Weekend Round Up, Dec. 16 – 19
By • December 16, 2021 0 1044
We hope you’re enjoying the 2021 holiday season! So many wonderful options this weekend, including performances from Wolf Trap, the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) and the Washington Chorus. For all you last-minute shoppers, you may want to visit the Park View Holiday Pop-Up Market. There are also some activities to make you feel happy and relaxed, like a meditation with Freer Sackler and a celebration of giant pandas.
Enjoy Wolf Trap’s Holiday Sing-A-Long from Home: Part II
Streaming this Saturday at 4 p.m., the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts will be airing the second half of their “Holiday Sing-A-Long.” Saturday’s performance features Rodney Crowell and Tony Award-winner John Lloyd Young. Typically, the event is combined with the U.S. Marine Band and 500 local singers in-person, but this year it will be presented digitally with pre-recorded performances. Families are encouraged to make some hot chocolate, bake some holiday cookies and gather safely to sing along from the comfort of home. More information can be found here.
See the National Symphony Orchestra Perform Handel’s “Messiah,” Bach’s “Magnificat”
The National Symphony Orchestra is performing the iconic Handel’s “Messiah” this weekend, paired with Bach’s joyful “Magnificat.” Gianandrea Noseda, musical director of the NSO, will be conducting the NSO for the very first time in these selections, so the performances are a definite must-see. He previously conducted with the BBC Philharmonic and was the recipient of the Conductor of the Year award from Musical America, for 2015. You can catch the shows at the Concert Hall Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and a Sunday matinee. More information on tickets can be found here.
The National Symphony Orchestra is performing this weekend. Photo courtesy kennedycenter.org.
The Park View Holiday Pop-Up Market Concludes Saturday
The second annual market at Hook Hall concludes its 2021 run this Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Hook Hall at 3400 Georgia Ave. NW is the scene of the holiday market. Saturday’s offerings include 20 different vendors selling jewelry, stationery, CBD, cookies, cupcakes, coffee, tea and sundries. More information on the market and its featured businesses can be found here.
The Washington Chorus Performs “A Candlelight Christmas”
D.C.’s Washington Chorus will be performing their “A Candlelight Christmas” show Thursday and Friday at the Music Center at Strathmore and Sunday at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. The chorus’s short, 75-minute program is performed with no intermission, making it the perfect family-friendly fare. A candlelight processional, carol sing-alongs and candy canes follow the show! Also, fun fact: did you know the Washington Chorus are two-time Grammy winners? More information on The Washington Chorus’s shows can be found here.
The Washington Chorus will be at the Kennedy Center and Strathmore this weekend. Photo courtesy strathmore.org.
Enjoy Meditation and Mindfulness from Freer Sackler
Relax with the Freer Sackler Friday at noon for a lunchtime meditation session. The free, half-hour online meditation is led by D.C.-based teachers and is appropriate for all levels of practitioners. Friday sessions include inspiration from museum art. More information on the sessions can be found here. Ohhhmmmy!
Celebrate 50 Years of Pandas
The Smithsonian has been celebrating 175 years with lots of special programming. This Thursday at 5 p.m., check out footage of pandas and a chat with the Smithsonian National Zoo’s Laurie Thompson and Dr. Melissa Songer. This pandastic celebration will be held in honor of 50 years of giant pandas at the zoo. More information on the event can be found here. If you just can’t wait for the celebration, check out the Zoo’s Giant Panda Cam right now!
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo will be celebrating 50 years of pandas this Thursday evening. Panda photo courtesy nationalzoosi.edu.
