Capital Nature

Mistletoe Mingle at USBG
2025-12-05 18:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | US Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave SW, Washington DC, 20001, United States
(DC) (US Botanic Garden) Sip festive botanical cocktails with the Friends of the U.S. Botanic Garden as you enjoy exclusive after-hours access to Season’s Greenings: Dino-Mite! Wander the Conservatory adorned with poinsettias, holiday decor, and beloved D.C. landmarks crafted from plant materials. Outdoors, delight in the G-gauge model trains chugging through displays of dinosaurs made from plant parts, including Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, Velociraptor, and more, as well as living plants whose ancestors lived alongside them!
Enjoy hands-on seasonal activities. Mix and match aromatic spices and dried fruits to craft your own custom mulling spice blend, perfect for warming up the winter nights at home. Your ticket includes one complimentary seasonal cocktail or mocktail. Additional snacks and beverages will be available for purchase.

Holiday Wreath Workshop
2025-12-06 10:00 - 12:00
(VA) (Arlington Parks) Holiday crafters are invited to create their own evergreen wreath to spruce up your home or give as special gifts. We’ll provide music, refreshments, basic instruction and enough materials for each participant to make a wreath and we’ll have extra for arrangements or swags. Participants should bring hand pruners or wire cutters (if you have them) and any extra materials or special decorations you may wish to add. Teens ages 12 and up are welcome, but must be accompanied by a registered adult.

Winter Festival at the National Arboretum
2025-12-06 10:00 - 2025-12-15 15:00 | US National Arboretum, 3501 New York Ave NE, Washington DC, 20002, United States
(DC) (Friends of the National Arboretum) Get in the holiday spirit at the National Arboretum! FONA’s Winter Festival returns this year. Buy your Christmas tree and shop from 30+ local artisans in the gift vendor village, take a holiday train ride around the Capitol Columns, and enjoy free family-friendly activities! There will also be plenty of hot chocolate and caroling to ring in the holiday season. This event is free to attend, but please register to let us know you’re coming and to receive important event-related updates.

Holiday Wreath Workshop
2025-12-06 13:00 - 15:00 | Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens, Vienna, VA, 22182, United States
(VA) (NOVA Parks) Get into the holiday spirit by creating your own stunning wreath using natural materials like holly, pine, spruce, and cedar — all gathered from the gardens by the horticulture team. Led by Meadowlark’s Horticulture Specialist, Charles Bruce, this hands-on workshop begins with an introduction to the materials and a brief demonstration, guiding you through each step as you design your one-of-a-kind wreath. Plus, enjoy hot chocolate and tea as you craft! Ages 15+.
Fee includes all materials, tools, supplies, instruction, and hot beverages.

Winter Wonderland at Burke Lake
2025-12-13 11:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-20 11:00 - 17:00 | Burke Lake Park, 7315 Ox Rd, Fairfax Station, VA, 22039, United States
(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) All aboard the Holiday Express! Climb on for a train ride, spin around the Carolers Carousel, play a round of Gingerbread Man Golf or cozy up by the fire to make s’mores. Celebrate the season with family fun, a visit with Santa, hot chocolate and candy canes.

Winter Concert and Bonfire
2025-12-13 15:00 - 17:00 | Woodend Nature Sanctuary, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, United States
(MD) (Nature Forward) Join us for an afternoon of holiday fun at Woodend Sanctuary! This family-friendly event will feature holiday music by acapella group Nerds in Harmony alongside a bonfire where participants can make their own holiday goodies and interact with Woodend Sanctuary’s Nature Playspace.

Solstice Celebration Hike
2025-12-19 12:00 - 16:30 | Widewater State Park, 101 Widewater State Park Road, Stafford, MD, 22554, United States
(VA) (Nature Forward) The first day of winter is arriving. Whether you call this astronomical event the shortest day – or the longest night – of the year, it’s a good occasion to pause the bustle of daily life and join fellow nature lovers on a hike in a beautiful place! Our outing starts at the Widewater area along the C&O Canal Towpath and will move upriver to Great Falls. Here we’ll traverse the bridges out to the Great Falls Overlook – and after enjoying the drama and din of the Falls, we’ll retrace our steps back to Widewater. As daylight fades on our return walk downriver, we’ll look and listen for wildlife activity – primarily birds – as they settle in for the longest night of the year.

Holly Day at Temperance Alley
2025-12-20 11:00 - 13:00 | Temperance Alley, 1909 13th Street NW, Washington, DC, 20009, United States
(DC) (U Street Neighborhood Association) ‘Tis the season to gather in recognition of all end-of-year festivities! Come celebrate the Winter Solstice & help decorate our Holly Tree at Temperance Alley Garden with bird-friendly treats. We’ll sing some carols and stay warm with hot cocoa. Warm drinks and light snacks will be served – BYO thermos if you can in addition to any ornaments, trinkets, or knick knacks you’d like to hang.

Going Green Workshop - Modeling Nature
2025-12-20 13:00 - 16:00 | Riverbend Park, 8700 Potomac Hills St, Great Falls, VA, 22066, United States
(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) Explore the fascinating concept of biomimicry and how we can model natural systems and structures to solve complex problems and create a greener world. We will compare our current “take-make-waste” system to an updated model known as the circular economy. Get inspired by businesses and products that are committed to reducing, repurposing and repairing. We will end the class with 3 unique upcycling projects that you can gift to your friends and families just in time for the holidays. 14 to Adult.

Ward 8 Woods Winter Solstice Hike and Vigil
2025-12-21 16:00 - 18:00 | Shepherd Parkway, 555 Newcomb Street SE, Washington, DC, 20032, United States
(DC) (Ward 8 Woods) Join Ward 8 Woods Conservancy staff, Board members, volunteers, supporters and community in marking the shortest day and longest night of the year. We’ll attune ourselves to natural cycles, while exploring the hilly upland woods of Shepherd Parkway. Through the bare trees we’ll take in views of the city below, reflect on the year past, and renew our spirits and community bonds for the work ahead. Hot chocolate, tea, and home-made cookies will be served.

First Day Hike
2026-01-01 10:00 - 12:00
(MD) (Natural History Society of Maryland) Start the new year off right: outdoors for a wintery hike with naturalist Kerry Wixted. We’ll be on the lookout for winter birds and mammal signs and practicing our winter botany skills along the way. We will start hiking in a slightly hilly area filled with beech trees, then wind down to the former Annapolis reservoir. Our group will be small with a leisurely pace for three or four miles, and will be full of shared observations. Family-friendly for ages 10+.

Lunar New Year Festival
2026-02-21 10:00 - 13:00 | National Museum of Asian Art, 1050 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC, 20560, United States
(DC) (Smithsonian) Gallop into 2026, the year of the horse, and celebrate Lunar New Year with us! This year we’re hosting a festival and market pop-up at the nearby Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building (AIB). Experience cultural performances, lion dances, food, makers, and more! Plus, enjoy curator talks and tours at the museum throughout the day.
