The official start of winter is not until December 21, but most of the leaves have fallen and Loyola’s campus has already been covered in snow. This means that it is time to prepare for the cold winter months and to bundle up in our hats, gloves, and scarves. It may be tempting to spend the winter months hibernating with hot chocolate by a fire as the days continue to get shorter and the nights get colder, but there’s much more to do to stay active and have fun during the winter months in Baltimore.

Check out the list below of fun activities to do at Loyola and around Baltimore this winter.



Shuttle to Hampden Lights – December 1 & 9
Messina will be running a shuttle to the Hampden lights on Dec. 1 and Dec. 9. On December 1 a shuttle will run from Boulder to Hampden every half hour from 6:00 p.m. – 11 p.m. On December 9 a shuttle will run from Boulder to Hampden every half hour from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Learn more about the Hampden lights below.
Chordbusters – December 7
Loyola’s male and female a capella groups, the Belles and the Chimes, fall concert will take place on Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. in McManus Theatre. This event is a hit every year and tickets to this show sell out every semester, so be sure to line up early if you want tickets to this holiday classic.

Presence for Pooches – December 8
A craft night with a local organization called Scrap Baltimore, “Presence for Pooches” will be in the 4th Floor Program Room on Dec. 8 at 9 p.m. The first 40 students to arrive will be able to make a fabric scrap dog toy to bring to their favorite pooch or donate to a shelter just in time for the holidays.

For more information about Messina’s upcoming events visit the Messina Calendar.



Light Up Belvedere Square – November 29
Visit Belvedere Square for a night of carols, beautiful lights, food and drink specials and a mitten driven on Nov. 29 from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. The official tree lighting ceremony will take place at 7 p.m.

For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1073072846185493/

Amy Schumer @ the Hippodrome Theatre – November 30
The Emmy-Award winning comedian, Amy Schumer, will be in Baltimore on Friday, Nov. 30 for her Fall comedy tour at 8 p.m. The tour will feature all new material and will keep you laughing through the night.


46th Annual Mayor’s Annual Christmas Parade – December 2
The 46th Annual Mayor’s Annual Christmas Parade will be held in North Baltimore’s Hampden and Medfield neighborhoods on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 1 p.m. The parade will feature floats, local TV and Radio personalities, over 100 Harley Davidson motorcycles, a steam calliope, great bands, Mummers of Philadelphia, Miss Yuletide and Jr. Miss Yuletide, and Santa Clause!

For more information visit http://www.mayorschristmasparade.com/.

47th Annual Washington Monument Lighting – December 6
The 47th Annual Washington Monument Lighting will take place on Thursday, Dec. 6 from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. in the Mount Vernon neighborhood. There will be a holiday village, live performances, and a spectacular fireworks display.

For more information visit https://baltimore.org/events/47th-annual-washington-monument-lighting.

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker – December 14 & 15
The Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker is coming to the Hippodrome Theatre on Dec. 14 and 15 to showcase world-class Russian artists and hand-painted sets. If you have time, you can see Disney’s interpretation of the Nutcracker in theaters before seeing the reenactment by Moscow’s world-renowned ballet.

Ravens Football Game – December 16 & 30
The Ravens have home games on Sunday, Dec. 16 at 1 p.m. against the Buccaneers and Sunday, Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. against the Browns. Whether you are from the Baltimore area or elsewhere, you can still get out to support Baltimore’s team in the last couple of home games that they have left at M&T Bank Stadium this season.

For a full schedule of the Ravens visit https://www.baltimoreravens.com/schedule/.

Miracle on 34th St.
Each year, the 700 block of 34th Street in Hampden lights up with holiday decoration, one-of-a-kind sculptures, and more lights than you could imagine. The tradition started in 1947 by a couple, Bob Hosier and Darlene Hughes, who both loved decorating their homes for Christmas. Before or after viewing the lights, check out all the great restaurants, shops and galleries in Hampden for some holiday shopping.

For more information visit https://www.christmasstreet.com/ and http://hampdenmerchants.com/.

German Christmas Village
An outdoor and indoor market, the holiday market at West Shore Park in the Inner Harbor runs from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. Modeled after the traditional Christmas markets in Germany, the village brings an authentic German Christmas market to the Inner Harbor. Vendors in more than 50 booths will sell traditional European food, sweets, and drinks, while also offering a great shopping experience.

For more information visit http://www.baltimore-christmas.com/.