Tree Lighting Ushers In Ice Rink Opening For The Holidays In Howard County

COLUMBIA, MD — Friday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. will be the holiday tree lighting and ice rink opening at Color Burst Park in the Merriweather District. There will be live performances and a hot cocoa bar from The Charmery.

There also will be a food drive at the event to benefit the Howard County Food Bank. Most needed items include pasta, sauce, soups, rice, canned meats and vegetables, spices, juice, sauces and condiments.

There will be a station for writing letters to Santa, a spot for taking a holiday photo, holiday stories from the Howard County Library System's pop-up library and more.

Color Burst Park is located at 6000 Merriweather Drive in Columbia.

Be sure to attend A Merri Market Holiday Experience Dec. 2-4, an annual event supporting small businesses and regional vendors. A complete list of vendors and their schedules can be found here. The market will be open Dec. 2 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Dec. 3 from 1 to 8 p.m. and Dec. 4 from 1 to 4 p.m.