💪 Fit Club opens in Potomac Promenade. The new personal training studio offers guided 15–20 minute full-body workouts using adaptive resistance machines, built for busy schedules and efficient sweat. Book your free trial

🕯️ Quiet lives, big impact. The Post honors 10 locals who shaped their communities without ever receiving an obituary, including Potomac heart surgeon Frank Midgley, who once ran a marathon in the morning and performed a heart transplant later that same night. Read the tribute [Washington Post]

🚤 Five years into the White’s Ferry fight. The Banner recaps Poolesville’s recent rally over the stalled MD-to-VA crossing, as pressure mounts on deadlocked landowners and Montgomery County’s $3M incentive faces a 2026 sunset. Read the recap [The Banner Montgomery]

🥾 January at Seneca Creek. Winter programming is stacked with guided hikes, reptile feedings, beaver talks, waterfowl walks, and even maple tapping for those who like their cold weather with a purpose. See the calendar

🧒 Kid-approved local favorites. Bethesda Magazine’s Reader’s Picks for Kids & Schools spotlight familiar winners including My Gym Potomac, International School of Music, McLean School, and Gold Signature Writers. See the list [Bethesda Magazine]

New Year’s Eve Show | 5:30pm & 8:30pm @ Hyatt Regency Bethesda
Ring out 2025 with The Magic Duel’s snarky two-magician showdown in the Hyatt penthouse, where you vote the winner, laugh hard, and toast with two included drinks. Tickets in link 🎩

New Years Eve Party | 8pm @ Hunter’s Bar and Grill
Ring in 2026 at Hunter’s with Swing’N On A Star Trio and guest singer Diane Hanson, then score party favors, a happy-hour drink, plus a midnight champagne toast that beats shouting at a TV. Tickets in link 🥂

Swing Dance with Russ Wilson and His Famous Orchestra | 8pm–12:30am @ Spanish Ballroom, Glen Echo Park
Start 2026 on Glen Echo’s storied dance floor where you can take the included beginner lesson, then Lindy to Russ Wilson’s 13-piece big-band set and the vintage moon photo backdrop. Tickets in link 💃

First Day Hikes | 10am–3pm @ Seneca Creek State Park Expo Field
Kick off 2026 on a self-guided 3.7-mile Lakeshore Trail hike, starting at Expo Field for cocoa, scavenger hunts, s’mores, and the coveted “I Hiked 2026” sticker. 🥾

Latino Outdoors DMV First Day Hike | 10:30am–3pm @ Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center
Spend New Year’s Day with Latino Outdoors DMV on a moderate 4–5-mile Great Falls hike featuring steep climbs, rock scrambles, trail snacks, and community connections. RSVP in link 🥾

Full Moon Fridays | 5:30pm–7pm @ Locust Grove Nature Center
Swap your screen for moonlight on a woods hike, then claim a spot by the fire ring for marshmallows and cozy winter-night vibes. Register in link 🌕

Volunteer Day at Rosie’s Farm Sanctuary: Veganuary Edition | 10am–12pm @ Rosie’s Farm Sanctuary
Join the Vegan Society of DC to muck stalls, swap bedding, sanitize barns, and earn cuddly close-ups with rescued animals at the sanctuary. RSVP in link 🐮

Free Vinyasa Flow Yoga Class | 4–5pm @ Potomac Flow Yoga
Flow your Sunday afternoon with a free, all-levels vinyasa class led by Padmini Rajan, a lifelong yogi nearing 200-hour certification. Drop-in’s welcome 🧘‍♀️

^{*Dates & times subject to change based on weather and/or venues making your life more difficult}

Forward the Loop to that neighbor who thinks “adaptive resistance” means refusing to get out of bed before 9.

-Potomac Loop Team