The holiday season is well under way and Deep Creek Lake is brimming with festive lights and fun things to do! From Santa visits to holiday events, there are plenty of things to do all month long. Plus, Wisp Resort is busy getting ready for opening day. Now that we’ve had our first few rounds of snow, we’re definitely itching to get our first big snowfall. We broke down some of our favorite things to do in December to help keep your holiday spirits glowing!
Holiday Concert at the Performing Arts Center - Head over to the Performing Arts Center on December 7 for the annual Garrett County Community Band Holiday Concert! Comprised of local musicians of all ages, the band offers a lovely holiday themed concert. Pre-purchased tickets are recommended to make sure you have a seat reserved and to save time in line on the day of. You can purchase tickets here.
Christmas in the Village - Head over to Spruce Forest Artisan Village for their annual Christmas in the Village event! Walk across this historic Casselman Bridge and meander through the adorable village buildings browsing artisan goods for sale and even watch craftsman at work! The event starts on Friday evening, with the entire bridge and village adorned by luminaries and lights. The village is open all day Saturday, too. Stop by the Mountain Grape Tavern or Penn Alps restaurant while you're there! The event is offering a free shuttle from Grantsville Elementary School if parking is full.
A Great Small Town Christmas – Downtown Oakland has seen several new businesses open and older businesses move in the last year, so we’re very excited for A Great Small Town Christmas this year! The town of Oakland has Christmas events going on all month long leading up to Christmas. With events like the tree-lighting ceremony, horse-drawn carriage rides, photos with Santa, and live music, there’s plenty to do every weekend. There’s also live music! Even if you don’t make it downtown for a specific event, the local stores and shops are offering discounts and the town is fully decorated and very festive.
Lights Show in Oakland - Don't feel like navigating the cold weather? Have kids in the car? You're in luck! Each year, CHIPS Network programs an extraordinary lights show at the armory in Oakland. This year, the show is an hour long, and starts over at the top of every hour. No matter when you pull in, you'll be greeted with Christmas songs and a back-story that details the meaning of Christmas. Tune your FM radio in your vehicle to the channel, sit back, and enjoy! Our pro tip - get take-out and enjoy dinner and a show!
Shop Local – We’re all guilty of waiting until the last minute to grab a few presents. Luckily, our area has excellent and unique shopping for absolutely everyone on your list. Find the perfect DCL merch at the Christmas Chalet and Tourist Trap or at Bear Creek Traders, or get ready for ski season at High Mountain Sports! You can also get gift cards or gift certificates for most local stores and restaurants to spend on your next trip up to the lake, too!
Hit the Slopes – Wisp Resort opens for their 25/26 season soon! While we most likely won’t see enough natural snow to coat the slopes, the temperatures should be low enough for Wisp to blow snow around the clock until mother nature blesses us with another fresh blanket of snow. Usually they focus their snow guns on the front side and tubing park to get as many trails open as time allows. We are forecasted to get snow soon, though, so start thinking snow!
Ring in 2025 – Our last event of the holiday season is New Years Eve & New Years Day, and Deep Creek has a lot of great NYE events! Catch live music and fireworks at Wisp Resort or celebrate at any of your favorite nightlife spots – most of which offering specials and various entertainment.
While it’s still a little hard to believe we’re already in our last month of 2025, we plan on soaking up every second of this joyous time of year! With ski season on the horizon and so much holiday spirit whirling around, Deep Creek Lake is definitely a good place to be this December. Think snow and enjoy your holidays! P.S. - If you're looking for more things to do over the holiday season, check out our holiday guide!
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