INDOOR PLAYGROUND IDEAS
Date: OPEN DAILY
Time: ALL DAY
Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGH OUT SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Details: SEE INDOOR PLAY GUIDE LINK
Event Type: INDOOR PLAY
Age Group: All Ages
Cost: VARIES
Registration: Drop-In
Date: Every Tuesday & Thursday
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Sky Zone Trampoline Park, Crain Highway, White Plains, MD
Details: Toddler Time is a great shared experience for child and parent. A time for your little ones to discover the joy of being active, bouncing under the supervision of their parents, and without interference from the big kids. Visit their website or Facebook Page to find out about special seasonal Toddler Time Events
Event Type: Parent/child
Age Group: Walking to 5 years old
Registration: Walk-in welcome!
Cost: $10 Toddler, $8 Additional Toddler, $7 Parent
Information: SKYZONE TODDLER TIME LINK
SANTAS WONDERLAND- BASS PRO SHOP
Date: November 17, 2018- December 24, 2018
Time: All Day
Location: Bass Pro Shop- Arundel Mills Mall
Details: Have your photo taken with Santa and get a FREE 4×6 print-off, participate in FREE activities such as crafts, toy testing, writing letters to Santa and more.
Event Type: Holiday Family
Age Group: All Ages
Cost: FREE
Date: Most Tuesday’s & Thursday’s (Always Check first)
Time: 11:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Location: Pump it Up Waldorf
Details: Vome enjoy a special open jump available for children and parents that home school. Come join us at Pump It Up for a few hours of jumping, socialization, and creative time. Be sure to call ahead!
PURE PLAY – LA PLATA
Date: Tuesday, December 13, 2018
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: CCPL / La Plata Branch
Description: Play is an important part of a child’s growth and development. Join us for this session of unstructured play time where we’ll provide the tools for your child to explore their creativity and use their imagination.
Event Type: Library
Age Group: Recommended for ages 3-9.
Registration: Tickets are required and will be issued starting 1 hour before the program starts. Tickets will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.
Cost: FREE
LEISURE (CHILDREN’S) POOL HOURS
Weekend Hours: Saturday 12:00pm – 9:00pm, Sunday 8:00am – 8:00pm
Weekly hours: Monday – Friday 12:00pm – 9:00pm, Saturday 12:00pm – 9:00pm, Sunday 8:00am – 8:00pm
Location: Edward T Hall Aquatic Center, Prince Frederick, MD
Details: Enjoy this special children’s pool that features a zero depth entry up to 3 feet depth heated pool with slides, climbing features, and water drop buckets.
**Leisure pool will close from 4:00pm – 7:00pm for swim lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays**
Website: http://www.co.cal.md.us/index.aspx?nid=397
Playful Parent Guide:https://theplayfulparent.org/2017/01/22/edward-t-hall-aquatic-center-our-little-trip-to-paradise/
CHRISTMAS DOLLS AND TRAINS EXHIBIT AT ST CLEMENTS
Date: December 1-January 1 (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.
BUSCH GARDENS CHRISTMAS TOWN
Date: November 17, 2018 -January 5, 2019 (WEEKENDS ONLY UNTIL DEC 9)
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
41TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS AT THE MORMON TEMPLE
Date: November 29, 2018 – January 1, 2019
Place: Washington, D.C., Temple, 9900 Stoneybrook Drive, Kensington, Maryland
Price: Free
Information: The Festival of Lights is one of the D.C. area’s great community traditions. Beginning December 1st, the Festival features free performances nightly in the comfortable, state-of-the-art theater located in the Visitors’ Center. A different performing artist or group is showcased each night, including bell ensembles, choirs, orchestras, and more! Each performance is presented twice nightly.
ZOO LIGHTS
Date: November 23, 2018 to January 1 (except Dec. 24, 25 and 31) 5-9 PM
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!
WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS AT WATKINS REGIONAL PARK
Date: November 23, 2018-January 1, 2019 (5-9:30 pm)
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.
LIGHTS ON THE BAY
Date: November 17, 2018 – January 1, 2019 (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.
FIRE TRUCK SANTA RUN- MECHANICSVILLE
Date: December 1-21, 2018
Time: 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Streets around Mechanicsville
Details: See flier for printable schedule
The Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad will be bringing Santa Claus into your Neighborhood through the dates of December 1 to December 21. Santa will be riding on the biggest and brightest Fire Engine we have. An Ambulance will occasionally lead, playing Christmas songs on their PA system.
Santa Runs will begin between 5:30 – 6:30 PM and may last up until 9:00 PM. We ask that if you live in a small court or cul-de-sac, please come to the road that intersects your street when you hear music and sirens. Our crews will cover as many streets within the subdivisions as possible.
Please check the following schedule to see if Santa Claus will be available in your subdivision. Unfortunately, we are not able to cover every street and road in our first due area.
If you have any questions, please contact Station 2 at (301) 884-4709 or click here to e-mail us. On behalf of the Officers and Members of the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department, we thank you for your support and wish everyone a very Safe and Merry
Event Type: Santa Sighting
Age Group: All Ages
Cost: FREE
BULL RUN FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Date: November 21, 2018 -January 6, 2019 *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).
SYMPHONY OF LIGHTS
Date: November 22, 2018 -January 1, 2019 Wednesday thru Sunday (6 PM-10PM)
Place: Symphony Woods at Merriweather Park, Columbia, Maryland
Price: Wed.-Fri. and Sun. $20, Sat. $25 (cash only)
Information: The Symphony of Lights is a time-honored Howard County holiday tradition. This family-oriented spectacular is a dazzling display of more than 100 larger-than-life animated and stationary holiday light creations, made up of more than 250,000 bulbs. Proceeds from the event benefit Howard County General Hospital. Lots of new elements this year to include: new course design, new displays, 100% LED lighting, laser show.
AWARD WINNING ANNMARIE GARDENS IN LIGHTS
Date: November 30, 2018 – January 1, 2019 Nightly (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.
See Full Schedule for specials and entertaining events:
BROOKESIDE GARDENS GARDEN OF LIGHTS
Date: November 16, 2018 – January 1 *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.
Date: 1ST & 3RD SATURDAYS
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:45 PM
Location: James E.Richmond Science Center
Description: James E. Richmond Science Center previews a full dome show every 1ST & 3RD Saturday.
Doors Open» 6:00 p.m.
Fulldome Show» 6:45 p.m.
Exploration Stations» 6:00 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
Doors Open» 9:00 a.m.
Fulldome Shows» 9:30 a.m. | 10:45 a.m. | 12:00 p.m.
Exploration Stations» 9:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Event Type: Family
Age Group(s): All Ages
Cost: Tickets $8 per person (Ages 4-Up), 3 & under free
Registration: Purchase tickets online
FREE PERFORMANCES EVERYDAY- KENNEDY CENTER
Date: Monday – Friday
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Kennedy Center- Millenium Stage
Details: See link for schedule of performances. Different musicians, actors, singers and dances each night.
Event Type: Performance/Concert
Age Group: All Ages
Cost: FREE
Registration: No Ticket RequiredMILLENIUM STAGE EVENT LINK
CHRISTMAS BELLS
Date/ Time:
Performances run November 30 – December 16
Thursdays – Saturdays at 8PM
Sundays at 3:30 PM
Lobby doors open 1 hour prior to the show.
Location: Newtowne Players
Details: It’s Christmas-time in the small town of Fayro, Texas, and the church Christmas program spins hilariously out of control in this Southern farce about squabbling sisters, family secrets, a surly Santa, a vengeful sheep and a reluctant Elvis impersonator. Their hilarious holiday journey through a misadventure-filled Christmas Eve is guaranteed to bring joy to your world!
Tickets are now available on our website at www.newtowneplayers.org/tickets
Adults $15
Seniors/Students/Military $12
Children $10
Group rates are available, contact tickets@newtowneplayers.org
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