When does the holiday season start in Solomons? The Christmas Walk isn't until December 12, but the first date on the island's November calendar is Sunday, November 8, at 2 p.m., with a memorial service at the end of Dowell Road.
The weeks after that build in order. The Calvert Marine Museum handles the weekdays and Veterans Day. The shops get their own day on November 20. Annmarie Garden switches on its lights the day after Thanksgiving. The Riverwalk comes last. If you only plan around the Walk, you miss most of what happens here between Halloween and mid-December.
October's Scarecrow Stroll, with displays themed to America's 250th, ran through October 31. Here is the order things go in from here:
- November 8: the "On Watch" Memorial Service at the end of Dowell Road
- November 11: the Veterans Day feature at the Calvert Marine Museum
- November 20: Pink Friday at shops across Solomons
- November 27: Annmarie Garden in Lights opens
- December 12: the 45th Annual Solomons Christmas Walk
Why November 8 comes first
The On Watch statue is an 8-foot bronze by Maryland artist Antonio Tobias Mendez. It stands at 14485 Dowell Road and honors the people and work of the Solomons Amphibious Training Base. That base was the nation's first amphibious training facility and ran from 1942 to 1945. The statue was unveiled in August 2007, and the grounds include a Veterans Patio of memorial paver bricks honoring World War II veterans.
The Calvert Marine Museum's listing for the service invites the community to thank veterans for their service, with refreshments on site after the program. The service sets the tone for the rest of November. A wartime base shaped this town, and the first gathering of the season is at its memorial, not at a shop window.
You can easily make a whole day of it. Earlier that Sunday, the museum's Creature Feature runs from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. Beyond the Displays: Artifact Stories, the museum's Sunday program, runs from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Artifact Stories overlaps the 2 p.m. service, so choose one or the other that afternoon.
The museum carries the weekdays
After the memorial service, most of the dated events are at the Calvert Marine Museum, 14200 Solomons Island Road S. Most of its November programs fall on weekdays, when little else is scheduled on the island.
Friday, November 6
First Fossil Friday runs from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Fossil identification is free, though regular admission applies if you want to see the exhibits.
Wednesday, November 11
The Veterans Day Feature with Friends and Artifacts closes at 3 p.m. The museum's online calendar lists an 11 a.m. start, and its November events release lists 10 a.m., so check the calendar before you go. It includes artifact displays, letter writing, and curator-led tours of the War of 1812 gallery at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Three days after the service on Dowell Road, the museum takes up the same theme indoors and goes back further in local history.
Thursdays and the mid-month weekend
Sea Squirts meets Thursday, November 12, at 10:15 and 11:15 a.m. Little Minnows follows on Thursday, November 19, at the same two times. Jellyfish Day fills Saturday, November 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Sunday, November 15, the CMM Fossil Club meets from 1:30 to 4 p.m., with a free public lecture at 2:30 p.m. Artifact Stories continues on the remaining Sundays, November 15, 22 and 29, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
November 20 belongs to the shops
Pink Friday is the first day of the season built around Solomons' storefronts, and it lands a week before the national Black Friday. Visit Solomons lists the fourth annual event for Friday, November 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., presented by the Solomons Co-op.
You start by picking up a free tote and passport. Then you visit participating shops for specials, refreshments and pink door prizes, and get the passport stamped at each stop. The pickup spot and the list of participating shops are marked "coming soon," so check the Pink Friday page before you head out.
The museum's shop runs a promotion the same day. The Museum Store offers members 20% off on November 20, from 10:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Shoppers with a membership can add a stop at the museum to their Pink Friday route.
Two days later, on Sunday, November 22, No Thyme to Cook holds its monthly Artisan Sip & Shop from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event features a curated group of local artisans and makers, with a cash bar. No Thyme to Cook is at 14624 Solomons Island Road South.
Thanksgiving week splits the calendar
The last full week of November has a closure in the middle and openings on either side.
- Thursday, November 26: The Calvert Marine Museum and Museum Store are closed for Thanksgiving. Both reopen at 10 a.m. Friday, November 27.
- Friday, November 27: Annmarie Garden in Lights opens and runs through January 1, 2027.
- Sunday, November 29: Museum Store Sunday runs from 10:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., with discounts and prize drawings for members.
Garden in Lights is the one event that runs past the Christmas Walk. Its general hours are 5 p.m. until 8 or 9 p.m., and it is closed on some evenings. Annmarie asks visitors to check the nightly schedule for exact hours before going. If you go on a weekday, check the schedule first. For daytime visits, Annmarie's Holiday Gift Show & Sale and its Ornament Show & Sale both run from November 1 through January 1.
What's set for December 12, and what isn't yet
All of this leads up to the 45th Annual Solomons Christmas Walk on Saturday, December 12. The Walk's own page lists 4 to 9 p.m. and promises a Firetruck and Santa Parade, vendors, restaurant specials, a lighted Riverwalk, local dance and choral performances, special shopping and the Boat Parade. The general Visit Solomons events page lists the same day as 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Go by the Walk's dedicated page, and check it again closer to the date.
| What | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas Walk | December 12, 4–9 p.m. | From the Walk's dedicated page |
| No Thyme to Cook Open Deck watch party | December 12, 4–8:30 p.m. | Ticketed; no on-site parking |
| Calvert Marine Museum Christmas Walk program | December 12, 6–9 p.m. | Free; music, crafts, Santa, the Otter mascot, cocoa and cookies |
| Museum early close | December 24, closes at 2 p.m. | Closed December 25, reopens 10 a.m. December 26 |
| Museum members-only opening | December 31, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. | Museum Store open to all shoppers |
The full parade schedule for 2026 has not been posted. No Thyme to Cook's ticket listing gives a 6 p.m. boat parade start. Last year's county schedule had it at 6:30 p.m. Treat the start time as unconfirmed until organizers post the full schedule.
Last year's route is still useful for picking a viewing spot. In 2025, the Lighted Boat Parade started at Molly's Leg and moved along the boardwalk past No Thyme to Cook's Open Deck, Trifecta, The Lighthouse Restaurant and Dock Bar, Bugeye Grill, The Pier Restaurant and the Solomons Victorian Inn. No Thyme to Cook's 2026 listing already warns there will be no on-site parking, so plan your arrival as you would on any busy Walk night.
Several people on our team have military backgrounds, so November 8 at the On Watch statue is on our calendar too. If the holiday season has you thinking about what your Solomons home might be worth before spring, Samara Dinnius and the Prestige Home Team are happy to talk it through whenever suits you. When you're ready, start with our Instant Home Valuation.
