I think most cities have some way of officially kicking off the holiday season. In DC it’s lighting the National Christmas tree and opening the White House for Christmas. In New York it’s lighting the big tree in Rockefeller Center. In Baltimore, we kick off our annual holiday festivities by lighting up our Washington Monument. Neither Noel nor I had ever been to the Monument Lighting ceremony–although we had certainly seen it on TV–so this year we decided to venture out of Southeast to attend the party!
Most people don’t even realize that Baltimore has a Washington Monument, or that it’s actually older than its cousin in DC. No matter, though, because we love our monument and the neighborhood that surrounds it–Mount Vernon (I don’t think the name is a coincidence, do you?)
I had forgotten how beautiful some of the big, stately buildings in Mount Vernon are at night. I drive by them every morning on my way to work, but they are totally transformed by the dark. With their soft golden lights it felt like even the buildings were getting ready for the holidays.
After a survey of the park around the monument, we located a spot to set up the tripod to take pictures. We were pretty early, but slowly the crowd filled in around us. A group of schoolchildren arrived, complete with festive hats and carols. A dad still in his suit and overcoat brought his two young sons. Vendors sold glow sticks and lighted Santa hats to eager children and their parents in the crowd. Everyone waited for the dancing on the stage to stop and for the lights to come on.
Then suddenly a flash of light as the monument was illuminated. And then the pop of fireworks! The crowd around us oohed and ahhed as Noel turned to me excitedly and proclaimed “look fireworks!” The fireworks illuminated the column in different colors, creating a fantastic festive effect.
After the fireworks were over and the crowds started to thin, we couldn’t resist the urge to take a stroll around the plaza–and of course more pictures of just the monument! I love this one of the stoic Washington on top of the column, pointing towards our Nation’s capital in Washington, just 30 odd miles to the south.
As we made it 3/4s of the way around the column from where we were set up, we discovered there was actually a little festival in West Mount Vernon Park. It suddenly made a lot of sense why the stage had been set up in that direction! There were vendors selling food, and we found this excellent hot chocolate from one of our Southeast favorites, Pitango Gelato. It was like a melted chocolate bar in a cup with cool and frothy topping. Such a special treat on a festive night!
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Very cool. I do not think I ever saw this lit when I lived in Bmore, although maybe I just don’t remember. Let me know how the bread making goes! I love my machine and I think you will too.
Like I said in the post, this was the first time we made it to the lighting, and the first time I had seen the lights up close. It was really beautiful and festive. I love the look of the LED lights they used for the first time this year.
Our first loaf of bread turned out really well, although it was white because I was out of wheat flour. I can’t wait to try wheat!
Wow….fantastic outing….I love the beaded light curtain coming off the monument!
Great pictures Beth. Makes me wish we had gone.
It was really beautiful, Wendi. And not too cold, which is always a plus!
I love the snowflake on the monument! And that hot chocolate sounds awesome.
Too cool! Love all of the photos! I hope to get to go to something like this one day!
Thanks for sharing your photos…Mount Vernon is really beautiful. That’s what so great about Baltimore. There are so many defined areas…so unique, grand, historic.
Oh man, that is one of my favorite Baltimore things to do. I wish I had been there. My mom went and was going to Brewer’s Art to drink some Resurrection. I hated her at that moment… :)
Julie (Kitchenography) and I were in the north park. There wasn’t anyone there until about 15 minutes before the start and then the cafes and bars emptied out and everyone showed up. I should post some of my pix and video. The fireworks lighting up the church on the NE corner looked great.
My first year at the Monument Lighting too! Wow, fireworks in December I got out my new Droid and took picture. It was a beautiful evening in Bmore.
It infuriates me to see Baltimore spending money on things like this and the Edgar Allan Poe mock funeral, etc. when they are closing fire stations and cutting financial aid to college students!
And the cancellation of the Holly Trolley had nothing to do with Shelia Dickson’s trial? I am offended.
Love the pictures – I always knew this happened but have never attended.