This week the 24-foot Downtown Annapolis Partnership Christmas Tree was delivered to downtown Annapolis. This year’s Christmas tree is sponsored by the South Annapolis Yacht Center, It will be decorated with ornaments designed by local artist Comacell Brown Jr also known as Spitfire. He is best known as Cell Spitfire, a multi-talented artist, painter, and entrepreneur from Annapolis who provided this year’s custom-made ornaments. In addition to Brown’s hand-painted ornaments, he coordinated children’s painting events with the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s Box of Rain Program and Maryland Halls afterschool program to help complete this year’s festive masterpiece!
This year’s Christmas Trees Grand Illumination will be Sunday evening, November 27th, on Market Space near Zachery’s Jewelers. The public is invited to come out and enjoy the free festive activities around the tree, including live entertainment and hot chocolate, starting at 4 pm next to the Christmas Tree on Market Space. At 530 pm, Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Elfie will arrive by boat from the South Annapolis Yacht Centre to help Mayor Buckley with the countdown for the tree lighting.
“This is a fun, family-friendly event to kick off the Holidays,” says Erik Evans, Executive Director of the Downtown Annapolis Partnership. “It is also one of the many reasons Annapolis was voted one of the top 25 Christmas towns in the USA by Travel + Leisure Magazine”. Downtown Annapolis is known for its Christmas holiday decorations and events like Midnight Madness and the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade and for adding new events like the Annapolis Holiday Market.
Entertainment this Sunday evening at the tree lighting includes the Chesapeake Ballet, Naptown Sings, and SQRLL! Band, a unique, fun band that children love.
In the spirit of helping the children who helped make this year’s tree merry and bright, the South Annapolis Yacht Centre is co-hosting a Holiday Supply Drive at the tree lighting event and during the three Midnight Madness events with local non-profit the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s Box of Rain Program, to collect new fishing gear for kids and the supplies needed to allow under-resourced children to have on-the-water experiences in the years ahead. Donations can be dropped off at their tent next to the Christmas Tree during the Grand Illumination and Midnight Madness events or online.
The Box of Rain program is a unique and needed program that introduces Annapolis youth from under-resourced communities to the wonders of the Chesapeake Bay and maritime heritage through fun, educational, and immersive experiences in nature. This year-round program serves hundreds of youths ages 8-14. These programs are designed to improve youth’s self-esteem and develop essential life skills that lead to personal growth and positive contributions to the broader community. It serves our youth through three core programs: the Build-a-Boat Program, an Afterschool Program, and the Summer Maritime Program.
The Calvert Street Parking Garage, located at 19 St. Johns Street, has free parking all weekend, and on-street parking in the commercial areas is free for 3 hours. For more information on the event, visit www.downtownannapolispartnership.org/grand-illumination
We spoke with several people all about the holidays … have a listen!
