Tree Lightings, Holiday Festivals, Concerts And Celebrations Abound In Columbia

COLUMBIA, MD — With Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa festivities filling the December calendar, the problem may be deciding which events in Howard County to attend.

Outside these religious and cultural celebrations, there are plenty of holiday light shows, parades, fairs and festivals to attend in Howard County. Here are some to consider:

• Nov. 21 - Merriweather District Tree Lighting, Holiday Market and Ice Rink Opening
• Nov. 28 - Jan. 3 - Merriweather Symphony of Lights
• Nov. 28 - Jan. 4 - B&O Ellicott City Station Museum Holiday Train Garden
• Nov. 29 - Dec. 21 - Savage Mill Yuletide Festival
• Dec. 5 - Old Ellicott City's Midnight Madness Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony & Visit From Santa
• Dec. 6 - 53rd Annual Holiday Mart Show
• Dec. 6 - Bollman Bridge Lighting
• Dec. 13 - Clarksville Commons Holiday Market
• Dec. 13 - Frozen Fest With a Visit From Santa
• Dec. 15-17 - The Collective Encore's Holly Jolly Holiday Spectacular
• Dec. 20 - Holiday Pops

As you plan your calendar, here are some key dates to consider:

• Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods, begins at sundown on Dec. 14 and continues until sundown on Dec. 22. The dates vary every year.

• Christmas, of course, is always Dec. 25.

• Kwanzaa, a weeklong celebration primarily held in the United States to honor African heritage and African-American culture, is observed from Dec. 26-Jan. 1, culminating with gift-giving and a lavish feast. The dates of this holiday do not change.