Photograph by Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Happy Monday, DC! Go on a family-friendly outing this week at Zoo Lights, or skate around the Sculpture Garden Ice Rink. Plus, you can get a head start on your Christmas shopping as two big holiday markets open in downtown DC and in Dupont Circle.   Best Things to Do This Week and Weekend November 18–November 24 Zoo Lights. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo glittering light show, Zoo Lights, is back. You can walk through lantern illumination displays of rainforest, desert, ocean, and other animal habitats, and watch nightly live musical performances. Also, visitors can ride the Conservation Carousel, and buy sweet and savory treats (select nights Fri through January 4, $6, National Zoo). Sculpture Garden Ice Rink. One of our most cherished seasonal activities returns this weekend: The National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden Ice Rink. Skaters can glide across the ice while taking in the beautiful views of the artwork and the National Mall. We recommend you bundle up, but if you need to warm up you can grab a hot chocolate at the cafe (*Sat through March 2, 2025; $12 for adults, $10 for ages 12 and under, $6 skate rental; National Gallery of Art). Downtown Holiday Market. Two blocks of F Street, from 7th to 9th streets, Northwest, are the site of this downtown DC outdoor holiday shopping village, now operated by The Makers Show. You can find festive items and handmade goods, as well as bites and hot beverages from food trucks at the Downtown Holiday Market (Sat through December 23, free, Downtown). DC Holiday Market. Diverse Markets Management’s holiday market has a new name and location this year. At DC Holiday Market—formerly the Downtown Holiday Market (yes, we know it’s confusing)—shoppers can munch on doughnuts from Migue’s Mini Donuts and Capital Candy Jar’s hot roasted nuts while browsing seasonal goods from more than 30 small businesses in Dupont Circle (Sat through December 15, free, Dupont). NMWA Nights. The NMWA Nights museum party is back this week featuring photography crafts, a scavenger hunt, and DJ tunes. In addition to the after-hours art jam, museum-goers can observe the opening of artist Samantha Box’s first solo exhibition in DC (Wed, $25, Downtown). A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre. Ring in holiday cheer at Ford’s Theatre’s seasonal tradition, A Christmas Carol. Music, joy, and a hint of misery follow the tale of grumpy Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. Vocalist and actor Craig Wallace is back again this year to perform the role of Scrooge (through December 31, $49+, Ford’s Theatre). RelatedNovember Culture Guide: 58 Things to Do in the DC Area Want More Things to Do? Arts and culture: PBS Senior Correspondent Judy Woodruff delivers a lecture at Planet Word about media and democracy (Mon, $15, Downtown). Have a fun night of painting with neighbors at Palette 22 (Mon, $65, Arlington). Take festive photos with Santa and your pup at Tysons Corner (Mon, November 25, December 2, 9, $20+, Tysons). View Nate Hester’s paper collages picturing  toys, flowers, and cultural references at Cabada Contemporary (Thurs, free, Georgetown). International musicians Sunny Jain’s Wild Wild East perform at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art (Thurs, $6, Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art). Attend the unveiling of the new Marion Barry Jr. mural designed by CreativeJunkFood (Sat, free, Penn Quarter). Theater and shows: Get tickets to The Other Americans at Arena Stage before the theatrical drama closes (closes Sun, $59+, Southwest DC). It’s the last call to experience Washington National Opera’s Verdi’s adaptation of  Macbeth (closes Sat, $45+, Kennedy Center). See the theater adaptation of The Shawshank Redemption at NextStop Theatre (through December 8, $50, Herndon). Enjoy mind-bending illusions and tricks performed by Champions Of Magic (Tues through December 1, $39+, Kennedy Center). Viral TikTok jester Matt Rife brings his biggest world tour to date to the DC area (Fri-Sat, $306+ from third-party sellers, National Harbor). Sarah Silverman’s signature silliness—and her latest special, Postmortem—arrives at the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall (Sat, $39+, Kennedy Center). Music and concerts: Vocalist and model Tanerélle performs at Union Stage (Mon, $30, Wharf). Producer Leon Thomas arrives at Union Stage to promote his new album, Mutt (Tues, $25+, sold out but limited tickets available from third-party sellers, Wharf). Hear South American music in celebration of the 200th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the US and Brazil (Tues-Wed, $45+, Kennedy Center). Canadian composer and musician Caribou performs live at the Anthem (Tues, $35+, Wharf). Indie band Sun June plays at DC9 Nightclub (Wed, $18+, U Street Corridor). Salsa instructor Mario Cervantes from Salsa With Silvia leads a beginner-friendly dance lesson at Arena Stage (Wed, free, Southwest DC). Listen to guitarist Hayden Pedigo’s post-rock songs at Songbyrd (Wed, $15+, Northeast DC). Vocalist Xavier Omär brings his lush melodies to Howard Theatre (Thurs, $30+, Shaw). Adrianne Lenker brings her smoky, sensitive voice to the Anthem to promote her latest solo album, Bright Future (Sat, $158+, Wharf). Soprano Corinne Winters stars in Washington Concert Opera’s production of Manon Lescaut at Lisner Auditorium (Sun, $44+, George Washington University). Get involved: Volunteers can sign up to cook, or help sanitize utensils and measure spices, at Edlavitch DCJCC’s Thanksgiving meal giveaway (Sat-Mon, free, but registration required, Downtown). Bites and beverages: Sip holiday cocktails, and observe festive decor and cactus Christmas trees at LuLu’s Winter Garden pop-up (opens Fri, free, U Street Corridor). Things to do with kids: Explore two-and-a-half miles of fairytale vignettes from the comfort of your car at Bull Run Festival of Lights (through January 5, $30+, Centreville). There’s s’mores, hot cocoa, and a glowing botanical garden at Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights (through January 5, $18, Vienna). Kids can snap photos with Santa while adults shop for toys, clothing, and holiday wreaths at the Maryland Christmas Show (Fri-Sun, November 29-30, December 1, $10 for adults, $4 for children under 10, Frederick). Youngsters can go on a live shark adventure with Finn (Sat through December 22, $25, recommended for ages 5 and older, Kennedy Center). If you enjoyed these events, please don’t forget to share this post with a friend on social media, and sign up for our newsletter for more things to do. An earlier version of this post said this event opened on Sunday, but it opens on Saturday. We regret the error. The post 34 Things to Do in the DC Area This Week and Weekend first appeared on Washingtonian.