Bay State Blissfest at Montgomery County Agricultural Center
The immersive Lumino City Festival debuted in New York in 2019 and made its debut in the area at Roer’s Zoofari in Vienna two years later. This season, the light show is coming to the Montgomery County fairgrounds, promising more than two dozen experiences, including a tunnel of doughnuts and a bamboo forest filled with lifesize animals. Through Jan. 15. $24 to $49. Free for children 3 and under.
Tree Lighting and Santa Parade at Mosaic District
Santa rides by on a firetruck at the first celebration of the holiday season at the Fairfax retail and entertainment space, soon followed by a tree lighting. After the parade, meet Saint Nick in the Target lobby and snap a photo for the holiday card. There are also live performances by composer and cellist Benjamin Gates, the Metropolitan School of the Arts, and salsa music from Izis de La Enfermera. 6 to 9 p.m. Free.
Gingerbread House Contest and Show
Darnall’s Chance, a historic home in Upper Marlboro, is closed for restoration but is making an exception for its Gingerbread House Contest and Show. The annual display features whimsical structures made from completely edible materials (you will find no lollipop sticks) dreamed up by adults, children and families working together. Entries last year included a wedding scene, a retro camper and even a miniature size Darnell’s Chance. Cast your vote in a viewer’s choice competition, but remember, no sampling. Times vary by date. $2 for adults. Free for children 4 and under.
Black Friday Specials at ChurchKey
Black Friday is a big deal for lovers of big and burly stouts. ChurchKey in the District is opening early at noon (think of it as a beer lover’s doorbuster) and putting 10 stouts on draft, including rarities like the Prairie and Perennial collaboration called Bombraxas, an imperial stout with coffee, chocolate, ancho chile and cinnamon, and a bourbon barrel-aged version of Great Lakes Blackout Stout. Bartenders are also pouring 15 more stouts from bottles, including rare selections from Anchorage, De Struise and the Veil. If you want to categorize a trip to the bar as “holiday shopping,” there is a 10 percent discount on bottles to go. And both drafts and select bottles are available in 4 ounce samples, so you can avoid going overboard. Noon. Beer prices vary.
White Ford Bronco at 9:30 Club
Gather up high school friends who are back home for Thanksgiving for an evening of singing “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind at the top of your lungs during White Ford Bronco’s upcoming 9:30 Club gig. On the Friday after the holiday, the most popular cover band in the District will play all the ’90s hits, from Ace of Base to Weezer. This is a significant time for the band, marking its 15th year of getting audiences dancing to the hits of 1998. 8 p.m. $25.
‘A Christmas Carol’ at Olney Theatre Center
This classic telling of the Charles Dickens ghost story is maybe the most traditional of the bunch, performed the way Dickens himself recited the story on his world tour, as a solo show. About 99 percent of the text is drawn from the original novella, and Paul Morella plays 51 separate characters. In a show celebrating 14 seasons, new features are design elements like dry ice, shadows and fog, plus richer lighting design. It is a “pop-up book come to life,” Morella writes. Select days through Dec. 31. 3 and 7:45 p.m. $40 to $55.
35th Annual Nutcracker at Puppet Company
A combination of marionettes, oversize costumed dancers and fairy tale friends are the secret to this festive holiday production in Glen Echo Park, which has been delighting families for over three decades. To make everyone feel welcome at the event, there is a sensory-friendly production on Dec. 3, and a “mask required” week starting on Dec. 14. Through Dec. 31. $15. Free for children under 2.
Crafting for the Holidays at Library of Congress
Join the staff of the Library of Congress to learn about items related to the holidays in its collection, then take part in a family crafting activity in the Great Hall to make holiday items related to Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. Time registration tickets required. Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Free.
Plaid Friday Promotion at Old Town Alexandria
This is a big weekend for holiday shopping in Alexandria. On Friday, the Plaid Friday promotion brings deals at more than 50 boutiques and shops, including Hooray for Books, yarn and fibers at Fibre Space, fashionwear at Shoe Hive and American in Paris, and artists throughout the Torpedo Factory, with some opening at 6 a.m. The bargains continue on Small Business Saturday. Hours vary by store. Free.
Black Friday Holiday Market at Right Proper Brewing
Right Proper Brewing hosts a selection of local makers, including bags and wallets by Stitch and Rivet and watercolor prints by Marcella Kriebel, at its Shaw location. The event includes brunch dishes and live music by Laquavia Alston. Noon to 4 p.m. Free.
Barrel Aged Blending Class at Atlas Brew Works
The Ivy City taproom is offering an event for beer enthusiasts where you can learn how to barrel-age brews from its quality assurance expert and find out how different flavors develop during the aging process. The blend created in class will be bottled and available for pickup once it is ready. 3 to 6 p.m. $60.
“Donna Versus Diana” Disco Party at DC9
Grab your platforms and bellbottoms for a dance party celebrating the music of Donna Summer and Diana Ross. The Queens of Disco are mixed by DJ Phoenix on the second level of DC9. 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Free in advance. $5 at the door.
