Let the good times roll! I am so excited that Ellicott City will be celebrating Mardi Gras on Main Street in just a few days — March 1. This is such a fun event, with lots of music, great food and possibly a cocktail or two if you’re up for it. The whole town joins the party, which starts at 11 a.m. and continues all day, and the good cheer is infectious.
This event has things to do for the whole family — and I’m sure the entire family is ready to get out of the house after all the snow we’ve had this winter. There will be a mask scavenger hunt and a street name game with bead prizes, a strolling zydeco band (starting at Tiber Park at 2 p.m. and finishing at the Wine Bin at 3:30) and a free photo booth set up on the porch of Pam Long Photo from 2 to 4 pm. The Wine Bin will entertain in a heated tent in their parking lot celebrating “Carnival at the Bin” from 1 to 6 pm, featuring a live band and a variety of New Orleans-style food and drink.
It might still be cold outside, but it’s definitely time to sign up for summer camp. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to do that online these days — I remember all the times I had to wait in line at the mall, shivering outside on my lawn chair waiting for the doors to open so I could try to secure a space in one of the popular camps for my kid. Anyway, Howard County Rec and Parks has online registration starting on March 5 and they have something for everyone. Camps include fishing, archery, rock climbing, swimming, croquet, fencing and karate, to name a few. Visit howardcountymd.gov/recreation-parks/programs to register.
The Howard County Conservancy, at 10520 Old Frederick Road, is also offering camps for your nature lover. Visit howardcountynature.org/camp to see their offerings, mostly for campers ages 5 to 12. They include such diverse topics as “Investigating Nature,” “Secret Worlds” (like beehives and webs,) “Habitat Heroes,” “Talons and Teeth,” and “Survival Skills.”
The Howard County Arts Council has a variety of cool camps for students entering grades K-7. Each camp, described as a “fun and educational arts adventure,” runs for a week, with full and half-day sessions. Subjects include “Mini Project Runway,” “Collage,” a “Young Author’s Workshop,” “Bead-a-Palooza,” and “Designing Dream Cars.” For more details, and to register, visit hocoarts.org/classes-and-camps/art-camps The Arts Council is also currently celebrating Youth Art Month 2025 with an exhibit in partnership with the Howard County School System, at their Arts Center at 8510 High Ridge Road, through March 30. A reception will be held on March 5 from 5 to 7 pm.
The Howard County Historical Society is presenting its next “Lunch Date with History” on Friday, March 7 at the Museum of Howard County History, 8328 Court Avenue, starting at noon. Kevin Leonard, of the Laurel History Boys will discuss “The KKK in Howard County.” The program is free but donations are accepted. Visit hchsmd.org to register. The Historical Society is also offering a special program at the Ellicott Mills Children’s Museum on Saturday, March 8 from 1:30 to 3 pm. The subject is “Maryland, my Maryland” and will introduce kids to the state’s history. This is open to children ages 7 and above. Brownies and Girl Scouts will receive a certificate of participation which will qualify them for a “Celebrating Community” badge. The cost is $5.
Send information about Ellicott City people and events at least two weeks in advance to [email protected]
