Ten Must-See Holiday Events & Displays in 2017

December 7, 2017

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Every December the calendar is filled with special holiday festivities in Washington County. All of our quaint towns throughout the county have their own tree lightings and old fashioned Christmas celebrations with plenty of small town tradition and charm. Unique boutiques and holiday pop-up shops offer a multitude of choices to those in search of the perfect present for each person on their list. Here are ten must-see holiday events and displays in Washington County for 2017: 

1. City Park Christmas Tree & Lights - The festive lights display on and around the lake at Hagerstown City Park is fun for the whole family to see! The tree floats in the middle of the lake and the holiday lights display provides a backdrop with items like trees, deer, trains, ornaments and holiday messages. The reflection of the lights off the water adds to its beauty. See the lights every evening throughout the holiday season from Virginia Avenue or Key Street.
2. MSO Home for the Holidays Concert - This year’s annual Maryland Symphony Orchestra (MSO) Home for the Holidays concert is Saturday, December 16 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, December 17 at 3 p.m. This joyful celebration of Christmas features popular holidays songs, both sacred and secular, performed by the MSO and a number of special guests, with a special appearance at the end by the man in the big red suit. The concert is held in downtown Hagerstown’s historic       Maryland Theatre, home of the MSO since 1982. This year’s concert features vocalist Darius de Haas and the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts Choir as well as Hagerstown Choral Arts.
3. A Christmas Experience Dinner and Show at Antietam Recreation - Every year Antietam Recreation puts on a spectacular Christmas show with thousands of lights, picturesque decorations, a homestyle feast and award-winning vocalists and dancers. Prior to the performance, attendees can enjoy the animal stable, live nativity, wagon rides, a bonfire, marshmallow roasting and horse rides. The heartwarming show is the perfect way to celebrate the season with family and friends. Visit the Antietam Recreation website for more information on tickets and showtimes.
4. Christmas at the Roundhouse Museum - There’s something about model trains that bring out the kid in all of us during the holiday season. Christmas at the Roundhouse Museum does just that. The four-level, “O” scale layout was completely rebuilt in 2016 and features diesel and steam trains that travel through a winter wonderland of Christmas villages, bridges and tunnels. The layout is entirely staffed by dedicated volunteers and runs through February 18, 2018. Other year-round exhibits are open throughout the museum as well. The Roundhouse Museum is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (except for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve) from 1-5 p.m.
5. Charlie Brown Christmas & Byron Park Lights - It doesn’t get much more festive than Williamsport’s Byron Park during the holidays. Starting December 1, following the annual Christmas Parade and ceremonial lighting, the park will be aglow for the holiday season with festive light displays. All are welcome to drive through the display every night through January 3. The Charlie Brown Christmas at Springfield Barn features more than 100 decorated Christmas trees, a train display, Buster the Talking Bear, Mr. & Mrs. Santa and more. The Charlie Brown Christmas will be held December 2-3 and 8-10 from 3-8 p.m. as well as December 5 and 7 from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
6. Come Inn for the Holidays - Have you ever wondered what the beautiful inns and bed and breakfasts in Washington County look like all decorated for the holidays? For the first time ever through a self-guided tour format, the public is invited to see several inns, bed and breakfasts and guest houses during Come Inn for the Holidays on Saturday, December 9 from 1-4 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person (plus a small processing fee if purchased online) and allow entry to Antietam Guest House, Inn at Antietam, Jacob Rohrbach Inn, Antietam Lookout Guest Home, Elmwood Farm Bed & Breakfast and Inn BoonsBoro.
7. Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol - It wouldn’t be the holidays without A Christmas Carol! The Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theater & Children’s Theater are performing an original adaptation of this holiday classic. Return to Victorian England for the story of a bitter old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation and redemption following visits by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. Shows are scheduled through December 23 but tickets are already limited! Get yours before they’re sold out!
8. The Nutcracker - The Nutcracker ballet is another holiday tradition for many! Get your tickets now for The City Ballet School and the Western Maryland City Ballet Company’s performance at the Maryland Theatre on December 9 at 7:30 p.m. and December 10 at 3 p.m. Join Clara on her enchanted journey to the land of sweets. Set to Tchaikovsky’s score, The Nutcracker is the perfect way to celebrate the magic of the holiday season with family. This performance features a full cast of more than 100 dancers and enchants with brilliant costume and prop design.
9. Victorian Christmas Tours at the Miller House - The holiday season is a lovely time of year to visit the Miller House Museum in downtown Hagerstown. Victorian Christmas Tours, presented by the Washington County Historical Society, explore Christmases past. Learn about popular Federal and Victorian-period Christmas traditions as you make your way through the exquisitely decorated 1825 brick townhouse. Tours are offered on Saturday afternoons throughout December at 1 p.m. and are limited to 15 people. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the link above.
10. Historic Houses of Worship Tour - The day after Christmas the public is invited to tour houses of worship and other historic sites within a 5-block radius of Hagerstown City Square. The Historic Houses of Worship Tour is a self-guided walking tour with more than 16 participating sites. Each site opens its doors to the public from 4-7 p.m. to showcase their holiday decorations. Shuttle vans are available to transport visitors between tour areas. The event is free and has an inclement weather date of December 27. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see Hagerstown’s historic churches and other sites festively decorated for the holiday season.