As Howard County begins to gradually relax safety guidelines for vaccinated residents, the city is preparing for exciting upcoming events for the summer months. The Downtown Columbia Partnership (DTC), an organization dedicated to building a vibrant environment for residents and businesses in Howard County has spent months preparing for the return to safe social activities. Over the course of the last two years, their adaptability to the pandemic and innovation has created new opportunities of entertainment in Howard County, and the summer will be bustling with fun for the whole family. 

Phillip Dodge, Executive Director of Downtown Columbia Partnership

“Part of the role that we have is a convener. We connect people, businesses, and organizations to increase collaboration in the county to move things along. We work as a connector for the community,” says Phillip Dodge, Executive Director of DTC. Despite social events coming to a temporary halt, the DTC recognized the importance of community-building, even in a digital format, and sought to find ways to continue engaging with residents of Howard County. As a way to continue community outreach, the new podcast DTCRadio was launched in May 2020 for residents to receive information about all things downtown, as well as highlighting local residents, businesses and elected officials. From interviewing county councilwoman Deb Jung to an overview of dining at Cured, the podcast highlights changes and events occurring in the city. The DTC has also adapted to hosting smaller events, as well as transient events (full scale events spread out over time) like BikeAround Downtown. This free event is a great way to get out of the home and get some low-impact exercise, as well as an opportunity to win prizes through a social media raffle. 

Speaking of last year’s bike event Dodge stated, “We had about 900 people do the Bike-Around event over the course of two days, which was awesome!” Bike Around Downtown is a  great event that allows residents to be socially distanced and cruising throughout beautiful Downtown Columbia and the surrounding villages. This year, the event will be held the weekend of June 19th and 20th, spanning roughly eight miles around the community. The DTC encourages residents to come out and take time to enjoy some fresh air while witnessing the beauty of the community and reducing carbon footprints at the same time. And for people who are ready to meet in larger groups they just added a BikeAround Downtown Block Party featuring DJ Kopec taking place from 11:00 to 3:00 on Saturday, June 19th at Color Burst Park.  

On June 27th, the DTC is hosting the next iteration of their #ColorColumbia and #ChalkItUp events and social media campaign,  encouraging residents to get creative and draw chalk masterpieces all over the city. This year, the DTC is partnering with Howard County PRIDE for the second #ChalkitUp event, celebrating the lives and accomplishments of the LGBTIQA+ community. The DTC is also planning #ChalkitUp events to honor the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as frontline workers and teachers for their continued efforts of making the community better. Prizes will be given to selected artists that post their work on DTC social media accounts. 

The DTC is thrilled to be just one of the entities providing an opportunities for safe summer fun and a slow return to normalcy. “We’re looking forward to the Merriweather District’s Color Burst Summer Series and so excited for the return of concerts to Merriweather,” shares Dodge, “I’m pretty open about my favorite bands. I’ll be there for Wilco, My Morning Jacket, and New Order. They’re announcing two shows a week. There’s a lot of pent up touring demand.” DTC’s signature event, Books in Bloom will be back for its fifth year. Details are still taking shape, but you can expect an awesome literary festival. “We’re in the planning stages for Books in Bloom. We’re thinking right now that the event will be hybrid, with a sizable portion in person. Last year we had to do it all virtual, but now we’re hoping for more things in person. It will be held in August and September,” said Dodge. 

With events being actively planned for the rest of the year and beyond, the organization works hard to bring connection and entertainment to the residents of Howard County even through challenging times.