p.m. Free admission.
John Kadlecik and the DC Mystery Cats at Gypsy Sally's: What a long, strange trip it’s been for guitarist John Kadlecik. The Takoma Park resident spent more than a decade covering entire Grateful Dead concerts in the Dark Star Orchestra before joining actual Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh in Further. When that project ended, Kadlecik launched the DC Mystery Cats, which re-creates concerts by the Jerry Garcia Band. The DC Mystery Cats will perform at Gypsy Sally’s all weekend, and Kadlecik performs a solo acoustic set as the opener on Sunday night. Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., Sunday at 4 p.m. $20.
Saturday, Nov. 25
DC Brau Made in D.C. Holiday Marketplace: Washington’s oldest craft brewery throws open its doors for its annual Made in D.C. market, where you can pick up locally made clothing, baby accessories, jewelry, pottery, beef jerky and mumbo sauce from dozens of vendors while sipping DC Brau beers and grabbing snacks from food trucks. 1 to 6 p.m. Free admission.
Kirk Franklin and Ledisi at DAR Constitution Hall: No one makes gospel hits quite like Kirk Franklin. Known for such songs as “Revolution,” “Imagine Me” and “I Smile,” the musician and choir director is still going strong 24 years since his debut release, 1993’s “Kirk Franklin and the Family.” Joining him for this show is singer-songwriter Ledisi, whose latest album, “Let Love Rule,” dropped in September. 7:30 p.m. $59.50-$223.
CityCenterDC Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration: The downtown shopping-and-retail development unveils a 75-foot tree, decorated with 150,000 lights and 4,500 ornaments, with help from NBC4 anchor Eun Yang, the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington and Baltimore's Cardinal Shehan School Choir. 6 p.m. Free.
DJ Battle Dance Parties: If you enjoy "[Artist] vs. [Artist]” dance parties, you're looking at a busy night. The Rock and Roll Hotel hosts Street vs. Spice, with DJ Basscamp spinning his favorite '90s and '00s boy bands and girl groups, focusing on the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys. Over at DC9, there's a three-way battle with DJs spinning hits, deep cuts and remixes of LCD Soundsystem vs. Hot Chip vs. Cut Copy. Both events begin at 10 p.m. and are free.
Sunday, Nov. 26
Donnell Rawlings at the D.C. Improv: Among the crowds of people heading home to the Washington area for Thanksgiving is comedian Donnell Rawlings, an Alexandria native known for his roles on “Chappelle’s Show” and “The Wire” as well as his stand-up performances. Rawlings makes his annual return to the Improv for three nights of holiday laughs; Friday’s and Saturday’s shows are sold out. 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. $27-$32.
A Charlie Brown Christmas with the Eric Byrd Trio at the Hamilton: Few albums evoke the holiday season as effortlessly as Vince Guaraldi’s soundtrack for “A Charlie Brown Christmas”: There’s something about the mix of swinging jazz covers of “O Tannenbaum” and “Christmas is Coming” and original tunes like “Linus and Lucy.” Washington’s own Eric Byrd Trio recorded its version of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” a few years ago and will perform it twice at the Hamilton, including a special matinee. 2 and 5 p.m. $14.75-$34.75.
A History of Hardcore Punk Brunch at Slash Run: Get ready to rage at a musical version of Slash Run's movie brunch. Featured films include “Salad Days,” a documentary examining D.C.'s early punk scene; “American Hardcore,” a documentary covering Black Flag, Bad Brains and other early punks; and “The Decline of Western Civilization,” which looks at the beginning of the Los Angeles punk movement. As always, the brunch deal includes a burger and unlimited drinks from noon to 4 p.m. for $20. Noon. Free admission.
— Fritz Hahn and Adele Chapin
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