Photo courtesy MGM National Harbor
MGM National Harbor is celebrating the holiday season with a dazzling new Conservatory display filled with festive charm.
MGM National Harbor Welcomes the Holiday Season with Enchanting New Winter Display
Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with a 20-foot-tall toy snowman, 16-foot-tall rocking horse and more festive delights
By PRESS OFFICER
MGM National Harbor
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (Nov. 24, 2025)—MGM National Harbor is celebrating the holiday season with a dazzling new Conservatory display filled with festive charm. Guests can marvel at snow-covered Christmas trees, glittering ornaments, and a towering 20-foot-tall toy snowman. Now through January 24, guests can experience the joy and wonder of the season through the Conservatory’s breathtaking and timeless décor.
The holiday display features:
• A 20-foot-tall toy snowman
• A 25-foot-long toy train and caboose
• A 35-foot-tall soldier on a holiday drum
• A 15-foot-tall rocking horse
• Eight red bows with oversized ornaments overhead
• Six large white Christmas trees ranging from 16-to-25 feet-tall
Veuve Clicquot In the Snow
Beginning on Friday, December 5, from 5–10 p.m., Veuve Clicquot will debut its limited-time holiday pop-up bar, In the Snow, located in The District at MGM National Harbor. The space will be transformed as a charming after-ski retreat with snowy accents, cozy winter vibes and nostalgic ski-inspired décor. Guests can escape the cold in this picturesque setting while enjoying Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and Rosé, perfectly paired with a holiday charcuterie. The picturesque experience continues Fridays and Saturdays from December 5–26, open from 5–10 p.m.
Cirque Dreams Holidaze
In addition to whimsical décor and holiday treats, Cirque Dreams Holidaze returns to MGM National Harbor for three shows on December 19 and 20. The family holiday spectacular features a world-renowned cast of performers who light up the stage, wrapping a Broadway-style musical infused with contemporary circus artistry into the ultimate holiday gift for the entire family.
Date: Friday, December 19
Time: 8 p.m.
Tickets: ticketmaster.com
Date: Saturday, December 20
Time: 12 p.m.
Tickets: ticketmaster.com
Date: Saturday, December 20
Time: 4 p.m.
Tickets: ticketmaster.com
Located in an unrivaled setting, MGM National Harbor offers stunning panoramic views of the Eastern shore of the Potomac River in Maryland. The $1.4 billion LEED® Gold Certified resort sits a short distance from Washington, D.C. to the north and historic sites, including George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate across the river in Virginia. The 24-story, 308-room resort features premier amenities and experiences for locals as well as visitors from around the world including a dynamic two-level casino with over 160,000 square feet of space that includes slots, table games, and poker; a world-class spa and salon; an entertainment theater with flexible seating for up to 3,000; high-end branded retail; 50,000 square feet of meeting space; and restaurants from renowned local, national, and international chefs. Visit?https://mgmnationalharbor.com?or follow us on?Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Maryland Department of the Environment Honors Student Artists at “Rethink Recycling” Sculpture Contest
Two Suitland High School students earn first-place awards; Annual Awards Promote Recycling, Creativity Among Students
By PRESS OFFICER
Maryland Department of the Environment
BALTIMORE (Nov. 21, 2025)—Tamaya Harding, a student at Century High School, won the grand prize at the Maryland Department of the Environment’s 24th annual “Rethink Recycling” Sculpture Contest today at Montgomery Park in Baltimore City. The winning entry, a flower arrangement made from plastic spoons, floral foam and Christmas light wire, was entitled “What We Once Enjoyed.”
Students from four schools and one 4-H club, representing five counties, won the top prizes in four other categories. This year, 49 entries from 14 high schools and one 4-H club were on display. The students made their sculptures from reused materials.
“These sculptures bring the benefits of recycling to life in a beautiful way,” said Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain. “Waste diversion reduces the amount of material going into landfills, and that helps us reduce greenhouse gasses and fight climate change.”
The grand prize winner received a $500 Amazon gift card. The category first-place winners, each of whom received $200 Amazon gift cards, were:
• Creativity: Chelsie Cunningham, Suitland High School, for “Specimens”
• Workmanship: Shakeema Randolph, Suitland High School, for “Luminous Lamp Post”
• Use of Materials: Alana Van Ornum, Kent Island High School, for “Revival of the Ordinary”
• People’s Choice: Darwyn Inselman, Kent Island High School, for “Chesapeake Avian Life”
The second-place winners in each category, who received $100 Amazon gift cards, were:
• Creativity: Natalie Burns, C. Milton Wright High School, for “Mother Nature and the Protector”
• Workmanship: Anvita Divvela, Damascus Community 4-H Club, for “The Girl”
• Use of Materials: Cassandra Krug, Kent Island High School, for “Real Magic Gown”
• People’s Choice: Jeb Grissom, Century High School, for “Recyclesaurus”
All winners also received two passes to the National Aquarium. All students and teachers who participated received a $30 Amazon gift card.
To see photos of the winning entries, visit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mdenvironment/albums/72177720330483983/with/54938341586
Sponsors of the event were: the American Cleaning Institute; Electronics Value Recovery; the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Beverage Association; the Maryland Recycling Network, the National Aquarium; and Waste Management.
“The American Cleaning Institute is proud to continue its support of the Rethink Recycling Sculpture Contest, said Emily Trentacope, vice president of sustainability for the American Cleaning Institute. “We’re committed to eliminating cleaning product packaging waste, and supporting recovery, reuse, and recycling systems is a big part of our roadmap to get there. We appreciate the awareness MDE brings to reducing waste and congratulate the student artists on their engagement in such an important issue.”
Contest judges were: Tania Romero, environmental program coordinator, the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore; John Lewis, writer and former teacher at the Maryland Institute College of Art; Rayne Alexander, intermedia artist and writer and senior publicist, Johns Hopkins Press; Amanda Johnson, volunteer for SCRAP Baltimore; and Valerie Androutsopoulos, vice president for business development, Electronics Value Recovery.
Since 2001, MDE has celebrated America Recycles Day by hosting the annual “Rethink Recycling” Sculpture Contest. High school students from across Maryland are invited to participate by creating sculptures made of recycled and reusable materials. The competition is just one way MDE educates and empowers the public to reuse and recycle materials that would have otherwise gone into landfills.
To find out what you can do to reduce, reuse, recycle and buy recycled products, visit MDE’s recycling webpage. The department’s mission is to protect and restore the environment for the health and well-being of all Marylanders.
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Maryland Transit Administration Announces Delivery of Final Light Rail Vehicle for Purple Line Project
Arrival of 28th Light Rail Vehicle Marks Major Milestone as Project Advances Dynamic System Testing
By PRESS OFFICER
Maryland Transit Administration
Riverdale, Md. (Nov. 25, 2025)—The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration announces a major milestone in the advancement of the Purple Line project—the arrival of the 28th and final light rail vehicle (LRV) to the state of Maryland. Arriving ahead of schedule, the vehicle delivery marks a significant step in the overall progress of the project and will enhance the project team’s ability to advance comprehensive testing and commissioning activities across the full alignment.
“This milestone underscores the tremendous progress the Purple Line has made in 2025,” said Purple Line Senior Project Director, Ray Biggs II. “Every milestone we reach brings us closer to delivering a more accessible and better-connected region.”
The final vehicle delivery on November 19 completes the project’s full order of 28 state-of-the-art vehicles. At 142-feet long, the light rail vehicles are one of the longest in the United States, with capacity for 430 passengers and seating for 80. The LRVs can accommodate up to eight wheelchairs and have 8 bike racks to support first- and last-mile connections. The Purple Line LRVs were built by CAF, a Spain-based railcar manufacturer, and assembled in Elmira, New York. Once delivered, each LRV undergoes an extensive commissioning and testing process.
The Purple Line is now 84.6% complete with more than 148,000 of 193,100 feet of track laid overall, bringing rail progress to 76.6%. All rail in Prince George’s County is installed. For more information about the vehicles and the Purple Line project, as well as the latest construction updates, road closures and detours, visit https://purplelinemd.com. Watch the video celebrating the 28th LRV delivery on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7Vf-PYavLE
The Maryland Transit Administration is one of the largest multi-modal transit systems in the United States. The Purple Line is a 16-mile, 21-station light rail line that will extend from Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County. It will directly connect to the Metrorail’s Red, Green and Orange Lines at Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park and New Carrollton. The Purple Line will also connect to MARC, Amtrak, and local bus services. To learn more, visit purplelinemd.com, and follow Purple Line on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, BlueSky, X/Twitter and YouTube.
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