🍦STRONG Pilates opens next to Savorists

Good morning, Columbia. Yesterday was Veterans Day, but it’s never too late to say thanks. More than 20,000 veterans and active-duty service members live in Howard County. That’s about one in every 17 of us, so odds are you stood behind one in line at Wegmans this week. If you know one, buy them a coffee. If you are one, thank you.

In today’s Columbia Scoop:

HoCo's film plan
A Mars pet hospital
Santa at the mall

Let’s get to it.

— Michelle Sinclair

TAKE TWO

HoCo is auditioning for our next big role 🎬

The Veep set in Columbia during a 2013 visit

Photo: Jay Baker/Maryland GovPics

HoCo, get ready for your close-up. Back in February, Calvin Ball assembled a 13-member task force to figure out how to lure film crews here. The final report is out and includes 17 recommendations.

We’ve done this before. HBO built the “Veep” sets in an old mattress factory warehouse in Columbia, and later seasons of “The Wire” filmed in the county, too.

So, what’s the plan? One of the top priorities is to hire a film liaison at Visit Howard County, so productions have one person to call instead of multiple departments. Other suggestions include a film commission, a dedicated website, and a public database of potential filming spots like parks and historic sites.

The catch is – you guessed it – money. The proposals range from free to more than $100,000, and it’ll be up to incoming County Executive Vanessa Atterbeary’s team to pick which ones happen. The timing is also tricky. Last year, Maryland lawmakers cut the film tax-credit cap for fiscal 2026 from a planned $20 million to $12 million.

🎬 Ready for your big break? If the county pulls it off, it’ll need extras. The blurry person in the back of a Lakefront scene could be you. Fair warning: “Extra #4, person walking dog” is a competitive role. Read the full report here.

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📅 Events calendar

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ROLL CALL

STRONG Pilates opens steps from Savorists in Hickory Ridge 💪

A STRONG Pilates class on Rowformer machines

Photo: STRONG Pilates Columbia

Savorists has spent the last two weeks filling Hickory Ridge with mouth-watering carbs. Now you can burn them off right next door.

STRONG Pilates celebrates its grand opening Saturday at Hickory Ridge Village Center. It’s an Australian chain, and this isn’t the slow, stretchy Pilates you might picture. Each 45-minute class mixes Pilates, strength, and cardio on the brand’s own hybrid ~~torture~~ fitness machines. The Rowformer is part reformer, part rowing machine. As the name implies, the Bikeformer is a reformer. . . with a bike.

The Columbia studio has 11 Rowformers, 9 Bikeformers, and a private room for one-on-one sessions. Oh, and everybody gets a cold eucalyptus towel at the end. I got one of those on an airplane once. Love those credit card points.

Founder pricing is up for grabs until they open. A two-week unlimited pass costs $69. Monthly memberships cost $99 for four classes, $179 for eight, and $239 for unlimited.

🥐 Our plan: Take a class, then walk over to Savorists for a macaron (or several). Science says calories burned and consumed in the same parking lot cancel out no matter the numbers. Promise. Check out the class schedule here.

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EVENTS

Weekend preview

Photo: Fever

🎈 = family-friendly events

All weekend

🎈🎭 White Christmas at Toby’s – Irving Berlin’s holiday classic runs through January 10. Shows are 8 PM Thursday through Saturday, with a 12:30 PM brunch show and a 7 PM show Sunday.

🎈🦙 Maryland Alpaca & Fleece Festival – Pet the alpacas, then shop yarn, fleece, and handmade gifts at the Howard County Fairgrounds. It’s free, 9 AM to 4 PM Saturday and Sunday.

🎈🛍️ Holiday Pop-Up Market at Caplan’s – Regional makers and artists sell gifts upstairs at The Market at Caplan’s on Main Street in Old Ellicott City. Saturday and Sunday, 11 AM to 5 PM.

🎭 Come From Away at Howard High – Howard High stages the musical about the Newfoundland town that took in thousands of stranded air travelers on 9/11. Shows are 7 PM Thursday through Saturday, plus a 2 PM Saturday matinee.

🎈🎭 Puffs at Oakland Mills High – The comedy retells seven years at a certain school of magic through the eyes of the kids who weren’t the heroes. Shows are 7 PM Thursday through Saturday, plus a 2 PM Saturday matinee.

Thursday

🎨 Art Maryland 2026 reception – The Howard County Arts Council hands out awards for its juried regional show, with fiber art next door in By A Thread. It’s free, 6 to 8 PM at the Capitoline Center in Ellicott City.

💐 Thanksgiving Centerpieces Workshop – The Longfellow Garden Club helps you make two centerpieces, one for your table and one for a local senior center. Noon to 2:30 PM at The Hawthorn Center, and RSVP first.

😂 SubBourbon Improv at HomeSlyce – “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”-style improv built on audience suggestions at HomeSlyce Pizza Bar. 7 to 9 PM.

Friday

🎈🚜 Harvest Moon Hayride – Ride along the Patuxent River at Laurel’s Riverfront Park, then warm up with snacks and games around a bonfire. 6 to 9 PM, and you pre-register with the City of Laurel.

🐈‍⬛ History of Superstitions – The Museum of Howard County History digs into why we still knock on wood and steer clear of black cats. It starts at 7 PM, for ages 13 and up, and costumes are welcome.

Saturday

🎨 Miniature Painting Workshop with Beth de Loiselle – The Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society hosts a half-day class for beginner and intermediate acrylic and oil painters at the Capitoline Center in Ellicott City. It runs 10 AM to 2 PM for ages 16 and up. There are 12 seats, so register at mpsgs.org.

🎈🛍️ West Laurel Craft Faire – About 40 vendors sell handcrafts only at the T. Howard Duckett Building, and kids can write letters to Santa. 9 AM to 2 PM.

🎈🌎 Resilient Earth, Resilient Communities opening – A new traveling exhibit on how communities adapt to a changing climate opens at Robinson Nature Center, with hands-on stations and planetarium films. 4 to 7 PM.

Sunday

🕊️ Surviving the Holidays – If you’ve lost someone, this grief support seminar offers encouragement and practical tools for getting through the season. It’s 1 to 3 PM at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Fulton, all are welcome, and the parish asks you to RSVP at 410-531-6040.

🎈🛍️ Winter Artisan Market – More than 20 local artisans sell holiday gifts at The Hawthorn Center in Hickory Ridge. 2 to 5 PM.

🎺 Maryland Winds: In a Nutshell – The professional wind ensemble builds its concert around Percy Grainger’s four-movement suite. It’s at 3:30 PM at Guilford Park High School.

🕯️ Candlelight: Bach to Beatles – A candlelit concert runs from Bach to the Beatles at The Collective Encore in Downtown Columbia. The show starts at 5:30 PM.

Monday

🇺🇸 Marine Corps League Scholarship Night at Tino’s – Up to 10% of your food order at Tino’s Italian Bistro goes to the Detachment 1084 scholarship fund for veterans and high school students. It runs 11 AM to 9 PM. Dine in, or order delivery from Tino’s at 410-730-8466 and mention the fundraiser. DoorDash and Grubhub orders don’t count.

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In other news. . .

🐾 Vet Set Go – Mars, the company behind M&M’s, is opening a BluePearl pet hospital at Turf Valley Towne Square in Ellicott City early next year. The 20,000-square-foot hospital will offer emergency and specialty care, plus orthopedic surgery and rehab through its Skylos Sports Medicine brand. It’s good news for pet owners after Pet+ER Columbia closed its emergency hospital last year. More here. ($)

🎅 Claus For Celebration – Santa starts posing for photos at The Mall in Columbia on Saturday, and he’ll be there through Christmas Eve. Walk-ups are welcome, or you can book a 15-minute slot. Want Fido in the frame? The mall also has Pet Nights with Santa on Mondays and Tuesdays from November 23 through December 15.

👟 Kick Start – Back in August, we told you Foot Locker had moved upstairs at The Mall in Columbia while its new store got built. It’s done. The new Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker are now open together on the lower level, in the old House of Hoops space. Good timing, since your kids’ feet grew two sizes while you waited.

💇 Glam Slam – There’s a new beauty spot on the lower level of The Mall in Columbia. It’s throwing a grand opening Saturday from 2 to 8 PM with giveaways. Glamour Lounge offers hair services, a color bar, threading, waxing, and facials. Not sure about you, but I’m still breaking out from all the Halloween chocolate. See you at the facial station. Details here.

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WEATHER

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!

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