Sam Buchanan credits hometown for musical theater career
Courtesy photo
Sam Buchanan wicked.jpg
MIDDLETOWN DANCER IS IN “WICKED”
The yellow brick road has led Sam Buchanan to some remarkable stages since he left Middletown High School in 2017, but none quite as meaningful as the one he’ll stand on in Baltimore this month. The 26-year-old ensemble member in the touring production of “Wicked” will perform at the Hippodrome Theatre from Dec. 17 through Jan. 11, bringing the blockbuster musical within reach of the Frederick County community that shaped his career. Buchanan credits his foundation to the Dee Buchanan Studio of Dance, run by his mother in Middletown, and to Susan Thornton, the legendary MHS theater director who saw potential in a seventhgrader who showed up because “they needed more boys.” Now he’s one of the “Lifters” in the ensemble, hoisting fellow dancers aloft while portraying everyone from munchkins to flying monkeys in the show.
SCOTT AMBUSH BRINGS THE JAZZ HOME
When a musician has spent decades touring globally with Spyro Gyra, local performances might seem like small potatoes. But for Scott Ambush, who takes the stage at Rockwell Brewery on Dec. 12, these Frederick shows represent something different entirely: freedom. The composer and bassist describes his sound as “eclectic instrumental music,” though that undersells the genre-hopping complexity of what he and his band deliver. Growing up immersed in rock, R&B and funk, Ambush approaches jazz improvisation as a starting point rather than a boundary. The result is a sound that shifts and morphs throughout a set, with covers reimagined beyond recognition. When January rolls around, Ambush will be at Blues Alley in D.C. alongside acclaimed keyboardist Brian Simpson, but Dec. 12 belongs to Frederick.
MUSEUMS OPEN THEIR DOORS
On Dec. 13, more than 25 historic sites across Frederick County will fling open their doors for Museums by Candlelight, a tradition that stretches back to December 1988 and has steadily expanded from a city-only affair to a countywide celebration. What began with Frederick museums alone now encompasses sites from Emmitsburg to Middletown to Burkittsville, offering free admission and special programming from noon through 7 p.m. For Jody Brumage, archivist at Heritage Frederick, this event is personal. Twenty-five years ago, he visited these sites as a child during Museums by Candlelight, and those early encounters with local history ultimately led to his career. Now he opens the museum doors himself, watching families return year after year to make ornaments at the South Mountain Heritage Society in Burkittsville, building collections that span multiple Christmases. Regional maps in event materials help with planning, and many downtown Frederick sites remain open until 7 p.m., giving people time to transition from towns throughout the county to locations in the city.
ARTS FUNDING FLOWS TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
The Frederick Arts Council has awarded Community Arts Development grants to 21 arts organizations and programs throughout Frederick County. Among the recipients are the African Americans of Excellence, Calvary United Methodist Concert Series, City Youth Matrix, Choral Arts Society of Frederick, Downtown Frederick Partnership, Emmitsburg Community Chorus, Endangered Species Theatre Project, Frederick Book Arts Center, Frederick Community College Music Program, Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra, HARPS Foundation, Maryland Ensemble Theatre, National String Symphonia, Other Voices, Spires Brass Band, The Delaplaine Arts Center, The Frederick Children’s Chorus, The Frederick Chorale, The Global Z Recording Project, Transformative Arts Project and the Weinberg Center for the Arts. The grants, supported by the Maryland State Arts Council, are evaluated by a committee that includes representatives from the Frederick Arts Council staff and board, as well as members of the local creative community. We extend a big congrats to grant awardees!
Meet Bob & Freddie. When it comes to local businesses, businesspeople and organizations in Frederick, they know best. Here is a personal interview with a 2025 Best of the Best winner or finalist about why they love what they do, helping those they serve and working in Frederick.
Manalu Italian Restaurant
2025 WINNER FOR BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT
BOB HISTORY
2018-2025 –Winner, Italian Restaurant 2022-2025 – Finalist, Fine Dining
2023 – Finalist, Restaurant Wine List
2021-2025 –Finalist, Restaurant Service
2021-2023 –Finalist, Overall Restaurant
2020 – Winner, Pasta 2019 – Finalist, Restaurant Service 2017 – Finalist, Italian Restaurant
WHEN DID YOUR BUSINESS OPEN IN FREDERICK?
We opened in 2014. Our goal is to bring a taste of Italy and a touch of Naples in the town, by serving authentic italian food and the original Pizza Napoletana cooked in our brick oven. The traditional italian cooking in a true and warm family atmosphere.
WHAT SETS YOUR BUSINESS APART?
We have authentic Italian cuisine. We are from Naples and used to having fresh seafood, and that’s what we will have
here. We bring a touch of Italy to Frederick. Italian pizza was born in Naples. We have a brick oven, which came from Italy, to do pizza. The decor is authentic from Italy, from the floors to the colors on the wall. I like to know if something is wrong, I want the customer to tell me if something is good or bad, whether it is a server or food.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS GOING INTO BUSINESS?
The only advice I’ll give out is ... you must love what you do.
MUSIC Trinity’s Children gives the community a life-saving message and the ‘sound of hope’
BY ERIN JONES
Special to The News-Post
With three little words, Trinity Ripley had the power to change the course of the entire evening. Her friends might be piled on the couch watching TV or just hanging out when sudden inspiration struck.
“Come along, children!” Trinity would announce and head for the front door with a jingle of her keys. Without question, the teens would follow.
“She just marched out the door and climbed in her car. All of her friends just followed along, climbed in the car, and they went off on some adventure,” her father, Vaughn Ripley, remembers. “They never knew where they were going to go, but they went anyway, because they knew it was going to be something fun.”
But in mid-December 2023, 18-yearold Trinity, who had graduated Brunswick High School earlier that year, wasn’t feeling well. In pain from an infection but resisting her mother’s suggestions that she visit the doctor, she instead sought relief in over-the-counter pain relievers, initially consulting with her mother which one she should take. Her boyfriend at the time advised her to take something stronger, an opioid pain reliever, for which she did not have a prescription.
Later, when they gained access to her phone, the Ripleys said they could see that she had adamantly resisted at first. Her parents had warned her in no uncertain terms against taking pills without a prescription. But at some point, she did take a pill, which she believed to be a Percocet. It contained a lethal dose of fentanyl. She died from an overdose at 2 a.m. Dec. 13.
Even in their profound grief, the Ripleys embarked on a mission to spread awareness and to equip families with the knowledge and resources to prevent future tragedies. They formed Trinity’s Children, a nonprofit named in honor of the whimsical rally cry with which she once gathered her friends.
On Dec. 13, Trinity’s Children will host a concert at Smoketown Brewery in Brunswick, where the family is based, to not only celebrate Trinity’s life but further the reach of the nonprofit’s work. The Sound of Hope: Overdose Awareness Concert will feature performances by Ripley’s own band, No Politics, as well as the Let There Be Rock School and Nicholas Paré & The JAGS (Nicholas Paré is the son of Bob Paré, of the band Kix).
wrecked, too. We had to step up and try to be a support system, and that’s the toughest thing in the world — when you are in extreme grief but realize that you need to be a support system for other people as well.”
The Ripleys felt an urgency to spread awareness of the scope of the danger presented by fentanyl.
The year that Trinity died, over 72,000 people in the United States died from overdosing on illegally manufactured fentanyls (IMF).
“I’ve learned through the years that I can heal some of my pain by helping others, and so that’s where it really started from,” Ripley said.
Trinity’s Children tackles the opioid crisis with what Ripley calls a “threepronged approach.”
The first goal of Trinity’s Children is to spread awareness.
Smoketown Brewery will host in their newly renovated upstairs. The brewery has donated the use of the venue in a show of their support.
Staff from Phoenix Recovery Academy will be speaking at the event, as well. The private school based on Church Street in downtown Frederick is the only recovery high school in Maryland and is part of the Association of Recovery Schools network. In addition to the academic program, the school provides support and accountability to aid in the recovery process. The students also benefit from being in a school community among peers with a shared experience.
“There’s nothing more powerful than peer-to-peer [support],” said executive director Heather Whitcomb. “They’re there with people all day long who are experiencing the same types of struggles. They’re working alongside our peer support specialist who’s been in those struggles and now has overcome a lot of what these kids are still struggling with.”’
In fact, Xavier LaMay, the school’s peer support specialist, is also a 2024 graduate of the program and became the youngest peer support specialist certified in the state of Maryland. He will be speaking at the event, along with Whitcomb, who plans to highlight some of the resources available to parents and teens.
While the school is designed to keep class sizes small, Whitcomb says they have not turned anyone away for financial barriers.
“I want everyone in the community to know that if your child’s struggling, I don’t care if you’re on Medicaid, if you just lost your job, if you’re home taking care of your kid because you’re afraid to let them out of your sight … we’re not going to hold anyone back from this resource attending our school because of finances,” Whitcomb said.
Trinity’s Children is working with the school toward creating a scholarship in Trinity’s name to offset the cost of tuition for students in need. The venture is one of the many ways the concert will honor Trinity’s life.
“We want to make it a celebration,” Ripley said. “This is not a mourning of Trinity. This is not going to be the twoyear anniversary mourning. This is going to be a celebration of Trinity’s life and the legacy that she’s left.”
Trinity loved games, gymnastics and having fun. She loved animals like her snake, Mello Yello, and she was also a talented pianist. And, as mentioned, she loved taking her friends on adventures.
Trinity’s death left her circle devastated.
“Her friends were wrecked, rightfully so,” Ripley said. “But my family was
“There’s parents out there, just like us. We consider ourselves good parents and there’s millions of other good parents out there that are having to face this because they have young teens. … We want to share our story so that maybe you don’t have to go through this, or that you’ll be better equipped to handle this.”
In addition to reaching parents, Ripley draws on his motivational speaking background to speak to teens as well — prong two. Ripley recognizes that teens may be more receptive to Trinity’s story than a warning from their parents. In one demonstration, he asks the teens to compare photos and try to spot a fake pill among real pharmaceutical pills.
“Every time, they get at least one wrong, and when they do, we tell them that could mean you’re dead. That’s how real this situation is. You’re playing a game with guessing, and even if they appear real, they can kill you,” Ripley said.
Fentanyl is particularly deadly because a very small dose can be lethal. A vivid picture on the DEA’s website shows a lethal dose of the substance fitting on the tip of a pencil. Due to the use of pill presses used to counterfeit the appearance of pills like Percocet, Adderall and even Benadryl, a pill can appear identical while containing a lethal dose of fentanyl.
“There’s a chance that there’s fentanyl in there,” Ripley said. “Anything you’re not getting as a prescription, there’s a chance.”
In addition to spreading awareness, Trinity’s Children also works to support those families who have already experienced loss due to overdose. They work
Courtesy photo
The Ripley family: Trinity, brother Xander, and parents Vaughn and Kristine.
to provide resources to support grieving families and loved ones process the tragedy and move forward.
“Another part of grief care is helping people to understand that the past is the past … and it’s a horrible thing, but that can’t stop everybody who was around that person from living life,” Ripley said. “You can’t do that, because otherwise you’ve let fentanyl and the drug dealers and the dark side of the world win. You have to see the light, and you have to move forward. That’s why we’re doing this.”
The third component is working with local leaders in the community. Ripley was a Brunswick Council member for eight years and has worked closely with the city on a variety of programs. He was the president of the Frederick Chapter of the Maryland Municipal League (MML), and the MML has given him the opportunity to work with local mayors to talk about addiction and opioids.
He also works closely with the Maryland Office of Overdose Response (MOOR), and Trinity’s Children’s website displays fatal overdose statistics from the Maryland Department of Health. As of the last update, between November 2024 and October 2025, there had been 1,290 overdose deaths in Maryland, 1,036 of which were related to opioids and 924 related to fentanyl.
Trinity’s Children is working to become a certified Overdose Response Program (ORP), which would allow them to distribute naloxone, better known as Narcan.
In addition to distributing Narcan, Ripley seeks to normalize the presence of Narcan in homes, particularly homes with a teenager. Keeping Narcan in the home can prompt hesitation from some, as though its presence invites drug usage, but Ripley says it should be no different than any other precaution.
“Why would you keep a fire extinguisher in your house? Are you encouraging fires to happen? No. You want to be prepared for if that terrible thing happens. It’s the same thing with Narcan,” Ripley said.
Trinity’s Children has taken up the mantle of the DEA-coined slogan “one pill can kill,” because in Trinity’s case, that is all that it took. Now her parents hope that Trinity’s story can save lives.
“We like to say she didn’t die in vain,” Ripley said. “We’re not the type to sit around and just cry about it and do nothing. Instead, we want to make a difference.”
Erin Jones is a freelance writer, former humanities teacher and owner of Galvanize & Grow Copywriting. She holds a BA in English from Hood College and an MA in English from the Bread Loaf School of English, through which she studied literature at Middlebury College and Oxford University. Learn more at erinjoneswriter.com, or follow her on Instagram @ErinJonesWriter.
‘Didgeridoo maverick’ aims to spread awareness one song at a time
BY JILL GARTZ
Special to The News-Post
Pitz Quattrone has always loved strange sounds.
“I was the kid in the back of the classroom, making weird sounds, funny sounds, trying to get my friends to laugh, and driving the teacher crazy,” he recalled.
His earliest memory of music is when he was just 3 years old.
“I remember walking into my uncle’s bedroom, and he’s jumping up and down in his underwear, playing air guitar to ‘Satisfaction,’ and he’s like, ‘Pitz, listen to that guitar!’ I still remember that to this day, vividly.”
He learned from that experience that music is powerful, and he wanted to know more.
Later, he heard the didgeridoo and was instantly hooked.
“What is that thing?” Quattrone said to himself. “ I need to know more about that!”
On Christmas Day in 1993, his wife gave him a didgeridoo.
“It completely changed my life in such a positive way, emotionally, physically,” he said. “I was heading down a dark road. I could have gone in a couple of different directions. Luckily, the didgeridoo came to me at that intersection.”
Quattrone said that the instrument introduced him to a healthy lifestyle and steered him away from drugs, alcohol and crime. He learned to play by using an instruction cassette that came with it.
“It’s been such a blessing that it’s come to me. It has been nothing but positive. Now, one of my missions is to share the instrument with as many people as I can.”
The didgeridoo is culturally significant and one of the oldest instruments on the planet. The ancient wind instrument is believed to have originated in northern Australia. The earliest confirmed evidence of its use appears in cave paintings from about 1,500 years ago, though some estimates trace its roots back as far as 40,000 years. Its history is closely intertwined with Aboriginal ceremonies, rituals and storytelling.
Didgeridoos were traditionally made from eucalyptus branches or trees naturally hollowed out by termites. The instrument is traditionally known as “Yidaki.”
Quattrone began handcrafting didgeridoos since about 1995.
“There was a bamboo patch in one of my neighbors’ yards,” Quattrone said. “She hated it and let me come and cut whatever I wanted. It was great! I had a constant source.”
Bamboo is mostly hollow, he pointed out, so it works well for crafting the instrument.
Quattrone uses the instrument in many genres of music and collaborates with artists from around the world. He performs originals alongside covers at his shows.
He’s especially proud of his song “Electric Tan,” which was featured on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon and The Dr. Demento show on the radio.
The didgeridoo is also known for its healthy, calming pleasures. It offers a range of physical and mental health benefits, including the potential to treat sleep apnea and the ability to induce deep relaxation and reduce stress. It’s also been used for mood enhancement.
He collaborates with yoga teachers, especially those who engage in yoga nidra, a guided meditation that deeply quiets the mind and body. Quattrone said he plays the didgeridoo the entire time, while the teacher guides students through meditation. “It completely takes people away, and a lot of times, people fall asleep, it’s so relaxing.”
Quattrone shares that 75% of his students suffer from sleep apnea.
Quattrone, who recently moved
IF YOU GO
Quattrone will perform at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Reverie, 405 N. Market St., Frederick. A complete list of upcoming events can be found at pitzquattrone.com.
to Frederick, also visits schools, conducts educational presentations, and sits in with other musicians from a wide variety of backgrounds and genres. He enjoys sharing his talent and knowledge with a live audience. He says when he performs, he wants to spread a message of resiliency and encourage his audience to “stick to what your heart tells you to do. Don’t compromise on your dream.”
Nicknamed “The Didgeridoo Maverick,” Quatrrone performs a one-man show, with a little help from an electrical gadget he calls “Erving.” The beat box is a place he can store and recall musical tracks and instruments. “It has allowed me to do musical performances and sound like a five-piece band.” Erving is named after legendary basketball player Julius Erving, who played with the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers for 11 seasons.
Jill Gartz is a freelance journalist, radio news anchor and blog writer. She has a lengthy background in radio news and now owns her own business, Write4U!MtAiry. Gartz also enjoys hiking and reading. She can be reached through write4umtairy. com.
Courtesy photo
Pitz Quattrone
Scott Ambush will perform his genre-bending jazz fusion in his hometown
BY S.D. PRICE
Special to The News-Post
Composer, bassist and longtime Spyro Gyra member Scott Ambush is gearing up to take over Rockwell Brewery on Dec. 12. This is an occasion that gives Frederick music lovers a chance to see one of the region’s most respected and seasoned musicians in a space where he can really stretch out — and in his hometown.
Even with a global touring history and decades of experience behind him, these local performances are where Ambush can experiment, improvise and play with the kind of freedom that keeps his creativity sharp.
For anyone just discovering his music, Ambush describes his sound as “eclectic instrumental music.” It’s anchored in jazz improvisation, but that’s only part of the story.
“I grew up playing rock ’n’ roll, R&B and funk,” he said. “I like to incorporate all of those elements into my music and the performance.”
That blend is exactly what makes his live shows feel open and unpredictable in the best way. Ambush and his band shift between originals and covers, often reworking well-known songs until they become something entirely new. One of their favorite transformations is Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun,” a track they reshape by slowing it down, flipping the time signature and giving it a fresh, atmospheric feel.
“We want to make it something new, nice, entertaining,” Ambush said. “And honestly, I’m trying to entertain myself, too.”
There’s a spark in the way Ambush talks about music, a sense that he’s still hungry, still exploring and
Gyra, stepping into the role previously held by founding keyboardist Tom Schuman.
“He’d already become acquainted with Chris through me,” Ambush said, noting Fischer’s admiration for Schuman. When the spot opened, Fischer was the obvious choice.
Rockwell Brewery has become one of Frederick’s go-to spots for live music, and Ambush is looking forward to bringing his sound to the space. He appreciates the kind of room that lets musicians settle in and really connect with the crowd, and Rockwell offers exactly that: a welcoming atmosphere, plenty of energy and the freedom for a band to stretch out creatively while still staying close to the audience.
For Ambush, regardless of the venue size, the mission stays consistent: “I just want to present the music and have fun doing it,” he said.
still excited to pick up his instrument. When asked what keeps him inspired after such a long and respected career, he said, “I like to keep learning and keep pushing forward and honing my craft. As an artist, you’re constantly working on yourself and trying to come up with new ways of expressing yourself.”
He compares the mindset to being an athlete, but one who never ages out. With no expiration date on creativity, the pursuit is continuous.
“You just constantly work to hone it, to become better at it and to perform better.”
Watching him live means watching that constant evolution in real time.
For the Rockwell show, Ambush is performing with his band, a tight-knit lineup built on years of trust and shared musical language.
Joining him are Deren Blessman on drums, Dan Leonard on guitar and Chris Fischer on keys. Ambush and Leonard’s connection goes way back,
IF YOU GO
Scott Ambush & Band will perform at 8 p.m. Dec. 12 at Rockwell Brewery, 8411 Broadband Drive k, Frederick.
decades of performing together in Deanna Bogart’s band. Fischer, meanwhile, has carved out a path that mirrors Ambush’s own.
After playing in Ambush’s group for several years, he was invited to join Spyro
This Rockwell date also arrives while Spyro Gyra is taking a break from the road, however he will be starting the new year in D.C. He’ll be performing at Blues Alley in D.C., on Jan. 17 and 18 — a special appearance with acclaimed contemporary jazz keyboardist Brian Simpson. It’s a collaboration that highlights Ambush’s versatility and continued drive to explore new musical spaces.
But on Dec. 12, Frederick gets its turn. This show is a chance to see elite musicians, artists who trust each other enough to take risks and explore new ideas in a room full of local listeners. It’s the kind of performance where improvisation isn’t a bonus feature; it’s the point.
S.D. Price is a Frederickbased writer better known as hip-hop recording artist Demetrius.
Staff file photo by Bill Green
Scott Ambush
The MET’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ will return to the Weinberg stage for one weekend only
Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) and the Weinberg Center for the Arts present the return of “A Christmas Carol,” Charles Dickens’ timeless holiday classic, for one weekend only, Dec. 1214. This festive annual tradition brings Frederick’s favorite storytellers back to the stage for a heartwarming, family-friendly production filled with music, magic and the enduring spirit of generosity.
This year’s production is led by a cast of MET veterans and rising young performers. Tad Janes stars as the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, joined by Jeremy Myers as Bob Cratchit, Sean Byrne as Fred and James McGarvey as the haunting Jacob Marley. Gene Fouche appears as the Ghost of Christmas Past, with Jack Evans as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Lisa
FREDERICK
by candlelight
MUSEUMS BY CANDLELIGHT
December 13, 2025 • 12PM–7PM
Experience holiday traditions at several historic locations; special children’s activities; traditional crafts; period entertainment featured at this free self-guided event. Presented by the Frederick Historic Sites Consortium
CANDLELIGHT TOUR OF HISTORIC HOUSES OF WORSHIP
December 26, 2025 • 3PM–8PM
Discover Downtown Frederick’s most celebrated houses of worship and enjoy special holiday music programs at this free self-guided event. With Support from
Events brought to you by the Visit Frederick. 301-600-4047 • visitfrederick.org
Behind the scenes, director Julie Herber leads the creative team, with Devin Gaither as stage manager and Rebecca Carroll as assistant stage manager.
“A Christmas Carol” has long been a cornerstone of MET’s holiday programming, inviting audiences of all ages to experience the redemptive journey of Ebenezer Scrooge and the warmth of community at the heart of the season.
Shows are at 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Weinberg Center for the Arts, 20 W. Patrick St., Frederick.
Tickets are $17 to $28 each and available through the Weinberg Center for the Arts box office and website, weinbergcenter.org.
Burl as Mrs. Cratchit. Lena Janes portrays Belle.
James Meech
Maryland Ensemble Theatre will present “A Christmas Carol” at the Weinberg Center for the Arts, as per tradition in Frederick.
THE FREDERICK MOM
The Frederick Mom’s recommendations for the weekend of Dec. 12
Activities to do with the kids this weekend, courtesy of The Frederick Mom.
Kris Kringle Procession
6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Dec. 12 Downtown Frederick Free
The ultimate holiday parade in Frederick County, the annual Kris Kringle Procession, is this Friday night! Bundle up and line the streets of downtown Frederick to catch festive performers, floats and costumed characters. The event begins at the corner of South Carroll and East Patrick Streets and ends in Baker Park with the lighting of the City Tree. For more information including route, Band Shell program and street closures, visit celebratefrederick.com/events/ holidays/kris-kringle-procession.
Weinberg Center for the Arts, 20 W. Patrick St., Frederick
$30/adult
A holiday show perfect for all ages. Grab your family’s tickets to see the performance, A Christmas Carol, presented by Maryland Ensemble Theatre, at the Weinberg. This beloved adaptation of Charles Dickens’ timeless classic brings to life the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and spirits who visit him on Christmas Eve. Discounted tickets are offered for seniors, military, city employees, students, and children. Get your tickets at weinbergcenter.org.
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YMCA Santa Run/Walk
9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 13
Monocacy Village Park, 409 Delaware Road, Frederick
$15-$35/runner
The 2025 Annual Santa 10K/5K and 1 Mile Santa Run/Elf Walk is this Saturday morning! Dress in festive or tacky holiday gear, and start a new, healthy tradition with your family. Arrive between 7 and 9 a.m. to register if you haven’t already online. Children riding in strollers are welcome and do not have to be registered in the race. Leashed dogs are also welcome to join. Awards are given for 1st place winners for each age group and race category, best holiday costume, best
assist children to shop for gifts ranging from $3 to $20 for their family (cash is preferred). Admission to the event is free, but kindly consider bringing canned goods, new gloves, scarves, and hats to donate to the Frederick Community Action Agency.
A Merry Santa Social 11 a.m. 3 p.m. Dec. 13
Empire Media Solutions, 5740 Industry Lane, Frederick Free
Empire Media Solutions, local professionals in the photography and marketing world, is offering an in-studio photo session with Santa Claus! In addition to a free photo with Ol’ Saint Nick, kids can enjoy cookie decorating, crafts, games, and yummy hot cocoa! Check it out!
Holiday Double Feature for Kids 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Dec. 13, 2 p.m. Dec. 14
Performing Arts Factory, 244 B S. Jefferson St., Frederick $15/person (includes both shows)
If you haven’t yet visited the TooZ Family Christmas, a holiday house (private residence) in New Market that welcomes the public to its interactive Christmas displays every year, then this Saturday is great day to go. The TooZ family is hosting a special one-night event with Santa, an outdoor party with a table full of cookies, an art table for the kiddos, and pics with Kris Kringle. This is a free event, but please bring non-perishable food items to donate to the local food bank.
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Santa Claus visits the Frederick Airport
9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 14
Frederick Municipal Airport, 296 Bucheimer Road, Frederick $9/per family
decorated stroller, and more! This year, all proceeds benefit the YMCA of Frederick County’s annual campaign to provide individuals suffering from Parkinson’s Disease the opportunity to participate in YMCA programs. •••
Breakfast with Santa & the Grinch
9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 13
Adventure Park USA, 11113 Baldwin Road, Monrovia
$19.95/person
Have breakfast at Frederick’s favorite adventure center with none other than Santa and the Grinch. Adventure Park USA is kicking off the holiday season with a magical morning full of pancakes and Christmas joy. Get your tickets via Eventbrite. Options available to add on arcade tickets too!
LHS Lancer Candy Cane Lane
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 13
Linganore High School, 12013 Old Annapolis Road, Frederick Free
Kids of all ages are invited to the annual Lancer Candy Cane Lane event sponsored by the PTSA and Linganore High School students. There will be Home Depot craftivities, cookie decorating, and pictures with Santa. Additionally, kids can participate in a Secret Holiday Shop where elves can
Other Voices Theater is hosting a double holiday feature — perfect for families with little ones. Check out two bite-size shows crafted for young audiences to get your whole family in the holiday spirit. The first show, “Christmas Together,” tells the sweet story of elves at Santa’s workshop, Cubby the polar bear and Santa Claus in the North Pole. During intermission, Santa’s helpers aka the Dance Unlimited Repertory Company Rockettes will tiptoe through the aisles with free cookies and juice for everyone at their seats. Then the second show, “A Hundred Acre Holiday” follows the beloved characters Eeyore, Christopher Robin, Pooh, Piglet, and Tigger in the Hundred Acre Wood. Afterwards, everyone is welcome to meet the characters and take photos with them. One tickets includes both shows, treats, and a surprise gift from Santa himself! Reserve your seat at https:// cur8.com/2437/project/135445. If you miss this weekend’s performance, it’s also taking place at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m on Dec. 21.
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Cookies with Santa at TooZ
6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 13
TooZ Family Christmas, 515 Isaac Russell St., New Market Free
Santa Claus will be making his grand entrance at the Frederick Airport again this year — don’t miss it! Bring the family for a morning filled with fun holiday activities led by Santa’s little helpers. Parents of little ones: in order to sit on Santa’s lap, please register ahead of time online at sugarloaf99s. org/santa-visits-fdk. The $9 donation per family will benefit the Sugarloaf Ninety-Nines Aviation Scholarship Fund. All other activities are open to everyone, no registration is needed.
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WHS Music Jolly Jubilee
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 14
Walkersville High School, 81 W. Frederick St., Walkersville
$10/adult (ages 13+), $5/seniors, $5/kid (ages 3-12), kids ages 2 and under are free
Let’s support the Walkersville High School Music Department this Saturday! The Music Jolly Jubilee features a hot, homemade breakfast with Santa (served from 9 a.m. until noon), festive live music with mini ensembles from the WHS band, orchestra, and chorus, plus special performances by the color guard and percussion ensemble. Enjoy holiday face painting, festive story times, fun games and craft stations where you can make ornaments and DIY gifts. Shop local vendors and enter to win awesome prizes! Visit whslionsmusic. org/events/jolly-jubilee-breakfast-withsanta.
Tiffany Mahaney is at least a fifthgeneration native to Frederick County, and she now proudly raises her own family here. To see more local family friendly things to do, follow her on Instagram @thefrederickmom.
TIFFANY MAHANEY
YMCA of Frederick County
YMCA’s Santa Run/Walk encourages folks to get active.
HISTORY
Sing choirs of angels
Where to hear the historic Lessons and Carols tradition
BY ERIN JONES
Special to The News-Post
On Christmas Eve, a hush falls over the chapel of King’s College Cambridge with such expectant stillness the flickering of the candles could almost be audible. In a sea of white and red robes at the back of the chapel, the choristers clutch their music, shifting in anticipation, eyes fixed on the conductor. Only he knows who will sing the opening solo, so they all must be prepared to perfection.
With the single point of a finger, the conductor selects the soloist, who steps forward. A sudden glow of red light indicates the moment has just gone live, broadcasting globally to eager audiences. The boy draws breath, and in a pure angelic voice begins, “Once in Royal David’s City.”
With that tradition begins the King’s College Cambridge service of Lessons and Carols, a cherished Christmas Eve tradition interweaving scriptures with song that together recount the Christmas story. Over the years, the service has grown and become adopted and, in some cases, adapted by choirs worldwide, and Frederick County is no exception.
Lessons and Carols began in 1880 in Cornwall, England. Truro Cathedral was under construction and its first Bishop, Edward White Benson, was concerned the festive merriment in the town — and more precisely, the local pubs — had grown beyond propriety. He crafted the simple service to redirect holiday spirit into hymn singing and reminded the people of the holiday’s meaning. The first service took place in a temporary wooden building, and as the cathedral grew so did the tradition.
“The Bishop of Truro really had lightning in a bottle because I cannot think of another liturgy that’s that young and spread that fast. Obviously he was speaking to people and meeting a need,” said Brian Bartoldus, music director of Frederick Presbyterian Church, as well as artistic director and conductor of the Handel Choir of Baltimore.
The liturgy of readings is composed of nine lessons that include the familiar Christmas story but also contextualize it. The first four lessons are from the books of Genesis and Isaiah, beginning with the story of Adam and Eve.
“[Benson] created a liturgy that’s
very simple in structure and tells the Christmas story, not just as we know — Mary came to Bethlehem and had a child — but places the whole lead up to it and the reason for its importance in a larger arc that is known as salvation history,” Bartoldus said.
In 1918, England greeted the advent season with a vastly different tone. Armistice had declared an end to World War I, but even news of peace could not rectify the searing absence of the young men taken by the conflict. At King’s College Cambridge, a small memorial chapel still bears the names of hundreds of students lost in the war.
Eric Milner-White was the Dean of King’s College at the time and faced the daunting task of planning a Christmas Eve service. Milner-White had himself served on the front lines and experienced the trauma of battle up close. He adopted the liturgy from Truro Cathedral, hoping the simplicity would provide the comfort needed in that dark hour.
Milner-White’s bidding prayer, still utilized in the service today, hints at the loss that pervaded the early days at the service:
“Let us remember before God all those who rejoice with us, but upon another shore and in a greater light, that multitude which no man can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom, in this Lord Jesus, we for evermore are one.”
That prayer, and many of the traditions formed in that year and the year to follow, are still held today.
The introduction of the BBC broadcast in 1928 popularized the service further, making it accessible nationwide and eventually globally, and establishing an important place in the English choral tradition.
At King’s College Cambridge, and in many iterations of the service, the carols are a mixture of anthems performed by the choir and carols sung by the congregation. Since 1983 King’s College Cambridge also has the tradition of commissioning an original composition, which is then debuted in the service.
“A lot of composers in the choral tradition probably got their start at their local college writing a new piece for Lessons and Carols for their college choir to sing, and the pieces that King’s College has commissioned over the years get
IF YOU GO
Lessons and Carols Services
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 199 North Place, Frederick — 7 p.m. Dec. 14. Begin your Christmas season with a traditional Christmas musical program: a worldwide tradition famously broadcast from Kings College, Cambridge, since 1928, which recounts the story of the Fall, the prophecy of a Messiah, and the birth of Jesus through nine short Bible readings and the singing of Christmas carols. All are welcome to attend this free Christmas concert.
Mount Airy Presbyterian Church, 17455 Old Frederick Road, Mount Airy — 6 p.m. Dec. 14 Frederick Presbyterian Church, 115 W. Second St., Frederick — 10:30 a.m. Dec. 21 Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, 16151 Old Frederick Road, Mount Airy — 9 and 11 a.m. services on Dec. 28. Both services will include many favorite Christmas carols, Bible readings telling the story of salvation that culminates in Christ’s birth, and holy communion. The 9:00 am service is more contemporary in style, with a praise band leading the songs and newer praise songs for the opening. The 11 a.m. service is more traditional in style, with organ music accompanying the songs. The building is accessible and all are welcome into the community.
disseminated everywhere,” Bartoldus said.
At Mount Saint Mary’s University, Lessons and Carols may fall at the start of advent season but marks the culmination of the fall semester in the music department. This year’s Dec. 4 concert was the second year running for the college.
“I thought it was a really lovely way to start off the advent season and also to close the semester for our students. It gives us a chance to showcase all of our ensembles and do some collaboration,” said Francesca Aguado Benner, music lecturer and director of the Mount Saint Mary’s University Choral.
The music will be presented by a mixture of the chorale, brass, wind and string ensembles. Additionally, Chaplain Father Justin Gough will play the organ, and attendees will have the opportunity to join in singing some of the carols.
The concert will be held at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, a space the college’s website calls “the center of
spiritual life on campus.”
The strategic placement of ensembles in the choir loft and other locations around the space will provide a musically immersive experience to attendees. “We use the entire chapel,” Benner said. “The chapel is a really beautiful space, so it gives people a chance to look at all the beauty completely around them, not just right down the altar, which is also really lovely.”
The liturgy of the lessons will follow the traditional nine scriptures and will be read by community members from both the college and the surrounding community.
Mount Airy Presbyterian Church has adapted the traditional nine-lesson structure to add narration and highlight the perspectives of the story’s characters.
“It seemed to me that a little bit of narration to tie the lessons together would be helpful … just trying to add a little bit more material to help the listener who’s not familiar with church follow the sequence of the lessons and see
how they all point to Christ,” said music director Barb Scheffter.
Lessons and Carols is approaching its second decade at the church, and each year is assigned a theme. The theme for this year’s concert on Dec. 14 is “The Gospel of Christmas: Good News Through the Ages.”
Scheffter is also an adjunct music professor at Frederick Community College, where she conducts the FCC Handbell Ensemble. The church’s handbell choir will play twice in the service. The other carols will be a mixture of anthems sung by the church’s choir and sung congregationally. The church’s wind and brass ensemble will also perform.
Another standing tradition at MAPC is that the day before the service, the choir will bring Lessons and Carols to Lorien Assisted Living Facility in Mount Airy and perform an adapted version of the service.
“It’s rewarding to share with people who can’t get out to church, especially
if they have a church choir background. Those are the people who really enjoy it the most,” Scheffter said. “We also give them an opportunity to hear the Hallelujah Chorus and sing along.
Some of them know and remember the parts. It’s wonderful to give them that opportunity.”
At Frederick Presbyterian Church on Second Street in downtown Frederick, Lessons and Carols will take place during regular Sunday service on Dec. 21 as part of the fourth Sunday of advent. The service will include a handbell choir and brass quintet along with the Sanctuary Choir and three children’s choirs. Bartoldus wears both director and organist hats and will helm the program from the organ console.
The tradition of Lessons and Carols is one that predates Bartoldus’s 14-year tenure at the church, and reflects the congregations’ larger values of the role of music.
“We are very much a music-loving congregation,” Bartoldus said.
Pastor Eric Myers is also a musician, working as an organist before becoming a pastor and later contributing to The Presbyterian Hymnal.
“Presbyterians have a reputation for not singing. That is a recent development. Historically they were robust singers,” Bartoldus said.
“American 20th-century Christians were the ‘frozen chosen.’ The whole denomination, especially this congregation, has tried to flip that on its head. We celebrate the long Christian tradition of music and the current evolving Christian tradition of music in a broad, robust and an all-inclusive way. …
There’s a lot of wonderful ways to praise God through song and have a lot of fun doing it.”
The Lessons and Carols service at Frederick Presbyterian traditionally draws a large attendance, one that will certainly fill the stained-glass space with singing during the congregational carols. But before that, as with so many other Lessons and Carols services, comes a
moment of sacred stillness, broken only by “Once in Royal David’s City.”
NOTE TO READERS
This story originally appeared in our Dec. 4 issue, however the end of the story was omitted. We are re-publishing the story this week in full.
Erin Jones is a freelance writer, former humanities teacher and owner of Galvanize & Grow Copywriting. She holds a BA in English from Hood College and an MA in English from the Bread Loaf School of English, through which she studied literature at Middlebury College and Oxford University. Learn more at erinjoneswriter. com.
Courtesy photo
Frederick Presbyterian Church will host Lessons and Carols on Dec. 21.
Student Arts Showcase — through Dec. 12, Hagerstown Community College, Kepler Center, 11400 Robinwood Drive, Hagerstown. Artwork from students enrolled in the visual arts studio courses including drawing, painting, photography, digital, twodimensional and ceramics. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. 240-500-2262 or mayaukey@ hagerstowncc.edu.
“Deck the Walls: Small Artwork Showcase” — through Dec. 24 at Vault of Visions Art Gallery, 1 N. Market St., Frederick. An array of creative, one-of-a-kind gifts including original works, prints, and festive greeting cards through Dec. 24. 240315-5483, vovartgallery.com/smallart-showcase.
”Grand Canyon Sunset” — through Dec 28, Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. This exhibition of large-scale acrylic on canvas paintings by Katie Jurkiewicz, explores the awe-inspiring beauty and solitude of the American Southwest. Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. 301-698-0656, delaplaine.org.
Delaplaine Student Art Exhibition — through Dec. 28, Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Work in a variety of media. A celebration of Delaplaine students! Each quarter, the Delaplaine offers classes in a wide variety of media for students of all ages and skill levels. Artwork in the exhibition was created in a class at the Delaplaine sometime over the last two years. Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. 301-6980656, delaplaine.org.
”What Comes of Dreams” — through Dec. 28, Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. For Doug Moulden, painting is a way to engage with the full range of human emotions, from beauty and light to fear and darkness. He thinks of his work as having both the openness of poetry and the wonder of dreams. Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. 301-698-0656, delaplaine. org.
Frederick Camera Clique Show — through Dec. 28, Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Photography by club members, from beginners to semi-professionals. Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. 301-698-0656, delaplaine.org.
“What Lies Beneath” runs through Jan. 4 at Gallery B in Bethesda, with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 12.
”What Lies Beneath” — through Jan. 4 at Gallery B, 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E, Bethesda. Work by Chris Chernow, Elizabeth Curren and Carolee Jakes, who earned degrees in fine art from the Corcoran College of Art + Design, but from three different fields of study: book arts, painting and printmaking. In this show, they use their mediums to explore the concept of surface. An opening reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 12. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, closed Dec. 26-28. 301-215-6660, bethesda. org/gallery-b.
Frederick County Art Association 2025 Exhibit — through Jan. 5, 2026, Frederick Health — Crestwood,
7211 Bank Court, Frederick. Works in oil, watercolor, mixed media and photography by some of Frederick County’s most talented artists. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. 240-215-1460 or frederickhealth.org/crestwood.
”Where Energy Meets Matter: Exploring the Frontiers of Science”
— through Jan. 20, 2026, Y Arts Center, 115 E. Church St., Frederick. Participating artists explore the dynamic interplay of art and science, celebrating the cutting-edge research and innovation happening at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and throughout Frederick. This exhibition includes work that captures the essence of energy
and matter — through explorations of physics, biology and the unseen forces that shape our universe. Call 301-662-4190 or email info@ frederickartscouncil.org for viewing hours.
Art-Hop: Black Art-Hop Hystoria
— A Pop Up Exhibition by Taureen Washington — 5-7 p.m. Feb. 22, Frederick Social, 50 Citizen’s Way, Frederick. One of Maryland’s best emerging talent displays his work inspired by and commemorating Black History month. There will be visually engaging work along with complimentary food that reflect the African-American experience. Teens and older. 301-465-1087 or tcw1@ hood.edu.
Courtesy photo
Everyday Poetry
It’s always special when different art forms collaborate and make a baby. When a poet is inspired to interpret a visual artwork, for example, we celebrate the coming of an “ekphrastic” poem.
A few years ago, some area artists collaborated with members of Brunswick’s Slant Light Poets group to produce ekphrasis poems for a reading at Frederick’s gonebut-not-forgotten 505 Gallery. It was enlightening for all parties and the audience, and for that reason, it is a writing exercise I recommend.
The ekphrastic effort is great for any writer who might be in a slump or just for anyone who wants to pay attention to someone else’s creativity for awhile.
If you’re feeling a tad bored or isolated, it might do to Google a piece of artwork from an Old Master or select a child’s masterpiece from under a fridge magnet, and jot down something about it. Describe what you see. How does it make you feel? Why do you think it was created? Take note of any reaction, and poof! you have an instant bond with another person, dead or alive, who created something.
This month, I present an ekphrasis poem written from observing the French sculptor Rodin’s “Burghers of Calais,” a slightly larger than life bronze piece. Copies of this statue exist in cities throughout the world. It is of six emaciated leaders of the town of Calais, France, which was under siege by England during The Hundred Years’ War in the 1300s. After 11 months, to save their townsfolk from further starvation, these burghers agreed to surrender themselves to the English. They stepped outside the city gates to martyr themselves, with nooses around their necks and the keys of the city, yet they were spared.
Sheryl Massaro is a Frederick poet and oil painter. She has authored three books of poetry, all available from amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, Frederick’s Vault of Visions Gallery and, with her art, from sherylmassaro.com. Her art is available at Vault of Visions, Visitation Hotel, and the Artspiration Center in Frederick and at Locals Farm Market in Poolesville. Her poetry is in lower case as a nod to equality, no letter being more important than another.
“Les Bourgeois De Calais — London.”
Frederick Arts Council awards 21 community grants
The Frederick Arts Council announces that it has awarded Community Arts Development (CAD) grants to 21 arts organizations and arts programs throughout Frederick County.
The recipients include African Americans of Excellence, Calvary United Methodist Concert Series, City Youth Matrix, Choral Arts Society of Frederick, Downtown Frederick Partnership, Emmitsburg Community Chorus, Endangered Species Theatre Project, Frederick Book Arts Center, Frederick Community College Music Program, Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra, HARPS Foundation, Maryland Ensemble Theatre, National String Symphonia, Other Voices, Spires Brass Band, The Delaplaine Arts Center, The Frederick Children’s Chorus, The Frederick Chorale, The Global Z Recording Project, Transformative Arts Project and the Weinberg Center for the Arts.
The CAD grant program allows high-quality arts programming to be available to as many community members as possible. FAC’s CAD grant awards are supported by the Maryland State Arts Council.
“The Frederick Arts Council is honored to continue supporting these organizations that provide so much to the community,” states FAC executive director Louise Kennelly.
CAD applications are evaluated by a dedicated CAD Committee, which includes representatives from the Frederick Arts Council staff and board as well as the local creative community. Serving as FY2026’s CAD Committee Chair was arts advocate Maura Parrott. For more information about FAC’s CAD grants, including grant guidelines, visit frederickartscouncil.org/whatwe-do/grants-scholarships/ community-arts-developmentgrants.
Public Domain/George Hodan
SHERYL MASSARO
Middletown High alum in ‘Wicked’ cast
Sam Buchanan credits hometown for musical theater career
BY ERIK ANDERSON eanderson@newspost.com
As a member of the dance ensemble for the touring Broadway production of “Wicked,” Middletown native Sam Buchanan is excited that the musical is about to land close to home at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore this month.
Grateful that he will soon spend some rare time off with family and friends over the holidays, he finds himself reflecting on how his childhood immersed in Frederick County’s performing arts community set him on his musical theater career path.
A 2017 graduate of Middletown High School and a former Way Off Broadway performer, Buchanan, 26, told 72 Hours in an interview that he was very “supported” in his music and dance ambitions from an early age.
“I think that the main takeaway for me when I think back to how I got to where I am now, it really comes back to my teachers, who gave me all the tools I could possibly need,” he said. “From all my dance teachers at the studio to my vocal teachers ... they just always had my best interests at heart at all times.”
At just 3 years old, he started learning dance at his mother’s Middletown company, the Dee Buchanan Studio of Dance. He said his mother had a view of dance that extended beyond the local context.
IF YOU GO
“Wicked” runs Dec. 17 to Jan. 11 at the Hippodrome Theatre, 12 N. Eutaw St., Baltimore. See baltimore.broadway.com for details and to purchase tickets.
“She was just always making sure we had the best opportunities with guest teachers and people outside of Middletown who could show us what [professional dance is] like,” he recalled.
Buchanan started participating in Middletown High School’s annual spring musical production as a 7thgrade student at Middletown Middle School “because they needed more boys.”
There he came under the direction of Susan Thornton, who is famous in the central Maryland region for mentoring thousands of students over a fourdecade performing arts career.
“She’s the best,” he said. “I attribute so much of my knowledge of the industry to just watching her work and seeing how she puts on a show. I just love her energy, and the whole team who supported me [at Middletown High] was super key to me being where I’m at today.”
Joan Marcus
Zoe Jensen as Glinda and Jessie Davidson as Elphaba.
Buchanan
Joan Marcus
Jessie Davidson as Elphaba.
He said few aspects of high school felt particularly comfy, but in the theater program, he found “a sense of togetherness” with likeminded people.
It dawned on him that he wanted a career in musical theater, as opposed to other dance forms, because of the sense of community he felt when working on shows at Middletown High.
“Everyone worked so hard to put it together, such a team effort with everyone pulling their weight,” he reflected. “I always had a bit of postshow depression when the musical would be over, because it was such a fun and fulfilling activity.”
But what really sticks with Buchanan in his career today, he said, is his teachers’ persistent belief in his success.
“They just never seemed to think that I couldn’t do what I set my mind to, and they were always so confident in me,” he said.
LEFT: Ethan Kirschbaum as Fiyero, Zoe Jensen as Glinda, Eileen T’Kaye as Madame Morrible and the National Touring Company of “Wicked.” BELOW: Jessie Davidson as Elphaba and Zoe Jensen as Glinda.
Buchanan fondly remembered one of the last interactions he had with his high school drama teachers before beginning his musical theater studies at Pace University in New York City.
“I stopped by [Middletown High] to say goodbye to some of the drama teachers and some of the staff,” he said.
“They were like, ‘We’ll see you in shows one day.’”
After four years of intensive dance and vocal training at Pace, Buchanan was hired in dance shows for two cruise ship voyages with Holland America, then spent a year touring in the cast of “Cats” in the roles of Plato and Macavity.
He then joined the cast of “Rock the Ballet” with a production company based in Baltimore that completed two tours to Germany.
While abroad for that show, he got the call telling him he’d been accepted into the “Wicked” ensemble, where
he has been performing on tour since June.
In his role there, his ensemble name is “Lifter” because he frequently holds his fellow dancers aloft. As a member of the show’s so-called “dance track,” he portrays a munchkin, a Shiz University student, an Emerald City citizen, a palace guard and a flying monkey.
“The ensemble is such a big part of Wicked in such a supportive way, and we really get to kind of dabble in every scene and every costume,” he said.
Being in “Wicked” is “pretty full circle,” he said, recounting that his parents had taken him to see the show on Broadway with its original cast when he was a child.
“One of my favorite things about it is ‘Wicked’ is such a legacy,” he said. “It’s been going on for so long and it’s not going anywhere, which is obviously great for job security, but also getting to settle somewhere with a group of
people. Every other dance job I’ve done, there’s an expiration date to it, and with this it’s really just getting to enjoy our time together and telling a story every night and getting to think back to the first time I saw ‘Wicked.’”
The show is physically demanding and there are weeks, he said, that seem particularly long. But when he starts to feel the weight of his work, he thinks back to the sadness he felt when the Middletown High musical would end each season.
“There were days where I wished I could just keep going and never stop performing,” he recalled, “so I’m super grateful that that’s what I get to do now.”
Erik Anderson’s MA in medieval literature only qualifies him to write about Chaucer, but he’s going to tell you about local theater anyway. He is a staff writer at The News-Post.
Museums by Candlelight will illuminate Frederick
BY GEORGIA BRAUN
Special to The News-Post
Museums and historic sites across Frederick County will welcome visitors for the annual Museums by Candlelight celebration, hosted by the Frederick Historic Sites Consortium and Visit Frederick. More than 25 sites will offer free admission and special programs from noon into the evening on Dec. 13.
The long-running holiday event invites residents and visitors to explore the county’s history through hands-on activities, seasonal programs and familyfriendly experiences.
First launched in December 1988, Museums by Candlelight originally took place solely among museums and historic sites in Frederick. The Brunswick Railroad Museum — now the Brunswick Heritage Museum — became the first non-city site to join the tour in 1990, and locations in Emmitsburg and Middletown followed soon after. By the mid-1990s the program had expanded to include sites throughout Frederick County. This year marks the 38th annual celebration.
For Jody Brumage, archivist at Heritage Frederick and a lifelong participant in the event, Museums by Candlelight is more than a seasonal tradition — it is part of how he initially connected with local history.
“Working for [Heritage Frederick] gave me my first opportunity to really engage with some of the local museums since I had visited them as a kid on Museums by Candlelight 25 years ago,” he said. “It’s really amazing to get to open the museum and see all the visitors and just be part of a bigger day that celebrates and encourages people to explore the history of Frederick County.”
Scott Keefer, co-chair of the consortium, said the event remains one of the area’s most welcoming traditions. “It’s a chance for people to step inside places they may have driven past for years and discover the stories that shaped our communities,” he said.
For Brumage, who has also volunteered for nearly 15 years at the South Mountain Heritage Society in Burkittsville, those stories — and how they are told — remain central. “As a young kid, you remember the unusual story or the ghost story or something you heard about a building that sticks with you,” he said. “At the very least, it plants a seed that [Frederick] is a significant place.”
Today, he said, the stories shared across the county have become more nuanced and authentic, offering deeper, more accurate interpretations of the region’s past.
He has also watched the tradition
form generational ties. “It’s wonderful that we see some people come back year after year because they have made this a part of their holiday tradition,” he said. At Burkittsville, families often return to make an annual ornament to take
home. “It’s fun to see families come back year after year because they now have five or 10 of these ornaments, and they want to keep adding to the collection.”
Jake Wynn, senior marketing and communications manager for
Visit Frederick, said the event carries personal meaning for him as well. During his years at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, he worked with volunteer Jim Kent, who portrayed Thomas Nast’s Civil War-era Santa in an American flag suit. “He did a very, very good job with it,” Wynn said. “That’s my favorite memory.”
This year’s celebration also serves as a prelude to the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026. “This year is really about channeling that growing interest in early American history and getting people out to the sites,” Wynn said. “It’s an opportunity to learn about Frederick’s dynamic and allencompassing history, and get excited for 250.”
Heritage Frederick is already preparing for the milestone. “We will be launching new exhibits in March 2026 that do a deep dive into Frederick County during the Revolutionary War,” Brumage said. South Mountain Heritage Society will preview elements of its 2026 exhibit, which ties Revolutionaryera ideas of freedom to later history, including the Civil War and the Battle of South Mountain. “We’ll be telling some of the stories that the exhibit will feature to our visitors this year,” he said.
With 27 participating locations, Wynn encouraged visitors to plan ahead. “It’s not feasible to get to all 27,” he said. Brumage offered similar advice: “Frederick County is large, so focus on one area of the county rather than trying to visit every site”, said Brumage.
Regional maps in event materials help visitors plan, he said, noting that many downtown Frederick locations will remain open until 7 p.m., giving people time to transition from county sites to the city.
Participating locations include the AARCH Society Heritage Center, Brunswick Heritage Museum, Catoctin Furnace Historical Society’s Museum of the Iron Worker, Emmitsburg Branch Library, Monocacy National Battlefield, the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and Schifferstadt Architectural Museum.
While many sites in Frederick will be open from noon to 7 p.m., visitors are encouraged to check individual site hours on the event website.
More event information is available at visitfrederick.org/events/annual-events/ museums-by-candlelight.
Georgia Rae Braun is a freelance writer and musician from Virginia, now residing in Frederick. She can be found onstage sharing her love for American roots and blues music or in a copy of news outlets covering the culture that drives the creative underbelly of community.
Catoctin Furnace during Museums by Candlelight brings that old-time holiday feeling.
Courtesy photos
Heritage Frederick lights up at night.
TICKET to
WHERE ENERGY MEETS MATTER
ANNUAL HOLIDAY PROGRAM
SUNDAY DECEMBER 14 2P.M. & 5P.M.
KUSSMAUL THEATER FREDERICK COMMUNITY COLLEGE
For tickets and information, visit fredericksymphony.org or call 301-685-3585.
SCAN WITH YOUR MOBILE DEVICE TO PURCHASE TICKETS
The Frederick Symphony Orchestra is generously supported in part by grants from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Frederick Arts Council, and by contributions from the Ausherman Family Foundation.
Coleridge-Taylor, Christmas Overture
Delius, Sleigh Ride
Mitchell, Winter Suite
Bach, Concerto for Oboe & Violin in C minor, featuring oboe soloist Robert Renshaw and concertmaster Alyssa Boxhill
Tormé, The Christmas Song
Anderson Lopez & Lopez, Music from Frozen
Cerulli, Holiday Pops Sing-Along
YAAC 115 E Church St, Frederick
Jessie Buckley startles and shimmers in ‘Hamnet,’ a meditation on love, loss and art
BY JOCELYN NOVECK AP National Writer
“Tell me a story,” the earthy young woman asks the shy Latin tutor early in Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet.” What story, he asks? “Something that moves you.”
She’s made a shrewd choice of storyteller. This awkward young man seems to have a way with words as he recounts the tragic myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. As well he should: One day he’ll be known as the finest wordsmith in the world.
But Agnes, though being wooed by William Shakespeare himself, doesn’t have the same relationship with words, nor need for them. Unlike her bookish suitor, her mystical nature — some say her mother was a forest witch! — and appetite for life lend her ready access to a seemingly volcanic array of emotions, from giddy joy to unfathomable grief, all at the tips of her earth-soiled fingers.
And volcanic is the best way to describe Jessie Buckley’s startling performance in “Hamnet,” Zhao’s unabashedly emotional adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel. Also starring a magnetic Paul Mescal as Will, it’s a story that imagines the early life of the young couple from Stratford. And as O’Farrell’s readers know, it centers on a lifealtering loss: the death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet.
You may have heard that early viewings of the film left swaths of the audience in tears. Spoiler alert: This is no surprise. Zhao, co-writing with O’Farrell, goes straight for the tear ducts, with crucial help from a superb cast led by Buckley — who, like her character, seems to have an extraordinary ability to dispense with artifice and access a wildness simmering beneath the surface. We’d tell you to watch her face during
the riveting conclusion, where she’s part of a large crowd. But really, your eyes won’t go anywhere else.
So we begin with a heady love story, soon to be tested. “Love doesn’t die, it transforms,” Zhao has said. Her first task is to show how even the sturdiest love can be transformed by grief.
But of course, there’s another act. In “Hamnet,” love is transformed by grief and then transformed again, by art. Which art, you ask? Well, that’s obvious from the title. The play’s the thing.
Speaking of “Hamlet,” a crucial fact is laid out at the very start: In 16thcentury England, the names “Hamnet” and “Hamlet” were interchangeable.
Scholars also know that Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway (also called
Agnes), indeed had a son named Hamnet who died at 11. Little else is known, including how he died or what — if any — connection there was to the creation, a few years later, of what many call the greatest play in the English language. A play, it bears noting, about untimely death and grief.
Author O’Farrell, of course, imagines a deep connection. The movie stays largely faithful to her book but changes its structure, moving chronologically rather than toggling between time periods.
It starts with a vision of Agnes, curled in a tree hollow as if born there. No wonder Will is enchanted as he looks out his classroom window and spies this free spirit, whose chief companion is a hawk. He figures she’s a maid; actually,
she’s the eldest daughter of the house where he’s tutoring to fulfill family debts. Their connection is electric. Soon, she’s pregnant.
Agnes will birth their first child, a daughter, alone in nature, clinging to tree branches. (Cinematographer Łukasz Żal makes especially deft use of light and lush foliage). A few years later, when she gives birth again, Will’s stern mother (Emily Watson) insists she stay inside. She delivers twins — a boy, then a girl who at first seems stillborn, but is revived by mother’s touch.
Still, Agnes is terrified, because she’s had a vision of two children — not three — at her deathbed. Meanwhile, Will is spending much time in London, pursuing business opportunities and, then, his theater ambitions. Agnes
herself encouraged the move. But that changes when Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe, nobly endearing), who promised his father he’d look after everyone, takes ill.
When he succumbs, Agnes falls into inconsolable grief. And when a devastated Will comes home, she matter-offactly explains how, no, he has actually no idea what it was like. “You weren’t here,” she says coldly. If he had been, he could have said goodbye.
But soon Will must leave again. He’s working on a play. We see early rehearsals of “The Tragedie of Hamlet,” and at one point Mescal — frustrated with his players — shows his Shakespearean chops with an angry rendition of the “Get thee to a nunnery!” speech. (Side note: If all this leads to Mescal playing Hamlet someday in a theater somewhere, we’re here for it.)
The mastery of these words, and their delivery, contrast starkly with Agnes’ most impactful scenes, which often occur with few or no words at all. We’ve already alluded to the walloping conclusion, where love, grief and art all converge in the film’s most powerful moment. To watch Buckley here is to appreciate that even in a story about Shakespeare, it can be the gaps between words that resonate profoundly.
So, yes, watch Agnes’ face as she listens. The famous words coming from the stage are only part of the equation. The rest — OK, we’ll say it — is silence.
”Hamnet,” a Focus Features release, has been rated PG13 by the Motion Picture Association “for thematic content, some strong sexuality, and partial nudity.” Running time: 125 minutes.
Jessie Buckley, left, and Paul Mescal in a scene from “Hamnet.”
Agata Grzybowska/ Focus Features via AP
NEW YEAR'S EVE BINGO 12-31-2025
Local Mentions
VINYL RECORD SALE!
The Record Riot returns to the Frederick Fairgrounds, 797 E Patrick St, Building 13, on Sat Dec 13th 40 tables of LPs and CDs 10 AM-4 PM $5 adm 609-468-0885 recordriots@gmail com https://www.recordriots.com/
AYCE PANCAKE BREAKFAST
with Santa sponsored by Middletown Lions Club
December 13, 7:30-10:30a m @ Zion Lutheran Church Middletown with parking in rear of church off Green Str
CATOCTIN MOUNTAIN ORCHARD
Apples: Pink lady, Golden Delicious, Fuji, Crimson Crisp, Jonagold, Granny Smith Stayman, Evercrisp, Gold Rush Turnips, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Cabbage Kale, Cauliflower & Broccoli Fresh Baked Fruit Pies, Apple Cider Donuts, Apple Dumplings Hand Crafted Centerpiece Flower Arrangements & Bouquets for all Seasons, Christmas Swag Specialty CMO Ice Cream, Hot Spiced Cider & Hot Chocolate Jams & Jellies
HOLIDAY HOURS
DECEMBER 24TH 9am-1pm
DECEMBER 25TH CLOSED
DECEMBER 26TH CLOSED
DECEMBER 27-31 9AM-5PM 301-271-2737 Open Daily 9am-5pm 15036 North Franklinville Rd Thurmont MD www.catoctin mountainorchard com
CHRISTMAS CONCERTS at St. John’s Union Church Building
8619 Blacks Mill Rd
Thurmont, MD 21788
All concerts begin at 3 PM and are open to the public at no charge
Refreshments will be served in the Church Parish Hall following each concert
December 7th
Emmitsburg Community Chorus
Christmas Concert
Join us as we inaugurate the holiday season with an engaging program of seasonal choral selections performed by the Emmitsburg Community Chorus
December 14th
Frederick Chorale
Christmas Concert
Attend an impressive musical celebration of the Christmas season with The Frederick Chorale
December 21st
Christmas Harp Concert featuring Anna
Smith and Brynn Olden
the Emmitsburg Community Chorus
December 14th
Local Mentions
Frederick Chorale
Christmas Concert
Attend an impressive musical celebration of the Christmas season with The Frederick Chorale
December 21st
Christmas Harp Concert featuring Anna Smith and Brynn Olden
Experience beloved Christmas classics and enchanting new arrangements performed on harp, creating a peaceful and festive atmosphere for all ages presented by two accomplished musicians December 24th @ 4PM
Christmas Eve
Join us as we celebrate the birth of our Lord with our traditional candlelight worship service in our Union Church worship space featuring a blend of musical selections and led by presiding minister Cynthia Baxter
We look forward to sharing the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with you and your families
CHRISTMAS COOKIE WALK
Sat Dec 13 • 9 a m -12 p m Carroll Manor Fire Company 2793 Adams Street Adamstown, MD
Large Assort of Holiday Cookies that YOU Select
$13 per lb or $8 per 1/2 lb
Pre-packaged assorted platters are preorder only
Large Platters (2 lb ) $28 00 Small Platters (1 lb ) $18 00
Chris 301-874-5642
Pre-order cookies online: www carrollmanorfire org until 12/11
NEW YEAR'S EVE BINGO
12-31-2025
Thurmont Event Complex
Over $17,000 00 of Cash Payouts
$50 00 Per Ticket Advance
$60 00 at the Door
Available Friday Night Bingo, www eventbrite com
Ticket Includes:
Meal: Dinner Platter
9 Pack of 27 Games ($300 00ea ), 3 Games
($1,000ea.), 3 50/50 Games & 3 Jackpots at $2,000 (1 sheet of 3 for each 50/50’s & 3 Jackpots)
Doors Open @ 5:00 p.m., Bingo Starts @ 8:00 p.m.
Meal Served: 6-8 p m
CASH BAR • TIP JARS
Kitchen Open During Break No Reserved Seating - First Come, First Served Basis Only No Exceptions!
**We reserve the right to lower payouts if less than 300 tickets sold** Tickets: 301-748-5359 or 301-271-3820
CASH BAR TIP JARS
Local Mentions
Kitchen Open During Break No Reserved Seating - First Come, First Served Basis Only No Exceptions! **We reserve the right to lower payouts if less than 300 tickets sold** Tickets: 301-748-5359 or 301-271-3820 or Eventbrite.com
Benefits The Thurmont Community Ambulance Company 13716 Strafford Drive Thurmont, MD 21788
NEW YEAR’S EVE BINGO & BUFFET
(Buffet of Turkey & Shrimp)
December 31, 2025
New Midway Vol Fire Co Doors Open: 5:00 Games Start: 7:30 Admission: $50 00 by 12/16/2024, After 12/16/2024 $60 00 includes 30 Reg Games $100 Minimum$1000 Jackpot Free Party Favors Extra Cards Available Only 250 Tickets Sold ATM Available For Info Call 301-898-7985 or 301-271-4650
SCENIC VIEW ORCHARDS
Open every Fri-Sun 10-5 (in December) Crimson Crisp, EverCrisp, Mutsu, Cameo, Stayman, Golden Delicious, Cortland, Gold Rush, Nittany, Pink Lady, Fuji, Gala, Honey Crisp Apples, Asian, Bosc, Bartlett Pears, Apple Cider, Kennebec, Gold & Sweet Potatoes, Onions, Cole Crops, Tomatoes, Squash, Pies, Meat Pies, Cookies Jarred Fruit, Pickles Honey, Jams, Jellies 16239 Sabillasville Rd
Sabillasville MD 21780
301-271-2149
scenicvieworchards com
WEEKLY BINGO
Local Mentions
Pre-order by 11/04/2025
Pick-up Saturday 11/08/2025 9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. 301-874-5642 All freshly made onsite 8" subs: $8 00 Cold Cut, Ham & Cheese Turkey & Cheese, Chicken Salad & Cntry Ham
Sandwiches: $6 00 Chicken Salad & Country Ham
Crab Cake Sandwich: $9 00 (fried or uncooked) By the lb: Chicken Salad $12; Sliced Country Ham $12
Soup: Bean & Cntry
VIGILANT HOSE COMPANY NEW YEAR'S EVE BINGO 17701 Creamery Road, Emmitsburg, MD Wednesday, 12/31
Doors Open @ 5:30pm Games @ 8pm
All Inclusive 9 pk/$50 for 30 games incl 2 $2000 Jackpots 6 SPECIALS @ $500 each
All other games $300/Incl Dinner Platter!
Reserved seating if tickets purchased by 12/12
Tickets purchased after 12/12 will be $60
No checks mailed after 11/28 For info: Pam @ 240-472-3484
Reserve right to change payouts if 200 are not sold
Wanted to Buy
Every Friday Night Doors open @ 5 p m , Bingo starts @ 7 p m Bonanza, Early Bird, Regular, Specials, Jackpot! Small Jackpot-$500 Big Jackpot-$1500 Great Food! Thurmont Event Complex 13716 Strafford Drive Thurmont, Maryland Thurmont Community Ambulance Service, Inc SOUP & SANDWICH SALE
COMICS AND COOL STUFF
Buying Comic Book Collections, Antiques, Vintage & Modern Toys, Funko Pops, Pokemon, G I Joe, Star Wars, Records, Thundercats, Transformers, Video Games, He-Man, Lego, Hot Wheels, Power Rangers, Barbie, Trains 300 E. High St, Carlisle 717-210-1192
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Thursday Dec. 11
CLASSES
Senior Cafe: Farm to Schools presents: Tech in Today’s Vehicles — 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Walkersville Branch Library, 2 S. Glade Road, Walkersville. Discover the latest high-tech safety features in your current vehicle — or learn what to look for when shopping for your next one. Explore how systems like blind spot warning and forward collision alerts help keep you safer on the road. 21 and older. 301-600-8200. www.fcpl.org.
Writing Workshops with Niki Gjoni (For Teens) — 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Urbana Regional Library, 9020 Amelung St., Frederick. Join us for the writing workshop series; attend one or all of them! On Dec. 11 - Character Study Through Music: Music without lyrics can sometimes strike a deeper chord. In this workshop, listen to two pieces of music and develop two different characters based on the emotions, moods and rhythms the two songs conjure. Upcoming topics: “A Walk in Their Shoes” Jan. 15; “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words ... and Then Some” Feb. 12. 301-600-7000.
Carroll 250: Patriots of Carroll CountyNormand Bruce — 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Carroll County Public Library, Eldersburg Branch, 6400 W. Hemlock Drive, Eldersburg. For ages 12 and up. Local historian John Laycock discusses the story of Normand Bruce, his enduring legacy in Carroll County, and the foundation of Bruceville, where Myrtle Hill, the home he built in the 1760s, still stands. Bruce was a Scottish immigrant, businessman, prominent landowner, soldier, politician, husband and father. He answered
the call during the American Revolution and served as an officer in the Maryland militia. The speaker is a member of the Westminster Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution and a board member of the Historical Society of Carroll County. Registration is required. Visit site for details. 410-386-4460. ask@carr.org. ccpl.librarymarket.com.
ETCETERA
2025 Exhibits at the Museum of Frederick History — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Museum of Frederick County History, 24 E. Church St., Frederick. See our all new and renovated exhibits, now through Dec. 13. $10 adults, $5 seniors and students. Outreach@FrederickHistory.org. frederickhistory.org.
Walk and Learn: Antique Mall — 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Emmitsburg Branch Library, 300A S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg. Join us for a short walk around town with a stop at the Antique Mall for a short presentation. During our walk, we will share what we are reading and watching. Meet at the Senior Center in the lower level at 10:30. Ages 18 and older. 301-600-6329. www.fcpl.org.
Reindeer Games — 11 a.m. at Smoketown Brewing, 223 W. Potomac St., Brunswick . Through Dec. 20, Smoketown Brewing is hosting a team competition that ultimately ends with one team standing, holding bragging rights until next year, while a donation goes to their chosen 501(c)3 charity. Teams gather points by playing in-person games and competitions at the brewery, donating non-perishables on behalf of your team, and/or showing up to play wearing antlers. www.facebook.com/smoketownbrewing.
Holiday Ornament and Wine Trail — 11
a.m. to 5 p.m. at 868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro, Va. Print your passport and head to the seven participating vineyards between Nov. 28th and Dec 14th. Your passport will get you a 10% discount and, once you get a stamp from five of the seven vineyards, you can enter to win a “Wintertime is Wine Time” prize basket! With over 150 wines, beers and ciders to choose from. 540-668-7008. ndeliso@868estatevineyards. com.
lhatc.org/print-your-passpor/.
Teen Time: Window Decorating — 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Brunswick Branch Library, 915 N. Maple Ave., Brunswick. Decorate the Teen Zone windows with fun winter art using chalk markers! This program is for teens in 6th through 12th grades (ages 11-18). 301-600-7250.
Holly Jolly Trolley — 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore, 550 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore. Join Royal Sonesta Harbor Court, American Limousine and Baltimore Rent-a-Tour as they present the Holly Jolly Trolley which takes ticket holders on a 90-minute narrated tour in and around the city to experience festive light displays and neighborhood decorations while also learning about local history. (check schedule for exact times and dates or sold-out dates). Neighborhoods featured in the tour include Downtown Baltimore, Harbor East, Fells Point, Mount Vernon and Hampden’s famous 34th Street Christmas Festival of Lights. $39.50. 410-522-0400. reservations@americanlimo.com.
FAMILY
Frederick County Federated Garden Clubs Holiday Tree Display — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Heritage Frederick, 24 E. Church St., Frederick. Enjoy the Frederick County
Federated Garden Clubs (i.e. Green-walled Garden Club, Tasker’s Chance Garden Club and the The Garden Club of Frederick) decorated holiday tree, in partnership with and displayed at Heritage Frederick, an historical and cultural organization that includes the Museum of Frederick County history. Free admission noon to 7 p.m. during Museums by Candlelight. $10 adults, $5 seniors, students and kids. 301-363-8221. grlpgl1974@comcast.net. frederickhistory.org.
Musical Storytime — 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Thurmont Regional Library, 76 E. Moser Road, Thurmont. Music, movement and stories for the whole family. Designed for babies of all ages with a caregiver. 301-600-7200. bbrannen@frederickcountymd.gov. frederick.librarycalendar.com.
Elementary Explorers: Welcome Winter — 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Thurmont Regional Library, 76 East Moser Road, Thurmont. Dive into a world of snowy fun! Explore hands-on activities, cool science, creative crafts, and winter wonders in a playful, discovery-filled adventure for elementary kids. This program is designed for children in grades K - 5 and their caregivers. 301-600-7200.
Elementary Explorers: Welcome Winter — 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Thurmont Regional Library, 76 East Moser Road, Thurmont. Dive into a world of snowy fun! Explore hands-on activities, cool science, creative crafts, and winter wonders in a playful, discovery-filled adventure for elementary kids. 301-600-7200. bbrannen@frederickcountymd.gov. frederick.librarycalendar.com.
S’mores with Santa — 4 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. at Utica District Park, 10200-B Old Frederick Road, Frederick. Santa is coming to town, and he’s making a special stop in Frederick to warm up by the fire and enjoy some delicious s’mores! Grab your coat and hat and coat, make your way to the park to say hello, share your wish list with Santa, and relax by your very own campfire. The event will feature s’mores and a hot cocoa bar to make your evening extra sweet. $35. 301-600-2936. ParksandRecreation@ FrederickCountyMD.gov. bit.ly/SmoresWithSanta.
Canvas & Connection After-School Programs — 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Aya Cultural Arts Studio, 6907 Baltimore National Pike, Frederick. Fun, confidence-building activities through art, movement, and mindfulness. Pre-registration is required. $10 per session. $10. 240-426-2293. Kathleen@amplifiedchange.org. amplifiedchange.org.
Live Nativity — 5:30 p.m. at Victory Baptist Church, 6513 Himes Ave., Frederick. Continues at 5:30, 6:15, 7 and 7:45 p.m. daily through Dec. 14. Outdoor live Nativity scene. Visit and enjoy the 45-minute interactive program of live animals, live music and live action.
301-662-5153. vbcmd.org.
Tween Tiny Art Studio (ages 9-13) — 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Thurmont Regional Library, 76 East Moser Road, Thurmont. Unleash your inner artist—on a tiny canvas! Teens will create miniature masterpieces using acrylic paint, markers, and mixed media. All supplies provided; just bring your imagination. For Ages 9-13. 301-600-7200.
Family Fun: R.E.A.D. with WAGS for Hope — 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Emmitsburg Branch Library, 300A S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg. Practice your reading skills with patient and adorable Reading Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) from WAGS for Hope! For children grades K-5. 301-600-6329.
CDillman@frederickcountymd.gov. www.fcpl.org.
Tween Time: Friendship Bracelets — 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Brunswick Branch Library, 915 N. Maple Ave., Brunswick. Join us to make
a variety of fun friendship bracelets! This program is for our Tween patrons in 3rd through 8th grades.
301-600-7250.
Paws 2 Read with Go Team Therapy Dogs — 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Walkersville Branch Library, 2 S. Glade Road, Walkersville. Join Go Team Therapy Dogs to improve your reading confidence and make a new friend when you read aloud to a therapy dog. All ages. 301-600-8200. www.fcpl.org.
Meredith Wilson’s “Miracle on 34th Street: The Musical” — 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at The Capitol Theatre, 159 S. Main St ., Chambersburg, Pa. On stage in partnership with The Chambersburg Community Theatre. Single mother, Doris Walker, doesn’t want her 6-year-old Susan’s head filled with romantic notions. Their neighbor, Fred Gailey, tries to woo Doris by charming Susan and taking her to see Santa Claus at Macy’s, where Doris works. Doris is not impressed, but when it turns out that Macy’s Santa may, in fact, be the real Kris Kringle, a wave of love spreads across New York City that melts even the most cynical hearts. Adults (13+) $26.50, Seniors (65+) $21.50, Child (12& below) $16.50. 717-263-3900. director@cctonline.org. www.thecapitoltheatre.org.
Children’s Memorial Service — 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Brook Hill United Methodist Church, 8946 Indian Springs Road, Frederick. This year will be the 35th Annual Memorial Service for families who have lost a child. The service honors & remembers those children who have died. Please contact our church office at 301-662-1727 or email morgan_cl@ msn.com for information to attend. 301-662-1727. bhumc.org.
MUSIC
Live Jazz at the Cocktail Lab — 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Tenth Ward Distilling Co., 55 E. Patrick St., Frederick. Get swanky with us every Thursday night for live jazz and your favorite craft cocktails. 21 and older. 301-360-5888. monica@tenthwarddistilling. com. tenthwarddistilling.com.
FCC Jazz Ensemble I Performance — 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Frederick Community College, Visual & Performing Arts Center, 7932
Opossumtown Pike (JBK Theater • Parking Lot 9), Frederick. Under the direction of Anita Thomas, this ensemble features classic jazz tunes played by students of all ages. Jazz afficionados and novices alike will enjoy this entertaining performance. Light refreshments available following the performance. Tickets are free but a $15 tax-deductible donation (per attendee) to the FCC Music Program is suggested. 301-846-2566. mgersten@frederick.edu. 2025JazzEnsemble.eventbrite.com.
POLITICS
Inauguraltion of 64th Administration of City of Frederick — 11 a.m. at Frederick, Frederick. Watch the livestream at cityoffrederickmd.gov/videos.
RECREATION
Open Duckpin Bowling — 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Walkersville Lanes, 44 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Walkersville. Hosted by Senior Recreation Council. Not league bowling. Requires $10 annual dues. Cost is weekly cost of bowling. See website and contact coordinator. 240-651-1865. g.blessing@ieee.org. srcfrederick.org/.
Friday Dec. 12
CLASSES
Friday and Saturday Crafting Time — 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Brook Hill United Methodist Church, 8946 Indian Springs Road, Frederick. Use the time for scrapbooking, card making or whatever kind of craft you may do and enjoy. The cost is $25 to get your space, room for the day. BYO lunch or snacks. Pre-register. 18 and older. $10 more if you come for Saturday too! $20 entrance fee. 301-712-6759. shelleysscrapshack@gmail.com. meetup.com/Shelleys-Scrap-Shack.
Muscle Recovery / Yoga — 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at The Center Frederick, 28 E. Sixth St., Frederick. A slow flow gentle practice to assist with muscle recovery while also engaging the parasympathetic nervous system with breath control, body scans, and ending with an extended savasana that includes the rejuvenating practice of yoga nidra (yogic sleep) on heated floors. All levels welcome, 18 and older. First responders: $10. Pre-registration is recommended at: https://www.thecenterfrederick.com/ $20. 301-305-0693. parkerpsyd@gmail.com. www.thecenterfrederick.com.
ETCETERA
2025 Exhibits at the Museum of Frederick History — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Museum of Frederick County History, 24 E. Church St., Frederick. See our all new and renovated exhibits, now through Dec. 13. $10 adults, $5 seniors and students. Outreach@FrederickHistory.org. frederickhistory.org.
Sensory Sensitive PAWS to Read — 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at Carroll County Public Library, Finksburg Branch, 2265 Old Westminster Pike, Finksburg. For ages 4 and up. An inclusive visit with book-loving therapy dogs for people and children of all abilities.
Research shows that reading to animals boosts reading skills and helps with social skills and emotional health for all ages. Registration is preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. Visit site for details. 410-386-4505. ask@carr.org.
ccpl.librarymarket.com.
Snacks & Conversations: Reading Recommendations — 11 a.m. to noon at Carroll County Public Library, Mount Airy Branch, 705 Ridge Ave., Mount Airy. For ages 16 and up. Calling all readers! Do you have a bestie book that you want to talk about but don’t have the audience? We’re “hear” for you! Recommend your favorite title in a friendly conversational setting. A fun group activity will also take place. Grab a snack, socialize, and get inspired for what to read next. All genres, fiction and non-fiction, are welcome! 410-386-4470. ask@carr.org.
ccpl.librarymarket.com.
Holiday Ornament and Wine Trail — 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro, Va. Print your passport and head to the seven participating vineyards between Nov. 28th and Dec 14th. Your passport will get you a 10% discount and, once you get a stamp from five of the seven vineyards, you can enter to win a “Wintertime is Wine Time” prize basket! With over 150 wines, beers and ciders to choose from. 540-668-7008. ndeliso@868estatevineyards. com.
lhatc.org/print-your-passport.
Jingle & Mingle — 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Downtown Main Street, 110 S. Main St., Mount Airy. Get your last minute shopping in as a part of the Town’s annual Jingle & Mingle event. Enjoy shopping, dining and exploring along Downtown Main Street as many shops will be offering in-store specials and promotions. 301-829-1424. gaction@mountairymd.gov. www.mountairymd.gov.
FAMILY
Storytime Stretchers — 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Thurmont Regional Library, 76 E. Moser Road, Thurmont. Story Stretchers brings stories to life through gentle stretching movements, helping children connect with tales in an interactive, playful way. As kids listen, stretch and move, they will build early literacy skills while fostering body awareness and mindfulness in a fun, engaging environment! This storytime is geared for ages up to 5 with a caregiver. 301-600-7200.
Storytime Stretchers: Arctic Animals — 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Thurmont Regional Library, 76 East Moser Road, Thurmont. Story Stretchers brings stories to life through movement helping children connect with tales in an interactive, playful way. As kids listen and move, they will build early literacy skills while fostering body awareness and mindfulness in a fun, engaging environment! This storytime is geared for ages 0-5 with a caregiver. 301-600-7200.
S’mores with Santa — 4 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. at Utica District Park, 10200-B Old Frederick
Road, Frederick. Santa is coming to town, and he’s making a special stop in Frederick to warm up by the fire and enjoy some delicious s’mores! Grab your coat and hat and coat, make your way to the park to say hello, share your wish list with Santa, and relax by your very own campfire. The event will feature s’mores and a hot cocoa bar to make your evening extra sweet. $35. 301-600-2936. ParksandRecreation@ FrederickCountyMD.gov. bit.ly/SmoresWithSanta.
Adaptive Holiday Shop — 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Scott Key Community Center, 1050 Rocky Springs Road, Frederick. Join us for a special opportunity for your child to shop for a loved one for a holiday gift. Limit to 4 gifts per child. Trained staff will be there to assist your child with hand picking from a variety of gifts. Then our holiday helpers will assist your child in our workshop with wrapping your gift. This event is geared towards individuals with disabilities.
$10, includes cost of gift and gift wrapping. 301-600-2936.
Live Nativity — 6 p.m. at City of God, 32 East Ave., Hagerstown. A nativity scene featuring live animals from Farm Yard Friends: On the Move and live music from Ryan Franko. Delicious cookies and food is available for all who attend, while supplies last. thecog-hag.org.
Meredith Wilson’s “Miracle on 34th Street: The Musical” — 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
at The Capitol Theatre, 159 S. Main St ., Chambersburg, Pa. On stage in partnership with The Chambersburg Community Theatre. Single mother, Doris Walker, doesn’t want her 6-year-old Susan’s head filled with romantic notions. Their neighbor, Fred Gailey, tries to woo Doris by charming Susan and taking her to see Santa Claus at Macy’s, where Doris works. Doris is not impressed, but when it turns out that Macy’s Santa may, in fact, be the real Kris Kringle, a wave of love spreads across New York City that melts even the most cynical hearts. Adults (13+) $26.50, Seniors (65+) $21.50, Child (12& below) $16.50. 717-263-3900. director@cctonline.org. www.thecapitoltheatre.org.
“A Christmas Carol” — 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Weinberg Center for the Arts, 20 W. Patrick St., Frederick. Presented by Maryland Ensemble Theatre. This beloved stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’ timeless classic brings to life the unforgettable tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly man whose cold heart is transformed through a powerful journey of redemption.
Holiday Light Spectacular Hosted by the Maryland State Fair — 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road, Timonium. Continues daily through Dec. 30. Over a million lights, larger-than-life
holiday scenes, including Mistletoe Marina, Jinglebell Junction Farm, Symphony of Illumination and a Winter Wonderland Carnival complete with a Ferris wheel and other rides and attractions. Holiday Village with shops and food trucks, special performances nightly. Some activities have additional cost. $15-$25 general admission. mdholidaylights.com.
Kris Kringle Procession — 6:30 p.m. at Downtown, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick. The parade begins at the corner of South Carroll and East Patrick streets and ends in Baker Park with the lighting of the City Tree. 301-600-2844. alipowitz@cityoffrederickmd. gov. celebratefrederick.com.
Boyds Tree Lighting — 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Boyds Presbyterian Church, 19901 White Ground Road, Boyds. Celebrate community at the Boyds Post Office at 7 p.m. for the tree lighting. Then take a hayride to the Boyds Presbyterian Church where there will be treats and hot cocoa for all. There will be crafts and fun activities for all and you will be able to take pictures with Santa! At the conclusion of the event you will take the hayride back to the post office. A fun-filled event for the entire family.
301-540-2544. boydspc@comcast.net. boydspc.org.
FILM
Sip & Screen — 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Shepherdstown Opera House, 131 W. German St., Shepherdstown, W.Va. No charge for admission and the lounge will be
open, serving popcorn, snacks, soft drinks, plus beer & wine (with ID). No outside food or drink, please. To get advance details of Sip & Screen movie titles, email Contact@ OperaHouseLive.com or call the box office at 304-876-3704.
304-876-3704. Contact@OperaHouseLive. com.
OperaHouseLive.com.
MUSIC
“Winter’s Song” — 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Jack B Kussmaul Theater at Frederick Community College, 7932 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick. Join the Choral Arts Society of Frederick for an evening of music celebrating winter, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Hanukkah, and even cowboys! This familyfriendly show can be counted on to bring the warmth of the familiar and the tingles of the new. Special guests the Training Choir from the Frederick Children’s Chorus, and Red Hawes, notable FCC alumnus. $15 adults, $12 senior/military, free for ages under 12 and for FCC students and faculty with ID. 301-846-2513. lstaininger@ frederick.edu. casof.org.
Scott Ambush Jazz Concert — 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Rockwell Brewery, 8411 Broadband Drive, Frederick. International (and Frederick local) acclaimed jazz bassist Scott Ambush is back by popular demand. Advance tickets recommended via Eventbrite. $5. 240-575-9755. matt@rockwellbrewery.com.
We are still Around for You
We carry a line of Uprights, Canisters, Commercial, Lightweights, Wand Vacs, Backpacks, Steam Vacs, Bags, Parts Supplies and Accessories
Directions from Frederick:
70 West to Exit 28 go straight thru light on Halfway Blvd. Turn left at next light Virginia Ave., Less than 2 minutes down the road on the left next to Dominos Pizza
Directions from Martinsburg:
81 North to EXIT 2, turn right onto Rt. 11 North, follow about 2.5 miles
17549 Virginia Ave., Hagerstown One Mile from Valley Mall next to Domino’s 301-582-0575 www.thevacuumstorehagerstown.com
Live Music at the Cocktail Lab — 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Tenth Ward Distilling Co., 55 E. Patrick St., Frederick. Every Friday in the Cocktail Lab we’ll be servin’ up our deliciously wild concoctions and some sweet tunes to get your weekend started off right. 21 and older.
“Once Upon a Christmas Night” — 6 p.m. at Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre, 5 Willowdale Drive, Frederick. The magic of Christmas is in full swing at Way Off Broadway, making it the perfect place to celebrate the holiday season with family and friends. Always the most popular show of the year, blending songs and music from Christmases past and present, the show is perfect for the entire family. Runs through Dec. 21, with performances every Friday and Saturday evening and select Sunday matinees.
$65 per person. 301-662-6600. WOB@ wayoffbroadway.com. www.wayoffbroadway.com.
“Junie B. in Jingle Bells Batman Smells” — 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Maryland Ensemble Theatre, 31 W. Patrick St., Frederick. She’s back! Follow the feisty and irrepressible Junie B. Jones as she plays Secret Santa to her least favorite classmate, Tattletale May. Will Junie B. give Tattletale May exactly what she thinks she deserves, or will the holiday spirit force a change of heart? With plenty of laughs and life life lessons, it’s the perfect holiday treat for the whole family.
Friday and Saturday Crafting Time — 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Brook Hill United Methodist Church, 8946 Indian Springs Road, Frederick. Use the time for scrapbooking, card making or whatever kind of craft you may do and enjoy. The cost is $25 to get your space, room for the day. BYO lunch or snacks. Pre-register. 18 and older. $10 more if you come for Saturday too! $20 entrance fee. 301-712-6759. shelleysscrapshack@gmail.com. meetup.com/Shelleys-Scrap-Shack.
Gentle Yoga Flow: A Beginner Yoga Class — noon to 1 p.m. at Thurmont Regional Library, 76 East Moser Road, Thurmont. Join us for a calming, beginner-friendly yoga class designed to help you unwind, stretch, and move with ease. This all-levels session is perfect for anyone looking to build flexibility, reduce stress, and explore mindful movement in a welcoming environment. With over ten years’ experience, Hannah Cherry offers supportive guidance for every body. All are welcome— no prior yoga experience needed.
Bountiful Boughs: A Winter Greenery Workshop — 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Middletown Branch Library, 31 E. Green St., Middletown. Get ready to deck the halls and trim the evergreens this season in style. Join Master Gardener Courtney Ward to learn the history of winter greenery and its presence in our holiday celebrations. Following the lecture, make your own A-Frame evergreen swag to take home!
Key City Improv at MET Comedy Night — 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Maryland Ensemble Theatre, 31 W. Patrick St., Frederick. Key City was formed from our Ensemble School during the Holidays of 2021 where the best presents were Friendship, Improv and the Nintendo Switch. This group specializes in short form improv and is ready to bring you all the laughs.
$15. 301-694-4744. contact@marylandensemble.org.
Saturday Dec. 13
CLASSES
CPR and First Aid for Pets — 9 a.m. to noon at Frederick Community College, The Monroe Center, 200 Monroe Ave., Frederick. Instruction focuses on what to do in an emergency situations with pets. Find out who to call for emergency care and acquire basic first aid and CPR skills when time matters most for your furry friends. Pre-registration required.
Freedom Bang Class — 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Walkersville Branch Library, 2 S. Glade Road, Walkersville. Freedom Bang is a pre-choreographed fusion of boxing, HIIT, hip hop, world dance, optional weighted gloves and just a touch of attitude. Offering a wide range of intensity options to help you customize your workout. 18 and older. 301-600-8200. fcpl.org.
frederick.librarycalendar.com.
Carroll 250: After the Fashion of His Country — Asia and Asians in the 18th Century Mid-Atlantic — 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Carroll County Public Library, Mount Airy Branch, 705 Ridge Ave., Mount Airy. For adults. This fascinating talk will be presented by Daniel Sieh. Asia was known for centuries in Europe, and the British were keen to profit off the exotic goods through commerce. This trade was far from a one-sided exchange; it was a dialogue between two very distinct cultures. Registration required. Visit site for details.
Visit the National Road Museum and Trolley Station Museum — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at National Road Museum, 214 N. Main St., Boonsboro. Visit Boonsboro and learn about the Historic National Road - Rt. 40 and Rt. 40A, also known as The Road That Built the Nation. Explore how a path George Washington blazed became the most important highway for settling the west, grew our young nation’s economy, and led technological advancements that impacted the country.
Annual Christmas Bazaar — 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Fort Ritchie Community Center, 14421 Lake Royer Drive, Cascade. Over 60 vendors participating! Lots of gift ideas
and decorations to choose from. Food will also be available for purchase! Get all those last-minute gifts here. There is something for everyone! 301-241-5085. Bcoyle@thefrcc.org. theFRCC.org.
Frederick Apple Core — 10 a.m. to noon at Walkersville United Methodist Church, 22 Main St., Walkersville. A Macintosh User Group, meets the second Saturday of each month. Follow Apple Logo signs. Users of Apple and similar products (MacBooks, iMacs, Mac Pro, iPhone, iPod, iPad, iWatch, etc.) are invited to attend. All ages. bobesposito@mac.com. frederickapple.org.
Holiday Cookie Crawl — 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Downtown Hagerstown businesses, Hagerstown. Ticketing information and participating business list will be posted in early November at Mainstreethagerstown. org/holiday-cookie-crawl. Pre-registration required. $12. 240-382-0520. lcarroll@hagerstownmd.org. mainstreethagerstown.org/holidays-in-hagerstown/holiday-cookie-crawl.
Holiday Ornament and Wine Trail — 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro, Va. Print your passport and head to the seven participating vineyards between Nov. 28th and Dec 14. Your passport will get you a 10% discount and, once you get a stamp from five of the seven vineyards, you can enter to win a “Wintertime is Wine Time” prize basket! With over 150 wines, beers and ciders to choose from. 540-668-7008. ndeliso@868estatevineyards. com. lhatc.org/print-your-passport.
Museums by Candlelight — noon to 7 p.m. at Throughout Frederick County, Frederick. Once a year, Frederick County’s numerous historic sites and museums provide visitors with a living reminder of this area’s remarkable past. During Museums by Candlelight, special programming and hands-on fun will delight visitors of all ages, and special children’s activities are featured at most locations. Self-guided event. 301-600-4023. jwynn@fredco-md.net. www.visitfrederick.org/events/ annual-events/museums-by-candlelight.
Christmas Caboose Pet Food Collection — noon to 4 p.m. at Caboose, 2 N. Main St., Mount Airy. On weekends during December, bring your pet food donations to the Caboose and place on the desk inside. During the week, you may bring your donations to ReMax Realty, 1502 S. Main St., #203, Mount Airy. For the Morgan Chapel UMC Pet Food Pantry. mountairymd.gov.
Serenade and Afternoon Tea with the British — 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Brunswick Branch Library, 915 N. Maple Ave., Brunswick. Join a relaxing afternoon sipping tea and listening to music from the British Isles! Local author and tea enthusiast Paulella Burchill will bring her woodwind quartet to the library to serenade us with music from Jane Austen’s time while we enjoy some tea and English biscuits. 18 and older. 301-600-7250. frederick.librarycalendar.com.
Ghost Tours of Historic Frederick — 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Brewer’s Alley Restaurant and Brewery, 124 N. Market St., Frederick. Take a remarkable journey through Frederick’s gruesome and bloody past. Nearly 300 years of war, executions and revenge. True documented stories of the “paranormal” with “Maryland’s Oldest Operating Ghost Tour!” Reservations recommended. $17 for adults. 301-668-8922. info@MarylandGhostTours.com. marylandghosttours.com.
Rhythm of Belonging — 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Give Rise Studio, 125 S .Carroll St., Frederick. Join Amanda Lucia in song and heart coherence, where music becomes a bridge for belonging. Together, we’ll explore medicine songs for Earth and collective liberation, guiding us into deeper connection with ourselves and one another. Through vocal toning, call-and-response and improv layering, our voices will weave into a living, breathing tapestry. No experience needed — just bring your voice, heart, and breath. $15 - $30. 503-957-4207. amandaluciaart@ gmail.com. tinyurl.com/2nfptm5h.
UUCF Open Mic/Coffee House — 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, 4880 Elmer Derr Road, Frederick. Showcase your talent in a welcoming venue! Musicians, singers, storytellers and poets are all welcome! BYOB. Donations accepted but not required. 301-252-4960. carrollg007@gmail.com. www.frederickuu.org.
FAMILY
Pancake and Sausage Breakfast — 7 a.m. to noon at Prospect United Methodist Church, 5923 Woodville Road, Mount Airy. Buckwheat & regular pancakes, country sausage, applesauce or fruit cup, milk, juice, coffee. All-you-can-eat! Bake table and Christmas shop, too!
$12 adults, $6 ages 6-12, ages 5 and under free. 301-829-9244. prospect.marvinchapel. umc@gmail.com.
Breakfast with Santa — 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Lovettsville Volunteer Fire and Rescue Social Hall, South Berlin Pike, Lovettsville, Va. Annual pancake breakfast with Santa. Proceeds benefit the Lovettsville Volunteer Fire and Rescue and the Western Loudoun Food Pantry.
Knitting Help Circle — 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at C. Burr Artz Public Library, 110 E. Patrick St., Frederick. Calling all knitters — whether you’re a seasoned pro, a curious beginner, or somewhere in between! The Knitting Help Circle (English and Spanish) is a cozy and collaborative space where Frederick’s fiber enthusiasts come together to stitch, learn, and share. Bring your needles, yarn, and questions, and join us for an afternoon of creativity, conversation, and community. Limited knitting supplies will be available for use. 18 and older. eschenkelberg@frederickcountymd.gov. frederick.librarycalendar.com.
Breakfast with Santa — 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Parish Center, 9190 Church St., Libertytown. Santa, Christmas music, Mrs. Claus and Christmas stories, goodie bag for children and sing-along songs during breakfast. $5 and up. kclibertytown13290@gmail.com. kofc13290.org.
Preschool Holiday Shop — 10 a.m. to noon
at Scott Key Community Center, 1050 Rocky Springs Road, Frederick. Join us for a special opportunity for your child to shop for a loved one for a holiday gift. Registration fee includes gift and gift wrapping. Limit to 4 gifts per child. Trained staff will be there to assist your child with hand picking from a variety of gifts. Then our holiday helpers will assist your child in our workshop with wrapping your gift. Included in fee. Pre-registration required.
Santa Workshop Events — 10 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. at Asbury United Methodist Church, 101 W. All Saints St., Frederick. In collaboration with Helping Hands and Caring Hearts we are having two Santa Workshop events. Dec. 13 is for kids to come and shop for FREE for their parents. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on site. Cookies, activities, and fun for families. Dec. 21, is an event for parents to come and shop for FREE for gifts for their kids. Can not be on any other lists. Will be checked. Also, a free surprise will be gifted to all families to help make their Christmas bright! Free gift wrapping on site. 301-663-9380. asburyumcfmd1@verizon. net.
Frederick County Federated Garden Clubs Holiday Tree Display — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Heritage Frederick, 24 E. Church St., Frederick. Enjoy the Frederick County Federated Garden Clubs (i.e. Green-walled Garden Club, Tasker’s Chance Garden Club and the The Garden Club of Frederick) decorated holiday tree, in partnership with and displayed at Heritage Frederick, an historical and cultural organization that includes the Museum of Frederick County history. The holiday tree is a patriotic celebration to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the USA featuring a wide array of beautifully designed handcrafted ornaments and decorations representing the interpretations of the picturesque words of Francis Scott Key’s “Star-Spangled Banner.” From the “broad stripes and bright stars” and “rockets’ red glare, bombs bursting in air” to “the flag was still there,” the Frederick County Garden Club’s holiday tree display is a tribute to commemorate 250 years of independence. Free admission 1-3 p.m. Frosty Friday, and noon to 7 p.m. during Museums by Candlelight. $10 adults, $5 seniors, students and kids. 301-363-8221. grlpgl1974@comcast.net. frederickhistory.org/.
Museums by Candlelight: Gingerbread Family Storytime — 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Thurmont Regional Library, 76 East Moser Road, Thurmont. Run, run as fast as you can to the Thurmont Library for a special Gingerbread Storytime featuring the Gingerbread Man himself! Geared for ages 0-5 with a caregiver.
Museums by Candlelight — Snook Farmstead — noon to 7 p.m. at Utica District Park, 10200-B Old Frederick Road, Frederick. The Snook Family Agricultural Center will feature exhibits open for self-guided tours as part of Frederick County’s Museums by Candlelight.
Be sure to stop by to learn about the history of holiday treats and candies. Explore history of the Snook family and how agriculture plays a role in creating sweet treats. No registration required.
Museums by Candlelight — noon to 7 p.m. at Rose Hill Manor Park & Museums, 1611 N. Market St., Frederick. Museum exhibits and buildings will be open for self-guided tours. Visitors will also be able to participate in hands-on crafts and living-history demonstrations. Special exhibits will highlight holiday traditions through history and the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary events of 1775. 301-600-2936. ParksandRecreation@FrederickCountyMD. gov.
bit.ly/FCPRMuseumsbyCandlelight.
Museums by Candlelight at the Emmitsburg Library — noon to 4:45 p.m. at Emmitsburg Branch Library, 300A S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg. Be transported back in time to the beginnings of library service in Frederick County in a 100-year-old school, now serving as home to the Emmitsburg Library. Along the walls, you will take in “History of the Emmitsburg Library” through words and pictures. A scavenger hunt will be available all day as well as a cute star garland craft. 301-600-6329. dspurrier@frederickcountymd.gov. www.fcpl.org.
Museums by Candlelight at Woodsboro Historical Society — noon to 4 p.m. at Train Station, 6 Creagerstown Road, Woodsboro. Learn about Woodsboro’s interesting past. View artifacts and photographs in our restored train station. Have fun interactions with local experts. 301-520-7154. rickbontz@yahoo.com. woodsborohistoricalsociety.org.
Schifferstadt by Candlelight — noon to 7 p.m. at Schifferstadt Architectural Museum, 1110 Rosemont Ave., Frederick. Roam Frederick’s oldest house (267 years old, to be exact) for free as trained docents will be stationed around the house to answer your questions. Craft projects for kids, including making traditional Christmas ornaments. Cookies and cider for all; gluehwein (mulled wine) for those of age. It’s our last open day of this year.
Mount Olivet Cemetery: Wreaths Across America — noon to 2 p.m. at Mount Olivet Cemetery , 515 S. Market St., Frederick. Honor veterans by laying a wreath at Mount Olivet cemetery, as part of the national Wreaths Across America event. Park in the Frederick Keys parking lot to join the ceremony which begins at the World War II memorial (section EE) at noon. jenohio_99@yahoo.com. www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
Youth Holiday Shop — 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Scott Key Community Center, 1050 Rocky Springs Road, Frederick. Join us for a special opportunity for your child to shop for a loved one for a holiday gift. Registration fee includes gift and gift wrapping. Limit to 4
gifts per child. Trained staff will be there to assist your child with hand picking from a variety of gifts. Then our holiday helpers will assist your child in our workshop with wrapping your gift. Pre-registration required. $19. 301-600-2936. ParksandRecreation@ FrederickCountyMD.gov. bit.ly/FCPRHolidayShop.
Foxville Schoolhouse On Church Tour — 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Foxville Schoolhouse, 14814 Foxville-Deerfield Road, Sabillasville. Foxville Schoolhouse and Mount Moriah Lutheran Church (15116 Foxville Church Road, Sabillasville), will be open as part of Frederick County Tour of Country Churches. Foxville Schoolhouse will have a Scandinavian Santa Lucia theme. 240-405-2173. prjulie@verizon.net. www.facebook.com/MountMoriahFoxville.
Mount Moriah Lutheran Church On Church Tour — 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Mount Moriah Lutheran Church, 15116 Foxville Church Road, Sabillasville. Mount Moriah Lutheran Church and Foxville Schoolhouse (14814 Foxville-Deerfield Road, Sabillasville), will be open as part of Frederick County Tour of Country Churches. Foxville Schoolhouse will have a Scandinavian Santa Lucia theme. 240-405-2173. prjulie@verizon.net. www.facebook.com/MountMoriahFoxville.
Country Churches Christmas Tour — 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Community Room on left side of Municipal Center, 301 Main St., Myersville. A self-driving tour of old country churches decorated in the Christmas spirit and sponsored by the Myersville-Wolfsville Area Historical Society. Tour maps, list of participating churches available at the Myersville Municipal Center, along with refreshments, historical displays and more. 301-910-3921. babssavitt@aol.com. mwahistory.com.
Meredith Wilson’s “Miracle on 34th Street: The Musical” — 2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at The Capitol Theatre, 159 S. Main St ., Chambersburg, Pa. On stage in partnership with The Chambersburg Community Theatre. Single mother, Doris Walker, doesn’t want her 6-year-old Susan’s head filled with romantic notions. Their neighbor, Fred Gailey, tries to woo Doris by charming Susan and taking her to see Santa Claus at Macy’s, where Doris works. Doris is not impressed, but when it turns out that Macy’s Santa may, in fact, be the real Kris Kringle, a wave of love spreads across New York City that melts even the most cynical hearts. 717-263-3900. director@cctonline.org. www.thecapitoltheatre.org.
“A Christmas Carol” — 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Weinberg Center for the Arts, 20 W. Patrick St., Frederick. Presented by Maryland Ensemble Theatre. This beloved stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’ timeless classic brings to life the unforgettable tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly man whose cold heart is transformed through a powerful journey of redemption. $28. 301-600-2828. weinberg@cityoffrederickmd.gov. weinbergcenter.org/shows/ a-christmas-carol-2025.
“A Hundred Acre Holiday”/”Christmas Together” — 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Other Voic-
es Theatre, 244 S. Jefferson St., Frederick. A 2-short show holiday play production aimed for kids and families. Tickets include both shows, a drink, cookies and a free gift. 11:30 a.m. shows Dec. 13 and 21. $15. 301-846-7945. patricia481@comcast. net.
www.OtherVoicesTheatre.org.
A Night in Bethlehem — 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Faith Baptist Church, 2212 Jefferson Pike, Knoxville. A walk-through of Bethlehem and learn about the meaning of Christmas. Visit the Bethlehem bakery, the toy shoppe, the Bethlehem pier, the wool trader and more. Each step along the way will feature a hands-on craft experience for the whole family. All participating children will receive free backpack. 301-834-7755.
faithknoxmd.com.
Annual Drive-Thru Live Nativity — 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at St. John’s Grace UCC, 1000 S. Rolling Road, Catonsville. Experience the people and excitement of long ago, all safely from your car. A free-will offering of canned goods or monetary donation will go to Catonsville Emergency Assistance. 410-744-5700.
stjohnsuccmd.com.
Live Nativity — 6:30 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, 1700 Saint Andrews Way, Eldersburg. Enjoy the deeper meaning of Christmas with Faith Lutheran Church as they host its live Nativity featuring real animals. Enjoy refreshments, while supplies last. 410-795-8082.
faithlutheraneldersburg.com.
“The Nutcracker” — 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown. The Western Maryland City Ballet Company and The City Ballet School present. Experience the magic of ballet as you join Clara on her enchanted journey to the land of sweets. Set to Tchaikovsky’s stunning score, this magical ballet is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season with your family. $22 and up. 301-790-3500. boxoffice@mdtheatre.org. www.mdtheatre.org/city-ballet#nutcracker.
FESTIVALS
Santa’s Farm Fest — 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Green Meadows Petting Farm, 10102 Fingerboard Road, Ijamsville. Visit our warm furry animals in our Animal Barn, take pictures with Santa, enjoy our vendors’ goodies in the heated Stables and go on a free festive hayride. Visit and take free pictures with a live Elsa in our Frozen-themed snow globe (with a blow-up Olaf!) and a live Grinch and sleigh. Stay to enjoy the warmth of our fire rings while making memories. $18, credit only, for ages 2 and older, babies free. 301-865-9203. info@greenmeadowsevents.com. greenmeadowsevents.com.
Blue Ridge Summit Free Library Yuletide Celebration — 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Blue Ridge Summit Free Library, 13676 Monterey Lane, Blue Ridge Summit, Pa. Magical evening for families. Live music, fire truck rides, cookies & cider, Santa hands out candy canes, bird feeder craft for kids, quilt raffle. Memorial tree lighting at 6:30 p.m. 717-940-6711. brsmtnboard@gmail.com.
13 & 20
Make the holiday season unforgettable by shopping local in Downtown Frederick! Discover unique gifts, indulge in delicious dining experiences, and create lasting memories all month long. Plus, explore our Downtown Holiday Gift Guide to find that perfect present!
