DC Holiday Markets: The Best Places to Visit in 2026

This holiday season, you can shop for gifts outside the National Portrait Gallery, browse a Christmas market in the garden of a 19th-century mansion near Dupont Circle, or end a December afternoon in Georgetown with a Lucia choir procession at dusk.

Schedules vary as much as the settings. One market lasts exactly one Saturday, another runs for four days, and two stay open for about six weeks, from mid-November until just before Christmas.

So rather than treating the DC holiday markets as interchangeable rows of decorated stalls, start with one question: what are you hoping to find?

First, Pick the Market That Matches the Plan

One date stands out in the table: on December 5, Heurich Christmas Markt is open while the Swedish Holiday Market takes place in Georgetown. If you want to see two very different specialty markets on the same day, plan around that Saturday.

DowntownDC Holiday Market: Wide Variety on F Street

• Where: F Street NW between 7th and 9th Streets NW
• Dates: November 13 to December 23
• Cost: Free entry

The 2026 DowntownDC Holiday Market marks its 22nd season and expands to a 40-day run, with more than 115 participating businesses. Vendors offer a mix of artwork, jewelry, books, home goods, children’s gifts, and seasonal food, so one visit can cover gifts for both adults and children.

Two Smithsonian museums share the block with the market, and both offer free admission, so you can easily fit a museum visit into the same afternoon.

Hours and Metro

• Monday to Thursday: noon to 8 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Sunday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Thanksgiving: closed
• Nearest Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown

Dupont Circle: Exhibitors to Know

• Where: 1500 block of New Hampshire Avenue NW
• Dates: November 12 to December 23
• Hours: noon to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends
• Cost: Free entry

The DC Holiday Market at Dupont Circle has more than 35 participating small businesses in 2026, and its exhibitor list includes:

• DC illustrations, cards and ornaments from Salgu
• city and neighborhood maps from Terratorie Maps + Goods
• handmade pottery from Kerri Henry Pottery
• antique maps and vintage advertising from The Narrow Passage Store
• stained and blown glass from New World Glass
• European cheeses and holiday boxes from A Little Slice of Europe
• hot candied nuts and chocolates from The Capital Candy Jar

A few dates matter before choosing your day:

• Exhibitor dates: Not all exhibitors stay for the entire run. For example, the 2026 roster lists The Narrow Passage Store through November 29, while New World Glass begins December 1, so check the listed dates of any maker you plan to visit.
• Closures: The market closes on Thanksgiving and on Monday, November 30, for exhibitor turnover.

Heurich Christmas Markt: Local Makers in a Historic Garden

Heurich Christmas Markt sets up in the Castle Garden at Heurich House Museum, 1307 New Hampshire Avenue NW. The museum is the former home of German-born brewer Christian Heurich, and the 2026 market is its 14th annual edition.

Opening hours vary by day:

• Thursday, December 3, and Friday, December 4: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Saturday, December 5: noon to 8 p.m.
• Sunday, December 6: noon to 6 p.m.

The museum describes the event as DC’s only multi-day holiday market composed entirely of local makers. Here is how the market works:

• Makers: Around 40 participate annually, and a jury selects them.
• Experience level: Only beginner and intermediate maker businesses take part, including some that may not be able to afford fees at the city’s longer multi-week markets.
• Proceeds: Money from the market supports the museum’s operations and maker programs.

Before buying a ticket, note that the market is held outdoors and continues in varying weather conditions, with tents over the vendor spaces.

Adult tickets are pay-what-you-are-able, with a minimum that depends on the purchase date:

• Through October 31: from $10
• November 1 to December 3: from $13
• At the door: from $15

Children ages 2 to 15 need a separate $2 ticket.

Swedish Holiday Market: Nordic Gifts in Georgetown

On December 5, the Swedish Women’s Educational Association DC and Embassy of Sweden host the Swedish Holiday Market at House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW.

Expect Nordic arts and crafts, Swedish glass, books, and Scandinavian food rather than general seasonal merchandise. Washington Spelmanslag will also perform folk music.

The schedule looks like this:

• 10 a.m. to noon: VIP admission, $20
• Noon to 4 p.m.: general admission, $15
• Children 12 and younger: free
• 5 p.m.: free Lucia Choir Procession outside House of Sweden

The building closes to market attendees before the Lucia procession, so you can watch it even if you don’t enter the market.

House of Sweden asks attendees to bring valid ID, pass through security screening, and keep bags to a minimum.

Holiday Lights to Add After Shopping

CityCenterDC sits a few blocks from the DowntownDC Holiday Market and lights its 78-foot holiday tree on November 14, one day after the market opens. Its seasonal décor also includes oversized reindeer, and the free celebration at The Park at CityCenter runs on this schedule:

• 5 p.m.: festivities begin
• 6 p.m.: the tree lighting program starts

The 2026 National Christmas Tree Lighting takes place on December 3 on the Ellipse, and tickets for the ceremony come through a free lottery:

• Lottery opens: October 28
• Lottery closes: November 4
• Winners receive notification: November 12

If you plan to see holiday lights by combining several illuminated stops after shopping, consider the distance between neighborhoods before adding another address to the night.

Choosing Among the DC Holiday Markets

If your gift list is long, start at DowntownDC. Dupont Circle is a good fit for browsing small businesses, and Heurich Christmas Markt is the place for a handmade gift from a local maker. The Swedish Holiday Market makes the most sense if you’re interested in Scandinavian holiday traditions.

You do not need to visit all four. One or two markets are enough, leaving time for the rest of your holiday plans.