Howard County Visitors Guide 2017

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CALENDAR EVENTSof
APRIL
BLOSSOMS OF HOPE
CHERRYBRATION DAYS
April is Cherry Blossom time in
Howard County, and Blossoms
of Hope’s annual pink season
brings a month-long celebration
of activities that honor the beauty
of the trees and help raise cancer
awareness. With more than 1,700
beautiful pink Kwanzan cherry
trees blossoming in parks, along
roadways and at attractions county-
wide, spring in Howard County
awakens the human spirit, filling it
with hope, happiness and health.
SPRING FEST
Bring the family to town and
celebrate Spring at the annual
Old Ellicott City Spring Fest!
There’s live music, kids areas with
free crafts & games, craft beer
gardens, great food, sidewalk
shopping and much more!
MAY
MARYLAND SHEEP
& WOOL FESTIVAL
Discover the beauty of sheep, the
warmth of wool and the delicious
taste of lamb during a fun-filled
weekend celebrating all things
sheep, from hoof to handwoven.
Featuring over 800
sheep,
sheep shows, sheep breeds display,
parade of breeds, all kinds of
demonstrations (including working
sheepdogs, sheep shearing,
spinning and weaving), sheep to
shawl contest, fleece show and
sale, workshops and seminars,
special activities for kids, cooking
demonstrations, food booths,
musical entertainment, over 275
vendors, and much, much more!
Always the first full weekend in May.
MD HOUSE AND GARDEN
PILGRIMAGE TOUR
For every person who has ever
wanted to peek into the old house
at the end of a lane, now is the
time. Generous property owners
will open their historic sites to
the public for five weekends
during the Maryland House and
Garden Pilgrimage (MHGP), an
annual tradition since 1937.
PREAKNESS®
CELEBRATION HOT AIR
BALLOON FESTIVAL
This three-day festival offers
spectators the chance to enjoy
the wonder of hot air balloons,
specialty crafts, entertainment
and good food. New this year,
the event will take place at the
Howard County Fairgrounds.
WINE IN THE WOODS
One of the premier events in the
region and a source of pride
for Howard County for over 20
years. Voted Best Outdoor Event by
Columbia Magazine in 1997 and
1998 and awarded Best Annual
Festival in Howard County by
Howard Magazine in 2009. Live
music, food and samples from
over 30 Maryland wineries.
JUNE
CAPITAL JAZZ FEST
Tens of thousands of music lovers
from throughout the country flock
to the suburbs of Washington,
D.C. to attend this weekend of cool
jazz and soul. Started in 1993, the
Capital Jazz Fest is a multi-day,
multi-stage outdoor music festival
that’s more than just a concert. A
place to people-watch, eat, drink,
shop, mingle, relax, soak in the
rays, and, of course, hear some
of the coolest music performed
by artists whom you won’t see
anywhere else in the Washington-
Baltimore area this summer.
Usually occurs in early June.
COLUMBIA FESTIVAL
OF THE ARTS
An annual celebration of the arts in
a broad spectrum of art forms and
cultures, encouraging interaction
among artists and audiences, and
featuring local and national artists.
COLUMBIA’S 50TH
A celebration so big, it will last
an entire year. It even has its own
website. Founded by James Rouse
in 1967, Columbia has grown
into a developed and successful
community. Columbia will celebrate
and honor its history, embrace
the present, and strive to advance
its bright future. Also celebrating
its 50th is the one and only
Merriweather Post Pavilion. With
Merriweather being in the heart
of Columbia, they both will share
their birth year full of festivities.
JULY
FOURTH OF JULY
FIREWORKS
Howard County Government
with support from the Columbia
Association present a family-
friendly fireworks extravaganza
PHOTOGRAPH OF SHEEP BY CARL SCHMIDT, FEDERAL HILL PHOTOGRAPHY 32