Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the Downtown DC Holiday Market is getting a longer run this year, stretching to 40 days and welcoming more than 115 vendors, including 20 setting up shop there for the first time. The expansion is part of a broader lineup of winter activations the mayor says will help turn Downtown DC into a seasonal destination.
A Longer Season on F Street
Bowser shared the news in a post on X, writing that the market is “extending to 40 days this year” and touting “115+ vendors, including 20 first-timers.” The announcement was echoed in a post from Mayor Bowser on Facebook looking ahead to the holiday season downtown. Exactly when those 40 days will fall is a bit murky, though: the official DowntownDC Holiday Market FAQ lists the 2026 run as Nov. 13 through Dec. 23, while a Washington.org holiday guide lists it as Nov. 21 through Dec. 23. Both sources agree the market wraps up Dec. 23, but they differ on the start date.
Wherever it lands, the market will once again set up on F Street NW between 7th and 9th streets, according to the DowntownDC FAQ. The Makers Show is returning as the market’s official operator for a third year, the FAQ notes, and as in past seasons, admission will be free.
New Activations Join the Mix
Beyond the vendor stalls, Bowser’s announcement pointed to a roller rink activation planned for the National Building Museum. Details on the rink’s operating dates, admission and format were not included in the mayor’s announcement. The National Building Museum has hosted winter skating before: its Great Hall featured a synthetic Glice ice-skating experience called the Winter Skate Spectacular from Dec. 27, 2025, through Feb. 16, 2026, according to the National Building Museum.
The mayor’s announcement also referenced Frosted at Franklin Park as part of this year’s holiday activations. Specific 2026 dates for that event were not confirmed, but last season's edition ran Nov. 21, 2025, through Jan. 7, 2026, as a free, family-friendly gathering at Franklin Park, per the DowntownDC FAQ page for that event.
Why the Market Matters to Local Business
The stakes for downtown retailers are real. A DowntownDC Business Improvement District analysis found that every dollar spent at the 2024 Holiday Market was associated with an additional $1.50 spent elsewhere downtown, according to The Wash. That same report noted the 2024 market drew more than 347,000 visitors over 31 days, and one vendor, Eliana Curated, told the outlet that 30% of its revenue that year came directly from the market.
The Downtown DC Holiday Market isn’t the only game in town this winter. Washington.org lists a separate DC Holiday Market at Dupont Circle running Nov. 12 through Dec. 23, 2026, featuring more than 35 small businesses. The Downtown DC edition has a longer pedigree, having included vendors, family activations and a food and beverage program for 20 years, the same source notes, with the market centrally positioned in front of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery.
