Midnight Madness returns to downtown
New holiday market joins city’s slate of festivities
Midnight Madness makes its return to downtown Annapolis Thursday with shopping deals, free entertainment and decorations. A new holiday market opens at City Dock on Dec. 8.
As is tradition, businesses along Main Street, West Street, Maryland Avenue, State Circle, Market Space and Dock Street will stay open late on the first three Thursdays in December leading up to Christmas. Stores will be open 4 p.m. until midnight Dec. 1 and Dec. 8, and 4 to 11 p.m. Dec. 15.
Merchants offer complimentary refreshments, specials and shopping incentives. The streets also will be home to carolers, choirs, musicians and other street performers. Some of the 90 or so stores located downtown offer online shopping. A full list can be found at: downtown annapolis partnership. org/shopping-in-downtown-annapolis.
A new attraction this year, the Annapolis Holiday Market, will be open from Dec. 8 to 11 at City Dock.
The market will offer handcrafted gifts and foods made by local and regional artisans. Admission is free and free parking is available at the Calvert Street Garage on weekday evenings and all day on weekends. The market hours are 4 to 10 p.m., Dec 8; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 9 and Dec. 10; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 11.
“The market will give local artisans the opportunity to sell their products in downtown Annapolis and hopefully one day some of these artisans will open their own storefront in downtown Annapolis,” Erik Evans, executive director of the Downtown Annapolis Partnership, said in a news release. “The Annapolis Holiday Market will also actively promote local stores, restaurants and holiday events in downtown Annapolis happening at the same time as the market, including Midnight Madness, the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade, the Jolly Roger boat tours and more.”
Throughout the month, downtown will be filled with holiday decorations, trees, garlands and lights. A holiday light canopy
will be strung over parts of West Street and Maryland Avenue in the Annapolis Arts District. Cabbage Alley off of Main Street will become Snowflake Alley.
A herd of alpacas, courtesy of Alpaca International, will be on the top of Main Street.
To accommodate shoppers, free parking is available at Calvert Street Parking Garage (19
St. Johns St.) from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Businesses have a limited number of free two-hour parking passes (with purchase) for Gotts Court Parking Garage.
Parking meters will be free for two-hour parking. City residents can park at cityowned parking garages for free for two hours when they pick up parking passes in advance at 60 West St. and $2 parking is available from 4 p.m. to 6 a.m. at Whitmore Parking Garage (25 Clay St.).
Free Circulator buses run along West Street and Main Street.