🚀 Chris Williams checks in from orbit. Now aboard the International Space Station, astronaut Chris Williams tells The Washington Post how life in microgravity is going and reflects on how his local upbringing helped prepare him for the journey. Read the interview [Washington Post]

🏆 Best of Bethesda winners are in. We’ll highlight all the local winners starting with Reader’s Picks for Best Food & Drink categories: Bethesda Bagels, Five Guys, Founding Farmers, King Street Oyster Bar, Hunter’s Bar and Grill, The Market at River Falls, and Sisters Thai. Check out the Best Food & Drinks winners [Bethesda Magazine]

🎁 Santa Runs hit a record. Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department collected more than 1,500 presents during this year’s Santa Runs, benefiting four local charities and setting a new department record. See their post

🏫 Updated List of Future Public School Sites. MCPS released an updated list of protected properties for long-term school growth, including several Potomac-area locations on Brickyard Road and Kendale Road. See the full list [The MoCo Show]

⚾ Last call for Big Train’s leadership fellowship. High school students can still apply for the DiMisa Leadership Fellowship, helping run fan experiences at Shirley Povich Field while earning SSL hours, a $250 stipend, and real leadership experience. Apply by Jan. 2

Of course it is.

The market tucked into the corner in Potomac Village with the ridiculous crab cakes and serious standards. The place you trust when the night has to sparkle.

Now let The Market at River Falls finish your New Year’s Eve for you.

A menu of Appetizers & Hors d’Oeuvres that vanish in one bite. Caviar that feels slightly scandalous. Soups, entrées and sides that behave as if you cooked all day. Champagne and sparkling wines already dreaming of midnight.

Choose your story for the last night of the year and place your New Year’s Eve order by the end of today.

*This section is sponsored by a friend of the Loop

Decembrr Hike | 2pm @ Seneca Creek State Park Quail Ridge
Stroll a casual loop on the far side of Clopper Lake with a volunteer ranger and crisp-air bragging rights. Rain or shine 🥾

Nature Crafts: Hibernating Animals | 10:30am–12:30pm @ Seneca Creek State Park Park Office
Learn the science of how some animals snooze through winter, then build a cozy critter hideaway scene. 🐻

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
Kick off 2026 on Glen Echo’s storied dance floor. Take the included beginner lesson, then Lindy to Russ Wilson’s 13-piece big-band set and 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
Start 2026 with Latino Outdoors DMV on a moderate 4–5-mile Great Falls hike with steep climbs and rock scrambles with community connections & trail snacks. 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 🌕

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

Forward the Loop to that neighbor who thinks “Swing’N on a Star” is a parenting technique.

-Potomac Loop Team