The holidays are a great time to support your local businesses while you get in the holiday spirit with some holiday shopping. Start this weekend with Small Business Saturday events on Saturday November 24th.
Saturday is also the first day of Eastern Market Main Street (EMMS) Holly Days, the holiday celebration on the Eastern Market Corridor during the holiday shopping season! Running from Nov. 24th to Dec. 31st, come celebrate and support the local businesses on the Hill and get a start on your holiday shopping.
Holly Days begin at 8 a.m. Saturday Nov 24th with outdoor markets on Seventh and C Streets SE. Starting at 10 a.m., grab a cup of hot chocolate at the Small Business Saturday station on the Eastern Market Metro plaza, where you can learn about Holly Days events and about the local businesses in the area. The first 200 people to pop by will receive a goody bag.
At 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. have a delicious time voting in the Small Business Saturday Annual Staff Cookie Battle at Labyrinth Games and Toys (645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE). Come by all day for free cookies and cider, and vote for your favorites by making donations to the Labyrinth-sponsored teachers’ fund.
The staff member with the most loved recipe will be crowned Cookie King or Queen for the next year with the cookie crown that you can see on the shelf above Labyrinth’s check-out counter.
Before you vote, head to Storytime at East City Bookshop (645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE); or visit the bookshop after you vote go to see bookseller and puppeteer Cecilia present Viva Frida. Then visit Pial and Cesar at Quavaro leather goods (323 Seventh St. SE) between 10:30 a.m and 5:30 p.m. to have some hot apple cider and scones and check out the ethical leather goods they make in their very own workshop before returning to East City for a cocktail tasting by women-and-queer owned distillery Republic Restoratives (1369 New York Ave. NE) accompanied by some Literary Fortune Telling.
From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., join the Happy Hours at Joselito (660 Pennsylvania Ave. SE), Boxcar Tavern (224 Seventh St. SE) Hank’s Oyster Bar (633 Pennsylvania Ave. SE) and at Mr. Henry’s Pub and Restaurant (601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE).
At 5:30 p.m., scoot over to the Northeast quadrant of the Eastern Market Metro Plaza, where the Capitol Hill BID Men in Blue will serve hot chocolate and donuts while local musical acts Joyous Voices, Suzuki Strings and the Washington Youth Choir perform holiday favorites. Watch as members of the Didden family flip the switch to turn on the festive lights adorning the tree planted in honor of the late George Didden and his many contributions to the Capitol Hill Community.
edit: due to unfavorable weather conditions expected Saturday night, the lighting of the Capitol Hill Tree has been postponed to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, November 25.
