Top 5 Things to do this week
December 5th through 8th
The holiday season is upon us and we've got a bunch of ways you can celebrate! Check out the 27th Annual Festival of Wreaths at Carroll Arts Center or enjoy the McDaniel College Band Concert. Players on Air presents CHRISTMAS CAROL the Musical and Taneytown Dance Center has two performances: The Nutcracker Experience and The Snow Ball. Dont miss Pack 393’s Annual Breakfast with Santa and journey around the world, right here in our own backyard at the International Food Tasting Gathering. Head over to the Carroll County Farm Museum for Santa in the Schoolhouse. Enjoy the sounds of the Westminster Symphony Orchestra Concert at McDaniel College. This weekend the Eric Byrd Trio is back with a holiday favorite: A Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas! The Town of Mount Airy will officially ring in the holiday season with its beloved annual event — A Main Street Christmas and McDaniel College’s Gospel Choir performs traditional and contemporary gospel music along with surprise selections. It's all happening right here in Carroll this weekend, so get out there and enjoy!
Get all the details below. #carrollcounty #thisweekend
If YOUR group or organization has an event you'd like featured on our Top 5 Weekend Events Email Us
*Please note: All events are subject to change due to weather or other conditions. Events may be canceled or postponed. We strongly advise that you always contact event organizers to confirm dates, times and facility guidelines.
1. 27th Annual Festival of Wreaths
Now through Sunday, December 8
A holiday wonderland of creativity and generosity!
This annual holiday event features over 80 unique handmade wreaths and holiday art that range from whimsical to wacky to wonderful! The pieces are sold through an online auction that benefits the Arts Council. Now in its 27th year, the Festival of Wreaths at the Carroll Arts Center has traditionally been one of the most eagerly awaited holiday events in the county. While all the bidding is done online, the Arts Center still hosts a cheery display of all the entries for patrons to visit!
The festival exemplifies holiday generosity in many ways, through the valuable wreaths that are contributed, as well as the generous bids from the community. In the past, wreaths have been adorned with a wide range of items and decorations including semi-precious gems, $50 bills, sock monkeys, computer mice, thumb tacks, eyeglasses, duct tape, Legos®, flip flops, painted crab shells, used auto parts, origami, wine corks, autographed sports memorabilia, duct tape, toilet paper rolls, and more. Many also come with special items like gift cards, specialty food and beverages, and unique experiences!
In-person visitors can also vote for the Top 10 Audience Choice winners. Voting closes on Saturday, December 7 at 7pm. Kids can also get in on the fun with Festival of Wreaths Scavenger Hunt!
2. McDaniel College Band Concert
December 6 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Directed by Linda Kirkpatrick, senior lecturer in music, the College Band features nearly 50 musicians, including McDaniel students, as well as McDaniel faculty members, band alumni, and community musicians, performing musical selections by contemporary composers, including several holiday selections.
3. CHRISTMAS CAROL the Musical
Friday & Saturday, December 6 and 7th at 7:00 PM
Sunday December 8th at 2:00 PM
A Christmas Carol: The Musical brings Charles Dickens’ timeless tale to life with vibrant music and heartfelt performances. Set in Victorian London, the story follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man whose disdain for Christmas and compassion is as cold as his frosty demeanor.
The Musical is a festive celebration that reminds us all of the power of kindness and generosity. Whether you’re seeing it for the first time or revisiting this classic, it’s a magical experience that warms the heart and uplifts the spirit.
4. The Nutcracker Experience – Taneytown Dance Center
Friday, December 6 @ 6:00 pm
Taneytown Dance Center 2024
This special dance event is designed especially for children, offering young audiences the perfect opportunity to get up close with the classical holiday tale of The Nutcracker. “The Nutcracker Experience” will begin with a short, 20-minute performance of highlights from the second act of The Nutcracker, the beloved “Land of the Sweets.” This includes the dances of Hot Chocolate, Tea, Candy Canes, Marzipan, and the Sugar Plum Fairy. After the performance, young attendees will have the opportunity to come onstage and learn a portion of a dance from our cast. This interactive, hands-on experience will allow them to connect with the magic of the ballet on a more personal level, making for a memorable performance. Parents and guardians will also be able to take photos of their child with their favorite character dancer. As a parting gift, each child will also receive a Nutcracker themed goodie bag filled with surprises and treats to take home.
It’s the perfect family-friendly holiday event!
The Snow Ball – Taneytown Dance Center
Friday, December 6 @ 7:30 pm
The Snow Ball is the 2024 holiday presentation of the Student Dance Company members of Taneytown Dance Center. An evening featuring old favorites, classical repertoire, and fresh takes in all dance genres to help stir souls into the holiday spirit.
Doors open at 7:10pm
5. Pack 393’s Annual Breakfast with Santa
December 7 @ 8:00 am - 11:30 am
Join us for our annual breakfast with Santa. Eggs, Bacon, Pancakes, Coffee and Juice to be served. Lots of crafts for kids and an Elfie Station as well.
There will be a photographer onsite for photos with Santa- this is an additional cost but photos will be printed onsite with the option to take a digital photo with you same day.
Pay at the door-no advanced ticket sales. Thank you for supporting scout troop 393!
6. International Food Tasting Gathering
December 7 @ 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
We invite you to join us on a gastronomic journey around the world, right here in our own backyard! Expanding Boundaries International (EBI) is thrilled to host “Tastes of the World,” a unique fundraising event on December 7, 2024.
This isn’t just a food tasting; it’s a feast that celebrates global diversity and unity. Our community members are excited to share their culinary heritage with you, offering a taste of the world in every bite.
Together, let’s taste the world and expand boundaries!
**non alcholic beverage will be served
**Please note, images of foods are representations only and may not be the exact foods available to sample.
* *Advanced ticket sales only. No admissions tickets will be sold at the door.
6. Farm Museum – Santa in the Schoolhouse
December 7th & 8th @ 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Welcome home for the holidays with Santa visiting us on select weekends in December. Admission is $10 per family. Please bring your own camera to snap a photo with Santa. Food available for purchase onsite.
December 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, & 22: noon to 4pm only
Mrs. Claus slated to join us Sundays ONLY during this event* (December 1, 8, 15, & 22)
Sundays ONLY Accessibility Info for Santa:
Mr. & Mrs. Claus will have a resource with an AAC (Augmentative & Alternative Communication) program available for whomever needs access to it.
December 1, 8, 15, 21 & 22: Wetzel’s Pretzels To Go is joining us
December 7 & 14: the Sugar Plum Shoppe will be open in the Living History Center selling refreshments ($1 per item) such as cider, hot cocoa and cookies.
*Mrs. Claus will only be joining Santa on Sundays. Santa will be here both Saturdays and Sundays
7. Westminster Symphony Orchestra Concert
December 7 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Linda Kirkpatrick, senior lecturer in music, directs the orchestra, which is composed of McDaniel and Carroll Community College students, as well as music faculty and community musicians. Selections include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 “Eroica” and the premiere of cellist Collin David’s “Hours:24.”
8. A Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas
Saturday, December 7 at 3pm and 6pm
Sunday, December 8 at 6pm
A Holiday Family Favorite
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 always very popular with families as well as discriminating jazz aficionados and is a great way to celebrate the season.
A Charlie Brown Christmas | 1965 | 25m | TV-G
Saddened at the commercialism he sees around him, Charlie Brown tries to find a deeper meaning to Christmas.
A 45-min concert performed by Eric Byrd Trio will follow the screening!
Eric Byrd Trio | Performer’s website
They are winners of The Maryland State Arts Council $10k Independent Artist Award (IAA) for notable artistic achievement. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan bestowed a prestigious Governor’s Citation upon the Trio, “in recognition and celebration of 20 years delighting audiences across the globe.”Their last recording “Twenty” won the 2022 Washington Area Music Award (Wammy) Jazz Recording of the Year. And they are apart of the prestigious Maryland Performing Artist Touring Roster . For over twenty years, The Eric Byrd Trio (EBT) have traveled the world as enthusiastic ambassadors of jazz. Rooted in swing and bebop, The Trio also embraces gospel and the blues as core elements of their expansive performance style. Their body of work spans seven unique studio and live recordings on which they shine as a Trio and as collaborators with an expanded 8-piece ensemble they call The Eric Byrd Trio: Brother Ray Band, in tribute to The Genius of Soul icon Ray Charles. On each recording, they take a rigorous, modern approach to standards as well as original compositions, playing with great acuity within the broad and rich jazz tradition.
They also belong to the Maryland Performing Artist Touring Roster which is a listing of Maryland-based performing artists who are experienced, organized and professional. Artists who are appointed to the Touring Roster have been selected through a peer review process in which they are rated on artistic merit and on a demonstrated history of successful touring engagements. The Maryland Touring Grant is available to eligible Maryland non-profit organizations that may apply for funding to help defray costs associated with presenting artists listed on the Maryland Performing Artist Touring Roster
9. A Main Street Christmas
December 7 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
The Town of Mount Airy will officially ring in the holiday season with its beloved annual event — A Main Street Christmas on Dec. 7. The tree lighting ceremony will start at 5:30 p.m. and parade kicks off at 6:30 p.m.
The Mayor and Town Council along with several specially selected local students will light the Town Christmas tree in the Railyard. Then get ready as the annual holiday parade makes its way down Main Street with nonprofits, local businesses, community organizations and a very special appearance by Santa Claus! The parade starts at Mount Airy Elementary School and runs to Calvary United Methodist Church.
The event is one of the best ways to spread holiday cheer so dress warmly and come join us for A Main Street Christmas!
10. McDaniel Gospel Choir Concert
December 8 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
McDaniel College’s Gospel Choir performs traditional and contemporary gospel music with surprise selections, under the direction of senior adjunct lecturer Shelley Ensor.