Although the pandemic is preventing kids from going to see Santa this year, it did not stop Santa from coming to see the kids of Locust Point, thanks to Hull St. resident Shannon Dalzell.
At 5 p.m. sharp on Saturday, Dec. 5, Santa pulled onto Lowman St. from Fort Ave. in his “sleigh” – a sleek fishing boat festooned with lights, towed by a reindeer-driven truck. Santa’s sleigh sailed slowly down street after street for over an hour as neighborhood kids waved and shouted from the sidewalks.
The first-ever “Locust Point’s Countdown to Christmas,” which returns for a second and third ride on Dec. 12 and 19, was organized by Shannon, a professional event planner and mother of two, with plenty of help and contributions from friends and neighbors.
“In September I posted on a community page that I was trying to think of different ways to enjoy the holiday season,” Shannon recalls. “We had a lot of interest. Christmas is a huge deal. But we had to figure out a way to bring Santa to the neighborhood so we don’t have to venture out. We wanted to make it magical for kids.”
Santa’s ride is the second neighborhood event Shannon organized to counter the effects of the pandemic. “Locust Point Halloween Bingo” challenged kids to find a variety of decorations throughout the neighborhood and redeem their bingo cards for a treat from Ice Queens Snowball Shop. Shannon estimates as many as 375 kids participated in Halloween bingo, which ran throughout October.
Shannon hopes to bring other fun events to the neighborhood in the new year. Valentine’s Day is a distinct possibility, she says.
Her Locust Point projects are inspiring others on the peninsula to create similar community events. Riverside Neighborhood Association recently announced that it is hosting its own Santa ride on Dec. 18.
Keep up with activities across the South Baltimore peninsula by visiting our Events Calendar every week.
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