SUNSET CINEMA: CHRISTMAS IN JULY FEATURING ELF
Saturday, July 11 | Gates 7:00 PM, movie at dusk (~8:30 PM) 📍 Shops at Waldorf Center, 2952 Festival Way, Waldorf 💰 FREE
Somebody looked at the July heat and decided the answer was Buddy the Elf, and honestly, they were right. The 100 Black Men of Southern Maryland are turning the Shops at Waldorf Center into a full Christmas-in-July night, with a free outdoor screening of Elf under the stars.
It's not just the movie. There's free face painting, crafts, inflatable games, holiday treats, and a visit from the North Pole and Whoville. Gates open at 7, the film starts once the sun goes down, and if the weather turns the whole thing shifts one week later.
Bring blankets, bring the kids, bring your best ugly-sweater energy if you're feeling it. This is the kind of free community night that's easy to build a whole evening around.
🏘️ COMMUNITY & SEASONAL PICKS
The county's ringing in America's 250th all week, and there's a car show, a coffee meet, and reenactors to prove it.
AMERICA 250 SCAVENGER HUNT
Monday, July 6 to Saturday, July 11 | All day during branch hours 📍 All CCPL Branches 💰 FREE
Explore the library and a little American history at the same time. It's a drop-in, all-ages scavenger hunt running all week at every Charles County library branch, tied to the nation's 250th. Solve it and you'll win a prize.
A 250TH CELEBRATION: LIVING HISTORY AT HISTORIC RICH HILL
Saturday, July 11 | 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM 📍 Historic Rich Hill, 9135 Bel Alton Newtown Rd., Bel Alton 💰 FREE
Reenactors from the 1st Maryland Regiment of the American Revolution set up on the grounds of Rich Hill to bring 18th-century life and military history to life. If your kids liked the fireworks, this is the follow-up, real history you can walk right up to.
PHAZE 2 CORVETTE CLUB PRESENTS RISE OF THE VETTE
Saturday, July 11 | 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (rain date Sunday, July 12) 📍 Regency Furniture Stadium, 11765 St. Linus Dr., Waldorf 💰 From $12.51
The stadium lot fills up with Corvettes, plus all cars, trucks, and bikes, for a full day of shine and horsepower. Bring the kids for photos with Optimus Prime and Bumblebee from noon to 2, and stick around for music, food trucks, and some seriously oversized trophies.
CARS & COFFEE SATURDAY MORNING
Saturday, July 11 | 8:00 AM 📍 Apehanger's Bar & Grill, 9100 Crain Hwy, Bel Alton 💰 FREE
Roll in with the hot rods, trucks, and bikes and grab a coffee on the house. Browse the brunch menu, enjoy the view, and talk shop with folks who love their rides. An easy, no-pressure way to start a Saturday.
BRINGING OUR ANCESTORS HOME: VOICES ON AFRICAN AMERICAN REMAINS IN CHARLES COUNTY
Saturday, July 11 | 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM 📍 La Plata Branch 💰 FREE
The Banneker-Douglas-Tubman Museum is holding a community listening session to help shape its report on the repatriation of three individuals to Port Tobacco. If local history matters to you, this is a real chance to be part of it. All ages welcome.
🎵 LIVE MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE
Free jazz midweek, a lawn concert Friday, and Shark Bar running the whole Saturday. Take your pick.
JAZZ NIGHT AT THE CHARLES RESTAURANT & BAR
Wednesday, July 8 | 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM 📍 The Charles Restaurant & Bar, 417 E. Charles St., La Plata 💰 Free admission
Ricardo L. Abbott and the NBAF Quartet bring smooth, soulful jazz to historic downtown La Plata every Wednesday. It's intimate and relaxed, no cover, dinner and drinks if you want them. Reservations are a smart move if you're going to eat.
LA PLATA SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: MIDNIGHT SUNSETS
Friday, July 10 | 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM 📍 The Lawn at Town Hall, 305 Queen Anne St., La Plata 💰 FREE
The town's beloved free Friday series rolls on with Midnight Sunsets, a local favorite mixing reggae, rock, and pop. Bring blankets and chairs, coolers are welcome, and there are food vendors on site. Rain or shine unless the weather turns hazardous.
THE REAL BREAKFAST CLUB FT. PUSH PLAY
Saturday, July 11 | 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM 📍 Shark Bar & Seafood House, Crain Hwy, Waldorf 💰 From $33.85
Brunch with a beat. An all-you-can-eat spread paired with live DMV go-go from Push Play. Grab tickets ahead of time, because this one's more party than sit-down.
BACKYARD DOPE JAM
Saturday, July 11 | 8:00 PM to 2:00 AM 📍 Shark Bar & Seafood House, Crain Hwy, Waldorf 💰 From $39.19
Shark Bar closes out Saturday with a late-night live music and party experience. A grown-folks night out if you're not ready to call it early.
HYDRAFX BAND
Saturday, July 11 | 9:00 PM 📍 Apehanger's Bar & Grill, 9100 Crain Hwy, Bel Alton 💰 See link
HydraFX blends rock and reggae into cover, tribute, and original sets, and they've shared stages with Fuel, P.O.D., Lit, Living Colour, Hoobastank, and more. If you want live music with a little edge, Apehanger's is the spot Saturday night.
GOOD SUNDAZE
Sunday, July 12 | 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM 📍 Bar 919, Waldorf 💰 From $33.85
An easygoing Sunday day party at Bar 919, a Black-owned, family-run spot in Waldorf. A relaxed way to stretch the weekend one more afternoon.
CRAB & BEER FEST WITH WATER'S EDGE BAND
Sunday, July 12 | 3:00 PM 📍 Apehanger's Bar & Grill, 9100 Crain Hwy, Bel Alton 💰 See link
Crabs by the dozen starting at 3, beer buckets and pitcher specials, and $8 swamp water to wash it all down. Add corn, fried shrimp, hush puppies, and live music from Water's Edge Band, and you've got a proper Sunday.
🎨 ARTS, WELLNESS & CREATIVE EXPERIENCES
Paint something, plant something, crochet something, or just breathe. Your call this week.
UNPLUG AND UNWIND: MINI MASTERPIECES
Tuesday, July 7 | 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM 📍 Potomac Branch 💰 FREE (registration requested)
Put the phone down and make something with your hands. This relaxed adults' program at the library has you painting your own mini masterpiece, no experience needed.
FRONT PORCH GAMES NIGHT
Friday, July 10 | 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM 📍 The Green Coterie, 3438 Rockefeller Ct., Waldorf 💰 FREE
A laid-back board games night at Waldorf's cozy wellness and community space. Bring a friend, settle in, and let the good company do the rest.
CREATIVE WELLNESS FOR OLDER ADULTS
Saturday, July 11 | 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM 📍 Joyful Studio, La Plata 💰 From $71.21
A creative wellness session built for older adults, with art, connection, and a supportive room. Materials are provided, just bring yourself.
SOUND BATH: BEGIN WITH BREATH
Saturday, July 11 | 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM 📍 Journeys Holistic Therapy Group, Charlotte Hall 💰 From $28.52
A restorative sound-healing session that uses breath, vibration, and stillness to reset your nervous system. If you've been curious about sound baths, this one's built for first-timers.
NAIL ART CLASS
Saturday, July 11 | 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM 📍 Paint N Sip, Waldorf 💰 $30
Learn real nail-art techniques and design your own set in one hands-on afternoon. It's social, beginner-friendly, and you leave with something to show off.
LEGALLY BLONDE
Saturday, July 11 | 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM 📍 Port Tobacco Players, 508 Charles St., La Plata 💰 See link
Our local Port Tobacco Players take on Legally Blonde, all pink, all heart, all Elle Woods. Community theater at its most fun, and a great excuse for a night out in downtown La Plata.
PAINT N PLANT
Sunday, July 12 | 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM 📍 Paint N Sip, Waldorf 💰 See link for pricing
Part paint session, part potting party. Decorate a pot and plant your own greenery to take home. A low-key, creative way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
CROCHET CIRCLE: LEARN TO CROCHET A COZY HAT
Sunday, July 12 | 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM 📍 Joyful Studio, La Plata 💰 See link for pricing
Grab your hooks and learn to crochet a cozy hat from scratch in a guided small-group circle. All skill levels welcome, so beginners, this is your invitation.
👨👩👧 KIDS & FAMILY
Magic shows, fossils, tie-dye camp, and free performances on the lawn. The kids are covered.
SUMMER KIDS SHOWS
Tuesday, July 7 | 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM 📍 Concert Lawn at Town Hall, 305 Queen Anne St., La Plata 💰 FREE
Free outdoor performances for the preschool and elementary crowd, with music, magic, dance, fitness, and puppetry. Bring blankets and chairs, toddler and baby tents are welcome, and the splash pad opens for water play at 11 right after. These run select Tuesday and Thursday mornings all summer.
BOOKS! THE MAGIC IS REAL WITH JOE ROMANO
Monday, July 6 (P.D. Brown Memorial Branch) & Tuesday, July 7 (Potomac Branch) | 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM 📍 See branch 💰 FREE (tickets one hour before)
A magic show built around favorite children's books, part of the library's Summer Learning Challenge. Grab tickets an hour ahead, because these fill up. Two branches, two chances to catch it.
SENSORY SOCIAL
Tuesday, July 7 | 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM 📍 La Plata Branch 💰 FREE
A monthly social with activities designed for sensory-seeking kids. It's a welcoming, low-pressure space to play, explore, and just be.
FOSSILS ARE FUN! WITH THE CALVERT MARINE MUSEUM
Wednesday, July 8 | 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM 📍 La Plata Branch 💰 FREE (wait list available)
The Calvert Marine Museum brings the fossils found right here in Southern Maryland to the library for a hands-on STEM morning. Kids get to dig into real natural history, no shovel required.
📚 LIBRARY & LEARNING
Bingo, book club, gardening help, Korean cooking, and D&D. Your library is busier than you think.
TEEN FILM CLUB
Thursday, July 9 | 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM 📍 Waldorf West Branch 💰 FREE
Teens take a film from idea to finished cut, developing stories, writing scripts, shooting scenes, and editing it all together. If you've got a young filmmaker at home, this is their room.
LA PLATA BOOK DISCUSSION: "THE FIRST LADIES"
Thursday, July 9 | 6:30 PM to 7:45 PM 📍 La Plata Branch 💰 FREE
This month the adult book club takes on "The First Ladies" by Marie Benedict and Victoria Murray. Social time runs 6:30 to 6:45, then discussion until 7:45. Recommended for ages 18 and up.
1ST FRIDAY BINGO
Friday, July 10 | 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM 📍 Waldorf West Branch 💰 FREE
Games, prizes, and good company at the monthly adults' bingo afternoon. No sign-up, no fuss, just show up and play.
VEGETABLE GARDEN PROBLEMS WITH UMD MASTER GARDENERS
Saturday, July 11 | 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM 📍 Waldorf West Branch 💰 FREE (registration requested)
If your tomatoes are struggling, the UMD Extension Master Gardeners of Charles County are here to help. They'll walk through common vegetable-garden problems and fixes, so bring your questions and maybe a photo.
KOREAN CUISINE WITH THE KOREAN AMERICAN CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION
Saturday, July 11 | 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM 📍 Waldorf West Branch 💰 FREE (wait list available)
Learn to make gimbap and other Korean dishes with the Korean American Cultural Arts Foundation. It's a tasty Summer Learning Challenge program for teens and adults, and yes, there's tasting involved.
VIRTUAL DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HOMEBREW
Saturday, July 11 | 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM 📍 Virtual 💰 FREE (wait list available)
Become a grand adventurer without leaving the couch in these tailored D&D Homebrew sessions. Open to tweens, teens, and adults, so the whole table can roll in.
🏛️ LOCAL GOVERNMENT & CIVIC MEETINGS
Your county's making decisions this week. Here's where to show up.
BOARD OF CHARLES COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING
Tuesday, July 7 | Open session 9:00 AM (continues 3:00 PM) 📍 County Government Building, 200 Baltimore St., La Plata 💰 FREE / public
The Commissioners' regular open session, with public comment and hearings, including one on Proposed Resolution 2026-04 covering county employees' collective bargaining. In-person comment sign-in starts at 4:30 PM and hearing sign-in at 5:30 PM. Virtual sign-in at 240-776-6709 runs 8 AM to 4 PM.
ANIMAL MATTERS HEARING BOARD
Tuesday, July 7 | 6:00 PM 📍 County Government Building, 200 Baltimore St., La Plata 💰 FREE / public
A public meeting of the county's Animal Matters Hearing Board. Open to anyone who wants to attend.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING (VIRTUAL)
Wednesday, July 8 | 6:00 PM 📍 Virtual 💰 FREE / public
The county's Historic Preservation Commission meets virtually this week. Open to the public if you want to listen in.
BOARD OF LICENSE COMMISSIONERS (LIQUOR BOARD)
Thursday, July 9 | 10:00 AM 📍 County Government Building, 200 Baltimore St., La Plata 💰 FREE / public
The county Liquor Board hears license matters, open to the public. Also on the civic calendar this week: the Administrative Charging Committee on Wednesday, July 8 at 3 PM and the Nuisance Abatement Hearing Board that same evening at 6 PM.
How to Watch: Can't make it in person? Charles County Government TV (CCGTV) streams most public meetings live and archives them afterward. Check charlescountymd.gov for the viewing schedule.
🛍️ SHOP LOCAL & POP-UPS
Four markets across four days. Support the folks who make this place feel like home.
LA PLATA FARMERS MARKET
Wednesday, July 8 & Saturday, July 11 | 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM 📍 Town of La Plata (Washington Ave. area) 💰 FREE to attend
Twice a week, local farmers and makers set up with fresh produce, baked goods, and handmade goods in the heart of La Plata. Bonus on Wednesday, the library's Mobile Library stops by with a community color-by-number.
WALDORF FARMERS MARKET
Saturday, July 11 | 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM 📍 Waldorf (new 2026 location, see page) 💰 FREE to attend
The Waldorf market runs Saturdays through November with seasonal produce and local vendors. Heads up, the market moved for the 2026 season, so check the page to confirm this year's spot before you head out.
SHLAGEL FARMS FARM MARKET
Saturday, July 11 | 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM 📍 Shlagel Farms, 12850 Shlagel Rd., Waldorf 💰 FREE to attend
A working family farm with a Saturday market, fresh seasonal produce and farm goods straight from the field. Call ahead at 301-645-4554 if you want to check what's in season.
BRYANS ROAD FARMERS MARKET
Sunday, July 12 | 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM 📍 Bryans Road Ace Hardware, Rt. 210 & Livingston Rd., Bryans Road 💰 FREE to attend
Canopy Group's Sunday market pulls together farmers, food trucks, cottage-food makers, and local artists and crafters. Free admission and parking, and EBT is accepted.
🧠 Quick Reminders
🎄 Christmas in July movie night with Elf, free, Saturday at the Shops at Waldorf Center
🚗 Rise of the Vette car show takes over the stadium lot Saturday
🎷 Free jazz at The Charles in downtown La Plata, Wednesday night
🎶 Midnight Sunsets closes out the free La Plata concert lawn series Friday
🇺🇸 Living history with Revolutionary War reenactors at Historic Rich Hill, Saturday
🎭 Port Tobacco Players stage Legally Blonde, Saturday night
🦀 Crab & Beer Fest with live music at Apehanger's, Sunday
🥕 Four farmers markets this week: La Plata, Waldorf, Shlagel Farms, and Bryans Road
🏟️ No Blue Crabs at home this week, they're away in Lancaster
📣Summer Camp Guide
Parents, this one's for you. I just put together a full 2026 Summer Camp Guide, every local camp I could find sorted by age, with prices, dates, and signup links. The free and low-cost ones fill fast, so don't wait on it.
Know a hidden local business?
You can nominate one for a future issue → Here
That’s it for this week.
Before you go,
If you make it out to the Christmas in July movie or catch Midnight Sunsets on the lawn, hit reply and tell me how it went. I'm always looking for the spots I missed, so send me your tips for next week too.
That's the week.
From one local to another
— Candace