Capital Nature

Monday Morning Birdwalk at Huntley Meadows
2025-12-29 08:00 - 10:00, 2025-12-22 08:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York) | Huntley Meadows, 3701 Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria, VA, 22306, United States
(VA) (Friends of Huntley Meadows) The Monday Morning Bird Walk is sponsored by the Friends of Huntley Meadows Park and takes place every Monday at 8 a.m. Following the walk, members of the group gather at the nearby Denny’s for breakfast and to compile the morning’s bird list. All are welcome.

All About Owls Campfire
2025-12-28 18:30 - 20:00 | Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 7701 Royce St, Annandale, VA, 22003, United States
(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) Barred owls inhabit our stream valley parks. Learn to identify these owls from other native owls while enjoying the campfire. Toast marshmallows over the embers. Canceled in case of inclement weather. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult. Ages 4 to Adult.

Creating Sacred Spaces in Nature
2025-12-28 13:00 - 16:00 | Earthwalk Ways, 913 Holly Corner Rd, Fredericksburg, VA, 22406, United States
(VA) (Earthwalk Ways) Join earth guide Darlene Rollins for: Creating Sacred Spaces Where Soul and Nature Meet at Earthwork Ways nature retreat center.

Ice Skating at the Sculpture Garden
2025-12-28 11:00 - 21:00, 2025-12-26 11:00 - 23:00, 2025-12-24 10:00 - 17:00 | National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, 7th Street & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20565, United States
(DC) (National Gallery of Art) The beloved winter tradition returns to the National Gallery of Art! Enjoy the beauty of the Sculpture Garden, festive displays and winter refreshments through March 2nd. The ice rink is open 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday.
Skating sessions begin on the hour and last 45 minutes, leaving a 15-minute break for ice maintenance.

Seed Cleaning at Earth Sangha
2025-12-28 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-12-21 09:00 - 12:00 | Earth Sangha, 51011 Backlick Rd, Annandale, VA, 22203, United States
(VA) (Earth Sangha) Help Earth Sangha clean and prepare native seeds for spring planting. Seed cleaning will take place every Sunday through the winter.

Bird Walk at Roosevelt Island
2025-12-28 08:00 - 10:00 | Theodore Roosevelt Island, Washington DC, United States
(DC) (DC Bird Alliance) Join us for a bird walk of Roosevelt Island! On Dec 12, 1932 in a ceremony in the east room of the White House, President Hoover accepted the island as a shrine to Roosevelt and declared that would be known as Theodore Roosevelt Island. Today, this hotspot is home to an impressive number of resident and migrating species.

See you outside!

Sunday Morning Bird Walk at Dyke Marsh
2025-12-28 08:00 - 10:00 | Dyke Marsh, Alexandria, VA, 22307, United States
(VA) (Friends of Dyke Marsh) Join FODM for a bird walk every Sunday at 8 a.m. The Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve is a freshwater, tidal marsh on the Virginia side of the Potomac River in Fairfax County. It is a unit of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, U.S. National Park Service.

Campfire 101
2025-12-27 13:00 - 15:00 | Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Ave, Silver Spring, MD, 20902, United States
(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Have you ever wanted to learn how to start a campfire? Join a Park Naturalist and learn different ways to stack your logs, different lighting techniques, and fire safety. Participants are encouraged to bring a campfire snack for roasting. Inclement weather could cancel this program. Be sure to check Brooksidenature.org for day-of event status.

Search for Santa's Critters
2025-12-27 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-23 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-21 13:00 - 16:00 | Potomac Overlook Regional Park, 2845 N. Marcey Road, Arlington, VA, 22207, United States
(VA) (NOVA Parks) Santa’s animal friends are lost in the park and need rescuing! Join this festive scavenger hunt to locate the critters so they can help Santa deliver candy and treats in time for the holidays! This event is appropriate for families and children of all ages.

Invasive Plant Removal at Normanstone
2025-12-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Normanstone Trail, 2841 Normanstone Drive NW, Washington DC, 20008, United States
(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy and the National Park Service for this invasive plant removal restoration event in Rock Creek Park. Invasive plants are a major threat to our fragile forests, and stopping their spread helps allow native plants to thrive in the understory.

Discover the DC Boundary Stones in Virginia
2025-12-27 09:30 - 14:30 | Jones Point Park, Jones Point Drive, Alexandria, VA, 23242, United States
(VA) (Sierra Club Potomac) Join us on a hike along a portion of the former boundary line between the nation’s capital and Virginia. Discover why this area was included in the Federal City and why it was retroceded to Virginia in 1846. See stones placed every mile along the boundary survey line in 1791; all except one on this hike are original stones. These are the first federal monuments in the nation’s capital. As an added bonus, we’ll see Old Town Alexandria decorated for the holidays.

Stellar Star Show at Rock Creek
2025-12-26 14:00 - 14:30 | Rock Creek Nature Center, 5200 Glover Rd NW, Washington, 20015, United States
(DC) (Rock Creek Park) Come and enjoy a ranger-led program in the only planetarium in the National Park Service! The Stellar Star Show will be a 30-minute ranger-led program about the planets and the night sky.

Exhibit: Recovering Our Night Skies
2025-12-26 10:00 - 17:30, 2025-12-21 10:00 - 17:30 | Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 1000 Madison Drive NW, Washington, DC, 20560, United States
(DC) (Smithsonian Natural History Museum) Artificial lights have become such common nighttime fixtures that we take them for granted. But what do brighter nights mean for people and wildlife? The effects of light pollution go beyond our diminishing view of the stars, but the solutions can have an immediate impact.
Through over 100 photographs, nearly 250 objects, interactive experiences, tactile models, and a theater program, discover why dark nights matter, rekindle your connection with the night sky, and consider how much light at night is enough—for whom, for what purpose, and who gets to decide?
On view through December.

Ice Skating at Canal Park
2025-12-25 12:00 - 20:00, 2025-12-24 10:00 - 18:00 | Canal Park, 200 M Street SE, Washington, DC, 20003, United States
(DC) (Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena) Join the Winter fun at Canal Park Ice Rink! Public skating sessions are available seven days a week during the winter. Sessions are 90 minutes long, with a break at the half-way point to resurface the ice.
The rink is open through March 2nd. Daily hours vary.

Exhibit: In Full Flight
2025-12-23 10:00 - 20:00 | Capital Hilton, 1001 16th Street NW, Washington, DC, 20036, United States
(DC) (DC Bird Alliance) Experience breathtaking bird images by DC Bird Alliance photographers at the new La Galerie on K at the Capital Hilton. See local birds and birds captured during travel by DCBA members.
On view through February.

Senior Wellness Walk: Arboretum
2025-12-22 10:30 - 11:30 | Arboretum Community Center, 2412 Rand Pl NE, Washington, DC, 20002, United States
(DC) (Department of Parks and Recreation) Just 30 minutes every day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance. It can also reduce your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers. Participants will enjoy group walking around the neighborhood, around the park, or just around.
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday through June 2026.

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.

Winter Solstice Evening Walk
2025-12-21 16:00 - 17:30 | Huntley Meadows, 3701 Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria, VA, 22306, United States
(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) Celebrate the first day of winter and shortest day of the year with a Park Naturalist for an outing into the forest and wetland at sunset on this December evening. We will look and listen for signs of nocturnal wildlife. Ages 5+.

Light in the Darkness: The Power of Singing
2025-12-21 15:00 - 17:00 | Earthwalk Ways, 913 Holly Corner Rd, Fredericksburg, VA, 22406, United States
(VA) (Earthwalk Ways) Join earth guide Darlene Rollins for a restorative program: Light in the Darkness: The Power of Singing for Health and Well-Being at Earthwork nature retreat center.

Winter - The Silent Season
2025-12-21 12:30 - 14:00 | Riverbend Park, 8700 Potomac Hills St, Great Falls, VA, 22066, United States
(VA) (Fairfax County Parks) To many people, the winter season is often seen as cold and dark and foreboding. But to the earth, this is a vital time of rest, beauty and restoration. Join us for a short lecture about the joys of winter from the perspective of nature and venture out on a hike in the woods to see what the plants and animals are up to during this silent season. Conclude the event with a warm drink and meet one of our resident animals. Ages 8 to Adult.

Winter Solstice Field Trip at Serpentine Barrens
2025-12-21 11:00 - 15:00 | VA
(MD) (Virginia Native Plant Society) Celebrate the beginning of the winter season at the old-age Travilah Serpentine Barrens (Serpentine Barrens Conservation Park-North Unit) with its spectacular scenery and diversity of native plants, wildlife, and natural communities!
Sponsored by the Maryland Native Plant Society, Potowmack Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society, and Botanical Society of Washington.

Mindful Bird Walk & Forest Bathing & S'Mores
2025-12-21 09:00 - 11:00 | VA
(DC) (DC Bird Alliance) Join us for this very special bird walk at Rock Creek Park as we discover, or rediscover, what is means for us to be a birder. What connects in your mind, body and soul when you hear a tiny soprano in perfect pitch singing to you? Together Susan West Montgomery, we will enjoy a practice inviting us to slow down, to be curious, and to experience nature more fully. Forest bathing means using all of our senses to take in all that nature has to offer. More than a walk in the woods, it is the conscious choice to be immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of the forest.
And … we’ll top it all off afterwards with a campfire and s’mores!
