Seasonal & Holidays

Holiday Lights Open At 2 Zoos + 4 MD Museums Offer Winter Activities

There's still time to see holiday lights at the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. zoos. Four Maryland museums are also offering winter fun.

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The National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways and Chesapeake Conservancy suggested visiting the holiday lights displays at the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. zoos. The stock photo above shows lights in a different location.
The National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways and Chesapeake Conservancy suggested visiting the holiday lights displays at the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. zoos. The stock photo above shows lights in a different location. (Emily Leayman/Patch)

MARYLAND — The Baltimore and Washington, D.C. zoos each have holiday lights displays. Marylanders can also visit four local museums, go camping or learn to roast chestnuts this winter.

Patch recently partnered with several local organizations to bring you their latest news. This guest contribution comes from National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways and Chesapeake Conservancy. Here's what Jody Hedeman Couser submitted to help you explore the Chesapeake Bay:

"Zoo Lights, Baltimore and DC

Walk through a festival of lights shaped like wildlife at Baltimore’s Zoo Lights, now ’til Jan. 1. General admission includes the walk-thru and visiting Zoo Central for snacks, hot chocolate, and free train and carousel rides (weather permitting). More information about Baltimore Zoo Lights, including special Saturday events. At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, DC, environmentally-friendly LED lights and dozens of glowing animal lanterns transform the Zoo into a winter wonderland. The National Zoo’s Zoo Lights includes live music performances and tasty winter treats. More details about the National Zoo Zoolights"

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"Winter Break at the Calvert Marine Museum

There’s family fun to be had at the Calvert Marine Museum every day of the year, like docents in the Discovery Room touch tank, in the Skates and Rays exhibit and in the Paleontology Prep Lab. The Drum Point Lighthouse is open, frequently with guided tours. You may also see the museum’s resident animals – like the perennial favorite otters at feeding time. The Museum also has a great Winter Break program to keep the family busy. On Dec. 28, learn all about hibernation. On Dec. 29, the Chesapeake’s rays and skates are in the spotlight. On Dec. 30, it’s all about the top predator (shark!) of the Miocene seas – Megalodon! All programs are appropriate for ages 4 to 10 and run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chesapeake Bay Marine Museum, Solomons, MD. More information"

"Carve and Paint a Pied-Billed Grebe

In this Ward Museum intermediate-level carving class, Bob Plitko will teach participants to carve and paint a pied-billed grebe. $180 for the two-day workshop, all materials are included. Please register by Dec. 26. Jan. 14-15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Ward Museum, Salisbury, MD. Registration and more information

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Note: The museum will also be hosting a youth cork decoy carving workshop on Jan. 28 and a piping plover carving workshop on Feb. 11-12. Ward Museum calendar"

"Paddle Making Workshops

Learn to make a custom Greenland kayak paddle or canoe paddle at this two-day workshop presented by the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Hone your skills in using a bandsaw, hand planes, draw knives and spoke shaves and take home your custom paddle. No previous woodworking experience required. $200 for nonmembers, with all materials included. Feb. 11-12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels, MD. More info and registration"

"Transplanting and Dividing Perennials

Pitch in and help the horticulture team at Jefferson Patterson Park and museum for their end-of-year garden maintenance and you can take some free plants home with you! The horticulture team will be dividing perennial flowers, replanting salvaged plants from the Patterson gardens and putting the gardens to bed for the winter. Free. Recommended for ages 16 and up. Dec. 21 and 28, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, St. Leonard, MD. More information and registration"

"Top Places for Winter Camping

Cure the wintertime blues with some outdoor activities, or even better – winter camping. Especially with recent years' mild winters you could make plans now for escaping the crowds and connecting with nature. “Wildlife is easier to spot, migratory birds are out in abundance, and the bugs are completely gone. The soft light and stunning sunsets make for great photos. Stargazing is unparalleled,“ writes outdoor enthusiast Kenny Fletcher. In Maryland, Pocomoke River State Park’s campground is open all winter – with hot showers! New Germany State Park has snow when lower elevations are bare and offers cross-country ski rentals and 10 miles of trails. Shenandoah River State Park’s campground and related facilities remain open year round, and cabins and yurts are also available for rent. Visit Find Your Chesapeake to read more about where to go for winter camping."

"How to Roast Chestnuts the Right Way

Most anyone who has tried their hand at roasting chestnuts has failed...sometimes epically! The American Chestnut Foundation has some suggestions to help prevent exploding chestnuts, fire-engulfed chestnuts, teeth-breaking chestnuts and other disasters. 1) Score chestnuts from “ear to ear” on the rounded side, not the flat side. 2) Preheat Oven to 500 degrees. 3) Put baking sheet or cast iron pan in oven until hot. 4) Place scored chestnuts on the pan in one layer. 5) In about 5 minutes, stir chestnuts and lower temp to 475F. 6) Stir every 5 minutes until done, about 25 minutes. They are done when the chestnut is no longer glossy, and it gives when you press into it. Wait until cool and open by gently squeezing apart the sides of the shell. How you store the chestnuts is equally important and you can find recommendations for storing here. Chestnuts, unlike other nuts and seeds, are relatively low in calories and fats, but are rich sources of minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients. More on roasting chestnuts"

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