‘The Nutcracker,’ Holiday Markets, Holiday Concerts, Jewelry Making, Santa Will Be Featured Among the Winter Events in Silver Spring

Patrick Herron December 14, 2023 at 8:35am

Per Montgomery County: “Holiday markets, performances by the Maryland Youth Ballet, holiday concerts, jewelry making, Santa and the Grinch will be among the highlights in December on the event-packed calendar events in the Silver Spring Arts and Entertainment District.

More than 100 arts and humanities organizations, arts venues, attractions and entertainment businesses are within the Arts and Entertainment District, with many hosting or sponsoring special events during the holiday season and during winter break. Reservations or tickets are required for many of the events.

The winter special events of the Silver Spring Arts and Entertainment District will include:

Sounds of the Season. Saturdays, Dec. 16 and 23. Downtown Silver Spring is offering holiday performances by a variety of local bands with hot cocoa and s’mores stations. Times vary.
Meet Santa at Downtown Silver Spring’s Turn Up the Cheer. Saturday Dec. 16. Noon-3 p.m. Enjoy cheer stations and take a selfie with special guests.
EWI’s 10th Annual Women Owned Holiday Market. Saturday, Dec. 16. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The Latino Economic Development Center continues to support women entrepreneurs throughout the region with a holiday market with majority Black and Latina and immigrant-owned businesses at the Silver Spring Civic Building.
Artisan Holiday Market. Saturday, Dec. 16, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Eat, drink and shop at a Holiday Artisan Market along Ellsworth Drive between Georgia Avenue and Fenton Street.
Nutcracker Night and Mini Nutcracker. Saturday, Dec. 16. 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. The Akhmedova Ballet Academy will perform the best-known dances from at the Mini Nutcracker and the full-length ballet at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center.
A Gospel Big Band Christmas at Jesus House, Dec. 23. 7-9 p.m. A Gospel Big Band Christmas is a soulful celebration of Christmas through the rendition of traditional Christmas carols.
Photos with Santa. Ellsworth Place is offering visits and photos with Santa through Dec. 24. Times vary.
The Majestic Theater is showing holiday movie favorite Polar Express, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and other holiday classics from Dec. 2-23. Showtimes vary.
Holiday Classics at the AFI Silver. Enjoy perennial Christmas classics It’s a Wonderful Life, Love Actually and 1980s favorites Die Hard and The Muppet Christmas Carol. Screenings from Dec. 17-24. More information at https://silver.afi.com/Browsing/EventsAndExperiences/EventDetails/0000000099.
Create Arts Center is offering a series of Winter Break Art Camp days for ages 6-12 as well as Counselors in Training. Dec. 26, 27, 28, 29 and Jan. 15. Parents can choose the days that work best for their schedule, with activities from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. with before- and after-care available.
Silver Spring Ice Skating, the outdoor ice skating rink at Veterans Plaza is open daily, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Skating sessions are for two hours. Reservations are available up to two weeks in advance. To purchase tickets, visit the website or purchase on-site. The rink has more than 400 pairs of skates available to rent, sized from toddler to adult.

Designated as an Arts and Entertainment District by the State of Maryland in 2001, the Silver Spring Arts and Entertainment District is a hub of performance venues, restaurants and nightlife, festivals and community celebrations and family friendly fun. An Arts and Entertainment District helps develop and promote community involvement, tourism and business revitalization through tax-related incentives that attract artists, arts organizations and other creative enterprises.

For more information and an events calendar, visit the official Silver Spring website.”