Busy Times

Get an early start planning your December

Friday, Nov. 28, 2008

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While the Southern Maryland Weekend calendar has been pretty light the past couple weeks, it looks like things are picking up after Thanksgiving.

Here are some — and by no means all — of the things going on in the last month of 2008. If you think an important event is missing, send an e-mail to dmercer@somdnews.com to have it included in upcoming calendar listings.

Mandolin galore — The Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra, known as BMO, a Baltimore-based ensemble of mandolins, mandolas, mandocellos, mandobasses and classical guitars, will perform at 8 p.m. Dec. 6 at Great Mills High School. They play a mix of classical music, show tunes, marches and rags. Not to be confused with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, BMO members, directed by David T. Evans, refer to themselves as the "other" orchestra, although they only perform about a dozen concerts per year. The high school is at 21130 Great Mills Road, Great Mills. Tickets are $25. Call 301-475-3225.

‘Hansel and Gretel' — Light Opera Company of Southern Maryland with Newtowne Players will present "Hansel and Gretel" at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 and 4 p.m. Dec. 6 at Three Notch Theatre, 21744 S. Coral Drive, Lexington Park. Call 301-737-5447. There will also be a performance at 4 p.m. Dec. 21 at Port Tobacco Players Theater, 508 Charles St., La Plata. Call 301-932-6819. Tickets are $20, $15 for senior citizens, students and military. Go to www.lightoperamaryland.org.

Christmas on the Beach — The festivities begin at noon Dec. 6 with a Christmas parade, starting at St. Anthony's Church parking lot at Chesapeake Avenue between First and Second streets in North Beach. Arrive at 11 a.m. to join the parade. WTOP traffic reporter Lisa Baden will be the emcee. The Boogie-Woogie Bow-Bows will perform at 11:45 a.m. Santa Claus arrives on the fire truck at 1 p.m. Classic cars are needed. Call 301-855-4265. E-mail

patcarpenter43@gmail.com.

Family Plantation Christmas — According to a press release, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will be at Sotterley Plantation for Family Plantation Christmas from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 6. Take a horse-drawn taxi ride; sing with carolers and make holiday crafts. Sotterley is at 44300 Sotterley Lane, Hollywood. Fee is $5. Go to

www.sotterley.org.

Holiday Candlelight Tours — The event will be held from 6-10 p.m. Dec. 5 and 6. Produced by the Port Tobacco Players, this year's drama will be "A Governor's Christmas," set on Sotterley Plantation during the 1790s. Choral groups from area high schools will perform. Reservations are required. Sotterley is at 44300 Sotterley Lane, Hollywood. Fee is $15. Call 301-373-2280.

Solomons Christmas Walk — The annual event will be held Dec. 5 and 6. It begins at 6 p.m. Dec. 5 with a tree lighting ceremony. The event will feature art and music; shops along the candlelit streets will hold open house. Calvert Marine Museum will be open for free from 6-9 p.m. A children's night with Santa Claus will be held on Dec. 5. Call 410-326-1950. Go to www.sba.solomons.md.us. Solomons Island Light Parade, lead by Tow Boat US Solomons, will be held at 5 p.m. Dec. 6 at Solomons Island Yacht Club, 14604 Solomons Island Road, Solomons. Decorate your boat for a chance to win a prize. Call 410-326-2042 Ext. 41.

‘The Nutcracker' — COSMIC Symphony will present Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Dec. 7 at Huntingtown High School, 4125 Solomons Island Road, Huntingtown. The show features Donetsk Ballet of Ukraine and Ballet Caliente. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Season tickets are $70 per family, $25 per individual and $20 for senior citizens and students. Call 301-373-5277. Go to www.cosmicmusic.org.

Holiday Trolley Tours — A historic Charles County trolley tour to be held at 12:30 p.m Dec. 6 and 7 will include the Royal Tea Room, Time-N-Again Antiques, Our Heritage House Antiques and Dr. Mudd House Victorian Holiday. At 1 p.m. Dec. 13, the tour will include the Royal Tea Room, Mount Carmel Monastery, Stone's Throw Antiques and Thomas Stone Colonial Holiday. At 11:30 a.m. Dec. 14 the tour will include the Royal Tea Room, Mount Aventine Antebellum Holiday, Smallwood Retreat Colonial Holiday and Christ Church. Tours begin and end at the Charles County government building, 200 Baltimore St., La Plata. Fee is $30. Registration is required. Call 301-885-1342. There are only 16 seats available per date.

‘Suburbia' — Eric Bogosian's "Suburbia" will be shown at 8 p.m. Dec. 10-13 and at 2 p.m. Dec. 14 in the Bruce Davis Theater at St. Mary's College in St. Mary's City. Tickets are $6. Call 240-895-4243. E-mail boxoffice@smcm.edu. Produced by the department of theater, film and media studies, the play is directed by and the senior thesis of Josh Bristol.

Garden in Lights — According to a press release, Annmarie Garden's holiday light show is a bit different than previous years, with a walking tour as opposed to a driving tour, but it will again feature an array of handmade light sculptures. The production method, the press release continued, allows for enhanced detail and color, and includes fantastical creatures, wild animals, pirates and masterpieces of art. For the new walk-through show, participants can be surrounded up-close through the quarter-mile path by "colorful creations." Garden in Lights will be held from 6-9 p.m. Dec. 12-14, 18-21, 26-31 and Jan. 1. Fee is $3, $2 for senior citizens, $2 for children 5-12 and children younger than 5 get in for free. Annmarie Garden is at 13480 Dowell Road, Solomons. For weather cancellations, call 410-326-4640.

Candlelight Tours — The free event will be held from 4-7 p.m. Dec. 13 at Thomas Stone National Historic Site. Tour the house. Park staff will be dressed in period costumes. The site is at 6655 Rose Hill Road, Port Tobacco. Call 301-392-1776.

‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever' — Free performances of the play will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 13 and 3 p.m. Dec. 14 at South Potomac Church, U.S. 301, White Plains. Based on the book, the play tells the tale of the year a rough-and-tumble family of bullies decides to play key roles in an annual pageant. Bring a can of food. Call 301-753-4075.

Antebellum Christmas — The free event will be held from noon-4 p.m. Dec. 14 at Mount Aventine, Chapman State Park. According to a press release, the event will feature period decorations, costumes, refreshments and Civil War dolls under an 1840-style Christmas tree. The Handbell Choir of Good Samaritan Presbyterian Church will perform. Chapman State Park is located at 3452 Ferry Road, Indian Head. Call 301-753-6754. Go to www.chapmanforest.org.

Guys & Gals — Gracie's Guys & Gals Dance Studio with Patuxent Playhouse will present "Holly Jolly Christmas!," a family musical and dance review, at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Dec. 14. The event will be held at Bowles Farms, 22880 Budd's Creek Road, Clements. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Children younger than 2 get in for free. Call 301-475-5265. E-mail GGHollyJollyXmas@aol.com.

Sanford Concert Series — The Christmas program will be held at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20 in St. Andrew's Church, 44769 Saint Andrews Church Road, California. The show features four members of the Washington National Opera as well as local cellist Julia Henderson. Washington National Opera members include Timothy Augustin (tenor), Patricia Hussey (mezzo-soprano), Linda Kirk (soprano) and Donald Schramm (baritone). Reservations are required. Tickets are $25, $10 for children younger than 10. Call 301-862-9541. Go to

www.sanfordconcertseries.com.

Tuba Christmas — Lusby's Southern Calvert Baptist Church will host Solomons' annual Tuba Christmas concert at 4 p.m. Dec. 20. Low brass players are welcome to join the group. Last year's event included 40 tuba players. The church is at 12140 H.G. Trueman Road, Lusby. The event is free. Call 301-995-6033.