After you have wrapped up and put away all the leftover Thanksgiving turkey, stuffing, potatoes and other goodies, be ready to turn around and step right into all of the Christmas and New Year's season fun happening in the Town of Bel Air through the end of 2024. The clearinghouse for all of the information you need to know about holiday attractions and events is the christmasinbelair.com website. Features include a calendar of holiday-related events, parking locations, options for shopping and dining, and a page dedicated to Winter Wonderland attractions.
Winter Wonderland includes light displays downtown and at Town Hall on Hickory Avenue, free horse-drawn carriage rides along Main Street and visits with Santa Claus at the Harford County Courthouse. The light displays begin the night of Saturday, November 30 and will remain on each night through January 6. Carriage rides will be available from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturdays, from November 30 to December 14, departing from the Armory. People can begin making reservations for their rides in person starting at 4:30 p.m.
Children can visit with Santa Claus at the Courthouse on Main Street from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays from November 30 through December 14. Winter Wonderland visitors also can enjoy live music at Armory Park on Saturday evenings or check out the Christmas train garden, which will be in the Mt. Ararat Lodge at 136 E. Gordon Street this year rather than Armory Marketplace. The train garden, which has been assembled by local resident Joe Bragg and a crew of volunteers, opens on Friday, November 29. People can visit from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays through December 14.
The train garden also will be open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, December 8, the day of the Bel Air Christmas parade and tree-lighting ceremony. The 34th annual parade along Main Street begins at 3:30 p.m., followed by a holiday celebration in Shamrock Park starting at 4:15 p.m. Enjoy the festivities with a bonfire, hot chocolate, food vendors and a holiday concert. The Town Christmas tree, a 30-foot Norway spruce, will be lit at 5 p.m.
The Winter Wonderland Market, with dozens of artisans selling gifts, will be at the Armory from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, December 7. Main Street will be closed that day from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. for various Winter Wonderland events.
Finally, the Town is offering free parking on the street at metered spaces during the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. Visitors also can park at public lots and in the Hickory Avenue garage. The garage is free after 5 p.m. on weekdays and on the weekends.
We wish everyone a wonderful, festive holiday season!
Media and Public Relations Specialist David Anderson can be reached at 410-838-7181 or danderson@belairmd.org.