The City of Annapolis has announced partnerships and schedules for the 2020 holiday season. All visitors, residents, and business owners are asked to be responsible for their own behavior and COVID-19 protocols to slow the spread of coronavirus: wear a mask; practice physical distancing and wash hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.
Parking: From Thanksgiving until January 2, 2021, parking in downtown Annapolis will include two hours free at metered spaces. Users of the ParkMobile app will get an additional hour free by using the PARKDTA code when starting your session. There will be a flat $5 flat rate available in the Knighton and Gotts Garages for those who PREPAY via www.annapolisparking.com .
Holiday Shopping and Decorations: The Annapolis Jaycees will receive a grant from the City for $17,000 to decorate storefronts in downtown and Eastport with greens and garland during the last weeks of November.
The Downtown Annapolis Partnership will also be chipping in from CARES Act funding and City grants to decorate City streets with holiday themed flags and banners, a Christmas Tree at Market Space, a Menorah at City Dock and decorative street lighting throughout downtown. Snowflake Alley will be lit and decorated for socially-distanced selfies and romantic strolling. It is unknown at this point if there will be an event surrounding the traditional lighting of the Christmas Tree in front of Zachary’s Jewelers and the Market House.
There will be three “Midnight Madness” events, with restaurants and retail stores in the downtown area open late. Both Main Street and Maryland Avenue will be closed to vehicles to allow patrons more space to socially distance. This space will also be used for tents for outdoor dining and some outdoor retail. Shopping hours will also start two hours earlier this year at 4 p.m. During Midnight Madness, the City is permitting businesses in the City’s Recovery Zones to continue expanded outdoor operations until midnight.
The dates of Midnight Madness 2020 are:
- December 3 until midnight
- December 10 until midnight
- December 17 until the Eleventh Hour (11pm)
Additional Free Parking for Midnight Madness:
- Knighton Parking Garage: Free parking 4 p.m. to midnight during Midnight Madness
- Gotts Court Parking Garage: Free parking Thursday to Sunday 4 p.m. to Midnight now through the winter.
- Hillman Parking Garage: Free parking Thursday and Friday 4 p.m. to midnight, Saturday noon to midnight and Sunday 10 a.m. to midnight now through the winter.
The Eastport Yacht Club will hold their annual Lights Parade, visible from City Dock and Eastport on December 12.
Chabad of Anne Arundel County will have a Menorah Lighting for Hanukkah at 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, December 13 on City Dock.
New Year’s Eve: The City-sponsored tent party and fireworks festivities have been canceled this year due to the pandemic.
City Offices will be closed on November 26, 2020 for Thanksgiving; December 25, 2020 for Christmas and January 1, 2021 for New Year’s.
