Georgetown's 2026 Holidays Move Into the Alleys and Down to K Street

Where does Georgetown's holiday season happen this year? For most of the last decade the answer was GLOW, the light-art installations spread across the neighborhood. Last December it was also Georgetown Jingle, an afternoon of carolers and bands at ten or more outdoor plazas, parks and storefronts. In 2026 the answer is smaller, closer together and easier to miss. It runs through three alleys and courtyards, a waterfront skating rink and an embassy on K Street. Nearly all of it lands on one Saturday.

From ten-plus stages to three courtyards

The Georgetown BID announced in 2025 that it was taking a hiatus from GLOW "after nine successful years." It said it was looking at new partnerships for GLOW and other events. Jingle took over the season's central slot. The 2025 edition ran Saturday, Dec. 6, from 1 to 4 p.m., with musical acts at 10-plus outdoor locations. More than 40 restaurants and retailers offered discounts, free refreshments or pop-ups. The day ended with a candlelit St. Lucia Choir procession along the Potomac.

For 2026, the BID's Jingle page now has a new headline:

Jingle in a New Way. New this year, Georgetown is hosting Deck the Alleys for our 2026 holiday programming!

Deck the Alleys runs on two Saturdays, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12. It promises festive lights, live music, food and drinks, and crafts for all ages, all free, in "three of Georgetown's most charming alleys and courtyards." Dozens of restaurants and retailers will add discounts, refreshments and pop-up events across the neighborhood. The BID events calendar lists 3 to 6 p.m. on both dates. The event page says more details are coming, so check it before heading out.

So the 2026 version is one event repeated twice, set in a few small spaces. Last year's was a single afternoon spread across ten or more. Doubling the dates gives a second chance if Dec. 5 is cold or wet. Using fewer, enclosed spaces moves the action off the open sidewalks of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue and into the spaces behind them.

K Street opens the season first

The holiday season starts on Thursday, Nov. 19, down by the river. The ice rink at Washington Harbour, at 3000–3050 K St. NW, lists its 2026–27 season as Nov. 19, 2026, through Feb. 28, 2027, weather permitting.

Here's what a session costs this season, per the rink's posted rates:

An adult who rents skates pays $20, and a child who rents pays $18. Groups pay less per person because rental is included in the $15.

Through November and December, sessions run 90 minutes. Start times are 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, plus a 9 p.m. session on Fridays and Saturdays. In January and February the schedule shrinks. Monday through Wednesday sessions run only from 3 to 8:30 p.m., and the 11 a.m. start returns on Thursdays, Sundays and weekends. For a weekday morning skate, December has more openings than the new year.

December 5 is when it all overlaps

The St. Lucia procession that ended last year's Jingle hasn't gone anywhere. This year it closes the Swedish Holiday Market 2026 at the House of Sweden on K Street. The market is hosted by SWEA DC, the Swedish Women's Educational Association's DC chapter, with the Embassy of Sweden. It runs Saturday, Dec. 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Organizers list Nordic arts and crafts, Swedish glass, books and Scandinavian treats, with music from the folk group Washington Spelmanslag. A Lucia Choir procession starts at 5 p.m. outside the Embassy of Sweden.

That's the same Saturday as the first Deck the Alleys and a regular rink day. Using the posted schedules, the day can be stacked like this:

1. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Shop the Swedish Holiday Market at House of Sweden while it's quieter, or book the 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. session at the Washington Harbour rink a few steps away on K Street.
2. 3 to 6 p.m. Head uphill for Deck the Alleys, listed on the BID calendar for these hours, plus whatever discounts and pop-ups participating shops are running that afternoon.
3. 5 p.m. Return to the waterfront for the Lucia Choir procession outside the Embassy of Sweden. It overlaps the last hour of Deck the Alleys, so pick one for the 5 o'clock hour.
4. 7 or 9 p.m. Skate one of the Saturday evening sessions.

Dec. 12 is the lighter of the two Saturdays. It has Deck the Alleys and the rink without the market and procession, which suits anyone who wants the alleys and fewer crowds.

The fall's new businesses already favor side streets and alleys

The BID's alley theme fits where Georgetown's newest businesses have been opening. Several of this fall's arrivals went into side streets and half-addresses rather than the main frontage.

The Georgetowner reported that Alfie's, a northern Thai restaurant and natural-wine bar, opened Sept. 2 at 1228½ 31st St. NW. Flora Pizzeria opened next door on Sept. 14. Café Tulúm opened on Grace Street, at 3210 Grace St. NW, and Flavor Hive opened at 3287½ M St. NW. The same report said Bizzeria is planned for the rear of 3246 Prospect St. NW, with its entrance in the alley off Potomac Street.

Some well-known places also sit off the main streets. La Bonne Vache, at 3265 Prospect St. NW, was badly damaged in an Oct. 18 fire. Washingtonian reported that the owners plan to rebuild and reopen. A later Georgetowner update said the restaurant will reopen after repairs and renovations.

Holiday shopping: what's new since last December

Holiday shopping on M Street and Wisconsin Avenue also looks different from a year ago. Here's where the fall's new and coming stores stand, based on the most recent reports from The Georgetowner, PoPville and the Georgetown BID.

Two of these are especially useful for gifts. PoPville reported that Spicewalla, the small-batch spice shop from the chef behind Chai Pani and Botiwalla, set Friday, Nov. 6, for its store at 1317 Wisconsin Ave. NW, next to East Fork. PoPville also reported that the New York-based 260 Sample Sale plans a limited-time shop at 3307 M St. NW, with the first sale aimed at mid-November. Pop-up sample sales have specific dates, so check their announcements before going.

Dolcezza is the return to watch. PoPville reported the gelato shop is coming back to 1300 Wisconsin Ave. NW, with timing described as late fall or early winter. Until then, Olli on Wisconsin is open daily until 10 p.m., which covers the evening rink sessions.

Where to eat between sessions

Dec. 5 runs from 10 a.m. until the 9 p.m. skate ends at 10:30, so you'll need lunch and dinner. The fall openings cover a range. Alfie's serves northern Thai food and natural wine on 31st Street, with Flora Pizzeria next door. Café Tulúm is on Grace Street, a short walk from K Street. Delhi Belly, a casual Indian restaurant, opened in August at 1560 Wisconsin Ave. NW, near Olli at the upper end of the commercial strip. Alfie's and Flora sit between the waterfront and M Street, which makes them a natural stop between the alleys and the Lucia procession.

Planning a December around Georgetown's holiday calendar is our kind of project. If a move, a sale or a lease is on your 2026 or 2027 list, Wydler Brothers can tell you how Georgetown's blocks, rowhouses and side streets actually work, down to which ones sit two minutes from the rink. Start the conversation and request a personalized consultation.