Christmas Illuminations, Santa Stampede, ZooLights: NoVA This Weekend

VIRGINIA — The holiday season is close to culminating as Hanukkah starts this weekend while Christmas and Kwanzaa are a week away. There's time to enjoy holiday happenings and other events around Northern Virginia and DC this weekend.

Winter Lantern Festival opens Friday in Tysons, joining other holiday lights attractions around the region. Other options are the ZooLights and Enchant Washington, DC in DC, Ice & Lights in Alexandria, Nights of Lights on the Fairgrounds in Manassas, Winter Lights Walk: Sweet Adventures in Purcellville, Meadowlark Winter Walk on Lights in Vienna and Bull Run Festival of Lights in Centreville.

Other notable events includeWreaths Across America, Christmas Illuminations at Mount Vernon, National Menorah Lighting, Chanukah on ICE, Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants, Stafford County Christmas Parade, Santa Stampede Holiday Bar Crawl, Procrastinator's Holiday Market, and Mosaic Holiday Market Extravaganza.

Below is a roundup of events from Friday, Dec. 16 to Sunday, Dec. 18.

Friday, Dec. 16

• Christmas Illuminations at Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon (through Dec. 17)
• Del Ray Artisans Fine Art & Fine Craft Holiday Market, Alexandria (through Dec. 18)
• Celebration Station, Fairfax Station (through Dec. 17)
• Alexandria Citizen's Band Holiday Sing-Along Concert, Alexandria
• The Christmas Angel, Falls Church (select dates through Dec. 18)
• "Nutcracker: The Motion Picture" - ArtScreen Free Film Series, Fairfax
• Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" presented by Stage Door Productions, Fredericksburg (through Dec. 18)
• The Little Theatre of Alexandria’s "Tiny Tim’s Christmas Carol," Alexandria (through Dec. 17)
• Step Afrika Magical Musical Holiday Step Show, Washington, DC (through Dec. 18)
• Winter Market & Festivities, Tysons
• Winter Wonderland Train Show 2022 at the ARTfactory, Manassas
• Riverside Christmas Spectacular, Fredericksburg
• Winter Lantern Festival, Tysons (Dec. 16 to Feb. 12)
• Manassas Ballet Theatre's "Nutcracker," Manassas
• Winter Wonderland Holiday Benefit, Reston
• Winter Wonderland Paint Night, Nokesville
• StageCoach Bandits Improv Comedy Show, Ashburn
• A Magical Cirque Christmas, Washington, DC (through Dec. 18)
• The Spirit of Kwanzaa, Washington, DC (through Dec. 17)
• Holiday BINGOAT: Bingo + Goats, Arlington
• Elf on a Shelf Scavenger Hunt, Manassas (through Dec. 24)
• Ugly Sweater Party, Bluemont
• StageCoach Bandits Improv Comedy Show
• DC Downtown Holiday Market, Washington, DC (through Dec. 23)
• Santa Photos at Tysons Corner Center, Tysons (through Dec. 23)
• Winter Lights Walk: Sweet Adventures, Purcellville (through Dec. 23)
• Photos with Santa at Dulles Town Center, Dulles, (through Dec. 24)
• Santa Photos at Potomac Mills, Woodbridge (through Dec. 24)
• Photos with Santa at Springfield Town Center, Springfield (through Dec. 24)
• ZooLights, Washington, DC (through Dec. 30)
• Enchant Washington, DC, Washington, DC (through Jan. 1)
• Ice & Lights, Alexandria (through Jan. 1)
• Nights of Lights on the Fairgrounds, Manassas (through Jan. 1)
• Meadowlark Winter Walk on Lights, Vienna (dates through Jan. 8)
• Bull Run Festival of Lights, Centreville (dates through Jan. 8)
• Logan Circle Holiday Lights, Washington, DC (through Jan. 8)
• Cleveland Park Holiday Lights, Washington, DC (through Jan. 8)
• Columbia Heights Holiday Heights, Washington, DC (through Jan. 8)
• Georgetown GLOW, Washington, DC (through Jan. 22)
• Harry Potter: Forbidden Forest Experience (dates starting Oct. 29 through January)
• The Office Experience: Washington DC, Washington, DC (extended dates)

Saturday, Dec. 17

• Wreaths Across America, Arlington, more locations
• Stafford County Christmas Parade, Fredericksburg
• Santa Stampede Holiday Bar Crawl, Alexandria
• Procrastinator's Holiday Market, Washington, DC
• Washington Capitals vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington, DC
• Bad Santa Bar Crawl - Clarendon, Arlington
• Winter Wonderland At Burke Lake Park, Fairfax Station (through Dec. 18)
• Mosaic Holiday Market Extravaganza, Merrifield
• Alexandria Holiday Lights Ride + Walk, Alexandria
• Rudolph's Rockin' Reindeer Games, Tysons
• Winter Family Festival, Tysons
• Historic Fredericksburg Holiday Walk, Fredericksburg
• Candlelight Tours at Lee-Fendall House, Alexandria
• A Dickens of a Christmas Festival, Middleburg
• Alexandria Choral Society Sets Off the Magic of Christmas, Alexandria
• Home for The Holidays – Jingle, Alexandria
• Candles & Cider, Alexandria
• Free Photo With Santa at Reston Farm Garden Market, Reston (weekends through Dec. 18)
• Improv Comedy December Show, Alexandria
• Home for the Holidays - Adoption Event, Leesburg
• Breakfast with Santa, Leesburg
• Ugly Sweater Pawty, Alexandria
• Maggiano's Tysons Corner Breakfast With Santa, Tysons

Sunday, Dec. 18

• National Menorah Lighting, Washington, DC
• Chanukah on ICE, Pentagon City/National Landing, Arlington
• Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants, Washington, DC
• First Annual Commanders Beer Fest, Landover
• Thai Night Market Christmas Party, Annandlae
• Holiday Candlelight Tour at Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon
• Christmas Drive Through, Fredericksburg
• Santa At The Lake, Springfield
• Holiday Markets at Old Town North, Alexandria
• Holiday Laps and Pictures with Santa, Fredericksburg
• Hanukkah Story Time at Scrawl Books, Reston
• Indoor Holiday Market, Middleburg