Skip to main content

New Year’s Eve Possibilities

 


Since I seem to have been going all out in the holiday shopping advice this season, I’d like to chime in today with another sort of pitch:




As you know, local responses to supporting food service businesses during the pandemic have prompted some Complicated feelings on my part. I’ve watched a lot of my friends taking advantage of expanded liquor delivery and augmenting/blunting/varying their isolation experiences with premade cocktail options. That’s not what we are doing at our house, and, in fact, I recently got a big charge out of finding a new home for two bottles of wine we had lying around here. 

Don’t get me wrong. My post-pandemic plans involve a feisty IPA from Cured while enjoying an Elevate podcast downtown, and a cold Gin and Tonic at the Chrysalis, preferably while listening to a Columbia Orchestra Pops Concert or some of the perfection that is straight-ahead jazz from Lavenia Nesmith.

Everyone’s choices are different. No lectures here.

But, you will find me going all out to promote this year’s New Year’s Eve event from Sobar. Facebook tells me that exactly one year ago today I was telling you about last year's inaugural event, held at St. John’s Church in Ellicott City. ( Getting the Word Out ) This year's event comes complete with all the virtual options you need to have fun and stay safe and healthy at the same time.

Adding a dynamic, fun alcohol-free event to local NYE options is something that has been clearly overdue in Columbia/HoCo. It gives more opportunities for those living in recovery and their friends and families to have a safe and celebratory experience on the one night of the year when possibilities for alcohol injury and death are at their height.

Sobar is back this year with “Mask”uerade, A Virtual New Year’s Eve Event.


From the press release: 

Ellicott City, MD – Sobar™ will host their second annual New Year’ Eve event VIRTUALLY and proceeds will support guests attending the event from halfway houses and sober living facilities and on-going work to end the stigma and shame of alcoholism and addiction.

This fabulous sober evening of entertainment, activities, and nonstop fun has something for everyone, and access packages are available for small house party groups, families, couples, and singles.

Our event will feature Max Major, appearing LIVE!  This world-class mentalist originally from Sykesville Maryland and recently featured on America’s Got Talent has performed on 4 continents, captivating millions both on-screen and on-stage. His show will amaze us....on ZOOM!

Activity rooms throughout the evening include tie dye mask making, cooking classes for kids and adults, a game show with fabulous prizes, silent auction, comedy/improv and a dance lesson!

 Musical sets will be performed by local favorite Damon Foreman, The Hokums, 20 Year Chase, Cora Rose, Sanjay George and Manny Parks.

 At midnight we will enjoy a live stream of Times Square and then offer a Burning Bowl ceremony for what we want to leave behind in 2020 and then begin to create and manifest our intentions for 2021.

 The ticket prices range from $45 to $300 and include event access and a pre-event party box with activity materials, NYE swag, zero-alcohol champagnette, Sobar™ in a Box drink kits and much more! 

For tickets click here.


 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...

What Kids Are Thinking

  It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...