While some may want to hunker down in the winter, Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County thinks you shoudl get out and partake of all the great winter activities in the area. Check out their list for January!
Located in the heart of Maryland, Annapolis & Anne Arundel County is the ideal destination for celebrating winter adventures. After a flurry of long-distance holiday travel, January is the perfect month for enjoying nearby getaways to Annapolis & Anne Arundel County. Adventure seekers don’t have to travel far to feel like they’re miles from home in a destination where history, the Chesapeake Bay, and the great outdoors welcome visitors with open arms and a host of possibilities.
To make it easy to kick off the new year with a host of unique experiences, Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County (VAAAC) has compiled a handy list of activities taking place from the shores of the Chesapeake Bay to the heart of the Arundel Mills gaming and entertainment district.
January 1 Anne Arundel County First Day Hikes (Countywide) Start off the new year on the right foot by getting some outdoor exercise and enjoying nature and history on a First Day Hike. Knowledgeable park rangers, naturalists, and volunteers lead hikes at a host of Anne Arundel County parks. The program is free, but registration is required: https://bit.ly/3djwdP4. Start times vary by location.
January 1 Sandy Point First Day Hike (Annapolis) Stop by Sandy Point State Park for a self-guided hike along the Chesapeake Bay. Start your journey at East Beach and enjoy a view of the Chesapeake Bay at your own pace. Leashed pets are welcome. No stroller/wheelchair access. Cost: $3 per vehicle to enter the park.
January 1 Lights on the Bay (Annapolis) Don’t miss the final day of the season for enjoying more than 70 animated and stationary light displays depicting regional and holiday themes along a two-mile scenic drive through Sandy Point State Park. Proceeds benefit the Anne Arundel County SPCA. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. Tickets: $20 per car; $30 for large passenger vans, mini-buses, and trolleys; $50 for buses.
January 1-7 East Meets West (Annapolis) McBride Gallery is hosting the 52nd Annual Exhibition of Women Artists of the West, the oldest juried women’s art group in the United States. Feast your eyes on the creations of award-winning professional women painters and sculptors from the United States, Canada, and Australia.
January 2 Navy Men’s Basketball vs. Holy Cross (Annapolis) Enjoy Navy men’s basketball action during a 1:00 p.m. game at Alumni Hall.
January 6 Twelfth Night Duo Seraphim (Annapolis) Critically acclaimed sopranos Elissa Edwards and Laura Choi Stuart join forces with Wade Davis, cellist, and Thomas Sheehan, harpsichordist, to present baroque duets by Monteverdi and Vivaldi along with a selection of traditional Christmas carols. The 7:00 p.m. performance in the candlelit ballroom of the Hammond-Harwood House will include dramatic poetic recitations by Professor Katrina Atsinger of the U.S. Naval Academy.
January 6 – February 22 Ice Skating at Annapolis Town Center(Annapolis) For the first time ever, the Annapolis Town Center is offering seasonal ice skating at its new East Village at 305 Sail Place. Visitors can sip hot cocoa and skate with family and friends Mondays through Fridays from noon until 8:00 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Tickets: Annapolis Town Center residents, $7; non-residents, $11; group rate (8 or more people), $7 per person. Skate rental: $4.
January 8 Navy Men’s Basketball vs. Lehigh (Annapolis) Enjoy Navy men’s basketball action during a 2:00 p.m. game at Alumni Hall.
January 9 January Cabaret (Annapolis) Classic Theatre of Maryland presents a 7:30 p.m. 90-minute costumed and choreographed production featuring resident singers and Broadway guest performers, accompanied by the popular Unified Jazz Ensemble. The updated cabaret venue features café tables and a full bar in a relaxed and comfortable setting.
January 11 Navy Men’s Basketball vs. Lafayette (Annapolis) Enjoy Navy men’s basketball action during a 7:00 p.m. game at Alumni Hall.
January 12 – March 2 Winter Lecture Series (Annapolis) Warm up the winter with Annapolis Museum and Park’s entertaining eight-week Thursday night lecture series featuring a diverse range of topics focusing on Annapolis’ maritime heritage and Chesapeake Bay ecology. The 7:00 p.m. talks address the history of World War II boat building, sea turtles, log canoe racing, the Oyster Wars, and more.
January 13 – April 28 Formal Lecture and Concert Series(Annapolis) On select Friday evenings, interested individuals are invited to gather in St. John’s College’s Great Hall to enjoy a lecture or concert presented by visiting scholars, artists, poets, and faculty. The 8:00 p.m. presentations are followed by an engaging discussion with the presenter, students, and faculty. Lecturers include the college’s Annapolis dean, members of the St. John’s College faculty, and professors from notable universities across the country.
January 14 Lunar New Year Celebration (Hanover) Lunar New Year observers are invited to stop by Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland at 6:00 p.m. to catch a glimpse of two Lion Dancers as they parade across the casino floor stopping at various locations to bring good luck to guests. In honor of Lunar New Year, Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland’s authentic Asian cuisine establishment, Luk Fu, will be offering a limited-time special menu featuring customary dishes.
January 18 – February 22 Winter Luncheon Series (Shady Side) For six consecutive Wednesdays, the Captain Avery Museum invites interested individuals to enjoy a meal with friends as they listen to a diverse lineup of authors, actors, and historians. 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
January 21 Londontowne Symphony Orchestra: A Salute to Our Veterans (Annapolis) The Londontowne Symphony Orchestra salutes veterans with a 7:30 p.m. live performance in the Main Theatre at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts.
January 22, 229th Army Concert Band (Brooklyn Park) The largest ensemble of the 229th Army Band of the Maryland National Guard takes center stage at the Chesapeake Arts Center with a free 3:00 p.m. performance. As an extremely versatile group, the concert band is prepared to perform everything from large-scale formal concert band pieces to classical selections, patriotic music, and marches.
January 28 Step Afrika! (Annapolis) Step Afrika! Takes percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities; traditional African dances; and an array of contemporary dance and art forms and combines them into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. The 7:00 p.m. performance at Maryland Hall will include dancing, singing, storytelling, and humor.
For a more comprehensive listing of January events throughout Annapolis & Anne Arundel County, scroll through the Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County events page and start planning your winter getaway today.
