With the Fourth of July holiday weekend in full swing, there is plenty to do in Howard County over the coming days. You can check out fireworks at the Columbia Lakefront on Thursday. Over the weekend you can pick your own fruit at Larriland Farm, or, if you want an indoor activity to escape the heat, you can paint a picture of your pet Monday night.
Fourth of July Fireworks
9 p.m. Thursday at Lake Kittamaqundi
The Columbia Lakefront is going to light up Thursday night for the annual Fourth of July fireworks show. Ahead of the fireworks, which will start around 9:10 p.m., there will be live music and food trucks. Big Joe & The Dynaflows will take the Lakefront stage at 6 p.m., followed by the QUITAPENAS at 7:30 p.m.
Folks can start laying out blankets to save a spot for the fireworks beginning at 3 p.m. on Thursday.
1st Friday Black Vetworking
Noon-2 p.m. Friday
On Friday afternoon, Black veterans, services members and family members can enjoy brunch at Another Broken Egg Cafe in Elkridge. At the brunch, attendees can exchange business cards and “see how we can be of service to each other,” according to the event’s website.
If planning to attend, RSVP here.
Working on the Farm
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday
The first Saturday of every month this summer, the youngest of farmers can try their hand at Clark’s Elioak Farm in Ellicott City. During the Working on the Farm event, youngsters can head to the Kids Farm area and learn farm chores.
Kids can pick apples, gather eggs, dig in the garden and mow the grass.
Admission to the farm is $8 for all visitors age 1 and older. The admission price includes the petting farm, play areas and slides, picnic areas and exploring the Enchanted Forest attractions and Fairy Forest.
Pick Your Own at Larriland Farm
9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays
At Larriland Farm in Woodbine, you can pick your own fruits and vegetables — depending on what’s in season. In early July, sweet onions, tomatoes and potatoes are slated to be harvested. In mid- to late July, peaches will be ripe for the picking.
Other crops available to pick are red currants, black raspberries and plums . The plums are a “very dark purple and very sweet and juicy,” according to the farm’s website.
While picking is available every day Larriland Farm is open, the ripening of crops “can be erratic in the beginning of the season,” and sometimes all of the ripe fruit is picked quickly, so the fields have to close for the next round of fruit to ripen. Before heading out to Larriland, check the website or call 410-442-2605 to ensure the fields are open that day.
Free State Daylily Annual Bloom Show
1-4 p.m. Sunday
Beat the heat Sunday and admire beautiful flowers at the Free State Daylily Society’s exhibit and sale. Spend the afternoon at St. James Methodist Church in Marriottsville taking in the sights and smells of the members’ flowers — and maybe even purchase some.
Paint Your Pet
6:30-9 p.m. Monday
Want a painting of your four-legged friend? What if you made one of Fido or Snowball yourself? Now is your chance. On Monday night, join Katie Detrich, an artist and owner of the Welcome to Neverland School of Imagination, for a night of painting at the Glory Days Grill in Ellicott City.
Ahead of time, send a photo of your pet to Katie at 247paint@gmail.com. The photo must be a color headshot. Katie will draw each pet on an 11x14″ canvas ahead of Monday’s event.
Enjoy Glory Days appetizers, dinner and drinks before the painting begins at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $40 each and are not refundable. If you wish to purchase a handmade cotton apron as well, those are $20 each. Aprons will not be provided.
Price of the ticket covers the cost of art materials and the instruction only.
Summer Concert: I&I Riddim
7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday
Howard County Recreation and Parks’ free summer concert series starts back up Wednesday night.
Enjoy I&I Riddim, a reggae group, at the Centennial Park amphitheater in Ellicott City on Wednesday. An award-winning reggae band, I&I Riddim plays a mix of favorite reggae music, modern reggae and some reggae-style pop-rock and calypso/soca tunes, according to the group’s website.
Bring a blanket and a picnic dinner and enjoy the music. The event is free for all ages.
