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Starting in November and Running Into The New Year, The Wharf Will Offer a Series of Festive, Waterfront Holiday Activities Including Signature Event, The District’s Holiday Boat Parade
The Wharf, Washington, DC’s world-class, waterfront neighborhood, is excited to welcome the community and visitors alike to a series of fun, seasonal activities unparalleled across The District. The holiday programming will include the highly anticipated return of The District’s Holiday Boat Parade, The Wharf Ice Rink and more.
A time-honored tradition, The Wharf will host a giant Christmas tree on District Pier as well as beautiful holiday decor along the waterfront. The Wharf has everything from the perfect shops to get holiday gifts to restaurant meal specials and festive cocktail options (complete with lots of holiday warmth and eggnog). There is something for everyone, from painting an ornament to joining the timeless tradition of floating in the Holiday Boat Parade (details for entering a boat included below).
WHEN: November 24, 2021 – February 28, 2022
Monday-Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday-Friday: 4pm-10pm
Saturday: 12pm-10pm
Sunday: 12pm-8pm
Extended Holiday Hours:
December 23: 12pm-10pm
December 24: 12pm-7pm
December 25: 12pm-8pm
December 26-30: 12pm-10pm
December 31: 12pm-8pm
January 17: 12pm-5pm
WHERE: Transit Pier at The Wharf, 970 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC 20024
WHAT: The Wharf Ice Rink returns the week of Thanksgiving and will remain open every day through February 2022. Skaters can bring their own skates or rent rink-side. More details to come on hours and special events, such as curling and broomball.
Admission:
Adult: $12
Youth (12 & Under): $9
Skate Rental: $6
Group Rate (10 or more) includes skate rental: $14
WHEN: November 26, 2021; 6:00PM – 8:00PM
WHERE: District Pier at The Wharf, 101 District Square SW, Washington, DC 20024
WHAT: The Wharf will be kicking off the holiday season with the official lighting of the Christmas tree on District Pier and transforming the waterfront into a winter wonderland with thousands of twinkling lights. New this year, the Jack Daniel’s 25-foot-tall whiskey barrel tree on Market Pier will also light up on November 26. Exclusively on the evening of December 4, the tree will host the Jack Daniels experience featuring fire pits, Adirondack chairs, sample cocktails and fundraising for Operation Ride Home, an initiative that helps reconnect military service members with their families during the holidays.
WHEN: November 28, 2021 – December 6, 2021; daily 5:00PM – 6:00PM
WHERE: District Square at The Wharf, 101 District Square SW, Washington, DC 20024
WHAT: The Wharf will be continuing the annual tradition of lighting the Menorah in District Square for each night of Hanukkah. Come back each night of Hanukkah to see each candle being lit.
WHEN: December 4, 2021; 6:00PM – 9:00PM
WHERE: The Wharf; 970 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC 20024
WHAT: The Wharf is excited to announce the return of the District’s Holiday Boat Parade, an iconic DC holiday tradition for 29 years. The nautical parade will feature a stunning collection of more than 45 boats covered in festive holiday lights, decorations, and costumed crew members entertaining viewers gathered at The Wharf neighborhood along Washington, DC’s waterfront.
See photos from past years here.
This year’s Holiday Boat Parade will offer activities for the whole family including:
Photos with Santa at District Pier
Go Go Gadjet’s amazing lights show
Pacifico beer garden
Kids activity stations
Live music
Cap’s campfire at The Wharf open for s’mores
Jack Daniel’s tree fire pits, Adirondack chairs, sample cocktails and fundraising for Operation Ride Home (10+ restaurants participating)
Fireworks
The procession of nearly 50 decorated vessels begins in the Washington Channel at 7 p.m. and ends with a dazzling fireworks finale at 8 p.m. The live music and holiday festivities—including ice skating and the Waterfront Beer and Wine Garden—continue until 9 p.m.
At the conclusion of the parade, judges will award more than $20,000 in prizes and gifts to the participating boats, including Best in Show, Best Motorboat, Best Sailboat, Best Crew, Community Choice, and more.
Boaters who wish to decorate their vessel and participate in the District’s Holiday Boat Parade must register for free at dcboatparade.eventbrite.com; registration ends November 22.
The District’s Holiday Boat Parade is free and open to the public; no registration is required to view the parade or participate in landside activities.
For more information about The Wharf including transportation and dining options please visit www.wharfdc.com follow @TheWharfDC on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
ABOUT OPERATION RIDE HOME
Operation Ride Home is a program designed to assist junior-enlisted service members and those with families travel from their military bases to homes around the country. Their mission is to raise as much money as possible to assist these heroes with getting home. With the help of the ASYMCA, Jack Daniels will be able to eclipse 10,000 of these heroes and their families that they’ve helped with travel. They will have raised more than $2 million for the life of the program.
ABOUT THE WHARF
The Wharf is a remarkable waterfront neighborhood. Located along the Washington Channel of the Potomac River, the first phase of The Wharf opened in 2017 with more than two million square feet of residences, offices, hotels, shops, restaurants, cultural uses, marinas, and public areas including waterfront parks, promenades, piers, and docks. The second phase of The Wharf is scheduled to open in the late fall of 2022.
At full build out, the $2.5 billion, world-class, mixed-use neighborhood will feature more than 3.2 million square feet of development along a mile of Washington, DC’s waterfront from the Municipal Fish Market to Fort McNair. More information about The Wharf is available at www.wharfdc.com.
