The annual Grand Illumination of the Annapolis Christmas Tree is scheduled for Sunday in Market Place in downtown Annapolis. This year’s tree — a 25-foot-tall Fraser fir — recently arrived from North Carolina, selected by Diehl’s Produce of Annapolis.
Throughout the week, landscapers with Garden Girls Landscaping decorated the tree in preparation for the Grand Illumination. The Downtown Annapolis Partnership invites community members to two hours of free outdoor holiday activities and entertainment including dancing and carols around the Christmas tree at 3 p.m.
Festivities include a duet by Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and performances by Naptown Sings & Plays, Chesapeake Ballet Company and The Talent Machine Company, a children’s theater group.
Families with children are invited to an indoor storytime at Zachary’s Jewelers at 4 p.m., with complimentary hot cocoa, cookies and nutcrackers for kids. During the grand finale, at 5:15 p.m., Santa, Mrs. Claus and Elfie will arrive on a firetruck to light the tree.
In addition to the 25-foot Christmas tree, downtown Annapolis is festooned with holiday decorations for the season.
“The downtown Annapolis area is a great place for everyone to visit and do your holiday shopping. It has 90 stores and has been ranked by several media outlets as a Top 10 Christmas Town in the USA,” says Erik Evans, the executive director of the Downtown Annapolis Partnership. “Be sure to check out all of downtown to find all the stores and holiday displays including Snowflake Alley on Main Street, the downtown Christmas Tree on Market Space and the light canopies over West Street and Maryland Avenue.”
Fleet Street, Cornhill Street and Market Space will be closed during the Grand Illumination, which is sponsored this year by The City of Annapolis Police, Fire and Recreation and Parks Departments, Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis, Zachary’s Jewelers, Diehl’s Produce, Palmers Towing, My Gym and other partner organizations.
Dec. 1 also marks Artist Sunday, a nationwide movement to encourage support of local artists the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
“Annapolis is filled with a vibrant arts community with fine art and craft galleries and shops, artist studios, bookstores, a record shop, entertainment venues and performing arts organizations that all offer the ability to buy gifts for friends and family to support the Annapolis arts scene,” Evans says. “The gift of giving an experience to a local concert, or performance or purchasing something created locally will be more appreciated by the receiver of the gift than a gift mass produced in another country.”
Other upcoming holiday events include Midnight Madness on Dec. 5, 12 and 19 — a historic holiday shopping tradition with live entertainment on the streets, Hanging of the Greens on Dec. 7, Annapolis Holiday Market on Dec. 12-19, the Santa Speedo Run on Dec. 14 and the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Party on Dec. 14.
There are also holiday performances throughout the month at Rams Head On Stage, Maryland Hall and Classic Theatre of Maryland, among other local venues.
For more information on the Grand Illumination event, visit Downtown Annapolis Partnership’s website.
