Winter Restaurant, Craft Beverage Weeks Extended Due To Recent Storm

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Due to the recent weather storm, Visit Howard County has extended Howard County Winter Restaurant Weeks and Craft Beverage Weeks through Feb. 8.

Participating restaurants and craft beverage locations can extend their special menus and offerings, giving residents and visitors more time to enjoy them and support local businesses.

“As Howard County residents, we chose to open our seafood restaurant, Hudson Coastal, in the neighborhood where we live and are raising our children,” said Tricia Hudson, board president for Visit Howard County and Owner of Hudson Coastal Raw Bar & Grill. “One benefit of owning our business in this great county is that we are able to support local non-profits by providing food and our time to their causes. This also leads to a full-circle moment when those who work and volunteer for these organizations come in to support our business. Restaurant Weeks is another great reason to dine with us and keep local money in our county to support local causes.”

A full list of locations that have chosen to participate in the extended offer will be available on the HoCoRestaurantWeeks website by Feb. 2.

“During Winter Restaurant and Craft Beverage Weeks, we celebrate the vibrant and diverse culinary community that shapes our community identity and grows our local economy,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. “Our local restaurants do more than serve great food – they create jobs, deepen our sense of place and bring people together. This winter, I encourage residents and visitors alike to dine local, try something new and support the small businesses that make Howard County such a welcoming and dynamic place to live and visit.”

Visit Howard County also will continue its Local HoCo Open Rewards program, an initiative under the Local HoCo campaign that rewards residents and visitors for supporting locally owned businesses throughout Howard County.

During Restaurant and Craft Beverage Weeks, now through Feb. 8:

• New Open Rewards subscribers will receive a $5 sign-up reward.

• All subscribers will earn double rewards (10%) when dining at participating restaurants.

Open Rewards is a simple, app-based program that allows consumers to earn 5% cash back (10% through Feb. 8) when shopping at participating Howard County businesses. Shoppers download the Open Rewards app, link a credit or debit card, and automatically earn rewards with eligible purchases at Local HoCo merchants. No punch cards, QR codes, receipts or manual tracking are required.
Participating businesses are identified by the Local HoCo seal, indicating their inclusion in the program. Businesses do not need to sign up or pay participation fees; eligible businesses are automatically included through the app.

“We’re thankful for the opportunity to participate in Winter Restaurant Weeks and to welcome the community into Elliott’s Craft Kitchen,” said Ryan Fichter, owner of Elliott’s Craft Kitchen. “Restaurant Weeks give people a reason to come together—to celebrate, spend time with one another and experience what we do best.”

In conjunction with the launch of Open Rewards, Visit Howard County announced a one-time waiver of participation fees for the 2026 Winter Restaurant Weeks, now scheduled to run through Feb. 8.

“Open Rewards builds on the Local HoCo campaign by creating a simple, accessible way for residents and visitors to support locally owned businesses across Howard County,” said Amanda Hof, executive director of Visit Howard County. “Launching the program alongside Winter Restaurant and Craft Beverage Weeks, and waiving participation fees for restaurants this year, reflects our continued commitment to reducing barriers, encouraging participation and supporting the long-term vitality of our local business community.”