THURSDAY
12
NOVEMBER
Holiday Markets in Washington, DC
The DC Holiday Market runs November 12 to December 23 on the 1500 block of New Hampshire Avenue NW at Dupont Circle, one block from the Metro. Entry is free, hours are noon to 8pm on weekdays and 11am to 8pm at weekends, and it closes twice: Thanksgiving and Monday, November 30.
Season: Nov 12 – Dec 23 · Updated October 21, 2026 · refreshed weekly
- Where: The 1500 block of New Hampshire Ave NW, Dupont Circle — one block from Metro
- Dates: November 12 – December 23, 2026; closed November 26 and November 30
- Hours: Weekdays noon–8pm; weekends 11am–8pm
- Admission: Free; 35+ vendors
- Quietest: The first hour after opening, and weekdays in late November
The market itself
Forty days, 35-plus vendors and no admission charge, a block from the Dupont Circle Metro station. Two of the forty days it does not open.
DC Holiday Market — WashingtonVisit official site →
An open-air market of more than thirty-five vendors, a block from the Dupont Circle Metro station.
Dates
- November 12 – December 23, 2026 — forty days
- Closed Thanksgiving Day, Thursday November 26, and Monday November 30
- Weekdays noon–8pm; weekends 11am–8pm
Tickets
Free to enter — you pay only for what you buy.
Know before you go
- Dupont Circle station is one block away, and the surrounding blocks have places to duck into and warm up
Who it's for
A short outing with small children — free entry means forty-five minutes and a hot chocolate is a complete visit
Skip if
Your only free evening is a peak December weekend — see below
When to go with children
The calm window is the first hour or two after opening: noon on a weekday, 11am at a weekend. An 8pm close in December means the last two hours are fully dark and cold.
- Busiest: the final two weekends before Christmas, December 12–13 and 19–20, when the aisles between stalls get tight for a stroller
- Quietest: any weekday in the second half of November, which covers the same vendors at a fraction of the crowd
- Free admission means no sunk cost in a short visit — nobody has paid for a day they cannot finish
- Both closure days fall early in the run, and the Monday one is easy to trip over on a long weekend
Getting there with a stroller
The market is a block from Dupont Circle station, and the station is the part to plan for. Only folded strollers are allowed on Metrorail escalators, so an occupied stroller means taking the elevator.
- Dupont Circle's escalators are among the system's longest, and WMATA is explicit that there is no safe way to carry an infant in a stroller on one
- Check WMATA's live elevator and escalator status before you leave the house
- Metrobus is easier with an open stroller: since 2023 you roll straight on, brakes locked, in the priority seating area
- Kids ride free: up to two children age four and under with each fare-paying adult
- Rail is $2.25–$6.75 weekdays 5am–9:30pm, and $2.25–$2.50 after 9:30pm and all weekend; from age five everyone pays and needs their own payment method
- A new SmarTrip card is $2, or tap a contactless card, phone or watch at the faregate
The rest of the season
Neighbourhood markets, church bazaars, school craft fairs and pop-up makers' markets across the District, Arlington and Montgomery County post their dates through October and November, often only a few weeks out. The one pairing worth planning now is the Botanic Garden.
Season's Greenings — WashingtonVisit official site →
More than twenty DC landmarks built from plant parts inside the Conservatory, plus model trains circling plant-made national parks and historic places in the gated outdoor gardens.
Dates
- November 26, 2026 – January 3, 2027, 10am–5pm daily; closed December 25
- Open until 8pm, with live music, on December 8, 10, 15, 17, 22 and 29
Tickets
Free — the Garden charges no admission and requires no tickets for any area, the train display included.
Who it's for
Train-age children, and anyone in the party who needs to warm up indoors
Upcoming holiday markets in our catalog
The next 9 of 27 upcoming Christmas & holiday events in Washington, DC and nearby, refreshed daily.
Open-air holiday market featuring 35+ local artisans and food vendors on the 1500 block of New Hampshire Ave NW, one block from Dupont Circle Metro, free admission.
FRIDAY
13
NOVEMBER
Open-air holiday market featuring 35+ local artisans and food vendors on the 1500 block of New Hampshire Ave NW, one block from Dupont Circle Metro, free admission.
SATURDAY
14
NOVEMBER
CityCenterDC Annual Holiday Tree Lighting 2026 lights the downtown park, marking the season’s start.
13th annual tree lighting ceremony at The Park at CityCenter, Washington.
Open-air holiday market featuring 35+ local artisans and food vendors on the 1500 block of New Hampshire Ave NW, one block from Dupont Circle Metro, free admission.
Opening reception showcases resident artists' glass, ceramics, photography, painting, jewelry, holiday ornaments, and more across three galleries, free, for all ages.
SUNDAY
15
NOVEMBER
Open-air holiday market featuring 35+ local artisans and food vendors on the 1500 block of New Hampshire Ave NW, one block from Dupont Circle Metro, free admission.
MONDAY
16
NOVEMBER
Open-air holiday market featuring 35+ local artisans and food vendors on the 1500 block of New Hampshire Ave NW, one block from Dupont Circle Metro, free admission.
TUESDAY
17
NOVEMBER
Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy share an interactive ballet tale with Tchaikovsky music, photo opportunities, and holiday crafts; registration required, for ages 3–10.
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FAQ
Where is the DC holiday market?
On the 1500 block of New Hampshire Avenue NW at Dupont Circle, one block from the Dupont Circle Metro station. Send the street address rather than the market's name if you are meeting people there.
Is the DC Holiday Market free?
Yes, admission is free — you pay only for what you buy from the 35-plus vendors. That makes a short visit perfectly viable with small children, which matters more than it sounds in a December evening crowd.
Is it easy to reach with a stroller?
The market is a block from Dupont Circle Metro. The catch is the station: an occupied stroller means the elevator, so check WMATA's outage page first. Metrobus is easier, since open strollers have been allowed on buses since 2023.
What else is free in DC that week?
Season's Greenings at the Botanic Garden, which charges no admission and needs no tickets for any area, the model trains included. Between a free market and a free train display, a December afternoon costs two Metro fares and a hot chocolate.