34 Things To Do in DC This January That’ll Get Your 2019 Off to an Awesome Start
It’s the start of the new year, and we wish the whole Fray Fam a healthy and happy 2019!
With the new year come new year’s resolutions, and we hope one of yours is to get out there, explore DC and have more fun than you did in 2018…if that’s even possible.
It is possible! And we’ll be here all year long covering cool stuff around the city that’ll help make fun possible for you and your friends, starting with this list of 34 things to do in DC this January.
Check them out to find your favorites, and don’t forget to share us in the fun when you go out and do these things by tagging #FrayLife #DCFray in your social posts!
January 1
– If you stayed in on NYE and are somehow all up and perky on New Year’s Day, you can partake in Mayor Muriel Bowser’s 5th Annual Fresh Start #FitDC 5K. The name is a mouthful, but the idea is simple. Get up early, go for a run, and kick 2019 off to a healthy start.
January 2
– If you missed it during the holidays, and you love LEGOS, history, and the White House, don’t miss the White House LEGO exhibit before they close. It’s free!
– Other holiday activities that you may have missed during the season, but still want to experience include the ice rink at the National Gallery of Art, Georgetown GLOW Lights Exhibit, and the Light Yards Exhibit in Yard Park.
January 3
– The Phillips Collection hosts an evening series called Phillips After 5, and this month the theme is Getting Hygge With It, which refers to the Danish and Norwegian word signifying a mood of coziness. Sip on warm drinks, snuggle under blanket, watch a Swedish movie, or enjoy a bonfire in the courtyard.
January 4
– Start your year off strong with a woman led business networking event from Her Corner. Meet at the Le Pain Quotidien in downtown D.C. for coffee and networking with other women business owners, and get inspired, make connections, and learn how you can grow your business or side hustle in 2019.
January 5
– It’s never too early in the year for a beer festival, right? The Bier Baron’s 2nd Annual Cask Festival at The Bier Baron Tavern in NW D.C. will be a craft beer showdown not to miss by all who love beer. Your ticket will include tastings for all 30-35 beers competing for a variety of prizes.
January 6
– If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to read more, you’re in luck, because D.C.’s favorite bookstore, Kramerbooks and Afterwords Café, is hosting a book club. It’s BYOB (bring your own book), and this month’s pick is Michelle Obama’s Becoming. Your ticket to the club will also get you a meal, a glass of wine, and 15% off next month’s pick.
January 7
– Want to be a wine expert? It will surely impress all your friends and dates, and you’ll look super fancy ordering at a restaurant. Cork and Fork, a local wine shop on 14th NW, will be hosting an introductory class explaining everything you need to know about wine. Who knows, you may even meet your wine connoisseur match.
– Join us for bingo every Monday night at either Kingfisher on 14th Street or Pizzeria Paradiso in Georgetown. Our wonderful DC Fray team will host the free game, and there will be drink and food specials galore. For those that aren’t into trivia, this one’s a game changer.
January 8
– Let’s say bingo isn’t competitive enough for you, and you are actually into trivia, then you need to head out to the Harry Potter Movie Trivia at Pinstripes. Sure, it’s not going to be as exciting as Harry Potter book trivia, but it’ll still do the trick. Assemble right team, with a wide assortment of skills, and play to win the grand prize.
– Do you have big goals for 2019, but aren’t sure how to motivate and keep yourself on track? The Colony Club (a really cute coffee shop you should check out regardless of the event) will be hosting a Vision Board Workshop, where you’ll learn how to creatively and personally create a board encompassing all your goals and dreams. Look at it every day and your mentality will start to change.
January 9
– Politics and Prose hosts Senator Kamala Harris to discuss her latest book, The Truths We Hold, “about the core truths that unite us and the big challenges we face together.” Your ticket includes the discussion and a copy of the book.
– Looking to meet someone special, that you can also have an interesting conversation with? Speed dating is a quick, almost exhilarating way to do that, and you’re only committed to two minutes at a time. If you’re a man in the LGBTQ community, join us for our speed dating event and happy hour at Grand Central.
January 10
– Whether this year is the year you gather up the courage to present your creative work on stage or you just want to go and listen to other people’s stories, you won’t want to miss out on The Miracle Theater’s D.C. Moth StorySlam. if you want to share, you’ll have five minutes on stage to present your story and could even be chosen as the nightly winner.
January 11
– Imagine yourself having a glamorous night in Paris, dancing the waltz, sipping on some champagne. And while we can’t really whisk you away to France, we can come close with the New Year’s Dance Soiree at the French Embassy. Celebrate the start of 2019 by getting all dressed up and learning how to dance the waltz, tango, and salsa. Oh, and also enjoy French desserts and wine.
– 2019 should be the year you learn how to cook. At least how to cook pasta. Take a Pasta 101 Cooking Class with your friends or significant other from Tastemakers, and become the master spaghetti chef you’ve always dreamed of being.
January 12
– Feeling nostalgic for a good old school field trip? Get the experience plus the adult fun (with alcohol of course) at our Late Night Glow Snow Tubing Trip. You’ll start the party at Irish Times, and then a #DCFray bus will pick you up and take you to Avalanche Express, where you’ll be able to enjoy two hours of tubing. And the bus there and back will be its own kind of adventure, with drinks, games, and snacks.
– January is all about comfort, but comfort shouldn’t mean you can’t go out. Come out to the DC Onesie Bar Crawl, where you can drink and socialize in your pajamas. There will be over 10 bars featuring drink specials.
– Want to be a plant person, but don’t know where to start? Take an Urban Gardening in the Winter class from District Hardware, and get the basics of how to keep your plants healthy and alive.
January 13
– Kramerbooks and Afterwords Café is on fire with great events this year. If you’re a female freelancer, join the Freelancing Females Brunch, where you can do everything from find new job opportunities to mentor those just starting out. The ticket will get you brunch and a discount at the store.
January 14
– January 14th is the start of Metropolitan Washington Winter Restaurant Week. Make all your lunch and dinner reservations at your favorite spots, or those you’ve been meaning to try, and enjoy your three-course meal for only $35 ($22 for lunch and brunch).
January 16
– Watercolors and Cocktails: An Evening of Drinking and Painting at Union Market will be the perfect opportunity to both get in touch with your artistic side, as well as enjoy some much needed midweek drinks.
– Another trivia night for you. If you know The Office backwards and forwards, it’s worth it to come out on a Wednesday and crush everyone with your knowledge.
January 18
– Murder Mystery Dinners are a fun way to spend time with friends and get to know new people through an interactive event. Your ticket will include a three-course dinner at Maggiano’s Little Italy, and of course, the game.
– DC is opening up its first Hip Hop Museum, and the official launch party will be a fun evening of music, food, and drinks. And make sure to come back later in the month to check out all the cool exhibits.
January 19
– If you went to the first Women’s March on Washington, you know how powerful of a statement it made. It’s now in its 3rd year and going strong. Get all the details for what to expect and how to participate in this year’s event here.
January 21
– It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and if you’re lucky enough to have this day off, head out to pay your respects at the MLK memorial. Or you can join in on the various MLK volunteer opportunities.
January 22
– It’s not often comedy comes free, so you’ll want to attend the Jokes on Tap: Open Mic Comedy at Union Stage at The Wharf. Yeah, the comedy may be varying degrees of funny, but it’ll be entertaining regardless.
– You’ve done Harry Potter and The Office trivia, and now it’s time to test how well you know Friends. This trivia night will take place at Hard Rock Café.
January 23
– Another speed networking event hosted by us, this one open to everyone. We’ll meet at Big Chief, and you’ll have four minutes to get to know someone over several rounds. Of course, there will also be food, drinks, and raffle prizes to keep it going. The next day, the DC Fray staff will send you your best matches, and hopefully, you’ll be able to set up that second date.
January 24
– No month would be complete without a film festival, and this one is all about activism in the environment. The Wild and Scenic Film Festival will have films “about nature, community activism, adventure, conservation, water, energy and climate change, wildlife, environmental justice, agriculture, Native American and indigenous culture.”
January 26
– It turns out DC has a bit of a fashion scene. Meet and mingle with other fashion lovers at the 4th Annual BKE Winter Fashion Show at the Embassy of Uzbekistan, which will showcase the best winter styles for the season.
January 30
– Love cocktails? Well, then sign yourself up for one of the two seatings at Cocktological Evenings: Winter Wonderland at Exiles Bar. There will be three unique concoctions for you to taste, and seating is very limited so you can have the most intimate discussion. It’s a great way to meet other cocktail lovers.
January 31
– Another fashion event for all those that aspire to get involved with fashion and their community. The Fashion for Thought Networking Event will be a fantastic opportunity to meet and mingle with people in the industry, and maybe even find your next mentor, gig, or best friend.
January is the time to start new hobbies and go on new adventures, and when you do, share the fun with us using #FrayLife #DCFray.
Need some other ideas of fun things to do this month? Check out these skiing spots where you can shred and be back to DC by dinner ORRR check out curling and other awesome winter activities DC has to offer.