Christmas in St. Michaels

Experience holiday joy in the heart of historic waterfront St. Michaels, Maryland with Christmas in St. Michaels hosting a full weekend of events and celebrations this December 13-15.

This 38th year of the event is highlighted by the return of the Gingerbread Contest, with a Gingerbread “House” Preview Cocktail Party kicking off the weekend of events on Thursday, December 12 beginning at 5 p.m. The preview party takes place at the Woman’s Club of St. Michaels, with limited $75 tickets available to be purchased online.

The weekend of festivities includes crowd favorites like the Tour of Homes, Breakfast with Santa, and the Marketplace and Sweet Shoppe, along with two parades on Saturday - the Talbot Street Parade at 10:30 a.m. and the Lighted Boat Parade along St. Michaels Harbor at 6 p.m., with plenty of places to watch the boats passing by. You can also start your day with breakfast at St. Luke’s, enjoy a delicious Old Fashioned Eastern Shore Christmas Dinner later at Union United, and take in music out and about in this waterfront vacation-friendly town.

The Marketplace and Sweet Shoppe are located at St. Mary’s Square’s Granite Lodge and open at noon on Friday, Dec. 13 with select hours through Sunday, Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. Proceeds from every sale benefit local nonprofits, with shoppers finding one-of-a-kind, artisan-crafted items, and culinary delights available only during this weekend event.

Holiday music will mix with the brackish air of this historic harbor-front town, including gospel and traditional Christmas music at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church on Sunday beginning at 5 p.m.

Family-favorite events include Saturday’s Breakfast with Santa for children ages 4 to 9 years old, which takes place from 8-10:00 a.m. at the waterfront Foxy’s Harbor Grille, with limited $10 tickets available for online purchasing. The 10:30 a.m. Talbot Street Parade and the beginning of the Tour of Homes are wonderful mid-day events, with the Lighted Boat Parade beginning along St. Michaels Harbor at 6:00 p.m. Parade routes, event details, online tickets, and more are at christmasinstmichaels.org.

“Our town is beautifully decorated, and the spirit and warmth of the holidays are abundant during Christmas in St. Michaels,” says Christmas in St. Michaels Board President Pat Martin. “Be sure to join us this December for one of Maryland’s longest-running home tours, showcasing a curated collection of beautifully decorated homes in our historic district and among the area’s wide expanses of country and watersides.”

The Tour of Homes takes place during select hours on Saturday and Sunday, with tickets available for advanced online purchase, as well as at Marketplace during the event weekend. The $35 per person advance ticket ($40 during the event) includes one-time admission to all tour homes; transportation to the countryside homes; a detailed tour guide booklet with local information and other major St. Michaels landmark descriptions; and free admission to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, the Classic Motor Museum, and the St. Michaels Museum at St. Mary’s Square for Saturday and Sunday.

Christmas in St. Michaels’ Old Fashioned Eastern Shore Christmas Dinner takes place on Sat., Dec. 14 starting at 11:00 a.m. and lasting until 3:00 p.m., or when the meals are sold out. Dinners include sliced roast turkey, Maryland fried oysters, and a large assortment of sides and desserts. The event will be held at the Union United Parish Hall on Fremont Street in St. Michaels with dine-in and carry-out dinners available at $25 per person, with tickets sold at the door, on the day of the event.

Since the all-volunteer organization’s beginnings, sponsors and patrons of Christmas in St. Michaels have helped raise more than $1.6M in support of local children and adults served by family-focused, education and child development, and community enhancement organizations. Event updates, online ticket and ornament purchases, and more about Christmas in St. Michaels are at christmasinstmichaels.org.