March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 47 F

Holiday Events Are Ramping Up In Annapolis

The Downtown Annapolis Partnership has announced the dates of this year’s Midnight Madness shopping nights as December 1st, 8th, and 15th. “These festive shopping nights sponsored by Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis are the biggest shopping days of the year in Annapolis,” said Erik Evans, Executive Director of the Downtown Annapolis Partnership.

About 90 stores and 80 restaurants in the downtown Annapolis area participate in this late-night shopping event.  The main festive shopping areas include West Street, Maryland Ave, Main Street, and the City Dock area will be filled with traditional holiday decorations, including beautiful storefront windows, garlands, wreaths, holiday lights, snowflake alley, light canopies, a large Christmas tree, and a menorah.  “This will create a fun, safe, outdoor holiday environment for late-night shopping and dinner with your family,” Judy Buddensick, the Chief Elf for planning the on-street festivities.  “We have invited all the entertainers to return this year after having some take a break during the past few years.”

The Midnight Madness shopping event starts at 4 pm for early birds looking to avoid the busier evenings or those wanting to start the evening at one of the many local happy hours.  The entertainment starts at 6 pm. Shoppers are encouraged to wear festive holiday attire and to take time to pose for photos in front of the Christmas Tree on Market Space sponsored by South Annapolis Yacht Centre, in Snowflake Alley on Main Street sponsored by RBC Wealth Management, and under the light canopies on Maryland Ave and West Street.

New this year, during the Midnight Madness on December 1st, some merchants will offer deals on local gift card purchases in addition to all the great in-store gift items.  On the December 8th Midnight Madness, there will also be a new outdoor Annapolis Holiday Market on the City Dock.

While Midnight Madness events are the biggest shopping nights of the year, you will also find many of the shops open late until 9 pm on other evenings in December, especially Friday and Saturday evenings. Other popular holiday events downtown include the Grand Illumination at City Dock on November 27th, the Hanging of the Greens on December 3rd, the Annapolis Chocolate Festival and the Debbie Gibson Winterlicious concert Dec 4th, the Annapolis Holiday Market Dec 8th-11th, the Eastport Light Parade on December 10th, Holiday Candlelight Stroll every Friday and Saturday in December, and the Jolly Express boat Tours on Fridays in December.

Free parking is every evening during Midnight Madness at the Calvert Street Parking Garage (19 St. Johns Street) from 6 pm to 6 am, and $2 evening garage parking from 4 pm to 6 am is available at the Whitmore Parking Garage (25 Clay Street).  On-street metered parking is free with a 2-hour limit (beginning November 27th and running through January 1).  The free circulator bus runs along West Street, where there is an abundance of parking garages, and will pick you up and drop you off at the Park Place and Knighton Parking Garages and has drop-offs downtown along West Street, Main Street, and Church Circle.

For more information on Midnight Madness, visit www.midnightmadnessannapolis.com

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