With the holidays upon us, downtown Baltimore is starting to sparkle and shine with good cheer, fun events, and plenty of ways to celebrate the season.
Christmas Market 
Baltimore’s Christmas Village – the German-style Christmas market – returns to the Inner Harbor this year, starting on Nov. 19. The market, which operates through Christmas Eve, features everything from live music and rides to dozens of vendors selling handcrafted items. Plus, the market is known for its excellent food and drinks, which include classic German fare like Raclette, pretzels, schnitzel and mulled wine. https://www.baltimore-christmas.com/
Ice Rink
The Inner Harbor Ice Rink opens for the season on Friday, Nov. 12 and will remain open to skaters through mid-January. 
The rink, which is located at the Inner Harbor Amphitheater, on the E. Pratt St. side of the Harbor, is open from noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 11 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Skate rentals are available and tickets can be purchased for a single skate or by season pass. There are discounts for children, seniors and military members, and group events can be organized. https://waterfrontpartnership.org/enjoy/inner-harbor-ice-rink
12 Bars of Christmas
On Saturday, Dec. 10, kickstart the holiday season with a Christmas-themed pub crawl at Power Plant Live! The crawl starts at noon at Power Plant and lasts until 8 p.m. During that time, crawlers have plenty of time to show off their Santa gear and ugly sweaters, and enjoy drink specials at participating bars. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-12-bars-of-christmas-crawl-baltimore-tickets-321516122377
Music & Fun 
There are plenty of opportunities to see live shows in downtown Baltimore this holiday season. Baltimore Soundstage has a busy lineup all month long, with different acts performing almost every night. The month builds to a crescendo in late December, when John Waters takes the stage for his annual Christmas performance on Dec. 22, followed by Deep Sugar: Christmas Jingle Jangle on Friday, Dec. 2 https://www.baltimoresoundstage.com/ Holiday events at Rams Head Live start in early December, with 93.1 WPOC’s St. Jude Jingle Y’All concert on Thursday, Dec. 1. The show features Elle King, Joe Nichols, Tenille Arts and Corey Kent. The lineup for the rest of the month is a good one, too, including cover act Almost Queen on Dec. 2, Less than Jake on Dec. 3, Bad Omens on Decc. 10, Channel 5 Live with Andrew Callaghan on Dec. 11, a KIX Christmas show on Dec. 17, and They Might Be Giants on Dec. 18. https://www.ramsheadlive.com/
Where to Park when You’re Heading Downtown for the Holidays
When you’re making plans to celebrate the season downtown, don’t forget about one of the most important aspects of a fun holiday adventure: finding convenient parking. Located at 55 Market Place, just a few steps from the Inner Harbor and Power Plant Live!, Harbor Park Garage is a great spot to kick off any downtown Baltimore holiday tour. You can even book a spot before your trip downtown, so you won’t have to worry about where to go once you arrive. The garage is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is accessible to I-83 and other major routes in and out of downtown Baltimore. Harbor Park is also clean, well-lit, and staffed 24/7 by a friendly, knowledgeable crew who are happy to answer questions about where to go, what to do and how to get there. For more information about Harbor Park Garage, visit https://harborparkgarage.com/