Tommy McFly breaks down the best things to do this weekend of Jan. 10-12 in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
Subscribe to The Weekend Scene newsletter to get our picks delivered straight to your inbox — every Wednesday
Snow my goodness! We're well past a snow day. This snow week is turning into a snow weekend.
National Zoo members can get a first look at the new pandas and just maybe catch them playing in the snow. Walk through a winter wonderland while volunteering at Arlington National Cemetery, or go sledding at some favorite spots listed below.
We’ve been making memories with epic snowball fights and those frolicking pandas – and, of course, handing out not just one, but TWO coveted Pat Collins Snow Sticks.
We've got the news you need to know to start your day. Sign up for the First & 4Most morning newsletter — delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.
The first went to Karen Porter, who correctly predicted when the first inch of snow would fall at DCA – it happened to be her birthday! The next one went to Josie, Jack and the Tyree family in Darnestown, Maryland, for their hilarious Victory Monday Snow Stick Challenge video.
Catch a few more highlights on TikTok. Lots of love to everyone who joined.
4 things to know for the weekend
- Weekend weather: The cold is here to stay, and get ready to wake up to some snow on Saturday!
- The Commanders and Buccaneers will battle on NBC and Peacock Sunday in the NFC wild card showdown. Grab some takeout and settle in to watch.
- National Zoo members can start visiting the pandas Friday before the bears' public debut on Jan. 24!
- Free and family-friendly: Raptor Caretaker Chats in Rockville and a "Frozen" double feature singalong at Arlington's Courthouse Library.
Plan a perfect snow day
The Scene
The most fun things to do and places to be in D.C., Maryland and Virginia
Do you want to build a snowman? Storm Team4 says it will stay cold enough to let Frosty stick around all week, and we could get a few more flakes early Saturday! So, let's plan your weekend snow-venture.
When your inner child/delighted panda wants to play in snow, there’s no better way than ripping down a hill!
Top sledding spots
Shepherd Elementary Field, Alice Deal Middle School and Battery Kemble Park house some of D.C.’s best hills. Dorothy Hamm Middle School is a favorite in this Arlington Facebook group. In Maryland, Experience Prince George’s and Visit Montgomery have suggestions.
(The hill outside the U.S. Capitol is THE hill... usually. Right now, it’s under tight security for the state funeral and upcoming inauguration.)
Pro tip: Can’t find the hill? Just ask the nearest sled-toting kid. They’ll know!
Where to ski and snowboard nearby
Sugarloaf Mountain is one of the closest ski areas, about an hour’s drive from downtown D.C. We were quoted $140 for a Mid-Mountain lift ticket and ski rentals this Saturday, making Sugarloaf a cheaper option.
Liberty Mountain Resort and Whitetail are both in Pennsylvania, about a 90-minute drive from downtown D.C. Each offers night skiing and snow tubing in addition to the classics. At both resorts, we saw Saturday lift tickets and ski rentals for one person priced at just over $180.
Fun fact: Snowshoe in West Virginia, about a 4.5-hour drive from D.C., says they’ve gotten more than 32 inches of snow this week!
Pro tip: Book in advance for potential savings and definite peace of mind. Also: Newbies, take a lesson! Trust Sophia, who married into a family of skiers. A pro is likely a better teacher than your loved one.
Panda preview
Who's ready to see some pandas at the National Zoo?
If you’re a National Zoo member, you’re first in line to see Bao Li and Qing Bao – two weeks before their exhibit opens to the general public.
Members can take advantage of their exclusive preview starting Friday.
Timed tickets are required for all attendees ages 2 and older. You can reserve those passes online. The number of people you can bring depends on which level of membership you have. Here's for more info.
The preview event goes through Jan. 19. The pandas will have their public debut on Jan. 24, and free zoo entry passes are already available.
Weekend highlights
Free pick
Wreaths Out volunteer clean-up
Sat., 8 a.m., Arlington National Cemetery
🔗 Details
Every year, volunteers place tens of thousands of wreaths on gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery in a moving tribute to those who served this country.
Come January, it’s time to clean up the wreaths. And you can help during Wreaths Out starting at 8 a.m. Saturday.
Thousands of volunteers are expected, so we suggest taking transit (or a ride-share) to the Arlington Cemetery Metro station. However, the Welcome Center Parking Garage will open to the public at 8 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.
Dress warmly and wear thick work gloves, but pack lightly. Volunteers will go through a security screening. Large bags and backpacks or insulated beverage containers aren’t allowed. You are allowed to bring a PVC pipe, rope and broomsticks to help pick up wreaths, but no sharp metal objects (for example, the metal parts of a shovel) are permitted.
We got together a group to volunteer at Wreaths Out last year and were amazed at how quickly a group could clean up. It’s a great cause, worth your time and a nice way to get some steps in!
Looking for something closer to your home in D.C. or Maryland? The Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery (SAHNC) in the Fort Totten area will also host a Wreaths Out volunteer event.
Mindful Drinking Festival
Fri. to Sun., Union Market District, $75 for full event pass
🔗 Details
Whether your January is dry, damp or soggy, the Mindful Drinking Festival is a way to explore a different way to go out.
In its third year, this festival is bigger than ever. And if you're not a fan of winter weather, know that it's all indoors!
The Union Market area is transforming into a hub for tastings, workshops, wellness events and parties that you won’t regret the next morning.
One major highlight is a live taping of the Soberness Podcast featuring Darryl McDaniels (yes, of Run DMC!), D.C.’s Spike Mendelsohn and LP O’Brien (who you know from “Top Chef” and “Drink Masters”).
Everyone who goes must stop by the Grand Tasting room to sample hundreds of products from over 50 makers, including plentiful nonalcoholic beverages.
Here’s the full agenda.
Free pick
The Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions: A First Look
Fri. and Sat., 511 Tenth Street NW, free
🔗 Details
Get a rare look at a stage production long before it’s even ready for a dress rehearsal.
This festival spotlights BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) playwrights in the Ford’s Theatre incubator.
These plays are still in development, so expect to see plays dramatically read with minimal production. But the pared-down productions might not be great for kids.
Grab free tickets now to see a reading of one of three plays:
- “Elysian Fields” (Fri., 7:30 p.m.), a post-Civil War spin on Shakespeare’s "King Lear"
- “The Soldier From the Antilles” (Sat., 2 p.m.), which is set in an Alexandria, Virginia, hospital during the Civil War
- “Elizabeth Keckly & Mary Lincoln: The Last Morning” (Sat., 7:30 p.m.), about a friendship between the former first lady and a freed woman.
Concerts this weekend
Deep Dive Live, 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Atlantis, $10
Pretty Bitter headlines this show billed as a showcase for up-and-coming local bands. They play heartfelt, ‘90s-leaning indie rock influenced by dreamy shoegaze and emo. Drook and Flo Petite share the bill. Details.
Things to do in D.C.
The Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions: A First Look: Fri. and Sat., 511 Tenth Street NW, free
DC Onesie Crawl: Sat., 2 to 10 p.m., Dupont Circle, $17-$20
Mindful Drinking Festival: Fri. to Sun., Union Market District, $75 for full event pass
Leaving soon – MOSAICO art exhibit: Through Jan. 26, Dupont Underground, free on Fridays, otherwise $10 ($8 with discount or free for children under 12)
Things to do in Maryland
My Dog & Me Hike: Sat., 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton, free
Fairytales and Fables: A Family Program: Sat., 10 a.m., Marietta House Museum in Glenn Dale, $5
Raptor Caretaker Chats: Sat., noon, Meadowside Nature Center in Rockville, free
Yule Spy: Bond on Holiday: Sat., 6 p.m., Tucker Road Community Center in Fort Washington, $20-$26
The Suburban Maryland Spring Home Show: Sat. and Sun., Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, free with registration or $10 at the door
Book talk – “Historical Diseases from a Modern Perspective”: Sun., 2 p.m., National Museum of Health and Medicine in SIlver Spring, free
Things to do in Virginia
Secrets, Spies, Sputnik and Huntley tour: Thurs., 1 p.m., Historic Huntley in Alexandria, $10
Oscar Watch at Arlington Cinema Drafthouse: “A Real Pain” (Jan. 10-12) and “Conclave” (Jan. 11-14)
Full Moon Nature Hike & Campfire: Fri., 6 p.m., Riverbend Park in Great Falls, $10
Wassail Party!: Fri., 6:30-8 p.m., Lost Boy Cider in Arlington, free
Wreaths Out volunteer clean-up: Sat., 8 a.m., Arlington National Cemetery, free
Winter Sing-Along Movie Marathon featuring “Frozen” and “Frozen 2”: Sat., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Courthouse Library in Arlington, free
Tyson's New Year Pickleball Tournament: Sun., 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., The Pickleball Club of Tysons in Vienna, $35
Want to know what's up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.
