25 Christmas & Holiday Activities in Frederick, Md (2023)

Tis the season for Christmas and holiday activities in Frederick, Md!

And, boy do we have so many options to choose from for every family member to enjoy!

Holiday Activities in Frederick, Md

As we all know, Downtown Frederick is a great place to start enjoying the incredible Christmas and holiday activities in Frederick Md.

Indeed, during this time of year, there are SO many opportunities ALL throughout Frederick County to get your festivities on!

Therefore, I had to organize ALL of these fun Christmas and holiday activities in one place for you to use as a resource.

Christmas and holiday activities in Frederick Md include:

  • Parades
  • Christmas tree lightings
  • Shopping
  • Christmas Lights
  • Santa visits
  • Crafts
  • Caroling
  • Live Music
  • Horse-drawn carriage rides
  • Trolley rides
  • Holiday lights
  • Food
  • Performances
  • Prizes
  • Christmas Tree Auctions
  • Wreaths
  • Art
  • Gingerbread Houses
  • Plants
  • Handcrafted goods
  • Hot Cocoa
  • S’mores
  • Tours
  • Scavenger Hunts
  • Children’s Activities
  • Candle lighting ceremony

Whew! That’s a lot of things to do and a lot of Frederick County towns to visit over the next 6 weeks.

Of course you don’t have to participate in ALL of them but hey, you’ve got options for sure!

Needless to say, taking some time out of your daily grind to spend quality time enjoying the holidays with your loved ones is what it’s all about!

Christmas and Holiday Activities Information

Please note that these Christmas and holiday activities are NOT in date order, so be sure to check the entire list before marking your calendar.

Also, I’ve included the locations, dates, times, contact information, and links for each event.

So, read on for my list of the best Christmas activities in Frederick County.

Needless to say, it’s going to be a festive season, thanks to Frederick!

1. Maryland Christmas Show

christmas and holiday activities in frederick md

Maryland Christmas Show
Frederick Fairgrounds
797 E. Patrick St.
Frederick, Md 21705
301-845-0003

Dates/Times:
11/17-11/19 & 11/24-11/26
Friday and Saturday, 10am to 5pm
Sunday, 10am to 4pm

What a great way to kick off your holiday shopping! The show offers seven buildings. You’ll enjoy the works of top artists and craftsmen offering fine art, pottery, furniture, jewelry, clothing, wreaths and garlands, toys and Christmas cards & ornaments – just about anything related to your Christmas shopping enjoyment. Not all of the same exhibitors participate in both weekends.

2. Thurmont Christmas Market Craft & Vendor Show

Christmas Market
Thurmont Event Complex
13716 Strafford Dr
Thurmont, MD 21788
301-800-3336

November 18 & 19
9am to 3pm

Craft & Vendor Event. Food available for purchase. Santa will be visiting from 11-2. Benefits Thurmont Community Ambulance Co.

3. Launch Day – Sailing Through the Winter Solstice

Sailing Through the Winter Solstice
Carroll Creek Linear Park
Frederick, Md 21701
301-514-1182

Date/Times:
November 18
8am to 12pm

Watch as the STTWS fleet starts their voyage for the season. The fleet will sail in place and be illuminated nightly for the entire winter season for all to enjoy. The lighted boat parade event is free and open to the public. Food trucks and music to set the mood for a jolly good day. 

4. Frosty Friday

christmas and holiday activities in frederick md

Frosty Friday
Downtown Frederick
Frederick, Md 21703

Date/Times:
Friday, November 24
8am to 9pm

Enjoy a winter wonderland of all day shopping in Downtown Frederick! Parking is free, shops open early and stay open late, and Downtown Frederick is filled with holiday cheer and decoration.

5. Candlelight Tours at Seton Shrine

Candlelight Tours
The National Shrine of
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
339 South Seton Avenue
Emmitsburg, MD 21727-9297
301-447-6606

Dates/Times:
11/24-11/26, 11/30, & 12/1-12/3
4pm to 6:30pm

In the spirit of Advent, discover and take part in the evening activities the students are wrapped up in, from preparing for their Nativity Play to sharing stories on how saints inspire saints, like St. Lucy and St. Nicholas!

Stroll down illuminated walkways to encounter and see the historic homes of Mother Seton, each tastefully decorated for the season.

Come to Candlelight Tours to find joy and comfort within the Academy which adds a measure of brightness to the long and dark wintertime.

6. Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday
Downtown Frederick
Frederick, Md 21701
301-698-8118

Date/Times:
November 25
10am to 9pm

Shop Small the whole weekend! The Friday before Small Business Saturday is Frosty Friday in Downtown Frederick — featuring all-day shopping, free parking, live music and gifts from the Snowflake Tree – just for shopping local!

7. Annual Tree Lighting at Westview Promenade

Annual Tree Lighting
Westview Promenade
5223 Buckeystown Pike
Frederick, MD 21704
(410) 561-1300

Date/Time:
November 18
3pm to 6pm

  • Holiday music
  • Dance performers
  • Costumed characters
  • Craft Stations
  • Games with prizes for children of all ages
  • Selfie Station with Life-Sized Reindeer
  • Iceless Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks

8. Valley Craft Network Tour

Valley Craft Network Tour
Studios in the
Middletown & Pleasant Valleys
of Central Maryland
(301) 432-0281

Date/Times:
11/18-11/19
10am to 5pm

  • Art
  • Fine Crafts
  • Visit website to download brochure & map of all of the locations

9. Tuba Christmas

christmas and holiday activities in frederick md

Tuba Christmas
Weinberg Center for the Arts
20 W. Patrick St
Frederick, Md 21701
(301) 602-5041

Date/Time:
November 25, 12pm

The popular tuba comrades of Frederick return with a variety of brassy Christmas hits, delighting audience members of all ages in an annual Weinberg Center tradition. In lieu of admission, a canned food drive will be held to benefit the Community Action Agency of Frederick City.

10. Live Nativity

Live Nativity
Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church
Urbana Fire Hall Parking Lot
3602 Urbana Pike
Frederick, MD 21704
(301) 663-4956

Date/Time:
December 3, 6pm, 7pm, & 8pm

More than a dozen costumed characters perform under the night sky.

11. Holiday Art Competition Exhibit

Holiday Art Competition Exhibit
Delaplaine Visual Arts Center
40 S. Carroll Street
Frederick, Md 21701

Dates/Times:
11/29-12/30
Monday – Saturday, 9am to 5pm
Sunday, 11am to 5pm

  • Exhibit of original holiday artwork created by local Frederick artists.

12. Scents & Sweets Competition & Auction

Scents & Sweets Competition & Auction
Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center
40 S. Carroll Street
Frederick, Md 21701

Date/Time:
November 30, 5:30pm-7pm

  • Floral arrangements & gingerbread structures (this ain’t your Momma’s gingerbread house!) will be available in the annual Scents & Sweets Auction.
  • Bid throughout the night and the weekend to take home a holiday piece.
  • No candy canes were harmed in the making of this event!

13. Holiday Arts & Crafts Expo

Holiday Artists Market
The Delaplaine Arts Center
40 S. Carroll St
Frederick, Md 21701
(301) 698-0656

Date/Times:
December 2, 10am-4pm

The Delaplaine Arts & Crafts Expo is an artist market containing a diverse array of fine art, jewelry, pottery, fiber art, hand-made goods and accessories, crafted by local and regional artists. Our very own Gardiner Hall is transformed into an artist market wonderland, perfect for getting your holiday shopping done! Admission is free.

14. FCC Handbell Ensemble Holiday Concert

A Towering Tale of Handbell History
JBK Theater at FCC
7932 Opossumtown Pike
Frederick, Md 21702
301-846-2566

Date/Time:
November 28, 7:30pm

Join us for a new annual tradition, the FCC Handbell Ensemble Holiday Concert! Now an essential holiday event in Frederick, the ringers in this performance are as impressive to watch as they are to hear. Creating visual art while performing, the ensemble combines sight and sound for a true one-of-a-kind experience.

15. Traditional Village Christmas

christmas and holiday activities in frederick md

Traditional Village Christmas
12610 Catoctin Furnace Rd
Thurmont, MD 21788
240-288-7396

Date/Times:
December 2, 10am-4pm

Outdoor, European style Holiday market. Decorate a fresh wreath with bows, balls, bells, pinecones, holly, icicles and ornaments or let our volunteers do it for you! Select unique handmade gifts for the holidays. Watch a blacksmith at work! Enjoy hot apple cider and heirloom-recipe baked goods. Children can make a craft and enjoy a visit with Belsnickel. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Christmas in Catoctin Furnace included a visit from Belsnickel to the homes of German immigrants.  During this visit, which took place two weeks before Christmas, Belsnickel rewarded good children with treats but carried a switch to punish naughty ones. 

16. Christmas in Thurmont

Christmas in Thurmont
Guardian Hose Company
21 N. Church St.
Thurmont, Md 21788
(301) 698-8118

Date/Times:
December 2, 9am-3pm

  • Live Christmas Music
  • Face Painting
  • Santa & Mrs. Claus straight from the North Pole
  • Pictures with Santa
  • Make & Take Holiday Crafts
  • Frederick County Society of Model Engineers Holiday Train Display
  • Prizes
  • Crafts & Food for sale
  • Horse & Carriage Rides
  • Dance Performance

17. Christmas in Myersville

Christmas in Myersville
Myersville Volunteer Fire & Rescue
Station 8
301 Main St
Myersville, Md 21773

Date/Times:
December 2
Lions Club Breakfast 7am to 10:30am
Myersville Market 9am to 12pm
Parade 5pm
After Parade: Tree Lighting, Santa, Gifts, Refreshments, Music

Enjoy some holiday magic with a Christmas parade, tree lighting, Santa, and more!

18. Christmas in New Market

Christmas in New Market
Main St & 4th Alley
New Market, Md 21774
(301) 865-5544

Date/Times:
December 2, 2:30pm-7pm

Make it one of your family traditions to gather the whole family for holiday spirit, including a visit with Santa Claus, our annual decorated tree auction, lighting of the Christmas tree, multiple food trucks, local beer and wine, and 30 local vendors offering gifts for you to enjoy. 

19. Christmas on the Farm

Jumbo’s Pumpkin Patch
Christmas on the Farm
6521 Holter Rd
Middletown, MD 21769
(301) 371-6874

Date/Times:
December 2, 10am-5pm

Back by popular demand! Jumbo’s Christmas Fair and Santa’s arrival. Bring the entire family and join us for craft vendors, sweets, festive activities, and more!

20. Christmas in the Valley

Middletown’s Christmas in the Valley
Middletown Main Street
31 W. Main St
Middletown, Md 21769
(301) 371-6171

Date/Times:
December 2, 4pm-8pm

Please join us on Main Street at Christmas in the Valley and help kick off the holiday season! Santa Claus will be visiting with the children, caroling, and helping to light the Town Christmas tree. Bring a new unwrapped toy that will be distributed by Middletown Valley People Helping People to families in need and receive a Santa Sack to be stuffed with goodies from our local businesses. Mrs. Claus will also be in town with storytelling for the children. Enjoy a musical program at Zion Lutheran Church featuring our local youth. Those mischievous elves will be hiding in our business’s windows after Thanksgiving – be sure to participate in the elf hunt! Santa Claus will also have a mailbox in front of Town Hall for those letters to Santa! Come and enjoy this festive event! 

21. December Saturdays in Historic Downtown Frederick

christmas and holiday activities in frederick md

December Saturdays
Downtown Frederick Partnership
Historic Downtown Frederick
(301) 698-8118

Dates/Times:
Every Saturday, 12/2-12/16
10am to 9pm

Enjoy three times the First Saturday fun this month! Each Saturday before Christmas, you can find special events, live entertainment, outdoor fire pits and light displays in Downtown Frederick, making your holiday shopping a truly enjoyable experience. Downtown businesses celebrate the holiday season with their own unique events, promotions and decorations. From in-store tastings and gallery openings, to artist and vendor exhibitions… there’s always something new to explore! Check back as the dates get closer for a list of specific activities, or visit downtownfrederick.org/events to see what’s happening today.

22. The Frederick Chorale

The Frederick Chorale
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church
118 E. 2nd St
Frederick, Md 21701
(301) 371-4668

Dates/Times:
12/3 4pm
12/4 7:30pm

Ceremony of Carols: A Frederick Chorale Christmas

23. Kris Kringle Procession

Kris Kringle Procession

Kris Kringle Procession
Downtown Frederick &
Baker Park Band Shell
Frederick, Md 21701
(301) 600-2489

Date/Time:
December 8, 6:30pm

Join us for the annual Kris Kringle Procession sponsored by Wawa and presented in partnership with Key 103! The parade begins at the corner of South Carroll and East Patrick streets in Frederick and ends in Baker Park with the lighting of the City Tree.

The procession mirrors the small town charm that makes Frederick so special during the holidays. Local organizations, youth clubs, and musical groups accompany costumed characters (some modern, some traditional) through Frederick’s downtown streets.

24. Museums by Candlelight

Museums by Candlelight
Photo Courtesy of Visit Frederick

Museums by Candlelight
Numerous Historic Sites & Museums
All over Frederick County, Md

Date/Times:
December 9, Starting at 12pm

Celebrate Frederick County’s 275th anniversary during this year’s celebration of Museums by Candlelight! 

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. 

This is a FREE self-guided event.  Visit many locations, or just a few, in any order.  Enjoy period demonstrations, living history vignettes, hands-on crafts, refreshments, tours, music, holiday decorations and historic settings by candlelight as night falls. Join us at Rose Hill Manor Park and Museums at 7:30PM for the concluding ceremonies of Frederick County’s 275th anniversary. 

Authors, Rita Gerlach and several other authors will be there signing novels!

Wait until Morning book
The Holly and the Joy book

25. Festival of Lights

Festival of Lights

Festival of Lights
City Hall Courtyard
101 N. Court St
Frederick, Md 21701

Date/Time:
December 15, 7pm-7:30pm

Join us for one of the holiday season’s most inspiring events!

Each year the Festival of Lights brings the true spirit of the season to young and old alike. Holiday greetings, carols, inspirational messages are part of this community-centric tradition. Attendees are invited to participate a candle-lighting ceremony and sing-along.

As you can see, there are SO many Christmas and holiday activities in Frederick Md to keep you busy all season long!

Seriously, how lucky are we to have so many fun opportunities to get out in our community and enjoy this most wonderful time of the year?

I hope that you take time to really embrace these memory-making moments and soak in the holiday spirit!

Merry Christmas everyone!

For more awesome Christmas related posts, click on over to:

Top 10 DIY Christmas Ornaments: Easy & Inexpensive!

Christmas Morning Breakfast Ideas

Holiday Cocktail: Cranberry Orange Gin Fizz Recipe with Thyme

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6 thoughts on “25 Christmas & Holiday Activities in Frederick, Md (2023)”

  1. Once AGAIN, you’ve amazed me with everything you researched and posted!!!!!! I loved this “blog!!!” It definitely got me “in the mood!”

    Thank you so much for providing all of this, especially all the Christmas activities in the area!!!

    Reply
  2. Merry Christmas, Ladies.
    Thanks for posting the event ‘Museums by Candlelight’ and a link to ‘Visit Frederick’. The C. Burr Artz Library will be having some wonderful events going on Saturday, December 14. I will be there as a guest author signing a series of novel titles, including ‘The Victorian Christmas Brides’ a collection of 9 Christmas novellas in one volume.
    Fondly,
    Rita Gerlach

    Reply

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