A column about upcoming events in and around Ellicott City.
Isn’t it nice to be out and about in this lovely weather, needing a light jacket at most, and stopping to smell the flowers? Our lilac bush is blooming, the peonies get taller every day and the mint is already going wild.
If you need to supplement your garden there are the usual big box centers, but more fun than that is the annual plant sale at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church at the corner of Frederick Road and Chatham. It’s coming up on May 3 from 8 a.m.to 6 p.m. and May 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Master gardeners will be on hand to help you with your selections. Proceeds from the sale will help support the Whipps Cemetery.
Howard County author Michelle Paris has written a sweet romance, “Eat Dessert First,” set at a fictional bakery Ellicott City’s Main Street. It’s a story celebrating the town, featuring a baker looking for the recipe for happiness and love. Appropriately the author will be launching the book at Backwater Books, 8156 Main St., with an author meet and greet on May 11 at 2 p.m. The book is set to be released on May 7 and is being published by Apprentice House Press, Loyola University Maryland’s student-run press.
The nice weather also brings with it the return of Concerts in the Courtyard, sponsored by the Little Market Café on Tonge Row. On Saturday Mark Whiskey and the Sours will be performing from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Sunday it’s Gary and the Groove from noon to 3 p.m.
Backwater Books also has live music every Saturday from 8 to 10 p.m. and the Judge’s Bench presents the next First Tuesday Jazz Jam on May 7 from 8 to 11 p.m. The Judge’s Bench at 8385 Main St., continues to showcase its new venue, the 3rd Floor Cocktail Club. On Friday they host the Not 2 Cool Jazz Band from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Seating is limited, so reservations are suggested. Go to 3rd-floor-cocktail-club.resos.com/booking.
In the historic district, First Fridays are back. The next one is on May 3, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. That day also features live music at Yappy Hour at the Wine Bin, for you and your well-behaved pet, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Cinco de Mayo is coming up on, well, May 5, but that doesn’t stop La Palapa Grill & Cantina, at 8307 Main St., from expanding the celebration—you can party with them May 1-6. The event includes a heated tent with live music and dancing, margaritas and mariachi.
If you are planning a visit to Main Street, or if you just want to drive through on your way somewhere else, you might want to plan on an extra few minutes to navigate the three construction sites currently going on. Of course you already know about the deconstruction of the four buildings on lower Main for flood mitigation. In addition work is going on behind the façade of Caplan’s, just up the street, that was badly damaged during one of the recent floods. This work should make the property useable again. The third site is the Firehouse Museum, where the cupula and bell have been removed as part of a general renovation of the building. They will be replaced. Anyway, when I drove through recently, I experienced slow going, with some one-way directed traffic.
The Ellicott Mills Children’s Museum, at 3725 Park Ave., has a program going on for the month of May teaching kids what spring was like for kids in 1824 — spring planting and spring lambs. Bring the family to the museum on Saturday or Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. and plant zinnia seeds to take home for your own garden and make a lamb to take home as well. Call them at 410-480-3250 for more information.
Send your information about upcoming Ellicott City events at least two weeks in advance to janetkusterer21042@gmail.com.
