The DC Lineup for this weekend: Markets, museums and 12-foot-high ice monuments

This weekend, the District prepares for winter and upcoming holidays. From Dec. 7 to 9, opportunities to finish seasonal shopping abound all around the city, along with festive films, a fundraiser to support the homeless, and much more.

The weather will be dry but cold, with temperatures dipping to as low as 25 degrees on Friday and rising to a high of 40 degrees.

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   Family Festival: Georgetown becomes a Winter Wonderland this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Book Hill area, along Wisconsin Avenue from P Street to Reservoir Road NW. Enjoy shopping, discounts and holiday treats such as mulled wine and and s’mores at more than 20 stores and restaurants. Kids can take free photos with Santa, deliver their letters to Santa at TD Bank and participate in a Tunes 4 Tots music class. Win big in the ugly sweater competition, which features a $100 gift card for first place, $75 for second and $25 for third. The fun continues throughout the day with a scavenger hunt to search for the Winter Wonderland Elves in nine different stores. Cap it off with the “paw-fect” present: Representatives of the Humane Rescue Alliance will be out talking about their work and the pets they have available for adoption. The festival is free and presented by TD Bank and the Georgetown Business Improvement District.

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   Cultural: For a Russian twist on the season, head north of Georgetown to Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens. A Russian Winter Festival will be held on the estate’s grounds at 4155 Linnean Ave. NW, on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Grandfather Frost (the Russian Santa Claus) and his granddaughter, the Snow Maiden, will perform classic Russian stories with Flying V Theatre. Take part in other traditions, such as making and wearing a kokoshnik (woman’s headdress) or men’s winter hat. See what 2019 has in store with a fortune teller while listening to live music by Samovar Russian Folk Music Ensemble and watching performances by Kalinka Dance Ensemble and mimes in animal costumes. Tickets cost $18 for the general public, $15 for seniors, $12 for members, $10 for college students and $5 for kids ages 6 to 18. Admission is free for ages 5 and younger.

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   Crafts: Skip Hallmark and head to the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum’s annual Holiday Card Workshop this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Create handmade cards with materials provided by the museum, from patterned paper to gems and other embellishments. Take your address book so the cards can be sent with a special postmark at the National Postal Museum’s stamp store. The event is free and does not require registration. The Postal Museum is located near Union Station at 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE.

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   Ward 5 Neighborhoods: Unique Markets Holiday Pop-Up DC will be in Dock 5 at Union Market, 1309 5th St. NE, on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The fair’s goal is to entice shoppers to buy local from a collection of 44 DC vendors instead of mainstream stores during the holiday season. The day includes freebies such as drinks, snacks, do-it-yourself crafts and a commemorative tote bag. Unique Markets hosts pop-ups in Boston, Los Angeles, Austin and other cities across the country. Since launching 10 years ago, it has collaborated with more than 10,000 small businesses and earned over $25 million in revenue at their markets. Tickets cost $5.

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   Ward 1 Neighborhoods: Buy more local goods across town at the 2018 Adams Morgan Day Holiday Market, where 50 DC-area vendors will sell their merchandise from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at Suntrust Plaza, at the intersection of 18th Street and Columbia Road NW, as well as at the nearby Unity Park. Live entertainment, festive decorating, caroling and three 20-minute performances on Sunday by the District Music Project make the day about more than just shopping. The free event is organized by the Adams Morgan Community Alliance, the sponsors of the annual Adams Morgan Day.

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   Cultural: The Smithsonian National Museum of African Art will host a Kwanzaa Celebration on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 950 Independence Ave. SW. The day’s activities will include a look at the history of Kwanzaa, a holiday that has been around for 52 years to celebrate the importance of family, community, culture and heritage in African cultural traditions. Activities include arts and crafts workshops, a trunk show, and a performance by the KanKouran West African Dance Company. There will also be a candle-lighting ceremony by the African Diaspora Ancestral Commemoration Institute.

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   Ward 2 Neighborhoods: Winter in Washington in The Park at CityCenter offers a unique glimpse of the city with 12-foot-high ice sculptures of some of DC’s most famous monuments, including the U.S. Capitol building and the White House. Visitors can experience this arctic blast downtown at 1098 New York Ave. NW on Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. and again on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 to 9 p.m.

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   Family Festival: Holiday Family Day at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is a free event on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. that is geared toward the season. At the planetarium, attendees will be able to view constellations that are visible only during the winter solstice. Museum staff will explain how advances in air and space technology have made holiday travel, communication and shopping possible. The U.S. Air Force Brass Quintet will perform, and kids will be entertained by a Zoo in the Sky story time, a scavenger hunt and other participatory activities.

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   Causes: The Neighborhood Well helps DC-area homeless by delivering 75 “Blessing Bags,” which include food, toiletries and other items, to shelters and parks once a month. The faith-based nonprofit organization also mentors youth involved with So Others Might Eat. The group plans to launch a Mobile Showers Program in 2019 that will bring portable, hot showers along with towels and toiletries to those in need. Support its work at the second annual Holiday Fundraiser on Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Pepco Edison Place Gallery, 702 8th St. NW. Tickets cost $15 with an in-kind donation of a hat, blanket, socks, deodorant or similar item; reservations are required.

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    Film: This is the first weekend of Merry Movie Nights, presented at 1007 8th St. SE by the Capitol Riverfront Business Development District and The Brig beer garden. Free films run from 6 to 10 p.m. this Friday and again on the next two Fridays, Dec. 14 and Dec. 21. Each night includes two movies: first a half-hour film for kids and then a feature film, both with a holiday theme. On screen this week are the original animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and the 1990 family comedy Home Alone. There will also be drink specials, a coat drive and outdoor heaters.