Category: Holidays

Christmas at the Museum, 2022

2022 Essex Community Tree Lighting

Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, 5 – 7 pm

Please join us for this fun family event featuring a fire truck parade for Santa’s arrival, special gifts for the kids, photos with Santa, a DJ, snacks and more. This event is always FREE for the community, and last year we had more than 400 guests! It’s a great way to kick off the holidays!

Thank you to our 2022 Sponsors

SANTA:

Cliff’s Hi-Tech
Cliff’s Direct Effect
Essex Day Festival
Albright’s Mechanical
Frostee Tree Farm
Medstar Health
Power Factor
Sullivan’s Garage
Walmart Carroll Island
Delegate Ric Metzgar

FROSTY:

Alice’s Restaurant
Tradepoint Atlantic
Connelly Funeral Home of Essex
Jeff’s Automotive
East Coast Autos
Essex Car Wash
County Councilman Todd Crandell
Buon Appetito Essex
Senator Johnny Ray Salling

ELF:

Cogar Printing
Two Guys Grill
Zips Cleaners
Bafitis & Associates
Kelly Coleman-Slocum, Century 21
Baltimore Boating Center
Charly’s Sue Creek
Upper Bay Boating
Doug Kottraba State Farm
Delegate Robin Grammer
Domino’s Essex
Chick-fil-a Martin Plaza
Rick’s Sports Bar and Grill

MEDIA SPONSORS:

Avenue News
Dundalk Eagle

2022 Holiday Open House and Evening with our Historian

Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, 7 – 9 pm

Paul M. Blitz has served as the Heritage Society Historian for over 30 years and shares a lifetime of Essex historical knowledge at our Museum lectures.

Please join us for a holiday open house which will include a presentation by Heritage Society Historian Paul M. Blitz. Mr. Blitz has been the Historian for more than three decades, and he offers a wealth of knowledge about our area’s rich history. This educational and entertaining discussion will highlight Maryland’s important role in the Civil War. Visitors will also have the unique opportunity to see the Museum decorated for the holidays! The event is free and open to the public.

A look inside the museum decorated for Christmas.

2022 Christmas Tree Decorating

Thanks to everyone who came out to decorate at the museum today, especially George and the Power Factor crew! Can’t wait to see our 2,000 new lights at night!

2021 Essex Community Tree Lighting

The Essex community joined us on Saturday, December 4, 2021 for some holiday cheer as we lit our 25-foot Norway Spruce! We had appearances by Santa and fire trucks with gifts for the kids, Museum tours and more!

Santa Sponsors:
Cliffs Hi-Tech
Cliffs Direct Effect
Essex Day Festival
Frostee Tree Farm/Paul Stiffler
Medstar Health
Del. Ric Metzgar
Power Factor/George Lang
Sullivan’s Garage
Walmart Carroll Island

Frosty Sponsors:
Alice’s – A Family Restaurant
East Coast Autos
Jeff’s Automotive
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Tradepoint Atlantic

Elf Sponsors:
Connelly Funeral Home of Essex
Councilman Todd Crandell
Cox’s Properties
Delegate Robin Grammer
LaBrands Florist
PatRick’s
Senator Johnny Ray Salling
Kelly Coleman-Slocum
Two Guys Grill
Zips Dry Cleaners

Media Sponsor: 
The Avenue News

Special thanks to: Essex Volunteer Fire Company, DJ Russell Slocum, MC Karie May

Christmas in Old Baltimore with Historian Wayne Schaumburg

On Thursday, December 12, 2019 we welcomed Baltimore historian and educator Wayne R. Schaumburg for a talk on “Christmas In Old Baltimore” to learn all about Baltimore holiday traditions and how they have changed over the years! Mr. Schaumburg focused on some of Baltimore’s great holiday customs from the 1940s to the 1960s, including downtown shopping, visiting Santa, the Toytown Parade, firehouse train gardens, aluminum trees and more.

Before Mr. Schaumberg’s talk, we welcomed visitors to tour the Heritage Society — all decked out for the holidays — and enjoy light refreshments.

2019 Heritage Society Annual Holiday Open House and Tree Lighting

We are holding our annual Essex Tree Lighting & Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 7th, 2019 from 5 to 7 pm.  Please join us for this fun family event featuring a fire truck parade for Santa’s arrival, special gifts for the kids, photos with Santa, a DJ, snacks and more. This event is always FREE for the community, and last year we had more than 400 guests! It’s a great way to kick off the holidays!

2018 Museum Christmas Tree Lighting


Dec. 8th, 2018: Holiday Tree Lighting and Museum Open House
For our 2019 Annual Open House and Tree Lighting we planned a fun family event with a visit from Santa courtesy of Essex Volunteer Fire Company, gifts for the kids, music by DJ Leon Moses and MC Karie May, snacks and more. Our tree has been generously donated by Paul Stiffler of Frostee Tree Farm in memory of its founders, George and Helen Winter who ran the business for more than 30 years. Special thanks to our tree lighting committee members from The CORE Group, CLIFF’S HI-TECH AUTO BODY SHOP INC., Weavers Marine Service Inc, Back River Restoration Committee, and Stiffler’s Service Center.

Dec. 13th and Dec. 20th, 2019: Holiday Open House

2017 Holiday Tree Lighting

Essex Community Tree Lights Up the Night

By Devin Crum (East County Times, 12/2017)

Community leaders, elected officials and residents of Essex and Middle River gathered Saturday, Dec. 9, for what has become a grand event in recent years – the lighting of the community tree at the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River in Essex.

Feelings of warmth and community were evident as the tree was lit even though the weather was snowy and cold. And many in attendance agreed that the tree looked even more beautiful with its dusting of snow.

Sam Weaver, owner of Weaver’s Marine Service, again donated this year’s tree, a 27-foot spruce which is three feet taller than last year’s.

Weaver, Cliff O’Connell of Cliff’s Hi-Tech and Cliff’s Direct Effect, and workers from Baltimore County combined their efforts to deliver and install the tree at the Heritage Society museum at 516 Eastern Blvd. And O’Connell, Back River Restoration Committee volunteers and others all helped to decorate the giant tree.

Joining the crowd on behalf of Governor Larry Hogan was Maryland’s deputy secretary of state and Essex resident, Luis Borunda, who remarked that the Heritage Society’s tree lighting is an excellent community tradition that helps – along with the snow – to put all into the holiday spirit.

Also in attendance were State Delegates Robin Grammer, Bob Long and Ric Metzgar and County Councilman Todd Crandell – all of whom represent Essex – as well as Del. Pat McDonough, who is running for Baltimore County Executive.

Crandell noted his awe at the size and beauty of the tree, along with the size and energy of the crowd gathered. He said although he is from Dundalk, “Essex is doing it better” when it comes to community Christmas trees.

Guests were also treated to cookies, tours and visits with Santa.