Dorchester News | Dec 2025
WHAT’S INSIDE: 2025 Holiday Fun Guide! | Shop Small – and Shop Fun! | Heritage Area Award Winners | Remember Our Heritage Tourism Partners on Giving Tuesday Dec. 2 | December Event Highlights | December Arts & Music | Save the Dates For January Fun | Dorchester Tourism News
Eastern Shore holiday fun!
Dorchester County is home to the Original Crab Basket Tree, Christmas parades, one of the oldest Train Gardens, Holiday Home Tour, visits with Santa, indie shops, a luminaria celebration in a 300-year-old town, a Winter Village with ice skating, and more! Our elves have gathered more than 50 holiday happenings all in one place to make it easy. Check out our 2025 Holiday Fun Guide!
Create unforgettable holiday memories
There's something about spending time in Dorchester County during the holiday season. The pace is a little slower and friendlier. The traditions are heartwarming. A smile here, a wave there, small town charm everywhere. Our small, independent shops make browsing for interesting and unique gifts a pleasure. And there's serenity to be found in our beautiful landscapes and waterscapes. Come and be merry!
Shop small – and shop fun!
Make shopping fun again by exploring Dorchester County’s independent (indie) shops! Embrace the joys of small town shopping – chat with our friendly shopkeepers, experience real customer service, chat with other customers, and discover one-of-a-kind beautiful and usable gifts created by local artists and artisans. From antiques to apparel, kids’ items to crafts, our indie shops and art galleries offer a wide range of interesting, giftable items.
Take advantage of the Shop Til You Drop promotion from Cambridge Main Street: For every $25 you spend between now and Dec. 21, you'll be entered into a drawing for a Cambridge Main Street gift basket!
🎁 Participating Downtown Cambridge merchants include: 3ten Art Gallery, Black Water Bakery, Blue Ruin, Butterfly Boutique, Bull Provisions & Smokehouse, Dive Club, Dorchester Center for the Arts, Heart of Dorchester Antiques, Laughing Lotus: Art & Goods, Main Street Gallery, Malina Custom Leather, RAR Brewing, Sunnyside Shop, Thomas's Fine Jewelry, and Vintage 414.
Heritage tourism news
Congrats to our Heritage Award winners!
The Heart of Chesapeake Country Heritage Area presented its annual awards in November, honoring local folks and organizations for their hard work in preserving and promoting our Dorchester County heritage. Here are the winners:
🏆 Organization of the Year: Richardson Maritime Museum - Ruark Boatworks - for preserving maritime culture and the tradition of boat building.
🏆 Project of the Year: "Shine Your Light Mural," a collaboration by artist Miriam Moran and Dorchester Center for the Arts. The mural celebrates Latin culture and is located at 118 Cedar St., Cambridge.
🏆 Caroline Cline Volunteer of the Year: Ruth Clendaniel, for her work with the Cambridge Woman's Club and more.
Help our heritage tourism partners on Giving Tuesday Dec. 2
Dorchester County is a place filled with thousands of years of history – from Native Americans to European settlers, from slavery and the birthplace of Harriet Tubman to a history of shipbuilding, agriculture, seafood harvesting, and canning food. It’s a history that many non-profit organizations and volunteers are dedicated to preserving and sharing. These organizations often work on shoestring budgets with mostly volunteer manpower. Consider making a donation on Giving Tuesday on Dec. 2 – or anytime of year. Here are some of Dorchester's major heritage tourism organizations:
Cambridge Lighthouse Foundation (caretakers of Choptank River Lighthouse)
Grace Foundation of Taylors Island (preserving and celebrating Taylors Island heritage and history)
Nanticoke Historic Preservation Alliance (caretakers of Handsell)
Radio Chesapeake (WHCP FM and WFHW FM)
DECEMBER EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Dec. 5, 7-10pm
Adrenaline Championship Wrestling presents professional wrestling featuring ECW Legend the Sandman & Former WWE Superstar James Ellsworth! At the Packing House, Cambridge. Buy tickets.
Dec. 6, 5-9pm
Fundraiser benefiting Dr. Theresa Stafford’s New Beginnings Learning Academy to support the youth of Cambridge. Live entertainment featuring Mike Elzey & the Centerville Sensation, Apostle Arlinda Cornish-Barnes & Family, Jymece Sewrad and DJ Getdown. At Minnette Dick Hall, Cambridge. Buy tickets.
Dec. 7, 2-3pm
Hoopers Island Volunteer Fire Co. has a plaque dedication and short ceremony to honor four fallen firefighters from Dorchester County. All are welcome.
Dec. 12, 27, 8am
Learn from an experienced birder. Meet at Blackwater Visitor Center. Free!
Dec. 13, 9am-1pm
The Friends of the Dorchester County Public Library hold a used book sale on the Second Saturday of each month. Lots and lots of books of many genres for all ages.
Arts & Music in December
IN THE GALLERIES
3ten Art Gallery has “A Rock and Roll Art Show” featuring work by Lori Dever, Sherry Christopher, Larry Drehoff, Mike James, BJ Wheatley, Brian Wozny and Noel Maddox. Usually open late on Second Saturdays.
Main Street Gallery has "All That Glitters 2025: A Metalsmith Collective" through Dec. 28 showcasing the jewelry and artwork of seven Eastern Shore metalsmiths, as well as the work of the gallery’s member artists. The metalsmiths are Alexa Matthai, Chuck McMillin, Wanda Jester, Cindy Ayd, Robin Morgan, Linda Starling, and Barbara Trower. Free Second Saturday reception Dec. 13, 5-8 pm.
Dorchester Center for the Arts has Vanishing Landscapes Nov. 1-Dec. 20, an open medium, group exhibition of artists working across painting, photography, sculpture, video, and more. Second Saturday reception Dec. 13, 5-7pm.
Laughing Lotus: Art & Goods features the work of more than 30 artists and artisans.
LIVE MUSIC
Dec. 21, 3pm-12am
Christmas Dinner & Show with the Rat Pack & Swingtopia Band: Dec. 21, 3pm-12am. The Rat Pack - Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Dean Martin - will be reuniting for this one-night event and will be joined by a six-piece orchestra. At Palm Beach Willies on Taylors Island. Tickets include a prefixed 5 course meal, a drink token, and an unforgettable show. Buy tickets.
Dec. 5: Turning Point Band, 8pm
Dec. 7: Eric Weldon, 3-6pm
Dec. 12: Golden Touch Band, 8pm
Dec. 19: Hold My Beer Band, 8pm
Dec. 5: Island Fusion, 6-9pm
Dec. 5: Andy Rhoades
Dec. 6: Anna Burgess, 6-9pm
Dec. 2 and 9, 6pm
Drinks and snacks; no alcohol.
Fridays, 6:30pm
Local musicians, poets, and comedians are welcome to strut your stuff each week. All are welcome. Alcohol-free.
SAVE THE DATES FOR JANUARY FUN!
Jan. 3, 2-4pm
Join the Cambridge Rotary's first Choptank Chill & Cheer event at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort as participants plunge into the chilly waters of the Choptank River. Everyone is welcome to attend -- either to chill or cheer, with funds raised benefitting the Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence. Take the plunge for a good cause and learn about Rotary. There will be light snacks, hot chocolate and a cash bar for adults. Register.
Jan. 16-17
This outdoor festival features dozens of ice sculptures, master ice carver demonstrations, interactive ice games, oyster roast and raw bar, live music, ice bars with craft beer and artisan cocktails, and fire pits and s’mores stations! New in 2026 – Patriotic Ice Maze to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. There will be a shuttle between downtown Cambridge, where most of the ice sculptures and oysters will be, and the Hyatt Chesapeake, which has ice skating and a Winter Wonderland Village. Friday, Jan. 16, 5-8pm; Saturday, Jan. 17, 11am-7pm.
Dorchester Tourism News
Dorchester Tourism hosts pet supply drive through January
In memory of one of the Dorchester Visitor Center's most frequent guests, Millie (2006-2023), we're holding a drive for pet supplies through January. Bring pet food, bedding, blankets, towels, toys, or treats to the visitor center during our regular hours (Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm; Saturday-Sunday 10am-2pm). Benefits Baywater Animal Rescue and Dorchester County Dog Control. Questions? Call 410-228-1000. Thank you!
Weekend Roundup
Find out what's going on around the county – check out our roundup of weekend events that we post on our social media channels each Friday!
Follow us on social media!
Facebook: @I Love Dorchester Heritage & Tourism
Instagram: @Visit Dorchester
YouTube: @Dorchester County Tourism
This free cell phone app offers three self-guided tours on the Chesapeake Mural Trail, Downtown Cambridge history and the history of the African-American Pine Street community.
Dorchester County Tourism offers a wide selection of free digital brochures on our website, including a Dining Guide, Events Guide, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway Map & Guide, Cycling Guide, Paddling Guide, Birding Guide, and Heritage Guide. View and download them as PDF files.
Dorchester County Tourism | 2 Rose Hill Pl., Cambridge, MD 21613
2 rose hill place, Cambridge, MD 21613