At 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, crews will close the Columbia Lakefront pathway so they can set up for the evening. After dark, 800 drones will fly over Lake Kittamaqundi. The show is part of Howard County's HoCo250 celebration of America's 250th anniversary, and it takes place on the same lakefront where the county holds its Fourth of July fireworks. It is free and drop-in, and if the weather is bad there is no second date.
That night starts a holiday season that runs into late January, and its events have three different organizers. The county and Columbia Association run the Lakefront. Howard Hughes runs the Merriweather District. Symphony of Lights at Symphony Woods has its own ticketing. Admission, schedules and fine print change from one venue to the next, and the cost climbs as the season goes on, from a free evening to a free tree lighting next to a paid rink to a lights display that charges per car or per person.
The season, stop by stop
| Date | Event | Venue | Organizer | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 7 | HoCo250 drone show | Columbia Lakefront, 10275 Wincopin Circle | Howard County with Columbia Association and Recreation & Parks | Free |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Tree lighting and ice rink opening | Color Burst Park, 6221 Mango Tree Road | Merriweather District | Event free; rink $12 plus tax |
| Nov. 27 to Jan. 2 | Merriweather Symphony of Lights | Symphony Woods, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway | Symphony of Lights | $25 per car; $15 per person on walk-through nights |
| Dec. 4 to 6 | Merriweather District Holiday Market | 6221 Mango Tree Road | Merriweather District | Admission not listed |
Nov. 7 belongs to the county, so the county's terms apply
Patch reported that County Executive Calvin Ball's office is presenting the evening with the Columbia Association and Howard County Recreation and Parks. Two Tasty Treats And More food trucks open at 4:30 p.m. At 5 p.m., the Howard County Veterans Foundation will show a video marking the opening of the Veterans and Military Families Monument at Vivian C. "Millie" Bailey Park. Liquid A starts playing at 5:30 p.m. Ball is scheduled to speak around 7 p.m., and the drone show follows. The county's event page says the show runs about 15 minutes.
Sky Elements, the company producing the show, was a finalist on season 19 of "America's Got Talent." Organizers point out that drones make no smoke and much less noise than fireworks.
The county runs this one, so the logistics are simple. The pathway closes, but no roads do. The county calls the details tentative and points people to its event page beforehand and to Recreation and Parks on Facebook on the day itself. With no rain date, that Facebook page is where you will find out about any change made that afternoon.
Nov. 20 is free to attend and costs money to skate
On Friday, Nov. 20, the season moves to Color Burst Park in the Merriweather District. The Tree Lighting and Ice Rink Opening runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., and the tree is lit at 7. The Columbia Figure Skating Club and the Columbia Center of Theatrical Arts perform, local shops and vendors bring treats, and children can write letters to Santa.
The event is free. The RSVP is optional, but it gets you something: the first 100 guests to check in at the Guest Services tent receive a Merriweather District ornament with their family name on it.
The rink costs extra, and the Merriweather District says so on its event page: "Ice rink tickets are sold separately." Visit Howard County lists advance tickets at $12 per person plus tax and skate rental at $3. For a family of four that all needs skates, one session comes to $60 before tax. The Color Burst Ice Rink stays open through the end of January 2027 and adds themed events and pop-up food and drink vendors during the season. The general admission page has a link to season passes for households that plan to skate more than a few times.
The Holiday Market's opening night overlaps with Main Street
The Merriweather District holds its Holiday Market at the same address on the first weekend of December:
- Friday, Dec. 4, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Dec. 5, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 6, noon to 4 p.m.
The 2026 vendor list is mostly local food and handmade goods. It includes Adjourn Teahouse, Beye Beignets, Black Acres Roastery, Blended Bakery, Chessie Maker, Chocolate Plus, Dee-Lightfully Good, Fair Winds Candle Company, Felted Florals and Flour Fable Baking Co. Merriweather District restaurants will serve seasonal drinks, there will be fire pits, and children get story times and caroling.
Historic Ellicott City holds its Midnight Madness and Tree Lighting on Main Street that same Friday, Dec. 4, from 6 p.m. to midnight. The market's Friday session closes at 8:30. If you want both, the timing favors the market first and Main Street after, since Midnight Madness keeps going until midnight. Anyone with only one weekend day free has Saturday and Sunday at the market as well.
Symphony of Lights sells two different events on the same route
The last and most expensive stop opens the day after Thanksgiving. Merriweather Symphony of Lights runs from Nov. 27, 2026, through Jan. 2, 2027, at Symphony Woods by Merriweather Post Pavilion. Visit Howard County describes it as a tradition of more than 25 years with over 300,000 bulbs.
On most nights it is a drive-through. The official schedule lists:
- $25 per vehicle, cash or credit card
- Hours from 6 to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 5 to 10 p.m. on weekends
- Military Nights on Thursdays, with $10 off for a valid military ID, available only at the entrance
- Closed to cars on Nov. 29, Nov. 30, Dec. 1, Dec. 7, Dec. 10, Dec. 14 and Dec. 31
Several of those closed dates are walk-through nights, when people walk the route instead of driving it:
| Date | Walk-through night | Hours | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., Nov. 29 | Festive Families; strollers, wagons and backpacks welcome | 5:30 to 7:45 p.m. | $15 per person |
| Mon., Dec. 7 | Tail Lights; leashed dogs only, costumes encouraged | 5:30 to 7:45 p.m. | $15 per person |
| Thu., Dec. 10 | Lit at the Lights; beer and cocktail samples | 6 to 9 p.m. | $15 walk-through or $45 with sampling |
| Mon., Dec. 14 | Jingle & Jam, a toddler dance party with DJ Kopec | 5 to 7 p.m. | $15 per person |
Pricing is the biggest difference between the two formats. A car costs $25 no matter how many people are in it. On a walk-through night, four people ages 4 and up pay $60, and children 3 and under get in free. Walk-through nights cost more because each one has a theme. Tail Lights is the only night of the season when the dog can come along.
Most nights, the drive-through line starts at the corner of Broken Land Parkway and Hickory Ridge Road. The site warns that the line can change quickly and asks drivers to follow Howard County police directions. According to the event's FAQ, Howard County General Hospital no longer runs Symphony of Lights, but ticket sales still support the hospital and the Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission.
Visit Howard County also lists a Midnight at 7 celebration at Symphony Woods on Dec. 31, 2026. The event's own page still shows last year's listing for that night, so check it for 2026 times and prices before you plan New Year's Eve around it.
Where the calendars overlap
Each organizer sets its own dates, so a few stretches of the season fill up while others go quiet:
- Thanksgiving weekend. Symphony of Lights opens to cars on Friday, Nov. 27. The Sunday after is Festive Families, and the route stays closed to cars through Tuesday, Dec. 1. If guests in town for the holiday want to drive through, Friday or Saturday is the window.
- Dec. 4. The Holiday Market opens and Midnight Madness runs on Main Street the same evening.
- Mondays in December. Two of the walk-through nights, Tail Lights on Dec. 7 and Jingle & Jam on Dec. 14, fall on Mondays.
- After Jan. 2. Symphony of Lights ends, but the Color Burst Ice Rink stays open through late January, and the county's HoCo Holiday Lights map, which includes the Columbia Lakefront, stays up through Jan. 31, 2027.
The last event still running is the Color Burst Ice Rink at 6221 Mango Tree Road, open through the end of January 2027 at $12 per person plus tax.
Knowing which organizer sets which rules applies to property too. In Columbia, two homes on the same block can come with different obligations. If you are considering a move before or after the holidays, Equity One Realty can tell you what your current home is worth and what the paperwork behind a sale or purchase will require. Get Your Instant Valuation.
