“Here Comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus right down Santa Claus Lane!” It almost seems to early to be posting about the holiday’s; however, Thanksgiving is tomorrow and Christmas is less than a month away? Every year I write a spectacular list of holiday festivals, events, lights displays and Santa sightings for Southern Maryland Family’s… and here this years is! Happy Holidays from The Playful Parent!
SPECTACULAR HOLIDAY DISPLAYS
AWARD WINNING ANNMARIE GARDENS IN LIGHTS
Date: November 29, 2019 – January 1, 20120 (6-9 PM ) *Closed 12/3, 12/4, 12/24, 12/25*
Place: Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, Solomons
Price: $7 for ages 3 and over, FREE for kids 2 and under.
Information: Walk through the wooded path and enjoy lighted vignettes of famous people, places and works of art. Look for hidden treasures in the trees and green shamrocks in each vignette.
BROOKESIDE GARDENS GARDEN OF LIGHTS
Date: November 22, 2019 – December 31 *Closed Christmas Eve & Christmas*
Place: Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, Maryland
Price: $25 per vehicle Sun.-Thurs.; $30 per vehicle Fri.-Sat.
Information: Walk thru this beautiful display of holiday lights that features more than a million colorful lights. Following your walk among the lights, warm up inside the Conservatory and enjoy a colorful display of holiday poinsettias, flowering plants and evergreens.
BULL RUN FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Date: November 22, 2019 to January 5, 2020 *Closed Christmas Eve & Christmas*
Place: 7700 Bull Run Dr, Centreville, VA 20121
Price: $20-$25 Depending on what night you go.
Information: Every year from Thanksgiving until just after New Year’s Day, you can experience the Bull Run Festival of Lights, 2.5 miles illuminated by holiday light displays. Drive the festival route from the comfort of your car; turn out your headlights and just follow the magical glow. After viewing the lights, bring your family and friends to the holiday village to enjoy rides, refreshments, and of course, photos with Santa Claus (holiday village open select nights). The festival happens annually at Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville, Virginia. Monday – Thursday 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday – Sunday and Holidays 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (Holidays include November 23, December 24, 25, 31, and January 1).
BUSCH GARDENS CHRISTMAS TOWN
Date: November 16, 2019 -January 5, 2019
Place: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA
Price: Cost of Admission to park/ FREE to Season Pass Holders
Information: Christmas shines brightest at Busch Gardens Christmas Town in Williamsburg, Virginia. The world’s most beautiful theme park is aglow with over 8 million Christmas lights, making it the largest Christmas light display in North America. Enjoy kid-friendly, thrill rides, merry entertainment and dining options. Stay warm with a mug of the park’s signature peppermint fudge hot chocolate, meet Santa Claus in the North Pole and capture an unforgettable memory with a Christmas photo. Most of all, enjoy this most wonderful time of year with friends and family. CHRISTMAS TOWN PLAYFUL PARENT GUIDE
CHRISTMAS DOLLS AND TRAINS EXHIBIT AT ST CLEMENTS
Date: December 1, 2019 – January 5, 2020 (12:00 PM – 4:00 PM) *Closed Christmas Eve & Christmas*
Place: St. Clements Island Museum, 38370 Point Breeze Road, Coltons Point, MD
Price: $3 Adults/ $1.50 Children 6 – 18, FREE Children 5 and under.
Information: Exhibits will feature special doll collections from the Black-eyed Susan and Southern Maryland Doll Clubs. Dolls will be arranged to depict Christmas scenes and vignettes of Chesapeake coastal living in the early 20th century.
CHRISTMAS ON THE POTOMAC
Date: November 15, 2019 – December 30, 2019
Place: National Harbor
Price: FREE
Information: Enjoy the region’s most beautiful Christmas decorations. With thousands of twinkling lights and a 55-foot tall Starlight Christmas tree suspended over our indoor garden atrium, you’ll be filled with holiday cheer. Extras such as: ICE display, train rides and Build A Bear have a fee.
ENCHANT DC
Date: November 22, 2019 – December 29, 2019 (5PM – 9PM) *Closed Christmas*
Place: National Park – Washington, DC
Price: Admission $
Information: Unwrap new traditions and make memories big and small as you wind your way through a luminescent land of beautiful arches, larger-than-life sculptures and decadent delights. Welcome to Enchant. Where magical memories are made.
FLAT IRON FARM CHRISTMAS
Date: November 28, 2019 – December 24, 2019 (5PM – 9PM) *Closed Christmas*
Place: 45850 Flat Iron Farm, Great Mills, MD
Price: FREE
Information: Enjoy a drive-through lights display that the whole family will enjoy. The lights display is free, additional cost for pictures with Santa and pony rides.
LIGHTS ON THE BAY
Date: November 24, 2019 – January 1, 2020 (5pm – 10pm) *Including holidays*
Place: Sandy Point State Park
Price: $15 Per Car
Information: Head to Sandy Point State Park from November 19th to January 1st. Not only will you see Christmas lights, but 3D glasses are available to make your experience even more amazing.
SIX FLAGS HOLIDAY IN THE PARK
Date: November 2019- January 1, 2020
Place: 13710 Central Ave, Upper Marlboro, MD
Price: Park Admission
Information: This dazzling, winter spectacular will make your holiday shine with more than a million glittering lights, holiday entertainment, delicious seasonal treats, visits with Santa and theme park rides! PLAYFUL PARENT GUIDE
WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS AT WATKINS REGIONAL PARK
Date: November 29, 2019-January 1, 2020
Place: Watkins Regional Park, 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Price: Tickets range from $5 per car or van to $30 per bus, see website for details.
Information: Join in celebrating the 30th anniversary of Watkins Park’s Winter Festival of Lights by driving thru a spectacular holiday display of more than one million lights and one of the tallest tree displays in Maryland. Participants are encouraged to bring a canned or nonperishable good to be donated to a local food bank.
WINTERFEST- KINGS DOMINION
Date: November 2019- January 1, 2020
Place: 13710 Central Ave, Upper Marlboro, MD
Price: Park Admission
Information: This dazzling, winter spectacular will make your holiday shine with more than a million glittering lights, holiday entertainment, delicious seasonal treats, visits with Santa and theme park rides! PLAYFUL PARENT GUIDE
ZOO LIGHTS
Date: November 29, 2019 to January 1, 2020 (Except Christmas Eve & Christmas)
Place: Smithsonian’s National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington DC
Price: Free admission
Information: Join the thousands of visitors who make ZooLights a part of their annual holiday tradition. A free event, ZooLights includes live music performances, tasty winter treats, and plenty of opportunities for holiday shopping. More than 500,000 environmentally-friendly LED lights transform the Zoo into a winter wonderland complete with a dazzling light show set to music!
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT SANTA RUNS
One of the things my boys look forward to every year around the holiday season is seeing Santa drive past our house on a fire truck! The following Fire Departments host a Santa run schedule each year. The dates and times have been announced!!! Keep in mind inclement weather and emergencies can cause delays or schedule changes. If your not sure which schedule your neighborhood follows check this map: Charles County Map
The following Volunteer Fire Departments schedule are up….
BEL ALTON- SCHEDULE LINK
2019 Santa Run will be Friday December 20th starting at 5pm in Bel Alton Estates and ending with Sodus Manor off of South Faulkner Road. Only one night this year.
BENEDICT VFD- SCHEDULE LINK
BRANDYWINE VFD- SCHEDULE LINK
Brandywine will host their Santa Run through neighborhoods December 14th & December 21st. See their Facebook post for details.
BRYANS ROAD- SCHEDULE LINK
Santa was due to drive around neighborhoods December 13th & 14th. Due to rain, that has been moved to Dec 14th & 15th. Check their page for details!
COBB ISLAND- SCHEDULE LINK
***Tentatively set for the Sunday before Christmas (Dec 22), will post schedule soon.***
DENTSVILLE- SCHEDULE LINK
Dentsville is scheduled for December 22 & 23!
HUGHESVILLE- SCHEDULE LINK
***Will not host a Santa Run This year.***
INDIAN HEAD 10TH DISTRICT- SCHEDULE LINK
LAPLATA VFD – Link
The La Plata VFD does an amazing job communicating with residents about their Santa Run schedule. They will be out Friday’s & Saturday’s Dec 6-21. Due to rain on Dec 13-14 Sunday 15th will be a makeup day!
MECHANICSVILLE VFD- SCHEDULE LINK
The Santa run for Mechanicsville is very detailed. Click on the link for details! December 13th run rescheduled to December 18th due to rain!
NANJEMOY VFD- SCHEDULE LINK
NEWBURG VFD- SCHEDULE LINK
POTOMAC HEIGHTS & INDIAN HEAD VFDRS USUALLY PARTNER TO ESCORT SANTA SCHEDULE LINK
TENTH DISTRICT VFD
WALDORF VFD COMPANY 3- SCHEDULE LINK
Please see page for full list and details. Santa Runs start December 10th and go through December 23rd. Inclement weather December 13th will result in schedule change for Gleneagle and Sheffield.
WESTLAKE STATION 12- SCHEDULE LINK
***Santa Claus runs are being developed and updated as frequently as possible. Remember emergency calls take priority over Santa runs.***
SANTA BREAKFASTS
This is a list of the all Breakfasts with Santa happening in our area. I will continue to add to this list and keep it updated. Please see the calendar for detailed information, event links, etc. Keep in mind that some of these require a reservation be sure to check out details before attending.
WINTER EVENTS
This is a list of the all the holiday festivals and events discovered in our area. I will continue to add to this list and keep it updated. Some of these events are weather contingent so always check event sites before attending. The best way to stay up to date with planning your family fun is by using the calendar for detailed information, event links, etc.
CRAFTS & STORY TIMES
This is a list of the all the craft and story times discovered in our area. I will continue to add to this list and keep it updated. Some of these events are weather contingent so always check event sites before attending. The best way to stay up to date with planning your family fun is by using the calendar for detailed information, event links, etc.
***THANK YOU***
Thank you for following The Playful Parent. All Information in this article is my own non-biased opinion. The Playful Parent is not paid to endorses organizations. All content is property of The Playful Parent. I hope that the resources continue to help and bless your family. From our family to yours… Happy Holidays!
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