Put on your yarmulke, Charm City. There’s plenty of local fun in store for the upcoming Festival of Lights, which just so happens to kick off on Christmas Eve this year. The eight-night celebration has only overlapped with Christmas four times in the past century.
To celebrate the uniquely timed hybrid-holiday, colloquially dubbed “Chrismukkah,” Baltimore is chock-full of festive celebrations, and the local Jewish community is offering a handful of opportunities to spin dreidels, fry up potato pancakes, wager chocolate coins, and get down to Yiddish party music this season.
The Chanukah House
Dec. 24-31: Much like Hampden’s Miracle on 34th Street, this decked-out destination on Greenspring Avenue has become a must-see holiday spectacle. Adorned with menorahs, strung lights, trains, and inflatable dreidel decorations, the Chanukah House habitually lights its massive menorah at 7 p.m., and invites a different community organization to participate in the ceremony each night of the holiday. No need to worry if you can’t plan a visit this year—the owners also live-stream the lights online. 6721 Greenspring Ave., Free
An Evening of Jewish Bluegrass with Nefesh Mountain
Dec. 24: Bring the whole family to hear the fingerpickin’ sounds of husband-and-wife duo Eric Lindberg and Doni Zasloff. At this special holiday show, Nefesh Mountain will perform their signature “Jewgrass” tunes that fuse traditional bluegrass sounds with English and Hebrew lyrics.The Gordon Center for Performing Arts, 3506 Gwynbrook Ave., Owings Mills, 410-356-7469, $15-25
Moishe House Cocktails with a Conscience
Dec. 24: The local arm of Moishe House, a nonprofit which operates hubs for Jewish young adults across the world, is co-hosting this celebration along with other organizations Repair the World and Operation Shoebox. Bring your friends to enjoy festive cocktails, play a round of holiday trivia, and pack boxes of supplies for local families who have been displaced. Guests are encouraged to bring non-perishable foods and gently used warm clothing to donate. Moishe House Baltimore, 1213 William St., 6-9 p.m., Free
Baltimore Chanukah Festival
Dec. 25: Many Jewish families have a tradition of chowing down on Chinese food and catching a movie on Christmas Day. But since the holidays coincide this year, stray from tradition and spend your December 25 celebrating the first day of Hanukkah at this massive festival in the heart of the Inner Harbor. Press your own olive oil, decorate cookies, enjoy eats from D.C.-based kosher food truck Brooklyn Sandwich Co. (think pulled brisket and pastrami sandwiches, matzo ball soup, and potato knishes), and catch a glimpse of dancing dreidels before heading to the giant menorah-lighting ceremony in McKeldin Square at 4:30 p.m.The event continues with the annual Chanukah Car Parade on Monday, December 26, which begins on Park Heights Avenue and makes its way around northwest Baltimore. McKeldin Square in the Inner Harbor, East Pratt St., 2-5 p.m., Free
Chanukah BrewHaHa
Dec. 28: Join Charm City Tribe for its annual beer-filled Hanukkah bash at Union Craft Brewing, which will feature dreidel-spinning contests, community service projects, and music spun by DJ Bohfunk and DJ JA. Plus, get in the spirit with Hanukkah-inspired eats and drinks like Union’s Anthem flavored with Etrog (citrus fruit used in Jewish rituals), Charmery ice cream flavored with sufganiyot (jelly donut), and latkes from The Green Bowl food truck. Union Craft Brewing, 1700 Union Ave., Ste. D, 410-467-0290, $15-20
Charm City Klezmer Holiday Dance Party
Dec. 29: Jewish-inspired klezmer music—a folk fusion of trumpets, violins, flutes, and accordions with roots in Eastern Europe—has been around for ages, and next week, local klezmer performers Judith Geller and Michael Raitzyk are taking the stage at the Creative Alliance for their annual Hanukkah show. On the fifth night of the holiday, dance the horah and brush up on your Yiddish moves with the renowned jam band. Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave., 410-276-1651, 8 p.m., $15-18
Festival of (Laser) Lights Show
Dec. 29: Inspired by the symbolic significance of the holiday—which pays homage to the small amount of oil that miraculously provided The Maccabees with enough light for eight days—this laser display fuses a number of different colors and shapes that culminate into one giant menorah. The Gordon Center for Performing Arts, 3506 Gwynbrook Ave., Owings Mills, 410-356-7469, 7-9 p.m., $10-13
Local restaurants are also getting in on the Hanukkah fun this year, showcasing specials that celebrate the Festival of Lights. In Brewers Hill, Gunther & Co. will add braised brisket with cipollini mushrooms and beet-cured smoked salmon to the menu on Christmas Eve, when co-owner Nancy Hart Mola will step into the kitchen to whip up her family’s signature potato pancakes. In Little Italy, Germano’s Piattini will also be offering latkes during the eight nights of Hanukkah, in addition to a special carciofi alla giudia dish (pan-fried artichokes in a balsamic glaze)—an old-school favorite historically popular in Roman Jewish culture. Over in Federal Hill, Regi’s American Bistro will also highlight a special brisket and latke combination.