Together with
Hello Friends—
Welcome to the 193 new subscribers who joined since last week’s edition. Happy to have you in our (growing) community!
Well, we weathered the snow and ice last weekend. Looks like some more snow could be on the way this weekend. I waited too long to shovel my sidewalk and had to use a pickaxe to break the 2 inches of ice. Oof. Anyways.
Bel Air Bites Club Update: I’ll be sending out the next Bel Air Bites Club deal on Monday, February 2nd — another exclusive, members-only restaurant offer delivered by text. If you’re not already a member and want in before the next deal goes out, you can join here: [Join the Bel Air Bites Club]
I’ll also be announcing our January $100 restaurant gift card winner next week — a $100 gift card to One Eleven Main in Bel Air. (Must be a Bel Air Bites Club member to be eligible.)
Now to this weekend… Conrad’s in Abingdon is hosting DJ Night on Friday… the Fallston Barrel House is having a Puppies & Pizza adoption event on Saturday… and Harford Community College’s Winter ArtsFest is on Sunday.
Plus, Bel Air resident Brooks Rosser stunned the judges during the American Idol Season 24 premiere.
Scroll down, make plans, and enjoy your weekend!
TOGETHER WITH FRESH START FURNISHINGS
Your Unused Furniture Could Be Someone’s Fresh Start
That couch, table, or dresser you no longer need can do far more than sit in storage — it can help a local family rebuild their life.
Fresh Start Furnishings is Harford County’s only furniture bank, providing beds, tables, dressers, and essential home furnishings free of charge to families and individuals rebuilding after crisis. When someone moves into a new home with nothing, your support turns empty rooms into places of safety, dignity, and hope.
You can help in two powerful ways:
✔️ Donate gently used furniture (pickup available)
✔️ Donate funds to help furnish homes when items aren’t available
👉 Make your impact today at FreshStartMD.org
Because a fresh start isn’t just a place to live — it’s a place to come home to.
P.S. Tell him “Matt from Bel Air Brief” sent you OR if you want me to personally connect you with the Fresh Start Furnishing’s team, email me here.
Things To Do This Weekend In Bel Air & Surrounding Areas
Friday January 30th
Really Beautiful Faces Bel Air Galentine’s Event (Free)
📅 Friday, January 30th | 4PM–8PM
📍 Really Beautiful Faces Bel Air, 15 E Churchville Rd #115, Bel Air
Treat yourself with Galentine’s specials on tox, filler, IV therapy, and express facials, plus local artisan vendors for shopping and sipping between appointments.
🎵 Candyman & The Baltimore Show Live at Looney’s (Free)
📅 Friday, January 30th | 7PM–11PM
📍 Looney’s Pub, 29 S Main St, Bel Air
Enjoy a high-energy night of Chicago blues, rock & roll, and swing as Candyman & The Baltimore Show make their debut at Looney’s with no cover and plenty of good-time music.
🎵 DJ Night at Conrad’s Abingdon (Free)
📅 Friday, January 30th | 8PM–11PM
📍 Conrad’s Seafood Restaurant – Abingdon, 3414 Merchant Blvd, Abingdon
Dance the night away with a live DJ and late-night drink specials, including discounted beers, shots, and crushes starting at 8PM.
🎵 Shot Thru the Heart: A Bon Jovi Tribute at Barrel House Live ($)
📅 Friday, January 30th | 8PM
📍 Barrel House Live, 2403 Belair Rd, Fallston
Rock out to all the classic Bon Jovi hits with Shot Thru the Heart, a high-energy tribute band bringing “Livin’ on a Prayer,” “Wanted Dead or Alive,” and more to the stage.
Saturday January 31st
Puppies & Pizzas Adoption Event (Free)
📅 Saturday, January 31st | 11AM–3PM
📍 Fallston Barrel House, 2403 Bel Air Rd, Fallston
Meet adoptable puppies from Saving Grace Animal Rescue while enjoying pizza, with a portion of sales supporting the rescue.
Odd Bird Book Fair at Market Street Brewery (Free)
📅 Saturday, January 31st | 12PM–4PM
📍 Market Street Brewery, 203 Market St Suite 110, Havre de Grace
Browse a thoughtfully curated pop-up book fair while sipping a beer, featuring reads for every mood and the perfect excuse to support local.
Flannel & Frost at Jarrettsville Gardens ($)
📅 Saturday, January 31st | 5PM–10PM
📍 Jarrettsville Gardens, 3825 Federal Hill Rd, Jarrettsville
Bundle up for an all-inclusive winter party featuring live music from Last Call, plus all-you-can-eat food, drinks, raffles, and more in a fun, flannel-friendly atmosphere.
Hearts for the Homeless Shrimp & Bull Roast ($)
📅 Saturday, January 31st | 6PM–10PM
📍 The STAR Centre of Havre de Grace, 700 Congress Ave, Havre de Grace
Enjoy a fun-filled fundraiser with food, drinks, music, dancing, and auctions—all supporting Harford Family House and its mission to help local families experiencing homelessness.
Sunday February 1st
Be Mine Chunky Knit Heart Blanket Workshop ($)
📅 Sunday, February 1st | 11:30AM–1:30PM
📍 Southern Sol Shoppe, 4115 Norrisville Rd, White Hall
Get cozy and learn how to create a chenille throw with a heart design—perfect for a hands-on Valentine’s activity or a one-of-a-kind handmade gift.
Galentine’s Day at Joe’s Mercantile (Free)
📅 Sunday, February 1st | 12PM–3PM
📍 Joe’s Mercantile, 116 N Washington St, Havre de Grace
Enjoy a girls’ day out with shopping specials, a mock mimosa bar, creative stations like candle pouring and a charm bar, plus a Galentine’s lunch special nearby.
Harford Community College’s Winter ArtsFest ($)
📅 Sunday, February 1st | 3PM
📍 HCC Chesapeake Welcome Center, 401 Thomas Run Road, Bel Air
Enjoy live performances by HCC music and theatre faculty, an Art + Design exhibition, and a jazz “After Hours” reception, with proceeds benefiting the HCC Music Scholarship Fund.
Save the Dates:
Whiskey & Bubbles, Feb 4th, Pairings Bistro
Bad Romance Anti-Valentine Bingo, Feb 12th, Natalie’s Seafood Kitchen
Parent’s Night Out Valentines Day Drop-Off Event, Feb 14th, We Rock The Spectrum Kids Gym
10th Annual Bel Air Downtown Alliance Chocolate, Brew & Wine Tour, March 7th, Downtown Bel Air
For more live music on the schedule this weekend, check out the “Harco Live Music Round Up” facebook group…
This Week in the Community…
Bel Air Singer Amazes American Idol Judges
Bel Air resident Brooks Rosser stunned the judges during the American Idol Season 24 premiere with an emotional audition that earned him a golden ticket to Hollywood Week. The 22-year-old caregiver impressed the panel so much they asked for a second song before advancing him in the competition. Read more…
Bel Air Author Jennifer Vido Publishes Simplicity by the Sea
Bel Air author Jennifer Vido published Simplicity by the Sea, the third novel in her award-winning Gull Island series, on January 26 through The Wild Rose Press. The coastal romance paired Virginia wine country vibes with Lowcountry charm and continued Vido’s popular series centered on love, reinvention, and second chances. Read more…
Natalie’s Seafood Kitchen to Host Super Bowl Watch Party in Fallston
Natalie’s Seafood Kitchen announced it will host a Super Bowl Watch Party on Sunday, February 8, featuring the game on big screens with sound on throughout the night. The Fallston restaurant will offer specialty Super Bowl cocktails, game-day food and drink specials, heated tiki hut seating, and giveaways for fans in attendance. Read more…
Pet Of The Week: Presented by Our Friends at Shannon’s Pretty Paws Pet Grooming
We are more than just groomers, we’re a family!
Give your pet the 5-star treatment & book a grooming session at Shannon’s Pretty Paws today. Your furry friend will thank you (and so will your furniture).
This week’s reader submission is: Ollie
“Meet Ollie — our gentle pup who’s mastered the art of cozy naps and will happily keep you company wherever the softest blanket is”
Ollie, keeper of the soft blankets!
Have a furry, feathered, or scaly friend you’re proud of? Send a photo and a few fun facts, and we might feature them in an upcoming issue.
Real Estate Corner
Are you a realtor (or know one) who is looking to expand your local visibility & feature your active listings in this section to 6,900+ locals? Click here to submit your interest.
Date Spot Of The Week
Pairings Bistro (Bel Air)
📍 2105 Laurel Bush Rd #108, Bel Air, MD
If you’re looking to impress (or just treat yourselves), Pairings Bistro in Bel Air is always a solid move. It’s cozy without being too fancy—dim lighting, exposed stone walls, and the kind of vibe that makes you want to split a bottle of wine and stay awhile.
The menu changes with the seasons and leans into that Chesapeake-meets-European feel. Think scallops with curry butter, duck confit, and yes—an absolutely killer lobster mac. They’re big on wine pairings (it’s in the name, after all), so don’t be shy about asking for a rec—they actually know what they’re talking about.
Perfect for an anniversary, a third date, or just one of those nights where you want to eat something better than takeout and have a real conversation. Bonus: live acoustic music some nights if you time it right.
Thanks for reading the Bel Air Brief today. Share it with someone who feels cheated out of restaurant week.
Matt | Bel Air Brief
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