Partner Content
This festive time of year transforms Downtown Baltimore into a sparkly, bright, and merry place with memory-making experiences for adults and children. Among them are ice-skating at the Inner Harbor; classic shows and performances at Center Stage, Chesapeake Shakespeare, The Hippodrome, and Everyman Theatre; holiday prix-fixe meals at local restaurants; a Christmas Village; holiday markets; and more.
New this year, Center Plaza will be transformed into Candy Lane, a larger-than-life, candy-themed experience with installations, thousands of lights, and seasonal entertainment. Getting lost in a forest of 24-foot-tall ice cream cones and candy canes is a sweet, new way to experience Downtown. Selfies and family photos—including furry, four-legged family members—are encouraged!
Enjoy weekly programming too, including candy-themed happy hours, sweet treats, local food trucks, live DJs, free photos with Santa, and many sugary themed surprises. Candy Lane is in Center Plaza (100 N. Charles Street) will run Wednesday-Sundays from 4-9 p.m. November 20 through December 23, 2021, excluding Thanksgiving. Enjoy weekly programming featuring photos with Santa on Wednesdays and Sundays. You can also kick back and enjoy coffee, hot chocolate, teas, and mixers. Sweet treats from Deddle’s Donuts will be served, while carolers dazzle downtown pedestrians surrounding Candy Lane.
Every Thursday, Downtown Partnership will be cracking canned cocktails and pouring wine along with nonalcoholic beverages for a Thursday Happy Hours in Candy Lane. Treats from Lattimore’s Funnel Cakes and food trucks, as well as Delmarva Popcorn will be available for purchase. On Fridays and Saturdays guest will enjoy rotating local food, drink, and candy vendors, as well as live music on the plaza during the day and into the evenings.
On December 16th, things will get even sweeter with a 21+ holiday party featuring an open bar, sugary treats, and a dance party in the middle of Candy Lane. Themed outfits are encouraged, and tickets can be purchased at GoDowntownBaltimore.com.
In other news, mark your calendars for Downtown Partnership’s Annual Monument Lighting on Thursday, December 2, from 5-8 p.m. What started as a quiet gathering of neighbors a half century ago has evolved to become a longstanding Baltimore ritual and the unofficial kickoff to the holiday season. Now in its 50th year, the Monument Lighting invites Baltimoreans to celebrate the season with local food and makers, live performances, and a fireworks display. All are invited to bring their friends, neighbors, and masks for this time-honored tradition.
Another seasonal highlight to look forward to: Downtown Dollar or Less Days has been reimagined as Downtown Discovery Days (DDD) for 2022. DDD is an opportunity for families to enjoy the outstanding museums, exhibits, and businesses downtown has to offer at a significantly discounted price, or free. By extending the promotion for more than a week, Downtown Partnership is giving the public more time to attend these attractions and eliminate the long lines that typically occurred when the event was limited to just two days.
Participating attractions traditionally include: The National Aquarium, The Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Port Discovery, Maryland Science Center, Historic Ships in Baltimore, Maryland Historical Society, American Visionary Arts Museum, Star-Spangled Banner Flag House & Museum, The Jewish Museum of Maryland, and National Great Blacks In Wax Museum. Participating attractions are managing their own policies.
For more information about Downtown Partnership and its 2021 holiday efforts, visit GoDowntownBaltimore.com/events.