Holiday Happenings
Nov. 22-Jan. 5
Garden of Lights
See lights take the form of flowers, cacti, frogs, dragonflies and other flora and fauna at this half-mile walk-through lights display at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton. Warm drinks and light snacks are available to purchase, but no outside food is permitted. montgomeryparks.org
Nov. 23-Dec. 29
Winter City Lights
Faux snow, an eight-lane snow tube slide and a 200-foot-diameter light canopy strung from a 52-foot-tall Christmas tree are highlights of this annual event off Maryland Route 108 in Olney. The event also features a 1.5-mile walk-through lights display and bonfires around which visitors can warm up. Food and beverages are available to purchase, and eventgoers can also try axe throwing for an extra fee. wintercitylights.com
Nov. 29-Dec. 31
Winter Lights Festival
The 3.5-mile drive-through lights display at Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg is an annual draw for its twinkling holiday and winter-themed scenes.
Before the festival opens for drive-through viewing, a series of special events allows spectators to experience it in other ways. At S’more Lights on Nov. 22, visitors can ride a trolley through the lights display, roast marshmallows over campfires to make s’mores and visit with Santa. Runners and walkers can take in the twinkling lights on foot during a 5K sponsored by the Montgomery County Road Runners Club on Nov. 23. At the Sip & Sparkle event on Nov. 24, visitors age 21 and older can taste beer, wine and cider from local breweries and wineries, travel by trolley through the lights display and enjoy live music. On Nov. 25, pups and their parents can attend Walk & Wag, a 1-mile or 3-mile walk through the lights display, which also includes hot beverages (for humans) and pet selfies with Santa in a heated tent. gaithersburgmd.gov
Dec. 1
Silver Spring Christmas Market and Holiday Craft Fair
This event in Silver Spring’s Veterans Plaza promises a festive shopping experience, with vendors and artists selling handmade items and unique gifts, as well as food and holiday desserts. silverspringdowntown.com
Dec. 7
Winter Wonderland
Downtown Bethesda celebrates the season with an afternoon of ice-carving, a concert of holiday music by local school groups, face painting, arts and crafts, and a visit from Santa. The event, on Norfolk and Cordell avenues, is free, and food will be available to purchase. bethesda.org
Dec. 13
Takoma Park Gift Market
You can have your fortune told, your hair trimmed, and your holiday shopping list checked off at this Takoma Park event that features tarot card readings by Spacecraft Tarot, a pop-up “bang bar” by Scissor and Comb Salon, and handmade gifts for sale by local vendors. mainstreettakoma.org
Dec. 30
Chanukah Fire Truck Parade
A giant menorah mounted on a fire engine leads the way in this mobile Hanukkah party. With sirens blaring, a caravan of emergency vehicles stops in several Rockville and Gaithersburg neighborhoods, including Fallsgrove, Crown Farm and the Kentlands, before ending with a menorah lighting and party at Simcha Educational Center in Gaithersburg. ourshul.org/chanukahparade
MUSIC
Nov. 7
Ha*Ash
Sisters Hanna Nicole and Ashley Grace cite their Mexican heritage and southern U.S. roots as influences, as well as artists including Shania Twain, The Chicks and Loretta Lynn. The pop duo stops by The Fillmore Silver Spring. fillmoresilverspring.com
Nov. 9
Dwele
The R&B singer might be best known for his appearance on Ye’s (Kanye West) track “Flashing Lights,” but the Detroit native is a multitalented musician in his own right, playing several instruments as well as rapping, singing and producing. He will bring his blend of neo-soul, jazz and hip-hop to Bethesda Theater. bethesdatheater.com
Nov. 10
Pepe Romero
A legend in classical and traditional flamenco guitar, Romero has recorded dozens of albums and performed with symphony orchestras worldwide. His concert at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring is billed as a birthday celebration—the guitarist and composer turned 80 earlier this year. marlowguitar.org/mgs
Nov. 13
Senses Fail and Saves the Day
Sometimes labeled emo, sometimes pop-punk, these New Jersey bands co-headline a show at The Fillmore Silver Spring. Marking 20 years since its release, Senses Fail will perform the group’s debut album, Let It Enfold You. Saves the Day will perform its 1999 sophomore album, Through Being Cool. fillmoresilverspring.com
Nov. 21
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
Known for its quick lyrical flow and harmonic rapping style, the ’90s-era hip-hop group won a Grammy Award in 1997 for its hit song “Tha Crossroads” and has also collaborated with hip-hop superstars and rivals Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. The group is slated to appear at The Fillmore Silver Spring. fillmoresilverspring.com
Nov. 22
Lush Life: Ellington and Strayhorn
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra presents orchestral arrangements of jazz standards by Duke Ellington and frequent collaborator Billy Strayhorn. The two worked together on classics including “Take the A Train” and “Satin Doll.” Actor and conductor Damon Gupton, who had roles in the films Whiplash and La La Land, leads the program at The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, celebrating Ellington’s 125th birthday. bsomusic.org
Dec. 12
Indigo Girls
Emily Saliers and Amy Ray’s single “Closer to Fine,” which came from their eponymous second album, saw a resurgence in popularity after its inclusion in the 2023 blockbuster Barbie movie. Expect soulful songs, pretty harmonies and tunes from their latest album, Look Long, when the folk duo plays at The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda. strathmore.org
Community Events
Nov. 2-3
Old Line Market
Shop holiday, garden and home decor from vintage and artisan vendors at Aix La Chapelle Farm in Poolesville. Food trucks will be on-site, and beverages from local breweries also will be available. aixlachapellefarm.com/events
Nov. 3
Rockville 10K/5K
Run through the streets of King Farm in this annual race organized by the city of Rockville and the Montgomery County Road Runners Club. rockville10k5k.com
Nov. 11
Veterans Day Observances
Join city officials and members of veterans groups in honoring the service of military personnel at the City Hall Concert Pavilion in Gaithersburg. The ceremony includes speeches, music and a wreath-laying. gaithersburgmd.gov
Rockville marks the holiday with a wreath-laying ceremony and 21-gun salute at Veterans Park. rockvillemd.gov/668/veterans-day
Nov. 28
Turkey Chase Charity Race
Thousands gather for this Thanksgiving-morning run that raises money for the YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rotary to support children’s programs in the community. You can participate in a 10K run or 2-mile walk/run. Both start at the YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase and wind through Bethesda neighborhoods. Or choose from several virtual options, including a swim or bike ride. turkeychase.com
Theater
Nov. 29-Dec. 29
A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas
Almost entirely faithful to Charles Dickens’ original text, the one-person version of the holiday tale usually features actor Paul Morella playing every part. However, Michael Russotto will be taking the place of Morella in this year’s edition due to a medical issue. Morella is anticipated to return in 2025. The show at Olney Theatre Center has been a tradition since 2009. olneytheatre.org
Nov. 29-Dec. 15
The Rules for Writing Christmas Cards
Confused about Christmas card etiquette? Through a series of sketches, this comedic show by Best Medicine Rep at the Arts Barn in Gaithersburg enacts what not to do in your holiday correspondences while a narrator explains how to correct the faux pas. gaithersburgmd.gov
DANCE
Dec. 20-23 and 26
The Nutcracker
Visions of sugar plums dance across the stage in this production of the Tchaikovsky holiday classic staged by Maryland Youth Ballet at the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center in Rockville. Students from the Silver Spring dance school play all the parts, from the youngest cast as mice to the oldest in the leading roles of Sugar Plum Fairy, Flower Queen and Ice Queen. The Mini-Nut, an abbreviated version of the show that’s geared toward younger audiences, will be performed on Dec. 7 and 8 at Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring. marylandyouthballet.org/performances
Five fun Thanksgiving parade facts
The Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade in Silver Spring steps off at 10 a.m. on Nov. 16 at the intersection of Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street and proceeds down Georgia Avenue before ending at Silver Spring Avenue. Here are fun facts about the event from the organizer, the Silver Spring Arts and Entertainment District.
1. It’s older than Titanic
The parade started in 1997 (roughly a month before the blockbuster film was released) with the goal of bringing people into downtown Silver Spring.
2. There used to be giant balloons—until one popped
More than a decade ago, the parade featured large helium balloon characters, like those in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. But after streetlights on Georgia Avenue were replaced with poles that had long arms stretching over the road, a balloon was caught, punctured and deflated. Now, the parade features several 12- to 15-foot-tall inflatable characters.
3. Monty the penguin makes an appearance
Among the many costumed characters that march in the parade is Monty the penguin. Silver Spring’s unofficial mascot comes from Sally Callmer Thompson’s whimsical mural outside the Silver Spring Metro station, “Penguin Rush Hour,” depicting a mad dash of penguins going through a Metro turnstile. The official mascot is an acorn.
4. The cast numbers more than a thousand
Approximately 1,500 people participate in the parade’s 130 units, including folks in marching bands, dance groups, scout troops, recreation clubs and other community groups.
5. Georgia Avenue is the best viewing spot
Insiders know the best parade peeping is along Georgia Avenue near the end of the route. It is less crowded, and groups that throw candy often distribute the remainder of their load just before the parade ends.
This story appears in the November/December 2024 issue of Bethesda Magazine.
