Christmas on the Square is Friday, November 26

On Friday, November 26th, the Town of Leonardtown will be abuzz with holiday cheer as it hosts its annual Christmas on the Square event on Washington Street!  The festivities run from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and include fun for the whole family.

The main stage will have a variety of entertainment including seasonal music and Christmas carols, costumed characters and more. Other holiday festivities around the Square and down Fenwick Street include sleigh rides, train rides, fire truck rides, hay rides, horse and carriage rides, a petting zoo, pony rides, live nativity, face painting, make-and-take crafts for children, an ice sculpture demonstration, visits with Santa, cookie decorating at the “Gingerbread House” (Kevin’s Corner Café) and more! See Frosty the Snowman, Mrs. Claus, and of course, the big guy himself, Santa Claus!

Watch for Santa’s arrival and the lighting of the Town Christmas Tree at 7:00 p.m.!  And don't miss the Winegardner Showroom, which will be hosting the Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad's Annual Christmas Festival.  There will be beautifully decorated trees and wreaths, a slide show and photo display of days past in St. Mary's County, toy collections and crafts.  You may also spread your holiday cheer by preparing a letter or card to be sent to a member of the Armed Forces.

Many Leonardtown businesses will also be open, so stop in and do some of your holiday shopping!  Also, enter for your chance to win a basket of gift certificates from local Leonardtown businesses. No purchase necessary. Simply ask for a raffle ticket at any (and all) participating Leonardtown First Friday businesses that you visit between now and December 3. The giveaway is valued at over $150! The winning ticket will be drawn on the Leonardtown Square at 6 p.m. during the First Friday on December 3. You must be present to win. To see which businesses are participating, please visit http://www.leonardtownfirstfridays.com/.

A free round-trip shuttle bus service will be provided by STS Transportation into the Leonardtown Square from the College of Southern Maryland-Leonardtown Campus. Vehicular traffic into the downtown area will be detoured to designated parking areas and streets around Town.

Christmas on the Square is sponsored by the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department, the Leonardtown Business Association, the Commissioners of Leonardtown, and community partners Quality Built Homes, Winegardner Auto Group, Sabre Systems, and the College of Southern Maryland. For more information, call 301-475-9791.

In case of rain, please visit www.somd.com/leonardtown or call the Leonardtown office at 301-475-9791 and listen to the answering machine recording. The rain date is Saturday, November 27.

"Spies and Other Guests" - Sotterley's Holiday Candlelight Tours

This year’s Holiday Candlelight Tours at Sotterley Plantation will feature a time-traveling experience during the Civil War Era to Christmas 1864. On December 10th & 11th from 6 p.m.–10 p.m., this historical dramatization unfolds within the 1703 Plantation House, with stellar performances by The Sotterley Players.

The Civil War rages on throughout the Southeast, but the holiday spirit is alive and well at Sotterley. Upon entering the historic Plantation House, tour guests will have the opportunity to witness the annual holiday celebration of Dr. Walter Hanson Stone Briscoe and Mrs. Emaline Briscoe. Along with their family and closest friends, this year’s guest list also includes “Spies and Other Guests”! The mood is one of joyous merriment as enchanting stories are shared.

Live musical performances from local premiere high school choral groups and complimentary cookies and punch will be available in the historic Barn, prior to the reserved tour time. Reservations are required.  The first tour begins at 6 pm.  Tours run every 10 minutes.
Save time and buy your tickets online for $15 per person: http://www.sotterley.org/.  Tickets can also be purchased by phone for $16 each by calling 301-373-2280.

Family Plantation Christmas at Sotterley Plantation

Family Plantation Christmas will be held on Saturday, December 4th, 2010 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Sotterley Plantation, offering a full day of wonderment and Christmas spirit!
New for 2010! Craft Vendors for choosey shoppers. Petting Zoo – for animal lovers. Demonstration by the Sotterley Garden Guild on Swag-Making. Patuxent Voices, a women’s acapella group, to perform Christmas favorites from various periods of history.

And the old favorites: Let Santa know what you want for Christmas, purchase scrumptious treats from Mrs. Claus’ Kitchen, take a horse-drawn carriage ride, sing along with the carolers, make holiday crafts, visit the Sotterley Museum Shop to find unique holiday gifts while the children are buying presents at Santa’s Secret Shop, and purchase seasonal greens and hand-crafted items from Sotterley’s Garden Guild!

Make this Christmas event part of your family tradition!  The cost is $5 per person at the gate.

For more information, call Sotterley Plantation at 301-373-2280 or visit http://www.sotterley.org/.