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🍦Wassail through Colonial Annapolis🍷

Let’s Go Music Festival line-up announced, Libbey's Ugly Sweater party, Hospice of the Chesapeake's new podcast

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Naptown Scoop
December 18, 2024

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Annapolis. This is Naptown Scoop, where ya’ll know exactly what we mean when we say Annapolis is a Christmas town with a wassail problem . . . or is it a wassail town with a Christmas problem?

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

  • Let’s Go Music Festival 2025 line-up announced 🎸 

  • Libbey’s Ugly Sweater Party 🎄 

  • Hospice of the Chesapeake’s new podcast 🎙️ 

Let’s get to it.

— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, Duffy Perkins, Chelsea Harrison, & Ryan Sneddon

Christmas in Colonial Annapolis 🎄

If you’re like us, you love the historic downtown district at Christmas. Whether it’s the tree lighting ceremony on Midnight Madness on Thursdays, any excuse to go downtown during the holiday season is a great one. And while you’re walking around, you might notice things like hanging greenery or candles in windows that feel like a real throwback. Well, we did a little bit of research to find out what the holiday season might have been like in the early days of Annapolis. Here’s what we found out.

Happy Holidays from The Brad Kappel Team

As 2024 comes to a close, I want to take a moment to say thank you.

This year, I’m grateful for the trust our clients placed in us to sell and buy their most precious asset – their homes. It’s an honor to work in a community as special as Annapolis, and we’re proud to play a part in so many families’ stories.

From all of us at the Brad Kappel Team, we wish you a holiday season filled with warmth, joy, and time spent with the people who matter most.

Here’s to an exciting 2025 ahead — and if your plans include a move, we’d be thrilled to help you take the next step.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and cheers to the New Year!

— Brad Kappel

THE DIGEST

Naptown Scoop’s Year in Review

The year is almost a wrap, and you’ll be getting your last Scoop of the year from us this Friday, Dec 20. (Don’t worry, you’ll see us back on Jan 2, 2025!)

So we thought this would be a great time to say thank you to our 20,713 readers! Thank you to those who have been with us since the beginning 4 years ago, and thanks to the 18 of you who just joined us yesterday, and everyone in between! Thank you to everyone who contacts us with suggestions, recipes, event info, photos, tags us on Instagram, or emails just to say hi. We love hearing from you and connecting with our readers and our community.

We have a lot of fun stuff planned for 2025, so stay tuned . . . but for now, here is Naptown Scoop’s Year in Review🍦 :

Grants for electric schoolbuses 🚌

Going electric is environmentally friendly, but it’s an expensive switch to make. So the Maryland Energy Administration is aiming to help cover the costs. The Maryland Electric School Bus Grant Program covers up to 85% of the incremental cost of qualified electric buses for school districts trying to expand their fleet. Local school districts and private vendors and contractors who provide school transportation services can apply. Apply online by February 14.

New Hospice Podcast: Reimagining Hope🎙️

Caring for someone with a serious illness can feel overwhelming . . . That’s where Hospice of the Chesapeake and Chesapeake Supportive Care comes in—with their new podcast series, Reimagining Hope. They’re here to ease the journey and help you feel supported, informed, and empowered. Because no one, including patients and caregivers, should feel alone.

Reimagining Hope’s first episode, “When is it too much? Managing Mom & Dad's Medications” launched earlier this month. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Watch a video version with captions on YouTube.

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Where are we Wednesday? 📸 

Each Wednesday, watch this space for a random snap from somewhere in Annapolis (and surrounding areas 😉). Where are we? Only true Annapolitans will know. Tell us your guess on Instagram or Facebook.

And don’t forget! Tag @NaptownScoop to get your photos in the Scoop!

‘Tis the season to shop local and skip the shipping stress! 🎁 The Cottage on Main has you covered for all your holiday gifting needs—no deadlines, no extra fees, just fabulous finds. Don’t miss the perfect gift, order online at ShopTheCottage.com for FREE in store pick- up.

Join us for our final Midnight Madness celebration—your last chance to sleigh the season at The Eleventh Hour!

✨ Enjoy 15% OFF your purchase (some exclusions apply)

Stop in, shop local, and make gifting merry and bright! 🎄 

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

Midnight Madness: The Eleventh Hour!

. . . brought to you by Stefon of Saturday Night Live . . .

Annapolis’s hottest new club is “Midnight Madness,” a wintertime festival happening downtown tomorrow (4-11 PM). This place has everything: there are discounts, free tastes and sips, and locally-owned businesses galore. There are people you haven’t seen since high school, but who will want to take a snowflake selfie with you anyway. All you need to know is that Uber is your friend, and if an alpaca wearing a Ravens hat asks you for the password, you answer: “I am the Mayor of Peppermint Town.” 🦙🎄 

Celebrate Hanukkah at The Annapolis Town Center 🕎

Hanukkah Sameach! That’s “Happy Hanukkah” in Hebrew and there will be lots of chances to say so in both languages. The Festival of Lights at The Annapolis Town Center begins on December 25 and the Menorah will proclaim the miracle of Hanukkah with each candle lighting through January 2. The Celebrate Hanukkah event starts at sundown each day. The candles will be lit at that time. — 1906 Towne Centre Blvd, Annapolis, MD

Super Plunge fundraiser at Severna Park Taphouse 🐻‍❄️

Severna Park Taphouse will hold a fundraising benefit for Andy Killen and his Chesapeake Chillers team tomorrow 5–11 PM. The event aims to help the Chillers team reach their $30K goal for Special Olympics Maryland ahead of the Super Plunge. That’s when Killen and the Chillers will brave the cold waters of the Chesapeake Bay (at least) 24 times in 24 hours.

A portion of food and drink at the Taphouse event will go toward the fundraising effort, plus there will be raffles and an open mic. Can’t make it? Donate online.

Libbey’s Ugly Sweater 🍹

Writer Lauren here, wearing an Ugly Christmas Sweater as I write this. Why? Because they’re an irresistible fashion trend that spreads good cheer and laughs. Libbey's Coastal Kitchen and Cocktails (357 Pier One Rd. in Stevensville) is jumping on the band wagon and inviting you to dinner in your Ugly Sweater on Friday, December 20, from 7–9 PM. Enjoy live music and happy hour pricing, including festive Christmas Margaritas for $8, while you compete for the “Ugliest Sweater” title. Book a reservation online or by calling 410-604-0999.

Let’s Go Music Festival lineup announced 📣

This isn’t a drill: The lineup for the Let’s Go Music Fest dropped this week. It sounds like it’s going to be another great event next summer when the fest takes over the County Fairgrounds on June 6-7. Slated to play are:

🎶 On Friday: Young the Giant, Milky Chance, The Maine, Colony House, We Are Scientists, The Greeting Committee, The Backfires, School of Rock

🎶 On Saturday: Third Eye Blind, Hot Mulligan, The Starting Line, Smallpools, Charlotte Sands, Winona Fighter, John Harvie, Underlined Passages, School of Rock

Tickets for the fest are now on sale. If there’s a music fan in your life, this is a pretty surefire Christmas gift. Order now.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

WEATHER

Wednesday

50 🌡️ 38 | 🌧️ | 57% | SE 7 mph (6 knots)

Thursday

45 🌡️ 35 | 🌤️ | 4% | N 10 mph (9 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 43ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN

Wednesday

49 West | Dave Chappell & Friends | 5–7 PM
Brian Boru | Bobby Reed | 6–9 PM
Galway Bay | Irish Trad Music Session | 8 PM
Great Frogs | Soren Mattson | 5–8 PM
Killarney House | Jason Bishop | 6–10 PM
Middleton Tavern | Micheal Waskey | 6-9 PM
Pirates Cove | Pete Best | 6–9 PM
The Point | Aaron Hawkins | 5–8 PM
Reynolds Tavern | TBA | 7 PM

Thursday

49 West | Jazz Wire Jam Session | 7:30–10 PM
Brian Boru | Aaron Hawkins | 6:30–9:30 PM
Killarney House | JT Horne | 6–9 PM
Market House | Mike Heuer | 6–8 PM
Pirates Cove | Jason Bishop | 6–10 PM
The Point | Kavoossi | 5–8 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Will Downing | 8 PM | Tickets
Reynolds Tavern | TBA | 7 PM

Upcoming games

Women's Basketball (7-3)
12/19 vs. Delaware | 6 PM

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THANKS!

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