Good morning, live-music loyalists!
Potomac’s own Bryan Eng comes back in town to slip behind the piano at Blues Alley this week and keep his winter tradition alive with some holiday swing. If your crew clocks out earlier, Quincy’s turns family time into early-bird bingo with kid prizes and a last-chance letter-to-Santa station on Tuesday. Or if you’d rather sing along, the Kennedy Center stacks the week with a run of Christmas concerts leading up to the big day.
Keep it festive. Let’s loop.
🗞️ THE LOCAL LOWDOWN
🎹 Potomac’s Bryan Eng brings the holiday swing. The Potomac-raised jazz pianist returns to headline Georgetown’s Blues Alley this Wednesday for two holiday-season sets with his trio, continuing a three-year winter tradition of holiday classics. Get your tickets
🏠 $2.3M house with unwanted guests. A Bethesda home on Burning Tree Road was allegedly taken over by squatters following a July foreclosure, with slow court processes and limited legal remedies leaving nearby residents uneasy. Read the report [Fox Baltimore]
⛸️ Winter lessons open today. Montgomery Parks opens registration this morning for youth and adult ice skating & hockey at Cabin John Ice Rink, plus tennis lessons at Pauline Betz Addie Tennis Center. View the program guide and register
⚾ Big Train camps return. Bethesda Big Train is now accepting sign-ups for its popular summer baseball camps, offering pro-style coaching and big-league fun for local players. Register now
⏳ Terra Gaucha debut pushed back. The new Brazilian steakhouse near the Twinbrook Quarter Wegmans has delayed its opening until Dec. 28, giving you extra time to study the endless churrasco menu. Preview the menu
🗓 THE SOCIAL CALENDAR
Monday - 12/22
Decembrr Hike | 2pm @ Seneca Creek State Park Quail Ridge
Skip the treadmill and join Frequent Hiker Club Mondays in December for a casual loop on the far side of the lake with a ranger. 🥾
BP Trivia Night | 6:30pm @ Quincy’s Potomac and 7pm @ Whelan’s
Bring the family that’s in town out to a BP Trivia event for bragging rights, prizes, and a surprisingly competitive Monday night out. 🏆
Tuesday - 12/23
Family Early Bird Bingo & Letter Writing to Santa | 6pm @ Quincy’s Potomac
Take the crew for early-bird bingo, kid-friendly prizes, and a Santa-letter station for those last minute additions. 🎅
Wednesday - 12/24
🎄 Christmas Eve 🎅
Thursday - 12/25
🎄 Merry Christmas! 🎅
Friday - 12/26
Junk Journaling Workshop | 12–2pm & 2:30-4:40pm @ Dov & Company
Shake off the holiday frenzy with collage-forward journaling: vintage scraps, stickers, dried florals, photos, and layering tips that turn blank pages into keepsakes. Bring your own journal or grab theirs 📓
🎷 LIVE & LOCAL-ISH MUSIC
Monday - 12/22
The Irish Inn | Irish Inn Mates | 7-10pm
Hank Dietle’s | Wolf’s Blues Show & Sit-In Jam | 7-11pm
Kennedy Center Concert Hall | Washington Chorus: A Candlelight Christmas | 8pm | TIX
Tuesday - 12/23
Hank Dietle’s | Dan Hovey | 5:30-7pm
Kennedy Center Concert Hall | Messiah Sing-Along | 6pm | TIX
Hank Dietle’s | Swing 5 Jazz | 8-10pm
Wednesday - 12/24
Kennedy Center Concert Hall | A Family Christmas | 11am | TIX
Kennedy Center Concert Hall | O Night Divine! | 2pm | TIX
Windridge Vineyards | Nicole Valentina | 3-6pm
Blues Alley Georgetown | Bryan Eng: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas | 5:30pm | TIX
The Irish Inn | Inn House Band | 6-9pm
Blues Alley Georgetown | Bryan Eng: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas | 8pm | TIX
Thursday - 12/25
🎄 Merry Christmas! 🎅
Friday - 12/26
⭐️ Whelan’s | Eddie Pasa | 7-10pm
Windridge Vineyards | Jeff Carmella | 5-8pm
Hank Dietle’s | The Poor Ellen Smith Band | 5:30-7:30pm
Hank Dietle’s | Goldbug Revival | 9pm-midnight
*Dates & times subject to change based on weather and/or venues making your life more difficult
Thanks for reading!
Forward the Loop to that neighbor who believes pianos can fix everything.
-Potomac Loop Team
