The DowntownDC Holiday Market returns to F Street NW on Friday, November 13, 2026 and runs through Wednesday, December 23. It is the market’s 22nd season, and the DowntownDC Business Improvement District says 120 vendors are planned, up from the 115-plus that filled the two blocks last year.
Entry is free. The market sits between 7th and 9th Streets NW, directly in front of the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum, with the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro exit at the corner. The BID confirmed the dates, the location and the vendor count in a September 2 media alert. The vendor list and the entertainment schedule have not been posted yet. Official market page.
DowntownDC Holiday Market 2026: Quick facts
What is confirmed for 2026, and what is not
Three things are settled. The market opens November 13 and closes December 23, a 41-day run with one day off for Thanksgiving. It stays on F Street NW between 7th and 9th, the same two blocks it has used for years. And the BID is planning 120 vendors selling gifts, holiday décor and seasonal food and drinks, with entertainment on select dates.
Two things are still open. The official vendor page says the 2026 list is coming and asks visitors to mark their calendars. The FAQ says there will be holiday music throughout and scheduled performances, but no 2026 performance dates have been posted. Vendor page and market FAQ, checked September 2.
The Makers Show, a Northern Virginia market operator, runs the event for the BID for a third straight year. Its own site lists the same November 13 to December 23 dates. The Makers Show.
120 vendors on two blocks of F Street
The count has climbed for three years. Destination DC put the 2024 market at 110 vendors. The BID’s 2025 announcement said more than 115. The 2026 alert says 120. On two city blocks, that is a dense walk: the stalls run down both sides of the street with a center aisle, and the busiest stretches slow to a shuffle on weekend afternoons. 2025 announcement.
The BID describes the lineup as local vendors from diverse backgrounds, including women-owned and BIPOC-owned businesses. Last year the mix ran from jewelry, candles, prints and ceramics to a bookstore booth and a rotating set of food stalls. Two returning makers, Amaya Accessories and Savvy Scents by Sherrie, are the only 2026 vendors the BID has named so far.
If you want to plan purchases in advance, wait for the vendor page. DC Spot will update this article when the list goes live.
The hot chocolate everyone lines up for
The stall with the longest line last season sold hot chocolate. S’mores N’ More, the New York vendor known for its stand at the Bank of America Winter Village in Bryant Park, was on the DowntownDC vendor list in 2025 and drew a steady crowd for one drink: a thick hot chocolate topped with a marshmallow that gets torched to order in front of you. S’mores N’ More at Bryant Park.
DC Spot paid for one on opening day, November 21, 2025. The hot chocolate was $7, the torched marshmallow added $3, and Washington DC’s 10 percent sales tax brought it to $11. It comes in a pink sprinkle-print cup, and the marshmallow is big enough that most people eat it with the stirrer before they get to the drink.
One caveat: S’mores N’ More has not been confirmed for 2026. The BID has not published the vendor list, so treat the return of any 2025 stall as likely but unannounced until that page updates.
Live music and the kids’ corner
The market has a performance stage at its center, and the FAQ says holiday music plays throughout the season with scheduled live sets on select dates. Last season the stage ran Thursday through Sunday with sets at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., and costumed characters worked the aisles on select days. The BID has not said whether 2026 will follow the same pattern, so check its schedule once it is posted. FAQ.
Next to the stage is Rudolph Reindeer Games, a small play area for kids. It is the one spot in the market where children can burn energy without being in the shopping lanes, which matters more than it sounds on a crowded Saturday.
Hours
The market is open noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, and closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 26. Those are the hours posted on the official market page, the same schedule the market kept last season. Opening day, Friday, November 13, starts at 11 a.m. Official hours.
Getting there: Metro first
Take Metro. The Gallery Place-Chinatown station, on the Red, Green and Yellow lines, has an exit at 7th and F Streets NW that opens onto the east end of the market and another at 9th and G Streets NW for the west end. That is the whole trip. Official location and transit guide.
If you drive, the BID lists five garages within a couple of blocks: Atlantic Parking at 505 9th Street NW, Colonial Parking at 701 9th Street NW and 799 9th Street NW, SP+ at 930 H Street NW, and ParkChirp at 901 F Street NW. Prices and availability are not guaranteed, and F Street itself is closed between 7th and 9th for the length of the market. A Capital Bikeshare station is at 625 9th Street NW.
Tips from last season
For the rest of the season, see Enchant Christmas at Nationals Park and the current things to do in Washington DC this month.
Frequently asked questions about the DowntownDC Holiday Market 2026
When is the DowntownDC Holiday Market in 2026?
November 13 through December 23, 2026, closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 26. The DowntownDC BID confirmed the dates on September 2, 2026.
Is the DowntownDC Holiday Market free?
Admission is free. Food, drinks and anything you buy from the vendors cost extra.
Where is the DowntownDC Holiday Market?
On F Street NW between 7th and 9th Streets NW in Washington DC, in front of the National Portrait Gallery. The Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station has an exit at 7th and F.
What are the hours?
Noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, according to the official market page. The market is closed on Thanksgiving Day.
How many vendors will there be?
The BID says 120 vendors are planned for 2026. The 2025 market had more than 115. The 2026 vendor list has not been published.
Is S’mores N’ More coming back?
It was on the 2025 vendor list, but the BID has not published the 2026 lineup, so its return has not been confirmed. Last season the torched-marshmallow hot chocolate cost $11 after tax.
Are dogs allowed?
Yes. Owners are asked to clean up after their pets.
Is it good for kids?
The Rudolph Reindeer Games play area sits next to the performance stage, and the free Smithsonian museums next door are an easy warm-up stop.
Photos courtesy DowntownDC BID, used with permission. Grand-opening images by Jason Dixson Photography. All photos are from the 2025 market.
Last updated September 2, 2026. Dates, the 22nd season and the 120-vendor figure were checked against the DowntownDC BID’s September 2, 2026 media alert and the official market page. Free entry, the dog policy, restrooms, the children’s area, payments and Metro exits were checked against the market FAQ and location guide. Hours were checked against the official market page. Last season’s vendor count comes from the BID’s 2025 announcement. S’mores N’ More prices are from DC Spot’s November 21, 2025 visit. The 2026 vendor list and entertainment schedule have not been published.
