Folger Frost Fair
Friday, November 27, 2026 – Sunday, January 3, 2027
Celebrate the season with a month-long winter festival at the Folger. Enjoy festive decorations, holiday music, free activities, and more.
Holiday music
Make plans now to see Folger Consort’s An English Christmas for the Ages (December 11-20), a centuries-spanning program of medieval Yuletide songs, English Christmas carols, and festive works from the royal courts of both King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I.
Holiday treats
Hot chocolate, scones, and other wintry delights are on the menu at Quill & Crumb. The Folger is your perfect spot to get cozy on Capitol Hill during the holiday season. Pair a hot beverage with something from our pastry case, or choose from mouthwatering lunch options like Cornish hand pies.
Family storytimes
Join us for storytime in the Reading Room at 10:30am on December 22, 23, and 24. Usually reserved for researchers during the week, the Reading Room is a grand space that makes storytime a special and magical experience for families. More details for these free events coming soon.
Printing press demonstrations
In the Shakespeare Exhibition Hall is a printing press similar to the one that printed the First Folio, the first published collection of Shakespeare’s plays. See it in action throughout Frost Fair and take home a printed souvenir.
What is a frost fair?
The idea for the Folger Frost Fair was inspired by the frost fairs held in London when the River Thames completely froze in winters between the 1600s and 1800s. Londoners used the frozen river as an opportunity to take daily life to the ice—setting up stalls and booths selling food and drink and conducting commerce. People played games and held contests, and there were even printing presses on the ice from which souvenir postcards and prints were sold.
The carnival-like atmosphere on the ice in the 17th century drew people out in spite of the cold. We want to welcome people with the same cheerful bustle of activity, along with the warmth and light of the holiday season.
Folger Director Farah Karim-Cooper
Events
Reading Rhythms
Family Workshop: To Be a Shakespearean Actor
Folger Book Club: 'The Beheading Game' by Rebecca Lehmann
Emily Dickinson Birthday Tribute: Rebecca Lehmann
Early Music Seminar: An English Christmas for the Ages
An English Christmas for the Ages
Fountain Pen 101
Gallery Talk: To Hear Her Speak
