Now that Thanksgiving is a memory, the holiday season is in full swing. Whether it’s going into town and battling the traffic to get in and out of the shopping centers, or you’re clicking your mouse as fast as you can to get your Prime orders delivered, it’s best to make time for you and yours to enjoy something besides the gifts that will be handed out. Luckily, there are plenty of events happening that the whole family can enjoy. While these might not be as adventurous as the ideas that Stefon has on Saturday Night Live, they surely will cause plenty feelings of the warm and fuzzy kind that can become new traditions each year. Don’t worry, no matter what Mother Nature brings, plenty of these can still be enjoyed!
Beginning this First Friday, Havre De Grace is kicking off the Holly Jolly First Friday. From 4-8pm, come out to enjoy vendors, food trucks and starting at 6pm, a parade that begins on St John st. to Washington st. ending at Congress ave. Immediately after, Santa and Mayor Bill Martin will light the community tree to celebrate the season! Washington st is already beautifully lit, with plenty of restaurants and book shops to peruse, there’s plenty of high energy and low key fun to participate in.
The following Saturday the 7th, Breakfast With Santa featuring a breakfast buffet, face painters, balloon artists and bounce houses (oh my!) add to the excitement of the Christmas spirit. Make sure to get those selfies with Santa, and get your tickets in advance! Children 3 and under are free.
Once breakfast has settled, or you’re waiting for another chance to spend time with
Santa and tell him what you’d like as a gift, Ice World is showing their annual winter performance “Give My Regards To Broadway!”. Tickets are only $6 and features routines from selections of The Sound of Music, Grease, Hamilton, Wicked, Elf, School of Rock, Annie and other Broadway classics. The show is from 3-5pm.
For some events that are a little more hands on, the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center is offering two Sundays worth of creative ornament-making fun! On the 8th (2-3:30pm, $5), an ornament workshop using natural materials gives you an opportunity to make one of a kind keepsakes. On the 15th (12-2:30pm, $5), learn how to prepare different nature materials to make holiday decor, featuring a timeless favorite – pinecones. What better way to become one with nature than with family?
If the kind of cones you prefer are the ones with ice cream in them, Brooms Bloom and it’s homemade goodness has it’s annual train garden – Christopher’s Train Garden up and running. Dedicated to the memory of Christopher Cooper, a child who loved trains and Christmas, come out to enjoy amazing eats besides their own churns, and a beautifully kept train garden. Open from 12-8, this is a free event, with donations going to improving and upkeeping the garden.
Whether you’re wanting to be hands-on, or witness the spectacle, there’s plenty to enjoy this season around the county. Don’t miss out on a chance to make new memories before the end of the year!