Downtown Holiday Market makes festive return

If the office is getting a bit too stuffy and you’re looking for a wintry break, then take a long lunch and head on over to D.C.’s Downtown Holiday Market for some Christmas shopping.

Located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood between Seventh and Ninth streets, and open from noon until 8 p.m., the market is the perfect place for Washington workaholics to kick off their holiday shopping. 

Browse through the many white tents housing works by 50 different artisans and find a perfect gift for even the choosiest of recipients. The vendors sell a variety of goods including pottery, accessories, clothes, art and other knickknacks. 

Specifically, the market has a large selection of jewelry, from trendy bubble necklaces to more refined pieces of art. 

Another market gem is Tom Rall’s booth, which sells the perfect gift for a tricky friend: antique maps. A map of their home state or city is a clever reminder of home, and prices start at $7. The booth even features a collection of maps showcasing all of D.C.’s neighborhoods. 

For a friend or a family member with a sweet tooth, the market doesn’t disappoint. One of the booths features a colorful display of foil-wrapped chocolate truffles ranging from traditional cherry, wrapped in Christmas-themed foil, to Kahlua coffee liqueur. 

Karyn LeBlanc of the DowntownDC Business Improvement District says that at the market, people are often able to finds gifts for friends and family that they can’t find elsewhere.

“The Downtown Holiday Market is an experience in and of itself. It is outside, festive and full of color and shopping delights,” LeBlanc said.

However, the perks of the market don’t stop at the shopping. It also offers food and entertainment. 

The market features a selection of food items including lobster rolls, empanadas and a market tradition — hot doughnuts fried to order and covered in powdered sugar from Migue’s Magnificent Mini Donuts. 

As you stroll through the market eating your sugary finds, listen to Christmas rhythms fill the air as local bands perform holiday tunes. 

Later this month, the cast of “‘Les Misérables’ is going to do a performance of some of the more popular songs from the show coming to the National Theatre,” LeBlanc said.

This not-to-be-missed market will continue to bring a unique and festive shopping “village” to the heart of downtown D.C. until Dec. 23.