National Harbor Lights Up the Holidays with Two Million Lights and pounds of colored ice and More!

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md., Sept. 25, 2025— National Harbor is the Capital Region’s top holiday waterfront destination. This year, the 350-acre mix-used property kicks off the holiday season with Cirque Italia, running November 7-17. The show is an entertaining travel back to the 1950s with magic, acrobats, aerialists and comedy all in a unique water stage, and held under a stunning white and blue tent at 204 Waterfront St.

The popular National Harbor Christmas Market and Holiday Craft Show Series returns on Saturdays and Sundays from November 29 to December 21 from noon to 6 p.m. Each week, new crafters and artisans will have their works for sale. Some of the goods being sold include clothing made for children, upscale jewelry, dog accessories, candles, maple products, home décor, bath and body, pillows and table runners, dinnerware, cashmere and silk scarves, rugs and carpets, glasswork, alpaca blankets and shawls, crystals, metal art, aprons, towels, resin art, woodwork, stationery, leather products, photography, kids’ crafts and a wide array of artworks.

The dazzling 60-foot RGB tree in the Waterfront District comes to life nightly with a breathtaking light show that illuminates to a holiday medley recorded by the U.S. Air Force Band. The show runs every half hour from sunset to 9 p.m. and begins on Saturday, November 8, followed by fireworks every Saturday evening at 5:30 p.m., through December 27.

Gaylord National launches its holiday spectacular of ICE! and so much more on November 14 through January 4. The larger-than-life sculptures are accompanied by frozen slides and awe-inspiring tunnels. The carvers, from Harbin, China, work with more than two million pounds of colorful ice, taking more than 12,000 man hours to create the nearly 20,000 square foot, frozen attraction. Christmas at Gaylord
includes amazing ice sculptures, vibrant light shows, treasure hunts, Snow Flow Mountain ice slide, Snowball Build and Blast, Cirque: Spirit of Christmas, Gingerbread decorating and more.

Santa will be at The Capital Wheel for photos on Fridays and Saturdays starting Nov. 29 through Dec. 21 from noon to 2 p.m. Children may share their holiday wish list and get a photo taken with Santa before taking a ride on the 180-foot wheel with its climate-controlled gondolas. And, furry friends can come out and meet Santa and have their photo taken, take a spin on The Capital Wheel (with their owner) and then gather on the Flight Deck for Yappy Hour. Family holiday movies run through November 30 on Sundays at 2 p.m. on the waterfront screen.

National Harbor is magical during the holidays and all dressed up with more than two million holiday lights and decorations throughout. With its eight hotels, more than 40 restaurants and The Capital Wheel, it’s the perfect location to make holiday memories. From family activities to a romantic getaway for couples, National Harbor has it all.

MGM National Harbor celebrates the holiday season at National Harbor with spectacular decorations throughout, including the property’s popular Conservatory where the holidays come alive with a breathtaking display. The Theater at MGM National Harbor is offering a variety of holiday shows including Christmas Together on November 30 and multiple shows of Cirque Dreams Holidaze on December 19 and 20.

National Harbor is also the perfect location for holiday shopping with more than 140 shops including Tanger National Harbor’s 85 designer brands such as Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Hugo Boss, Movado, Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Coach and H&M.

There is additional shopping in the Waterfront District where there are walkable streets with unique shops and boutiques such as MahoganyBooks, ZAAF, It’Sugar, Corinto Gallery and more. These join nationally recognized brands including Carhartt and others. MGM National Harbor provides additional boutique shopping opportunities.

The holidays are the perfect time to gather with friends or plan a fun outing with out-of-town guests. At National Harbor, you’ll find plenty of unique experiences to enjoy together—from developing your own photos at Sip & Develop, to creating a custom-scented candle at Wigenton Candle Co., to testing your teamwork at Escapology.

For more information about all of National Harbor’s holiday fun and hotel packages, visit www.NationalHarbor.com/hohoho. For more information on National Harbor, visit www.NationalHarbor.com.

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About National Harbor

Situated on the banks of the historic Potomac River and just minutes from the nation’s capital, National Harbor is a waterfront resort destination unlike any other. National Harbor is home to two of Maryland’s Four Diamond rated hotels—Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, the East Coast’s largest non-gaming hotel and convention center and has almost 2,000 hotel rooms and 660,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and MGM National Harbor, an integrated luxury casino resort with renowned chef-driven restaurants, a 3,000-seat state-of-the art theater and one of the largest gaming floors outside of Las Vegas. The vibrant Waterfront District features boutique shops, restaurants and entertainment options along picturesque promenades. The iconic Capital Wheel, a 180-ft observation wheel, Tanger National Harbor’s 85 designer outlet brands, and a robust calendar of events round out this destination that welcomes more than 15.2 million visitors a year. For more information, visit www.NationalHarbor.com.