Ways to experience the holiday season in Highlandtown:

Balance on the top step of a ladder to hang a wreath and lights on wobbly Eastern Ave. lampposts.

Let the sounds of a live band welcome you to the grand opening of the Highlandtown Train Garden.

Find yourself a bit hazy after dropping in on the local pottery artist, who offers liquid refreshments beyond the standard small glass of wine.

In Highlandtown, especially from late November through New Year’s, anything can happen.

Here is a short list of our favorite upcoming holiday events in Highlandtown for 2015:

Small Business Saturday

This year, the fun begins on Saturday, Nov. 28, now officially known across the country as Small Business Saturday.

Amanda Smit-Peters, who manages Highlandtown Main Street for the Southeast Community Development Corp., notes that the Christmas shopping options in the neighborhood get better every year. Small Business Saturday, which begins with free pastries and coffee at Hoehn’s Bakery (8 am – noon; 400 S. Conkling St.), features  several “shopping tours” for different types of gifts.

The “Art and Vintage” tour hits places such as Y:ART Gallery and Fine Gifts (3402 Gough St.), Highlandtown Gallery (248 S. Conkling St.) and Rust-N-Shine (3522 A Bank St.). Each of these locally-owned establishments feature items that literally cannot be found anywhere else on the planet.

For “tasty treats,” Smit-Peters directs shoppers to the neighborhood’s equally singular food markets, including Hoehn’s, organic/local specialist RoofToP Hot (339 S. Conkling St.), DiPasquale’s Italian Market (3700 Gough St.) and Cinco De Mayo (417 S. Highland Ave.).

A “Shop Local Challenge” tour map and shopping guide will be available in the Nov 25 issue of The Baltimore Guide and inside the FREE Small Business Saturday tote bags at Hoehn’s Bakery on Saturday morning from 8am-noon.

“We are also encouraging people to shop for their local toy drives here on Eastern Avenue,” Smit-Peters said. “How about we all try to buy toys from places like Los Compadres USA at 3903 Eastern Avenue or we buy up all the soccer balls from Sneaky Feet at 3223 Eastern Avenue this year!”

 

Highlandtown Holiday Kick-Off

Return to Eastern Ave. on Friday, Dec. 4, for the Holidays in Highlandtown Kick-Off celebration. The fun begins at 5 p.m. in front of the Southeast Anchor Library for the free celebration, beginning with hot cocoa and a jazz performance by Tongue in Cheek. Red and green glow necklaces and other giveaways will placate the children until 6 p.m., when Santa arrives and the tree is lit as local politicians mingle with local denizens. Everyone is also welcome to get a FREE picture taken in the holiday photo booth (with or without Santa–your choice!).

At 6:30 p.m., the party heads across Conkling St. to the fire station (420 S. Conkling St.), home of the Highlandtown Train Garden, in which virtually every neighborhood landmark can be found, in miniature.

The night will close with the Merry Mixer, starting at 7 p.m., a stroll for adults through the growing roster of neighborhood restaurants and bars, starting at Filippo’s Restaurant and Lounge (418 S. Conkling St.).

 

Sunday Shopping Spectacular

After a rest Saturday, Highlandtown gears up again for a shopping and schmoozing event, Sunday, Dec. 6. The areas anchor galleries – Highlandtown Gallery with newcomer Y:ART – as well as Merry Mart, a pop-up artist and artisan marketplace hosted by the Creative Alliance (3134 Eastern Ave.) will offer an unparalleled shopping experience. The shopping experience runs from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Also participating are RooftTop Hot, open 10am-5, and Rust-N-Shine, open noon-5 p.m. Both are located at the corner of S. Conkling St and Gough Street (entrances on S. Conkling). Be sure to keep an eye out for Chef Dan, who will be cooking up lunch for sale that day at RoofTop HoT!

“There will be fun eats and drinks throughout the day,” Smit-Peters said. “We always really try to keep the holiday momentum going and add something new every year to keep the season

For more information and a listing of events, click here.