The DC Strings Orchestra opened its fifth season in September with an outdoor concert at Harbour Square led by Juan A. Gallastegui. The season continues Sunday with a virtual holiday concert. (Photo by Imagine Photography courtesy of DC Strings Orchestra)

The DC Lineup for this weekend: Riverfront drive-ins, Chanukah IRL and a reindeer-shaped run

By Jennifer Anne Mitchell On Dec 11, 2020 Last updated Dec 11, 2020

Festivities that engage the community — digitally or from a safe distance in real life (IRL) — are listed throughout this edition of The DC Lineup.

The weather this weekend, Dec. 11-13, is predicted to be partly cloudy on Friday and for much of Saturday. Sunday should be sunny with a few clouds during the day and rain late in the evening. Temperatures will range from 42 to 62 degrees, according to the forecast.

1. Spirituality: The Washington Hebrew Congregation is celebrating Hanukkah by hosting a nightly virtual candle lighting that may be viewed on Facebook. The 15-minute ceremony takes place at 6:45 p.m. from Dec. 12-17, with a special Shabbat service on Friday from 6-7:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend the free online events.

2. Spirituality: The Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center (EDCJCC) is hosting Chanukah IRL: Lights, Laughs, and Lyrics outdoors on Sunday from 6-6:45 p.m. EDCJCC’s preschool music specialist Ari Jacobson will lead a candle lighting and singalong, and local comedian David Kravitz will perform stand-up. The audience will be divided into pods, each made up of individuals who have been together in a bubble during the pandemic. Each group will have a parking spot to themselves for sitting or standing and will get a swag bag with treats such as glow sticks, jelly doughnuts and hand warmers. All attendees must sign a community health pledge and wear masks throughout the night. The event will be held in the EDCJCC parking lot, 1529 16th St. NW.

3. Community: The Community Fridge is distributing free food and essential items on Sunday from 2:30-4:30 p.m. at the Brazilian martial arts center Barro Vermelho Capoeira, 3001 Sherman Ave. NW. The newly launched initiative is produced with the Brazilian–American Cultural Center and DC Food Collective. Baker Kym B. Cakes will showcase holiday treats in a pop-up, and Vava Samba School will perform music.

4. Film: The Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District’s Holiday 12 Days of CapRiv: Drive-in Movie Series starts this Friday with a screening of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation to benefit DC Central Kitchen. On Saturday, The Holiday will be shown, with proceeds going to Martha’s Table. The Dec. 18 event features a showing of It’s a Wonderful Life and will raise funds for World Central Kitchen. Elf will close things out on Dec. 19 and support the Capital Area Food Bank. Tickets are $20 per car for each movie. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and the films start at 6:30 p.m. at the Akridge Lot in Buzzard Point, 1880 2nd St. SW.

The DC Triathlon Club has created several routes for its Holiday Lights Run Adventure that feature some of the city’s most colorful displays. (Photo by David Jiang courtesy of DC Triathlon Club)

5. Recreation: The DC Triathlon Club is releasing the routes for its traditional Holiday Lights Run so participants can choose their own course for the Choose Your Own Holiday Lights Run Adventure. Options include what the organizers call a “Four-ish Mile Route,” a “Six-ish Mile Route” and a reindeer-shaped route created by David Jiang. Each path features some of the city’s best holiday light displays, and the Smithsonian’s ZooLights Express will be near Union Station (the start and end point of many runs) on Saturday.

6. Local Business: The Virginia-based store Adinkra Expo sells clothings and accessories made in Ghana. This Saturday, the shop is hosting a pop-up on Saturday from 1-4:30 p.m. at Nubian Hueman in the Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Road SE. It will be Adinkra Expo’s only holiday pop-up of the season. Face masks are required.

7. Community: The 26th annual Brookland Celebration of Lights takes place this Saturday from 5-8 p.m. Instead of the typical trolley tour, The Menkiti Group and Wolhfarth Galleries have created a map that highlights holiday light displays throughout the neighborhood. Participants are invited to attend a private drive-in movie screening of Home Alone on Sunday at RFK Memorial Stadium, 2400 East Capitol St. NE. Doors open at 6 p.m. followed by festivities like music and giveaways; then the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets for the film cost $20 per car.

8. Music: The DC Strings Orchestra’s seventh annual 2020 Holiday Concert will take place on Facebook Live and YouTube this Sunday from 3-5 p.m. Vocalists from Camerata Baltimore will collaborate with the orchestra for part of the program, which includes Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio and Handel’s Messiah. Tickets cost $14.99 per person.

9. Comedy: The DC Improv Comedy Club is hosting the “Five for Five Online Showcase,” an event that features local comedians Ayanna Dookie, Matt Bergman, Chris Coccia and Umar Khan as well as special guest Wil Sylvince, who performs nationally. Tickets cost $5. The show takes place this Friday from 8-9:15 p.m.

10. Culture: Catch the end of the National Building Museum’s weeklong celebration of the museum’s 40th anniversary with free digital activities on its website. A video tour of the museum’s collections will be released on Saturday at 10 a.m. Then, at noon, a virtual tour of the museum and its historic quarters in the Pension Building will be published. Finally, a 40th birthday video will be released at 4 p.m. to highlight the museum’s history from its origin on Dec. 12, 1980, to the present day.

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