Calvert County is Home for the Holidays

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md., -- December 02, 2004 --Once again, the holidays are here and the pace has quickened. Social calendars are filling, there is shopping and baking to do, decorations need to be hung and the list of chores and errands seems to grow daily. In the midst of the whirlwind that is the holiday season, why not pause a moment and enjoy the bounty of celebrations that are offered right here in Calvert County?

Herman Schieke, tourism specialist for the Calvert County Department of Economic Development, says there are a number of fun, frivolous and festive activities to please even the most bah-humbug of holiday revelers. “Calvert County puts on a very good show every December,” he said. “There are so many choices of places to visit and things to do and it’s all happening right here in our backyard.”

Russell Costley, Jim Hook and Cheryl Johnson will present “Education in Calvert County” in the last of the “Calvert History Comes to Life Speaker Series,” one of the 350th Anniversary celebration events. The talk takes place on Tuesday, December 7 at 7:00 p.m. in the Calvert Library in Prince Frederick, Md.

Antiques stores throughout the County are opening their doors and welcoming their friends this month with a Christmas Festival Open House. The Festival offers an opportunity for people to shop for top-quality antiques and unique gifts and chat with proprietors about the history and value of their vintage finds.

“I can think of no better way to celebrate the holidays than with a stroll down memory lane,” said Dale Thomas, owner of Nice and Fleazy Antiques Center in North Beach. “Antiques provide an opportunity to peek into the past and experience craftsmanship, holiday decorations and customs the way they were. Here in North Beach, we’ve had the holiday spirit for weeks and can’t wait to share it with our visitors,” Thomas said.

The 19th Annual Solomons Christmas Walk takes place the weekend of December 10-12. Bundle up for a stroll down Solomons’ candlelit streets, browse unique shops and stop into one of many waterfront restaurants for a cup of holiday cheer or a plate of Southern Maryland’s finest seafood. The spirit runs deep in this quaint waterside village with a home- and business-decorating contest, puppet show, lighted boat parade and a live Nativity scene at Our Lady Star of the Sea church, Calvert County’s oldest Catholic church and parish.

Join the vendors of the Calvert Country Market on Saturday, December 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., for Santa’s Workshop. Make your own ornaments, candy crafts, decorations and polymer clay figures while shopping for the unique gifts and sweet treats that will make your holiday celebrations memorable. Located in the Prince Frederick Shopping Center, at the corner of Routes 231 and 4, the Calvert Country Market offers locally grown fresh produce, ceramics, flowers, baked goods, certified organic products and local crafts.

Finally, pack the car with family and friends and experience the wonder of one-of-a-kind light sculptures and decorations at the annual Garden in Lights drive-through tour of Annmarie Garden in Solomons from December 10 through January 2. The tour is open nightly from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., weather permitting. New this year are themed areas including The Enchanted Forest, The North Pole, Astrological Alley and Ann’s Illuminated Art Gallery, featuring famous paintings re-created in lights. There is a suggested donation of $5.00 per car and anyone donating the full $5.00 receives a pass that allows unlimited visits during the three-week event.

With all these activities, plus Christmas concerts, visits from Santa and New Year’s Eve parties, you may think there’s no time to fit it all in. But Schieke offers some of the best holiday advice available, “Take a deep breath, slow down and savor the holidays with your family and friends – right here at home.”

For more information on the Calvert County, Maryland Department of Economic Development, our visitor sites and attractions and the services available to assist County businesses, call 410.535.4583, 800.331.9771 or 301.855.1880; or send an e-mail to info@ecalvert.com