The Square’s beverage director Owen Thompson can make any cocktail at the Atrium Bar nonalcoholic with his own zero-proof spirits. | Vina Sananikone/The Square Best picks for those going alcohol-free this month or staying sober year-round If you’re celebrating 2025 with a dry (or slightly damp) start, there are plenty of January events in the D.C. area that are catering towards a sober crowd. The biggest nonalcoholic D.C. festival, Mindful Drinking Fest, was held last weekend across the Union Market district with workouts, DJ sets, and workshops. Here’s a running list restaurant and community events to hit up before the month is up. If there’s any we missed, send us a tip. Dry January Party at The Square This welcoming event, put on with partners Zero Proof Nation and Booze Free in DC, is open to anyone looking for a fun night filled with delicious mocktails, plenty of spirit-free brands to sample, and live music. The sober party is from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, January 23 in the downtown food hall, which has plenty of dinner options as well. The Square’s Shoals Market has been keeping stock of booze-free drinks all month and will be curating gift bags of goodies. Grab a ticket ($15) on Eventbrite. 1850 K Street NW Paraíso The Ghia apertivo-spiked Old Fashioned. Dry January Happy Hour at Paraíso This Southeast Mexican spot’s weekday happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. includes $6 Ghia Old Fashioneds all January long, but this special happy hour on Thursday, January 30, drops the price down to $1 for the drink made with Ghia aperitivo, honey saffron, and orange essence. Get to Paraíso early to grab a space at the modern marble-topped bar! 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue SE Metrobar’s Booze Free Bingo and Hot Cocoa Karaoke Party Metrobar’s weekly bingo gets a dry makeover this month, as part of another collaboration with Zero Proof Nation and Booze Free in DC. Try the metro-themed bar’s extensive menu of mocktails while winning big at bingo on Sunday, January 19, at 1 p.m. Tickets ($6) are available on Eventbrite. If singing is more your thing, metrobar’s hot cocoa karaoke night on Friday, January 24, allows songbirds to get cozy under heat lamps with comforting, hot drinks. You can RSVP for free on Eventbrite. 640 Rhode Island Avenue NE LGBTQ+ Sober Singles Meet Up at Binge Bar Not specifically a Dry January event, this mixer for sober and sober curious LGBTQ+ singles will be held at Binge Bar, the first alcohol free bar in D.C. This basement spot offers a sober community year round and rolls out plenty of specials in January, including happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, that can be enjoyed while flirting with other singles at this event. The meet up takes place on Thursday, January 23, from 5 to 8 p.m. and tickets ($20) are available on Eventbrite. 506 H Street NE (lower level) Dry January Mocktail Class at Fedwell Fedwell, a recently opened Petworth restaurant from catering company Farm to Feast, is offering a mocktail making class focused on making refreshing and inventive nonalcoholic drinks. The farm-to-table restaurant also offers delicious seasonal food if you work up an appetite during the over two hour long class. This event is coming up on Sunday afternoon, January 19, and tickets ($35) are available on Eventbrite. 821 Upshur Street NW Vina Sananikone/The Square Shoals Market has been curating plenty of mocktail supplies for Dry January. Shoals Market Dry January Tastings This bottle shop and grab-and-go marketplace hosts wine tastings every Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m., but this month the Square’s wine director, Sarah Vanags, is showcasing nonalcoholic drinks for the free tastings. Check out the final tastings for the 0-percent ABV series on January 21 and 28. The rest of the Square also has plenty of spirit-free options, including revolving kombucha flavors at Brindle Boxer Kombucha that can be sipped in the atrium or taken home in reusable glass bottles. 1850 K Street NW Dry January Classic Two of Baltimore’s most beloved bars — gin haven Dutch Courage and natural wine and sake bar Fadensonnen — are joining forces to co-host the first Dry January Classic cocktail competition. Taking place at both bars this Sunday, January 19, from 4-7 p.m., some of the city’s most innovative bartenders will be concocting spirit-free cocktails for attendees and judges alike. A dozen bartenders will compete from WC Harlan, Coral Wig, Dutch Courage, Bluebird, Rye, Mama Koko’s, Bloom’s, Alma Cocina, and Cookhouse. In addition, the event will serve NA beer from Athletic and Good Time, wine by Woffler Estate, and complimentary oysters with additional food available for purchase. 2229 N. Charles Street and 3 West 23rd Street, Baltimore, Maryland Dry January Dinner Party at The Falls This barbecue spot-turned-broadly mid-Atlantic restaurant from the team behind Liberty Tavern is putting on a four-course meal on Wednesday, January 29, paired with creative nonalcoholic drinks. After a glass of booze-free welcome wine, diners will dive into Fresno chile-spiced hamachi ceviche, grilled purple potato and pineapple salad, a fennel sausage crusted pork chop, and finally, a calamansi posset dusted with a spiced crumble. Drinks range from a fruity coconut highball to a dirty fennel martini with each course. Tickets ($55) are available on The Falls website. 370 W Broad Street, Falls Church, Virginia