Spirit of Christmas Merrymaking
November 27 – December 19
The Historical Society’s annual Christmas Merrymaking event continues! Participants will enjoy Christmas stories of days gone by, and much more! Dates begin Friday, November 27 and run every Friday and Saturday until December 19. Merrymaking begins at 7:00 PM and lasts until 8:45 PM. Tickets are limited. Participants meet at the Hays House museum at 324 Kenmore Avenue in downtown Bel Air and explore the stories of Christmas past.
Tickets are non-refundable unless canceled by the Historical Society.
Registration $20 per person.
The SSO’s 50th Season holiday concert features one of our most-requested pieces: Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite in Duke Ellington’s jazzed-up arrangement! Brian Folus conducts his enjoyable “Taste of Chanukah” and there will be audience participation in Maestro Bair’s “Twelve Days of Christmas” and a new sing-along, plus the usual SSO hijinks!
11 am: shortened family concert
doors open at 10:15 am
Emceed by Whitney McConkey and her daughter Lucy
7 pm: evening concert
doors open at 6 pm
Both concerts will feature lots of bustling activity in the lobby: Concessions from Coffee Coffee
Tables with local artists, authors, and artisans
This is a great way to shop local/shop small for holiday gifts and meet creative folks in our local community! (Items are for all budgets from $5 to $100.)
Tickets:
Presale for SSO 50 Members through Friday, October 23 at 10 am
General sale begins Friday, October 23
Visit website for tickets!
A Bel Air Holiday Tradition
For generations, families throughout Harford County have kicked off the Christmas season with a visit to the Bel Air Lions Club Christmas Tree Lot — our biggest fundraiser of the year! Every tree purchased helps fund the Lions Club’s programs right here in our community, supporting vision care, youth initiatives, local nonprofits, and much more.
Each year, we sell approximately 1,000 premium-quality trees, helping families bring the scent and spirit of the holidays home while supporting a great cause.
A Big Thank You!
A big thank you to the high school students, the Bel Air Explorers, the scouts and other volunteers for coming out to help unload the trucks bring the Christmas Trees to Bel Air!
Rise of Christmas Traditions
December 6 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm at the Hays House Museum
The Hays House is decked out with beautiful seasonal decorations. But where did these traditions start? The Christmas tree! Decorations, gift-giving, caroling! You may be surprised at the answers.
This event is free to attend. Donations are always encouraged!
Special Sunday hours during the day of the Bel Air Christmas Parade! Get into the Christmas spirit with a trip through the magical and unique train garden designed especially for Bel Air! The garden features a lighted Christmas train, ice skaters, and plenty of town and countryside scenes that are sure to delight people of every age! Admission is free. The train garden will be open starting the Friday after Thanksgiving during the following hours:
November 27 @ 5-8 p.m.
November 28 @ 2-8 p.m.
December 4 @ 5-8 p.m.
December 5 @ 2-8 p.m.
December 6 @ 1-7 p.m. – Special Sunday hours on the day of the Bel Air Christmas Parade!
December 11 @ 5-8 p.m.
December 12 @ 2-8 p.m.
December 18 @ 5-8 p.m.
December 19 @ 2-8 p.m.
Special thanks to volunteer and town resident, Joe Bragg, and his team of volunteers for bringing this amazing display to life for our community.
The 36th annual Bel Air Christmas Parade begins at 3:30 pm on Sunday, December 6, 2026 – down Main Street at Churchville Road to Lee Street and ending at Hickory Avenue. Community bonfire and singalong in Shamrock Park with food trucks, cookies and hot chocolate at 4:15 pm and the Tree Lighting at approximately 4:45. Scheduled to appear: Stilt walkers and acrobats, local high school marching bands, costumed characters and mascots, beauty queens, dancers, floats, and musical groups, ending with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus! Immediately following the parade, join us in Shamrock Park and help us begin the tradition of lighting the 30-foot Norway spruce Christmas tree! Event is weather permitting. In the case of bad weather, the event will be cancelled and not rescheduled.
Following the Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting, visit the Christmas Train Garden at Main Street Tower from 3-9 pm.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 | 5:45 PM
Celebrate Chanukah with an open air get together and a public display of light and warmth, as we light the Chanukah menorah at Shamrock Park (Lee Way & Hickory Avenues in Bel Air, 21014) together with the community.
A Bel Air Holiday Tradition
For generations, families throughout Harford County have kicked off the Christmas season with a visit to the Bel Air Lions Club Christmas Tree Lot — our biggest fundraiser of the year! Every tree purchased helps fund the Lions Club’s programs right here in our community, supporting vision care, youth initiatives, local nonprofits, and much more.
Each year, we sell approximately 1,000 premium-quality trees, helping families bring the scent and spirit of the holidays home while supporting a great cause.
A Big Thank You!
A big thank you to the high school students, the Bel Air Explorers, the scouts and other volunteers for coming out to help unload the trucks bring the Christmas Trees to Bel Air!
A Bel Air Holiday Tradition
For generations, families throughout Harford County have kicked off the Christmas season with a visit to the Bel Air Lions Club Christmas Tree Lot — our biggest fundraiser of the year! Every tree purchased helps fund the Lions Club’s programs right here in our community, supporting vision care, youth initiatives, local nonprofits, and much more.
Each year, we sell approximately 1,000 premium-quality trees, helping families bring the scent and spirit of the holidays home while supporting a great cause.
A Big Thank You!
A big thank you to the high school students, the Bel Air Explorers, the scouts and other volunteers for coming out to help unload the trucks bring the Christmas Trees to Bel Air!