After the busy winter holidays, life seems to slow down in January. But many of us see the new year as the perfect time to try something different. Although it’s not great weather for outdoor festivals, the DMV boasts impressive cultural offerings including live theater, music, and world-class museums. Check out our list of highlights as we start the new year and, if you would like to spend time outdoors, check out our recent post about Ice Skating Around the DMV.

Photo courtesy of Washington DC Auto Show

Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week | January 15 – 21

Maybe your New Year’s resolution is to try new food! Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week is a great way to change up your routine. Dine in or enjoy takeout dinners with prix-fixe menus for lunch/brunch ($25/$35) and dinner ($40-$60) from delicious local restaurants!

Washington, DC Auto Show | January 19 – 28

Walter E Washington Convention Center

Every year, the Washington, DC Auto Show continues to wow audiences as one of the top auto shows in the world. The 2024 Show will feature hundreds of vehicles from top manufacturers, brand-new experiences and activations for all ages, and educational opportunities to entice any car enthusiast. Come see the brands that will be on display, ranging from concept to luxury, electric to hybrid, and exotic to historic.

Tickets

Alexandria Restaurant Week | January 19 – 28

Explore more than 70 restaurants in Alexandria offering a $30, $40, or $50 in-person prix-fixe dinner for one. Special menus will be available at participating restaurants in Old Town, Del Ray, Carlyle and Eisenhower, and the West End.

Performing Arts

Photo courtesy of Strathmore

Arena Stage

1101 Sixth Street SW, Washington, DC 20024

Swept Away: Through January 14
Mindplay: January 19 – March 3

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

2700 F St NW, Washington, DC 20566

Disney’s Frozen: Through January 21 at the Opera House
National Symphony Orchestra Wagner’s The Ring Without Words: January 11 – 13 at the Concert Hall
National Symphony Orchestra Dvořák’s Violin Concerto & Schubert’s Ninth Symphony: January 18, 20 & 21 at the Concert Hall
Broadway Center Stage: tick, tick…BOOM!: January 26 – February 4 at Eisenhower Theatre

Broadway at The National: Annie | January 23 – 28

1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004

Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is always right around the corner, and now this beloved family-friendly musical is set to return in a new production.

Tickets

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis: Max Roach at 100 | January 26

The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda, MD

Max Roach has been considered one of the greatest jazz drummers of all time. This concert celebrates the centennial of this trailblazing musician and bandleader who influenced generations to come.

Tickets

Regional Venues

If you prefer smaller music and performance venues, there are great options throughout the area to catch local and touring artists. Check out what’s coming to your town.

Bethesda Theater, Bethesda, MD
The Clarice, College Park, MD
The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA
The State Theatre, Falls Church, VA
Capital One Hall, Tysons, VA
Jammin Java, Vienna, VA
Tallo Ho, Leesburg, VA

Museum Exhibits

Photo courtesy of National Museum of Asian Art

January and February are perfect months to catch the latest exhibits at DC museums before school tours and spring break visitors descend on our area.

National Portrait Gallery – “Forces of Nature: Voices that Shaped Environmentalism” through September 2, 2024
National Gallery of Art – “Conversations: Kerry James Marshall and John Singleton Copley” through January 1, 2025
The Phillips Collection – “Rothko Room” through March 31, 2024
Smithsonian American Art Museum – “Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas” through June 2, 2024
National Museum of Asian Art – “Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings” through April 28, 2024
National Museum of African American History & Culture – “Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures” through August 18, 2024
National Museum of the American Indian – “Robert Houle: Red is Beautiful” through June 2, 2024
Hirshhorn – “Simone Leigh” through March 3, 2024