FILM

AFI HOLIDAY CLASSICS

Over the next several weekends, the American Film Institute screens 14 seasonal films, ranging from classics (A Christmas Story, It’s A Wonderful Life) to curiosities (Die Hard, Gremlins, Bob Clark’s Black Christmas, a “sleigh-ing holiday slasher”). The series kicks off Friday, Dec. 6, and offers screenings over the next week of three black-and-white films from the 1940s: Miracle on 34th Street, set in and around the flagship Macy’s store in Herald Square; Holiday Affair, another department store-centered film, this time a romance starring Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum; and The Reckless Moment, which the AFI describes as “Max Ophüls’s criminally underrated noir masterpiece [that] weaves a weird, it-could-never-be romance with a twisty, tension-fueled plot.” To Dec. 22. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $10 to $13 plus $1 service fee. Call 301-495-6720 or visit www.afi.com/Silver.

DOCTOR ZHIVAGO

After winning the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director with his historical epics The Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia, David Lean next turned to a romantic drama set during the Russian Revolution. Based on Boris Pasternak’s novel of the same name, Doctor Zhivago may have lost to The Sound of Music for most of the top Oscars, but the 1965 epic starring Omar Sharif and Julie Christie did earn five Academy Awards, including screenplay, score, cinematography, and costumes. Landmark’s West End Cinema returns the film, one of the highest-grossing of all time, to the big screen as part of the Capital Classics series. Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. 2301 M St. NW. Happy hour from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $12.50 each. Call 202-534-1907 or visit www.landmarktheatres.com.

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE

A French period drama with a lesbian narrative set at the end of the 18th century, Portrait of a Lady on Fire focuses on Marianne, a painter summoned to create a portrait of a young woman, intended to be displayed to elicit marriage proposals. The woman rejects her fate and refuses to be painted, forcing Marianne to go undercover as her maid — only to then fall in love with her. Céline Sciamma’s film has received rave reviews, and won the Best Screenplay and Queer Palm awards at Cannes. Particular praise has also been paid to its two leads, Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel. The AFI Silver Theatre screens the film in French and Italian with English subtitles on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 8:15 p.m., and Monday, Dec. 9, at 7:10 p.m. 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $15 for general admission plus $1 service fee. Call 301-495-6720 or visit www.afi.com/Silver. (Rhuaridh Marr)

SMITHSONIAN’S HOLIDAY FILM SERIES

For most of the month, the Warner Bros. Theater in the National Museum of American History will screen holiday-themed films, mostly classics but a few oddities, such as the two comedies that will close out the series the weekend after Christmas: 2013’s The Best Man Holiday starring Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, and Terrence Howard, and 1983’s Trading Places featuring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy. The series continues with afternoon screenings this weekend of the classic musical comedy White Christmas, on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 3:30 p.m., and It’s a Wonderful Life, on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 3:30 p.m. Next weekend: Die Hard on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 3:15 p.m., and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 3:50 p.m. 1300 Constitution Ave. NW. Tickets are $10 plus $3.50 in fees. Call 202-633-1000 or visit www.si.edu/theaters.

THE AERONAUTS

A period adventure starring Felicity Jones as a daredevil balloon pilot and Eddie Redmayne as a meteorologist, who together try to fly higher than any human has before, ultimately finding themselves in a fight for survival as they leave the world they know far below. Based on a true story, critics are praising Jones’ performance and the beautifully rendered 19th century London vistas. Opens Friday, Dec. 6. Area theaters. Visit www.fandango.com. (Rhuaridh Marr)

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW

Landmark’s E Street Cinema presents its monthly run of Richard O’Brien’s camp classic, billed as the longest-running midnight movie in history. Landmark’s showings come with a live shadow cast from the Sonic Transducers, meaning it’s even more interactive than usual. Friday, Dec. 13, and Saturday, Dec. 14, at midnight. 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit www.landmarktheatres.com.

THIS IS SPINAL TAP

The AFI presents two screenings of Rob Reiner’s hilarious, groundbreaking rock mockumentary this weekend in honor of its 35th anniversary. This Is Spinal Tap would go on to inspire the entire mockumentary genre as well as the directing career of its star Christopher Guest, known for subsequent mockumentary classics Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind. Michael McKean and Harry Shearer are Guest’s co-stars as members of a fictional English heavy metal band in the largely improvised satire. Friday, Dec. 6, at 10 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 7, at 11 p.m. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $13 plus $1 service fee. Call 301-495-6720 or visit www.afi.com/Silver.

STAGE

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Craig Wallace returns for his fourth year as the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge in Ford’s Theatre’s cherished annual production of the Dickens Yuletide classic. It really wouldn’t be Christmas in Washington without this music-infused adaptation, conceived by Michael Wilson and directed by Michael Baron. Also featured in the production are Stephen F. Schmidt as Jacob Marley, Rayanne Gonzales as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Justine “Icy” Moral as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Gregory Maheu as Bob Cratchit, and Yesenia Iglesias as Mrs. Cratchit. To Jan. 1. 511 10th St. NW. Call 800-982-2787 or visit www.fordstheatre.org.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A GHOST STORY OF CHRISTMAS

Olney presents the 10th anniversary run of the one-man portrayal of the Dickens classic by Paul Morella, who bases his adaptation on Dickens’ original novella and reading tour. To Dec. 29. The Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Call 301-924-3400 or visit www.olneytheatre.org.

AIRNESS

Billie Krishawn stars as Nina, who discovers there’s more to air guitar than playing pretend when she enters an air guitar competition. Christina A. Coakley directs the D.C. premiere of Chelsea Marcantel’s comedy also featuring Dani Stoller, Drew Kopas, Harrison Smith, Chris Stezin, Gary L. Perkins III, and Forrest A. Hainline IV. The show is a co-production between Keegan Theatre and Virginia’s 1st Stage, where it runs through Dec. 29. 1524 Spring Hill Rd., Tysons. Tickets are $42. Call 703-854-1856 or visit www.1ststagetysons.org.

AMADEUS

Genius and jealousy collide in 18th-century Vienna as the mediocre Antonio Salieri does everything in his power to destroy his musical rival, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Folger Theatre offers a production of Peter Shaffer’s Tony Award-winning play directed by Richard Clifford and featuring a 13-person cast led by Ian Merrill Peakes as Salieri and Samuel Adams as Mozart. To Dec. 22. 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $27 to $85. Call 202-544-7077 or visit www.folger.edu.

DISNEY’S NEWSIES

A band of underdogs become unlikely heroes when they stand up to the most powerful men in New York in this musical featuring a score by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman and a book by Harvey Fierstein, and based on a 1992 film that initially bombed at the box office. Molly Smith puts her stamp on the show in a production at Arena Stage. To Jan. 12. Fichandler Stage in the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Call 202-488-3300 or visit www.arenastage.org.

EDWARD ALBEE’S OCCUPANT

Susan Rome stars as the renowned sculptor Louise Nevelson, a Jewish immigrant from Russia who became a pioneer for free-thinking women everywhere. Aaron Posner directs a Theater J production of a late-career masterpiece by the gay, multiple Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. To Dec. 8. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater in the Edlavitch DCJCC, 1529 16th St. NW. Call 202-777-3210 or visit www.theaterj.org.

HARD TIMES

Another adaptation of a Charles Dickens classic, this one finding four versatile actors playing all the roles. Chelsea Mayo, Sue Struve, Steven Carpenter, and Brit Herring star in the Washington Stage Guild production. To Dec. 8. Undercroft Theatre of Mount Vernon United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Tickets are $40 to $50. Call 202-900-8788 or visit www.stageguild.org.

SINGING IN THE RAIN

The greatest movie musical of all time comes to life on stage, rain and all, in an Olney Theatre production directed by Marcos Santana and choreographed by Grady McLeod Bowman. To Jan. 5. Mainstage at 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Call 301-924-3400 or visit www.olneytheatre.org.

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME

What begins as an investigation into the grisly death of a neighbor’s dog results in a remarkable coming-of-age journey for a 15-year-old. Ryan Rilette and Jared Mezzochi direct a Round House Theatre production of this recent Broadway hit. To Dec. 22. 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda. Tickets are $50 to $60. Call 240-644-1100 or visit www.roundhousetheatre.org.

THE ILLUSIONISTS: MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS

Originating in Sydney nearly eight years ago, this touring magic show presents a rotating cast of magicians and is billed as “packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions.” The lineup for the special holiday-themed show, produced by franchise creator Simon Painter, features Valentin Azema as The Elusive, Darren “Dizzy” Partridge as The Trickster, Sos & Victoria as The Transformationalists, Jonathan Goodwin as The Daredevil, Florian Sainvet as The Manipulator, Steve Valentine as The Showman, and Stuart MacLeod as The Delusionist. To Dec. 8. National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets are $54 to $114, plus fees. Call 202-628-6161 or visit www.thenationaldc.org.

THE SNOW QUEEN

Virginia’s Synetic Theater offers a whimsical, movement-driven adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s beloved fairy tale, directed by Ryan Sellers and adapted by Emily Whitworth. To Dec. 29. 1800 South Bell St., Arlington. Call 800-494-8497 or visit www.synetictheater.org.

TIMES SQUARE ANGEL

Billed as a “hard-boiled Christmas fantasy,” the LGBTQ-focused Richmond Triangle Players offers a parody of Frank Capra Christmas classics — everything from A Christmas Carol to It’s A Wonderful Life — by the drag parodist playwright extraordinaire, Charles Busch (Die Mommie Die, The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife). To Dec. 21. The Robert B. Moss Theatre, 1300 Altamont Ave. Richmond. Call 804-346-8113 or visit www.rtriangle.org.

COMMUNITY STAGE

THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH

Susan Nanus offers a stage adaptation of the children’s fantasy adventure by Norman Juster about a 10-year-old boy and his faithful watchdog traveling to Lands Beyond. Jon Gardner directs a community production for the Greenbelt Arts Center starring Harper Chadwick as Milo and Findley Holland as Tock the watchdog. Weekends to Dec. 15. 123 Centerway. Greenbelt, Md. Tickets are $22 to $24. Call 301-441-8770 or visit www.greenbeltartscenter.org.

MUSIC

BILL KIRCHEN & TOO MUCH FUN: A HONKY TONK HOLIDAY SHOW

“Daddy’s Drinkin’ Up Our Christmas,” “Silent Surfin’ Night,” “Truckin’ Trees for Christmas,” and “Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy” are just a few of the far-from-traditional seasonal songs to be performed at this annual show led by “dieselbilly” guitarist Bill Kirchen, one of the founders of the roots-rock Americana movement and an inductee of the Washington Area Music Association Hall of Fame. Accompanied by bass player Johnny Castle and drummer Jack O’Dell, this year’s holiday show boasts veteran steel guitarist Junior Brown as a special guest. The setlist will not be, to cite the show’s official notice, all “holiday songs of questionable taste; you can count on a truckload of dieselbilly classics to take the edge off the holiday fuss.” Sunday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 p.m. 3701 Mount Vernon Ave. Tickets are $35. Call 703-549-7500 or visit www.birchmere.com.

BLUE DOT JAZZ TROUPE

Rooted in the music of New Orleans, this modern rhythmic jazz ensemble mixes in blues, funk, Afro-Cuban, and pop to bring the signature American music genre to life in new and dynamic ways, with the intention of getting audiences moving and dancing. And since this past summer, they’ve been doing it three nights a week, performing live at Kramerbooks’ Afterwords Café, in the back of the venue, where patrons can enjoy late-night food as well as a host of literary-inspired cocktails and over 20 craft beers on tap. Thursdays from 9 to 11 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 p.m. to midnight. 1517 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-387-3825 or visit www.kramers.com.

BOHEMIAN CAVERNS JAZZ ORCHESTRA: A BOHEMIAN CHRISTMAS

Its namesake U Street venue may have shuttered several years ago, but the 17-piece big band, led by baritone saxophonist Brad Linde and trumpeter Joe Herrera, lives on — at least for special occasions. The Atlas Performing Arts Center in the H Street Corridor offers the next special, helping the ensemble, founded by Linde almost 10 years ago, revive its popular holiday show. Monday, Dec. 16, at 8 p.m. Sprenger Theatre, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $15 to $35. Call 202-399-7993 or visit www.atlasarts.org.

SEÁN BARNA

Current Swell, a rock band from Vancouver Island is the headline attraction, but the concert this Saturday, Dec. 7, at DC9 is also a hometown show for opening act Barna, a gay singer-songwriter and drummer who has a theatrical, full-throated vocal delivery. Barna explores what it means to be a man on Cissy, an album released last year that he described as “if [Charles] Bukowski had frequented queer spaces and written songs for Patti Smith.” Doors at 7 p.m. DC9, 1940 9th St. NW. Tickets are $12 to $15. Call 202-483-5000 or visit www.dcnine.com.

EMMYLOU HARRIS

The first lady of bluegrass/Americana returns to the Hamilton for another “Intimate Performance Benefiting Bonaparte’s Retreat,” the dog rescue organization the singer founded in Nashville. The show, with special guests Jon Randall, Rickie Simpkins, and Jay Starling, is also a tribute to Jay’s father, John Starling, a founding member of the D.C.-rooted bluegrass band The Seldom Scene who died this past May. Sunday, Dec. 15. Doors at 6:30 p.m. The Hamilton, 600 14th St. NW. Tickets are $90 to $250. Call 202-787-1000 or visit www.thehamiltondc.com.

LUCY DACUS

A witty yet soft-spoken young singer-songwriter from Richmond who describes herself as “kind of queer” comes back to the area for a late Saturday night headline show at the 9:30 Club. Saturday, Dec. 7. Doors at 10 p.m. 815 V St. NW. Call 202-265-0930 or visit www.930.com.

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC: HOLIDAY SINGIN’ POPS

Luke Frazier of the American Pops Orchestra serves as guest conductor for this year’s seasonal offering from Strathmore’s resident orchestra, which will accompany a roster of talented soloists putting fresh spins on traditional and beloved holiday songs. Ali Ewoldt from Broadway’s Phantom of the Opera, Hilary Morrow of New York’s legendary Birdland Jazz Club, international vocalist Kevin Rose, and tap dancer Addalie Burns will all play a part in the program also featuring the National Philharmonic Chorale. And the audience will join in for a seasonal sing-along or two. Friday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. The Music Center, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $29 to $69. Call 301-581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.

CHORAL ARTS SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON: SONGS OF THE SEASON

Scott Tucker leads the local vocal ensemble along with Brandon Straub in its annual run of holiday shows at the Kennedy Center. Soloist Kristina Lewis, mezzo-soprano, will join the Choral Arts Chorus and the Choral Arts Youth Choir to perform holiday carols and seasonal classics. Sunday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m, Monday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 21, at 1 p.m., and Tuesday, Dec. 24, at 2 p.m. Concert Hall. Tickets are $15 to $72. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

THE WASHINGTON CHORUS: A CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS

Artistic Director Christopher Bell directs the annual “A Candlelight Christmas,” featuring the 130-voice chorus singing familiar carols and holiday songs accompanied by the National Capital Brass ensemble plus organ, plus audience sing-alongs, and a candlelight processional. Saturday, Dec. 14, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Also Sunday, Dec. 15, at 1 and 4 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 22, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $19 to $82. Call 202-342-6221 or visit thewashingtonchorus.org.

DANCE

THE WASHINGTON BALLET: THE NUTCRACKER

The Washington Ballet’s former artistic director Septime Webre first staged his twist on the family favorite 14 years ago, setting it in D.C.’s historic Georgetown neighborhood with George Washington as the titular figure and King George III as the Rat King. To Dec. 29. Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW. Call 202-889-5901 or visit www.thewashingtonballet.org.

COMEDY

THE SECOND CITY: LOVE, FACTUALLY

The seasonal satire from the cleverly twisted minds of the legendary improv/comedy company returns to the Kennedy Center for another holiday run. The show, as you might surmise from the production’s title, is a parody of a certain nauseating yet popular movie. Expect original comedy, music, improv, and audience participation. To Dec. 29. Kennedy Center Theater Lab. Tickets are $49 to $79. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

READINGS & DISCUSSIONS

FAKE PRESIDENT: DECODING TRUMP’S GASLIGHTING, CORRUPTION, AND GENERAL BULLSH*T

Mark Green and Ralph Nader, two of America’s best-known public advocates, offer what they intend as a “one-stop shop that explains what the Lyin’ King means to our democracy.” Written by Green, a bestselling author and former elected Public Advocate and Consumer Commissioner of New York City, and Nader, the founder of Public Citizen and former third-party candidate for president, the guide aims to help readers understand the two biggest news stories of the coming year: the impeachment and the 2020 presidential election. The two will discuss the book with Busboys & Poets owner Andy Shallal. Monday, Dec. 9, at 6 p.m. Busboys & Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. Call 202-387-POET or visit www.busboysandpoets.com.

THE ATLANTIC: HOW TO STOP A CIVIL WAR

Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic (what’s with that appalling redesign?), leads a discussion centered around the magazine’s special December issue with writers Yon Appelbaum, Caitlin Flanagan, and Adam Serwer. The focus, as suggested by the provocative title, is on American unity and division at the dangerous political moment we find ourselves in. As the first sentence to the official listing puts it, “There is no guarantee that the American experiment as we know it will continue forever.” Monday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $18 to $20. Call 202-408-3100 or visit www.sixthandi.org.

ART & EXHIBITS

ARTY QUEERS: D.C.’S LGBTQ+ ART MARKET

The DC Center for the LGBT Community offers the chance for local LGBTQ and queer-identified artists to showcase and sell their works on the second Saturday of every month, including Dec. 14, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prospective art buyers can expect to see original artworks in a range of media, including painting, pottery, photography, jewelry, glasswork, textiles, and clothing. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. Call 202-682-2245 or visit www.thedccenter.org.

BOBBI PRATTE: RESCUE ME

Run by the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association, the Athenaeum in Old Town presents an exhibition of works by a local painter reflecting on her personal sense of feeling a need to be rescued from our challenging times. Many of Pratte’s oil paintings capture daily scenes near her home in the Lake Barcroft area of Fairfax County. Now to Dec. 29. 201 Prince St., Alexandria. Call 703-548-0035 or visit www.nvfaa.org.

BONNARD TO VUILLARD: THE INTIMATE POETRY OF EVERYDAY LIFE

Over 60 rarely seen works by a leading group of European post-impressionist artists who worked together in the 1890s under the name the Nabi Collection, a transliteration of the Hebrew word for prophet. Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard, Maurice Denis, Aristide Maillol, Paul Ranson, Ker-Xavier Roussel, and Félix Vallotton are all represented in this temporary exhibition at the Phillips Collection, which ranges from painting and prints to stained glass to ceramics, and showcases how the Nabis used flat colors, decorative patterning, and silhouetted forms to convey their responses to the world. To Jan. 26. The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. Tickets are $12. Call 202-387-2151 x247 or visit www.phillipscollection.org.

JUDY CHICAGO: THE END-A MEDITATION ON DEATH AND EXTINCTION

Through nearly 40 works of painted porcelain and glass, as well as two large sculptures, famed artist and feminist icon Judy Chicago reflects on her own mortality while appealing for compassion and justice for all earthly creatures affected by human greed. The National Museum of Women in the Arts is the first venue to feature this new series, executed in the bold graphic style that has become Chicago’s hallmark — stark images as a visceral antidote to a culture that prizes youth and beauty, and often ignores the suffering of other creatures. Grouped into three sections, The End features works that personify the five stages of grief, ruminates about the artist’s own demise, and offers a visual catalog of species endangered by the action, or inaction, of humans. To Jan. 20. 1250 New York Ave NW. Admission is $10. Call 202-783-5000 or visit www.nmwa.org.

PAT STEIR: COLOR WHEEL

The entire perimeter of the Hirshhorn’s second-floor inner-circle galleries has been transformed into a vibrant spectrum of color. A commission of a 79-year-old New York-based painter and printmaker, this nearly 400-linear-foot-long, site-specific exhibition features 30 large-scale abstract canvases creating an immense color wheel shifting hues with each painting. To Sept. 7, 2020. Hirshhorn National Museum of Modern Art, Independence Avenue and Seventh Street SW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit www.hirshhorn.si.edu.

RE/SEEN: PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON HOROWITZ

Ballston’s Fred Schnider Gallery of Art presents a “then and now” look, showing how a local artist’s interests in abstraction and representation have continued yet evolved with changes in technology. The world has been deconstructed and re-imagined in Horowitz’s still-life and landscape photographs through the use of two innovative photographic techniques. In particular, his newer works are immersive abstract landscapes developed using the Photo Sphere/Street View app and his smartphone’s camera, thus subverting and manipulating the normal process for creating panoramas. To Dec. 21. 888 N. Quincy St., Ste. 102, Arlington. Call 703-841-9404 or visit www.fredschnidergalleryofart.com.

REPLAY AND RESHUFFLE: PAINTINGS BY KYUJIN LEE

Virginia’s McLean Project for the Arts presents an exhibition by a Korean-born, D.C.-based artist who draws on the world of fairy tale to compose paintings exploring dreams, identity, and personal transformation. Through a cast of characters including mermaids, Pinocchio, and a figurative alter-ego, Lee’s surrealist-inspired illustrations mine symbolic connotations to create narrative works full of tension, adventure, and wisdom.

Opening Reception is Thursday, Dec. 5, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. On display through Feb. 29. Atrium Gallery in the McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave., Virginia. Call 703-790-1953 or visit www.mpaart.org.

SHALL NOT BE DENIED: WOMEN FIGHT FOR THE VOTE

The Library of Congress tells the story of the largest reform movement in American history, the 72-year campaign for women’s suffrage that culminated in the passage and ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution exactly one century ago. Now to Sept. 2020. Southwest Gallery in the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. Call 202-707-8000 or visit www.loc.gov/exhibits.

ABOVE AND BEYOND

DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY MARKET

Over 150 artisans rotate among sixty tents set up on two blocks in the heart of downtown. Now in its 15th year, the holiday market offers a vast, eclectic, and international assortment of gifts and souvenirs, collectibles and wearables — from prints and photographs, to pottery and glassware, to custom jewelry and accessories. Each day also brings free staged concerts by local musicians, and options for food and non-alcoholic drink. Daily from noon to 8 p.m. to Dec. 23. Located on F Street between 7th and 9th Streets NW. Visit www.downtownholidaymarket.com.

ENCHANT CHRISTMAS WASHINGTON, DC

The outfield of Nationals Park will be transformed into a twinkling maze of light displays, the infield will house an ice-skating trail adorned with lit archways, and all around on the concourse will be a Christmas Market stocked with more than 60 local food and artisan vendors. This weekend sees the D.C. debut of a multi-city offering touted as “the biggest and fastest-growing holiday event in North America,” further advertised as “the World’s Largest Christmas Light Maze and Market.” Runs from 4:30 p.m. to 10:30 or 11:30 p.m. daily to Dec. 29 except closed on Dec. 9. To Dec. 29. 1500 South Capitol St. NE. Tickets, not including fees, are $19.99 to $33.99 for general admission, $78.99 for a multi-day Season Pass, or $89.99 for VIP entrance with free ice skate rentals and access to the PNC Diamond Club box with festive buffet. Visit www.enchantchristmas.com.

NATIVE ART MARKET AT AMERICAN INDIAN MUSEUM

This weekend, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian hosts its 14th annual market with works by more than 35 Native artists from across the Western hemisphere.

Navajo Dancers perform throughout the day, while on display will be traditional and contemporary works of art and craft, including silver and semiprecious jewelry, ceramics, apparel, handwoven baskets and beadwork, dolls, paintings, prints and sculpture. Saturday, Dec. 7, and Sunday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Independence Avenue at 4th Street SW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit www.nmai.si.edu.

SUGARLOAF HOLIDAY CRAFTS FESTIVAL

The annual Sugarloaf Crafts Festival, featuring 11 different events taking place across the country throughout the year, is considered one of the top craft experiences in the U.S. The festival returns to Virginia’s Dulles Expo Center for a holiday show styled as your last chance of the year to find gifts sold by the makers themselves, over 300 of them from around the country in total. Offerings include functional and decorative pottery, sculpture, glass, jewelry, fashion, leather, wood, metal, furniture, home accessories, and photography. Friday, Dec. 6, and Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center Drive, Virginia. Admission is $8 to $10 per day. Call 703-378-0910 or visit www.sugarloafcrafts.com.

THE WHITE HOUSE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION’S HOLIDAY BOOK FAIR

A full day of holiday shopping and festivities, including 20 authors discussing and signing copies of their award-winning books, await history buffs and aficionados of White House memorabilia. Participating authors include: Roland Mesnier, former White House pastry chef and author of Creating the Sweet World of White House Desserts; artist John Hutton, who will offer lessons in creating presidential portraits a la his book How to Draw the Presidents; Mary Jo Binker, author of If You Ask Me: Essential Advice from Eleanor Roosevelt; Will Seale III, the son and narrator of the audiobook to William Seale’s To Live on Lafayette Square: Society and Politics in the President’s Neighborhood; William Allman, former White House curator and author of Official White House China; Jonathan Pliska, author of A Garden for the President who will discuss his collection of heirloom seeds; and Osborne Mackie, author of The Stephen Decatur House: A History. Additional highlights: Reproductions of two dresses worn by First Lady Jackie Kennedy as featured in Mid-Century Fashion and the First Ladies; actor Bill Barker of Monticello portraying Thomas Jefferson and sharing memories and unique insights as captured in the book Becoming Jefferson; a display of the 10 winning White House photographs submitted for a 2020 issue of the White House History Quarterly; and holiday music performed on a replica of Theodore Roosevelt’s gilded Steinway grand piano, covered in gold leaf and decorated with the coats of arms of the 13 original states. Friday, Dec. 6, from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. White House History Shop, 1610 H St. NW. Free. Call 202-218-4337 or visit www.whitehousehistory.org.

ZOOLIGHTS

More than 500,000 colorful Christmas lights illuminate life-sized animal silhouettes, dancing trees, buildings, and walkways, plus a light show set to music, during this annual holiday event at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. New at ZooLights this year is “Entre Les Rangs,” an art installation featuring dozens of large, glowing animal lanterns stationed throughout the park. The second weekend in December ushers in the Grump holiday market, a European-style outdoor fair featuring local artisans set up at the Zoo’s entrance. ZooLights runs nightly from 5 to 9 p.m. except for Dec. 24, Dec. 25, and Dec. 31. Through Jan. 1. National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free. Call 202-633-4800 or visit nationalzoo.si.edu.