Holiday Activities & Shows

Tis the season for lots of fun local activities! From light festivals to train festivals, from gingerbread houses to seasonal musicals, there's something exciting going on every day for the rest of the year.

Light and Train Festivals

Special Events

Theater

Light and Train Festivals

23rd Annual Winter Festival of Lights, Watkins Regional Park
301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro 20774 (approx. 20 minutes)
November 27, 2009 - January 3, 2010
Admission: $5/car for a single visit, or $10/car for a multi-visit pass. Free admission on December 25th

Drive through more than a hundred dazzling displays made up of more than a million twinkling lights at this holiday tradition. Please bring canned goods to donate to local area food banks.

Holiday Festival of Trains, B&O Railroad Museum
901 West Pratt St., Baltimore, MD 21223 (approx. 40 minutes)
November 27 - January 10
Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Sunday 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Admission: $14 for adults and $8 for children ages 2-12

Baltimore's largest holiday celebration of toy trains and model railroading layouts. Weekend train rides with Santa and Frosty the Snowman through December 20. Don't miss these special model train layouts:

December 19-January 3: Baltimore Area NTRAK Club

December 26-January 3: National Capital Trackers

January 9 & 10: Japan Rail Modelers of Washington, DC

Holiday Festival of Trains, Ellicott City B&O Railroad Museum
2711 Maryland Avenue, Ellicott City, MD 21043 (approx. 40 minutes)
Nov. 28 - Jan. 31, W-Su, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Admission: $5 for adults, $3 children 2-12, under 2 free

Come to Ellicott City for a holiday celebration of toy trains and model railroading including an O-gauge layout in the car house, the Museum's permanent HO-gauge layout in the freight house, an N-gauge layout, and a miniature Thomas the Tank Engine!

Holiday Magic, U.S. Botanic Garden
West Gallery, 100 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20024 (approx. 15 minutes)
Nov. 26 - Jan. 10, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Extended evening hours until 8pm on select days.
Admission to all public areas of the U.S. Botanic Garden is free.

The U.S. Botanic Garden features fanciful garden-train exhibits filled with magic from larger and more amazing displays made of plant-based natural materials. Visitors can enjoy an enchanted storybook garden with trains popping in and out of a landscape that now includes Snow White's cottage and the Owl and the Pussycat's beautiful pea green boat. The whole family will enjoy the children's plant hunt, which will take visitors through our collections in search of particularly "magical" plants.

Holiday Trains and Planes, College Park Aviation Museum
1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park, MD 20740 (approx. 15 minutes)
Dec. 19 - 26, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Admission: $4 for adults, $2 for ages 18 & under

During the holiday season College Park Aviation Museum gets ready for the festivities as miniature trains, villages, tunnels, and depots spark the imagination and bring history to life. The National Capital Trackers bring a fascinating and constantly moving display of model railroads to the Museum.

Symphony of Lights, to benefit Howard County General Hospital
Symphony Woods, Columbia, MD 21044 (approx. 30 minutes)
November 23, 2009 through January 3, 2010. Open 7 days a week, including holidays: 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Admission: $20 per family vehicle

This spectacular display of more than 70 larger-than-life, animated and stationary light creations is a “must-see” during the holiday season.

ZooLights, The National Zoo
3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20008 (approx. 20 minutes)
Dec. 18 - Jan. 2 (every night except 12/24, 12/25 and 12/13) 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: $8 per person

Their biggest and brightest event of the year, the Zoo shines with thousands of environmentally friendly lights and animated exhibits. These larger-than-life displays featuring many of the Zoo’s most popular animals, plus fun activities and live entertainment, are sure to please visitors of all ages.

Special Events

10th Annual Gingerbread House Show, Darnall's Chance House Museum
December 10-13 from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Admission: $1 per person

A delight for children as they marvel at the creativity and talent of local bakers and other kids. Everyone has the opportunity to vote for their favorite entries for the Viewer's Choice Award.

Breakfast Buffet with Santa, B&O Railroad Museum
901 West Pratt St., Baltimore, MD 21223 (approx. 40 minutes)
December 19 & 20 from 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Tickets: $28.00 for adults and $18.00 for children

Join the B&O Railroad Museum for the annual Breakfast Buffet with Santa! Enjoy a delicious breakfast, have your photo made while visiting with Santa, take a train ride and enjoy the holiday train layouts!

Kwanzaa Celebration, Publick Playhouse
5445 Landover Road, Cheverly, MD 20784 (approx. 5 minutes)
December 27, 3:00 p.m.
Tickets: $10 per person, $5 for ages 5 & under

Gather with family and friends at the Playhouse for a high-energy celebration of family, community and culture. Live performers highlight culture and history through music, dance, drumming and spoken word. This annual event is a crowd pleaser and will have you dancing in the aisles.

Theater

Seasons of Light, Discovery Theater
Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, D.C. (approx. 15 minutes)
M-F, December 1-22 at 10:15 and 11:30; Additional 1:00 show on December 18.
Tickets: $6 for adults, $5 for children. Recommended for ages 4-12.

Discovery Theater’s seasonal favorite, celebrates the warmth of world holidays filled with light and love. Visit the traditions of Devali, Ramadan, Sankta Lucia, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Las Posadas, Christmas, and a First Nations tradition of the Winter Solstice. Get tickets early—this show sells out.