Good morning, Annapolis. Week 1 down here at the Scoop. Thank you all for the warm welcome. Only six more years to equal Ryan’s work!

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Charlie Szold

Make Homestead Gardens part of your family's holiday traditions this season. With something for every age and interest, our Davidsonville and Severna Park locations are filled with opportunities to enjoy the season together.

Bring the kids to explore our free holiday train displays, capture a special moment with free photos with Santa, or spend an afternoon strolling through beautifully decorated themed trees and festive displays.

Find inspiration for your home with fresh, fragrant greens and locally grown poinsettias. Join us for hands-on holiday workshops, discover seasonal shopping events and special savings, or simply enjoy a change of scenery with the family.

There's always a reason to visit, even when your shopping list is complete. Make time for a little holiday tradition. Explore everything happening during Homestead for the Holidays at Homestead Gardens.

Key School is temporarily shelving its annual book festival next year. Don’t worry – this is just a “to be continued” while the school adds a new building with more office and classroom space. The festival should be back in 2028.

Putting the 23-year-old festival on hiatus wasn’t an easy choice for the Key team. Communications Director Kate Austin says construction posed safety and space concerns for the festival, so they decided to pause and “come back bigger and better in 2028.”

The 2028 date is TBD but will likely be in the spring again.

The Scoop always looks forward to any chance to browse through books. The best used book I’ve ever found was a signed copy of War and Remembrance, by Herman Wouk, snagged from the window of Back Creek Books on Main Street. What’s your best find?

Mayor Jared Littmann named Demetrious T. Harris as the city’s pick for police chief in a release yesterday, with his formal appointment by resolution scheduled for November 23. A confirmation vote by the City Council is expected on December 14.

Harris has 15 years of experience and is currently the police chief in Seat Pleasant, Maryland. If confirmed, he’ll start on December 15 with an annual salary of $214,000.

The City Council and police on duty both met with Harris yesterday evening. Some early reviews from the city council are positive.

Ward 5 Alderman Brooks Schandelmeier: “In his resume he’s prioritizing better communication, which is something our department needs improvement on.”

Ward 8 Alderman Frank Thorp: “This has been a thorough process, and the mayor appears to have, again, selected a leader who will do very well for our city.”

Ward 1 Alderman Harry Huntley: “I’m excited that one of the past projects he calls out in his application was traffic calming for school routes.”

Who’s been leading Annapolis City Police in the interim? Acting Chief Amy Miguez has led the department since February after the prior chief was removed from his post by Mayor Littmann. Miguez will stay on with a promotion from captain to major, once a new chief is sworn in.

A good pair of jeans is hard to beat. Finding one that fits just right? Even better.

There's a new place to look. JACK & JONES is now open at Annapolis Mall, with clothing for men from JACK & JONES and styles for women from JJXX, all under one roof.

And it's not all about jeans. You'll find everyday basics, casual pieces, and seasonal styles for both men and women. Whether you're looking for something specific or just browsing, it's another stop worth adding to your next mall trip.

Here's a little bonus for checking it out early.

Shoppers get 25% off their entire purchase during opening week.

You'll find JACK & JONES right next to Under Armour.

Learn more about JACK & JONES.

🎈 = family-friendly events

🎷 Annapolis Jazz & Roots Festival: Weekend Two – Multi-venue festival featuring jazz, soul, and Indigenous performances across Eastport. Friday through Sunday.

🎃 The Maiden of Sleepy Hollow @ London Town – A stage take on a Sleepy Hollow tale at Historic London Town & Gardens. Friday through Sunday.

🎈🐮 Anne Arundel County Farmers Market – Fresh local produce, meats, dairy, baked goods, coffee, and crafts. Saturday and Sunday only.

🎾 Anne Arundel County Tennis Hall of Fame – Honoring the 2026 inductees with a cocktail hour, silent auction, buffet dinner, and open bar at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

🔪 Annapolis True Crime Dinner – A three-course dinner upstairs at Federal House, with true crime from Annapolis and Maryland history told between courses.

🎈🐑 Sheep Peeping – A farm tour at Hollywood Farm with the chance to meet sheep and goats.

🍽️ Tastings & Tunes - Wine & Beer Fest on West – Samples from 8 local restaurants, 20 regional wines, craft beers, and live music.

🎨 The Resin Room - Anniversary Celebration – One-year open house with live music, drinks, desserts, giveaways, and shop specials.

🍽️ Food Glorious Food: Class, Culture and Cooking in Colonial Annapolis – Walking tour exploring how class, trade, and enslavement shaped colonial food.

🌱 Food Security Workshop Hosted by Rotary Club of Parole – A free workshop on local food production with presentations, panel discussion, and networking lunch.

🎨 Discovering American Art Annual Lectures: The Birth of Revolutionary Spirit – Art history lecture exploring the American Revolution through portraits and historic accounts, with a reception afterward.

🎈🧺 Third Sunday Market – Monthly farmers market with local food, crafts, and farm products at Honey's Harvest Farm in Lothian.

🎈🩰 Native American Music, Dance & History – Free family program featuring Uhwachi-Reh performing traditional dances in ceremonial regalia with live drumming.

🎶 Evening of Classic Vocal Music – Tenor and mezzo-soprano duo perform Mozart, Schubert, Gounod, and Mendelssohn at St. Martin's-in-the-Field.

🎨 Create Watercolor Recipe Cards – Turn a favorite recipe into an illustrated keepsake card, learning hand lettering and watercolor basics.

🍨 Pistachio First – We called Pitango Gelato owner Sam Lee about his new shop at 124 Dock Street. His advice: "If you walk into any gelateria, always try the pistachio first." Chocolate hazelnut comes next. Pitango will have a full coffee bar, with beans from Vigilante in Hyattsville. Pastries get baked in house every morning, but breakfast sandwiches aren't on the menu, unlike some other Pitango locations. It’s set to open spring 2027.

🎄 Grinch, please! – ‘Tis the season to have an opinion, even if it’s not yet the season for Christmas lights. 527 of you voted on when Christmas decorations should go up, and 74% say wait until after Thanksgiving. Another 15% picked mid-November, and 10% said November 1. There’s 1% holding off for Christmas Eve (Grinch gets a vote?). One exception got a pass from readers: Galway Bay was roundly applauded, with one reader noting “their light display and interior are gorgeous!”

🛍️ Pop-Up Season – Annapolis' favorite pop-up shop is back for the holidays. HERE. opens today at 110 Dock Street with more than 70 local makers and vintage sellers – there's an opening party from 5–7 PM. HERE. is open daily through December 21. Around the corner, longtime downtown silver shop Blanca Flor has its own holiday pop-up at 86 Maryland Avenue through Christmas Eve. Open at least 11 AM–5 PM every day and later for Midnight Madness. We stopped in yesterday and will be stopping back again (shhh . . . don’t tell my wife).

🔔 15 Years of Jingling for a Good Cause – Annapolis’s healthiest holiday tradition is back! The DeCesaris/Prout Jingle Bell Run/Walk celebrates 15 years on December 5 at Quiet Waters Park. Don a festive costume, slip on some jingle bells, and take part in a 5K run or 3K walk for a meaningful cause. Every step supports the fight against lung and ovarian cancers. Keep this beloved Annapolis tradition going by registering here. The Scoop is a proud sponsor of the event, so be sure to bring your holiday spirit!

Crisp fall weather calls for a day outside. Maryland’s Best Helmets & Harvest pairs local trails with farms, wineries and more through November 15. The free pass features stops like the BWI Trail, LEO Annapolis and other locations across the state. Check in at each stop to earn free prizes!

48 🌡️ 37 | ⛅ | 28% ☔ | 💨 NW 18 mph (16 knots)

50 🌡️ 36 | 🌤️ | 4% ☔ | 💨 NW 17 mph (15 knots)

53 🌡️ 36 | 🌤️ | 0% ☔ | 💨 NW 14 mph (12 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 60ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

Residential Rug Care is a local family-run business with over 100 years of rug cleaning history. They clean Oriental, Persian, antique, and other area rugs, remove stains and pet odors, and offer new padding & fringe. Rugs are cleaned at their 20,000-square-foot facility, with free pickup and delivery throughout Anne Arundel County.

🌳🎵= Outdoor concert

49 West | Papa Presents Native American Blues feat. Carly Harvey | 7:30–10 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | KBR | 3:30–7:30 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Honey Sol | 8 PM–12 AM
Annapolis Smokehouse & Tavern | Rick’s Revolving Door | 8:30 PM
Beer Farm | Michael McHenry | 4–7 PM
Brian Boru | Aidan & Bryan | 7–10 PM
Captain’s Daughter | TBA | 5–7 PM
The Choptank | Jimmy Solesky | 8 PM–12 AM
Eastport United Methodist Church | U.S. Naval Academy Band’s Superintendent’s Combo | 7–9 PM
Great Frogs | Alexander Peters | 5:30–8:30 PM
Killarney House | Pete Best | 7:30–10:30 PM
Middleton Tavern | Sidewalk Soul | 10 PM
Mother’s Peninsula Grille | Three of a Kind | 8 PM
🌳🎵Old Stein Inn | Eddie Pasa | 7–10 PM
Pirates Cove | Stephen Henson | 7–10 PM
Rams Head Roadhouse | Bro Roy | 8 PM
Rams Head Tavern | Joey Fitz | 9 PM
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Mr VCR | 9:45 PM

49 West | Intimate Jazz Series ft. Beth McDonald, Scott Silbert & Joe Holt | 7–9 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Stephen Henson/Slip Hippies | 3:30–7:30 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Solid Maybe Music | 8 PM–12 AM
Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum | Akua Allrich | 2 PM
Beer Farm | The Wombmates | 2–7 PM
Brian Boru | Lauren & Rusty | 7–10 PM
The Choptank | Kevin Koa | 8 PM–12 AM
Coconut Joe’s | Madison Avenue | 9 PM
Dark Horse | Pretty Big Deal | 9 PM
Eastport - Annapolis Neck Library | Vanessa Racci | 11 AM
🌳🎵Great Frogs | Aaron Hawkins | 11:30 AM–2:30 PM
🌳🎵Great Frogs | Joe Esham | 4:30–7:30 PM
Killarney House | Kevin Lee | 7:30–10:30 PM
Middleton Tavern | All U Need | 10 PM
Pirates Cove | Frank, Elvis & Raines | 6:30–10 PM
Rams Head Roadhouse | Life After Dinosaurs | 9 PM
Rams Head Tavern | Daphne Eckman | 9 PM
The Resin Room | David Reifenstein | TBA
Severna Park Taphouse | Joey Fitz | 7 PM
🌳🎵West Street (Tastings & Tunes) | Pretty Big Deal | Tickets
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Mike McHenry Tribe | 9:45 PM

49 West | The Befuddlers | 4–7 PM
49 West | Dream Punch & Friends | 7:30–10 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Sean Bera | 2–6 PM
Beer Farm | Charles Kavoossi from Joey Harkum Band | 2–5 PM
Café Mezzanotte | Planet Caravan (and friends) | 4:30–7:30 PM
Galway Bay | Chris Baldwin | 4–8 PM
🌳🎵Great Frogs | Ryan Moran | 1–4 PM
Mother’s Peninsula Grille | Aaron Hawkins | 11 AM
Pirates Cove | Timothy Bracken | 3–6 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Rick Braun Plays Chuck Mangione | 4:30 PM | Tickets
Rams Head On Stage | Rick Braun Plays Chuck Mangione | 7:30 PM | Tickets
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | West Street Revival | 7 PM

Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today and for a great first week. If you found something useful, please share it with an inflatable Santa Claus that’s already up in your neighbor’s yard.

Also, and I can’t believe this. Did you know that the song Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac was (sort of) inspired by Silver Spring, Maryland? Great song.