Ready to spend your winter weekends shopping? After some management shake-ups, two big holiday markets launch in Washington, DC, this weekend, and you won’t want to miss either of them. Here’s where to find the two winter wonderlands, plus a sampling of the food, drink, and shopping vendors you’ll find.
Downtown DC Holiday Market
If you’ve been to a holiday market in DC, this is the one you’ll remember. Located in Chinatown and hosted by the Downtown DC BID, this market is celebrating its 20th anniversary. It spans three blocks and has more than 100 vendors lined up.
This year, the market is under new management, so you may see some different vendors. After some disagreements about the leadership, The Makers Show will take over as market operator. This operator has experience running similar shows in Boston and Brooklyn.
The Downtown DC Holiday market is open daily from noon to 8 p.m. from November 22 to December 23. It is closed on Thanksgiving Day. It’s located on F St. NW, between Seventh and Ninth streets, and is accessible by the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro.
Here are some of the vendors you can expect to see:
Food and Drink
- The Winter Chalet by Dirty Habit, for holiday-inspired cocktails and cider
- Tucks Truffles X The Fat Cactus, for decadent hot cocoa
- Old Blue BBQ, for a hearty meal
Shopping
- Olive & Loom, for Mediterranean-inspired home goods
- Made in DC, for art and other goods from small local businesses
- The Vintage Underground, to find a gift from another era
- Winterborn Alpaca, for warm and fuzzy hats, gloves, and scarves made of alpaca fur
- Goose & Willow, an Arlington-based company with home products adorned with foxes, horses, and more
- Kilwin’s, for gourmet chocolates and truffles
See the full vendor list.
DC Holiday Market at Dupont Circle
New this year is the DC Holiday Market at Dupont Circle, less than 2 miles away from the Downtown DC one. This show is operated by Diverse Market Management, the DC-based company that previously ran the Chinatown market.
This new market has around 30 vendors, plus live music and performers. It spans one block of 19th St. NW, right near Kramers bookstore.
The DC Holiday Market at Dupont Circle is open from 12 to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends. It runs from November 22 to December 15, except Thanksgiving Day. It is accessible from the Dupont Circle Metro Station.
Here are some vendors to look out for:
Food and Drink
- The Capital Candy Jar, for sweet treats
- Migue’s Mini Donuts, for hot, fresh-made doughnuts
- A Little Slice of Europe, for specialty imported European cheeses
Shopping
- Smell of Love Candles, handmade by a NoVA teen entrepreneur
- Marcella Kriebel Art & Illustration, for watercolor art, stationary, and more
- Little Tibet Boutique, for Tibetan shawls, jackets, and handwoven scarves
- Article22, which sells jewelry crafted by Laotian artists from Vietnam War shrapnel and other debris
- The Leafy Branch, for plant-themed home goods and gifts
- FarEast Antiques, for vintage posters, decor, and crafts
See the full vendor list.
Looking for even more holiday shopping? Check out our list of holiday markets in NoVA and DC.
Feature image courtesy the Makers Show
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