November Festivities in D.C

November Festivities in D.C

As we move into the chillier end of the year, D.C takes on a distinctly festive air with a slight dusting of snow here and there. This weather creates the perfect backdrop to the Christmas festivities that creep in during the month of November.

Horses and Hounds at Mount Vernon

Over at Mount Vernon they’re hosting a photo safari featuring fantastic working animals on the 14th of November. These horses and hounds are the latest in long lines of breeds that would have been used on grounds like Mount Vernon. This is an excellent teaching opportunity for those with kids that are interested in history or life without technology.

This is just one of the many special tours that are available to guests this month and their calendar of events is full to bursting. If you’ve never been here before, then start with the house tour and learning area. The Gray Line Mount Vernon and Arlington National Cemetery tour will let you take in everything that these highly skilled tour guides have to offer.

The Alexandria Film Festival

Starting from the 5th of November the AMC Hoffman 22 Theatre and the Beatley Central Library will be home to a collection of high quality films from movie makers. There will be 60 offerings of varying lengths, from shorts to behemoth collections, shown over the weekend.

The whole event culminates in a mini awards season where directors and actors will be acclaimed in a ceremony. These aren’t just the films on our doorsteps though, they feature new and rare movies from France, India, Britain, Italy, Brazil and Germany.

Veterans Day 2015

For a city that contains so many memorials to the fallen soldiers of various wars, they would be remiss to not include a Veterans Day Parade. On November 11th, which will this year be the 97th anniversary of the end of World War I, historical sites all over D.C will hold events to honor these veterans. Every memorial and war history site in D.C will have at least one event on the roster for this day.

The annual Concert for Valor on the National Mall will also take place on November 11th. Musical guests include Carrrie Underwood, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl, The Black Keys and many more.  This is a free event, so arrive early to get a good spot! The stage is set on 4th street with public access viewing areas through 7th and 17th streets.  The concert will begin at 7pm with entry points opening at 10am.

The Reopening of the Renwick Gallery

After a period of renovation, the Renwick Gallery will once again open to the public on the 13th of November. They feature work from artists from the 19th century to the 21st, with world renowned paintings on show.

There are a whole host of opening events to get people passionate about art, and a portion of these are specifically aimed at kids. The Crafting and Craft Beer event is brilliant for beer aficionados and those they want to attend with.

November Craft Shows

Throughout the whole month of November there are craft festivals all over the city to take part in. Each of these boasts vendors and tutorials and you’ll likely have one close to your accommodation. The D.C Holiday Market kicks off on the 27th of November and will remain outside the National Portrait set up at 8th and F Streets, NW until the 23rd of December, so there’s plenty of time to browse these stalls.