It feels a bit early for Christmas, we know. But once a year the Embassy of the Czech Republic turns its building up on Van Ness into a proper Central European Christmas market, and it’s one of the few times you can just walk into an embassy, glass of mulled wine in hand, and spend the afternoon. This year it’s Saturday, November 7, from 9 am to 6 pm. Admission is free.
The Czech Christmas Market is mostly about the stalls. Vendors bring handmade ornaments, Bohemian glassware and crystal, garnet and beaded jewelry, the kind of gifts you can’t find at a mall. Then there’s the food: Czech pastries, traditional cooking, hot mulled wine and Moravian wines. Kids get Czech Christmas carols, workshops and selfies with live animals, and there’s a session called The Christmas Star with astrophysicist Václav Pavlík, who does live science demos about the astronomy behind it. Honestly, the smell of warm spiced wine in a crowded hall in early November is reason enough to go.
Before you go, read this part. It’s free, but you have to RSVP on Eventbrite and pick a time slot, and the slots do fill. Register the name of everyone in your group, then bring your confirmation and a photo ID, because this is still an embassy with security at the door. Large bags aren’t allowed (small purses get checked), and no pets. Our insider tip: bring cash. Some of the vendors don’t take cards, and nothing is sadder than finding the perfect glass ornament and not being able to buy it.
Getting there from the hostel: the embassy is at 3900 Spring of Freedom St NW, and the closest Metro is Van Ness-UDC on the Red Line, about a 15 to 20 minute walk from the station. From U Street station (U St/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo), take the Green or Yellow Line toward Branch Ave/Huntington to Gallery Place-Chinatown, switch to the Red Line toward Shady Grove and ride up to Van Ness-UDC. If you’d rather not walk the last stretch, a rideshare from the hostel is a short trip. Parking around the embassy is limited street parking only. And grab a coffee at Brew On U downstairs first: you’ll want something warm in your hands while you wait at security.
More to do this week
- Adams Morgan Fall PorchFest, Sat Nov 7. Bands play on porches, patios and in parks across Adams Morgan from noon to 5 pm, with 20+ stages. Completely free. Pick up a wristband at the info tent at 18th St and Columbia Rd and just wander. Details
- DC Beer Fest, Sat Nov 7. Nationals Park fills up with breweries for two sessions, noon to 3 and 5 to 8 pm. General admission from $55. Green Line straight down to Navy Yard-Ballpark, no transfer. Tickets
- Georgetown vs. Maryland, Sat Nov 7. Local college basketball rivalry night at Capital One Arena. Doors 6:30, tip-off 7:30 pm. Green or Yellow Line to Gallery Place. Tickets
- sombr, Tue Nov 10. One of the year’s breakout singers brings his You Are The Reason Tour to Capital One Arena. Doors 6 pm, show 7 pm. Tickets
Got friends coming in for the weekend? We’ve got capsules and private rooms: book direct with us here. Na zdraví!
Top photo: Karelj / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)