DEC. 1-21
Gallery of Gifts
Shop small and buy local this holiday season. Get something for everyone on your list at this dazzling indoor art market at the Carroll Arts Center. Featuring dozens of artists, the Tevis Gallery will be filled with handmade products like jewelry, pottery, tree ornaments, baskets, candles, woodwork, soaps, and more.
Carroll Arts Center, Westminster CarrollCountyArtsCouncil.org
Dec. 1-23
Cascade Lights Holiday Celebration
Experience the magic at Cascade Lights, Coppermine’s outdoor holiday celebration at Coppermine Cascade Park in Hampstead. Activities include a choreographed light show, light tunnel, festive (and decorated) playground area, Santa visits, holiday movies, crafts and letters to Santa, community displays, axe throwing (18 & up), photo ops and more. Food truck vendors onsite as well as hot chocolate and adult beverages for those ages 21 and over every night in addition to the Bus Stop’s favorite Extreme Winter Milkshakes. Tickets are $10 online, $15 at the door, children 2 and under are free.
Through Dec. 16
Holiday Of Trees, Wreaths & Centerpieces
The Taneytown Heritage & Museum Association is sponsoring this annual event. Local individuals, businesses, schools, and organizations participate decorating a tree, wreath and/or centerpiece. All decorated items are donated for a silent auction benefitting the Taneytown History Museum.
Public viewing, voting and silent auction hours are Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays 9 a.m. to 12 Noon and closing date Saturday, December 16 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
9-11 a.m. ACNB Bank, Taneytown Office, 222 East Baltimore Street, Taneytown
Dec. 1-22
Farm Museum Holiday Tours
The Farm Museum is open for tours, with Santa visits on weekends. Admission is $10 for a family, $5 for adults and children over 9, and $4 for adults 60 and over.
Weekdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m., weekends noon-4 p.m. Farm Museum, Westminster
Dec. 7
Jazz Night at McDaniel College
Senior adjunct lecturer Tim Jenkins directs the concert, featuring diverse styles of jazz, including classic big band swing, bebop, Latin, funk, jazz-rock, and classic blues.
7-9 p.m. McDaniel College, Westminster McDaniel.edu.
Dec. 8-10, 15-17
A Christmas Carol: The Musical
Various showings. Ebenezer Scrooge is a prosperous curmudgeon who believes that personal wealth is far more valuable than the happiness and comfort of others. With an infuriated “Bah, Humbug!” Scrooge sums up his feelings of Christmas tidings and charitable giving, but he’s forced to face his selfish ways when three ghosts on Christmas Eve lead him through his past, present and future. Tickets $20-$25.
Coppermine Panther Plex, Hampstead GoCoppermine.com.
Dec. 9
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins
Presented by the Endangered Species theatre Project, the classic Hanukkah children’s book by Eric Kimmel comes to life in this actively staged reading. On the first night of Hanukkah, a weary traveler named Hershel of Ostropol eagerly approaches a village, where plenty of latkes and merriment should warm him. But when he arrives, not a single candle is lit. A band of frightful goblins has taken over the synagogue, and the villagers cannot celebrate at all! Hershel vows to help them, but can one man alone stand up to the goblins, save Hanukkah, and live to tell the tale? Tickets $8-$15.
2 p.m. Carroll Arts Center, Westminster CarrollArtsCouncil.org.
Dec. 9
Westminster Symphony Orchestra Concert
McDaniel College, Westminster
Taking place on the WMC Alumni Hall Mainstage, the concert will feature Eastern European composers. The orchestra is composed of McDaniel students and music faculty, Carroll Community College students and music faculty, and community musicians. Linda Kirkpatrick directs. The concert is free and open to the public.
3-5 p.m. For more information, call 410-857-2599.
Dec. 9-10
The Nutcracker Magic
Ballet Embody’s The Maryland Nutcracker intertwines Maryland’s rich heritage with the mystique of Edgar Allan Poe. This spellbinding rendition adds a distinctive twist to the beloved holiday tradition, with Poe stepping into the role traditionally held by Herr Drosselmeyer. Set to the timeless melodies of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, The Maryland Nutcracker weaves the captivating tale of Clara, a Baltimore child embarking on magical adventures from her Hampden home, across the Chesapeake Bay, and “Downy Oshun.” This ballet promises to immerse audiences in the unique charm of Maryland, featuring iconic elements such as Oriole birds, Maryland crabs, and the legendary Edgar Allan Poe.
Carroll Community College Theater, 1601 Washington Road Westminster, MD 21157 Learn more and buy tickets at BalletEmbody.com.
Dec.9 and 16
Saturdays with Santa
Visit with Santa at his house on the library’s front lawn and take a free horse-drawn carriage ride through downtown Westminster. Pick up the carriage ride in the back of Locust Lane. Free to participate.
Noon-4 p.m. Locust Lane, Downtown Westminster WestminsterMd.gov.
Dec. 9 and 16
Carroll County Farmers Market and Craft Show
The seasonal Christmas Market and Hand Made Crafts Show will run Saturdays only, 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. through Dec. 16. Each week there will be 75-100 vendors selling a wide variety of handmade and home produced goods. There is everything to help with holiday celebrations. There will be local beef, pork and lamb, fresh eggs, nuts, honey, cheese, wine, jams and jellies. Fresh evergreens, wreaths and arrangements can be found for the holidays as well as seasonal plants. Home-baked goods and other gourmet foods are also available: pies, cakes, cookies, scones, breads, dip mixes and candy. Customers will find crafts and fine arts such as jewelry, pottery, wood crafts, photography, baby items, soaps, skin care items, primitive art, fabric items and more. Breakfast and lunch will be served. Admission and parking are free and the facility is handicap accessible.
Carroll County Ag Center, Westminster CarrollCountyFarmersMarket.com.
Dec. 10
Accelerando and Westminster Ringers Concert
Westminster Ringers present Reverberations, a handbell concert featuring the Westminster Ringers and Accelerando. They will play original and arrangements of seasonal handbell music. Tickets $12 for adults, $5 for ages 6-17 and free under 5.
4-5:30 p.m. First Presbyterian Church of Westminster WestminsterRingers.org.
Dec. 10
Gospel Choir Concert
McDaniel College’s Gospel Choir performs traditional and contemporary gospel music, as well as spirituals, under the direction of senior adjunct lecturer Shelley Ensor with accompanist Alice Dorsey.
3-5 p.m. McDaniel College, Westminster McDaniel.edu.
Dec. 15
Main Street Jingle and Mingle
All day. Folks can get their photo taken with Santa inside the Mount Airy Caboose. Photos are free but families are asked to bring their own camera. No registration is required. Carolers and live music will be played for residents as they meander through the many downtown shops filled with items perfect for someone special on your holiday gift list.
Downtown Mt. Airy
Dec. 16
Wreaths Across America
Join us on National Wreaths Across America Day by placing a wreath on the final resting place of over 3,200 hometown veterans. There are over 39 approved Wreaths Across America cemeteries throughout Carroll County. Volunteers needed.
To learn more visit BabylonVaultCompany.com.
Dec. 16-17
A Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas
What do you get when you pair the beloved animated holiday film with a live performance of the film’s Vince Guaraldi jazz score?
You get a fabulously festive show featuring the renowned Eric Byrd Trio! This annual presentation is a great way to celebrate the season. Enjoy a screening of the holiday classic A Charlie Brown Christmas, followed by a performance of the cartoon’s iconic score from the Eric Byrd Trio. Tickets $10-$25.
Varying times. Carroll Arts Center, Westminster CarrollCountyArtsCouncil.org.
Dec. 19
Box Lunch Talk: Carroll County’s Historic Courthouse
Hosted by the Carroll County Historical Society, the Honorable Brian L. DeLeonardo, judge of the Circuit Court for Carroll County, will share his extensive research on Carroll County’s historic courthouse building, which he described as “one of the most beautiful courtrooms in America.” The fee is $3 for HSCC members, $7 for nonmembers.
Noon-1 p.m. Grace Lutheran Church, Westminster HSCCmd.org.
Dec. 31, 7p.m.
Dream Big Union Bridge New Year’s Eve Celebration
Dream Big Union Bridge plans to host another rockin’ New Year’s Eve celebration. This free family-friendly event will include live entertainment.
Visit facebook.com/DreamBigUnionBridge.
Various Times: FLICC Documentary Series
Carroll Arts Center, 91 W. Main St., Westminster CarrollCountyArtsCouncil.org
Cost: $8 for adults
Jan. 5, 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song
A definitive exploration of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned song “Hallelujah.” This feature-length documentary weaves together three creative strands: The songwriter and his times; the song’s dramatic journey from record label reject to chart-topping hit; and moving testimonies from major recording artists for whom “Hallelujah” has become a personal touchstone.
Jan. 12, 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. It Ain’t Over
Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra is one of baseball’s greatest. In telling the whole story, It Ain’t Over gives Berra his due in following the life of a savvy, commanding, bad-ball hitting catcher with a squat frame but also a D-Day veteran, loving husband and father and, yes, product endorser and originator (mostly) of his own brand of proverbs now ingrained into everyday life.
Jan. 26, 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Good Night Oppy
Good Night Oppy tells the inspirational true story of Opportunity, a rover that was sent to Mars for a 90-day mission but ended up surviving for 15 years. The film follows Opportunity’s groundbreaking journey on Mars and the remarkable bond forged between a robot and her humans millions of miles away.
Jan. 15 – Feb. 24
Arigato
Enjoy a stunning collection of artwork inspired by Japanese anime and manga. Created by both established and emerging artists, the featured pieces span different mediums, including traditional paintings, digital illustrations, and cosplay. Free to attend.
Carroll Arts Center, Westminster CarrollCountyArtsCouncil.org.
Jan. 19
Judy Blume Forever
Generations of readers have found themselves in a Judy Blume book. Her name alone launches a flood of memories for anyone who’s read one of her many paperbacks. For decades, Blume’s radical honesty has comforted and captivated readers — and landed her at the center of controversy for her frankness about puberty and sex. Now the beloved American author candidly shares her own coming-of-age story. Emmy-winning filmmakers Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok trace Blume’s journey from fearful, imaginative child to storytelling pioneer who elevated the physical and emotional lives of kids and teens, to banned writer who continues to fight back against censorship today. Playful and poignant animations celebrate the magic and awkwardness of being young, while intimate conversations with acclaimed authors and artists reveal Blume’s profound impact on readers. Cost $8 for adults.
Carroll Arts Center, Westminster Information: CarrollCountyArtsCouncil.org.
