Sunday, July 25
'Ragtime: the Musical' The Columbia Center for the Theatrical Arts presents this story about three social groups in America at the turn of the 20th century. Showtime is 2 p.m. at Reservoir High School, 11550 Scaggsville Road, Fulton. Tickets and information: 410-381-0700 or cctarts.com.
Theatrical performance The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company presents "Hamlet" at 5 p.m. Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park, 3691 Sarah's Lane, Ellicott City. Tickets are $30, $23 for seniors; $15 for students; free for children younger than 18 with adult. Information: chesapeakeshakespeare.com. Tickets: 866-811-4111.
Art exhibit Artists' Gallery presents an exhibition of traditional and less-conventional landscapes rendered in pastels by Deborah Maklowski. Show runs through Friday, July 30, at American City Building, 10227 Wincopin Circle, Columbia. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Information: 410-740-8249 or artistsgallerycolumbia.com.
'People Worth Knowing' Exhibit featuring photographs by Columbia photographer Stanley L. Rodbell runs through Aug. 28 at the Himmelfarb Gallery at Tai Sophia Institute, 7750 Montpelier Road, Laurel. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Information: 410-888-9048.
Farmers' market Site is open from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sundays through November at Oakland Mills Village, 5851 Robert Oliver Place. Information: 410-313-6524.
Monday, July 26
Passport services The Passport Acceptance Facility at Howard County Library's East Columbia branch at 6600 Cradlerock Way offers passports and passport photos from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Information: 410-313-7700.
Tuesday, July 27
Music Matters Showcase Jim Buckley performs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Nora Cafe and Bakery, 8450 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City. 410-461-6902.
Wednesday, July 28
History hike Volunteer ranger Ed Johnson leads a four-mile hike through the Patapsco River Valley from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For ages 9 and older. Visitors should meet at the Avalon History Center parking lot. Free. Directions and information: 410-750-0674.
'Sunset Serenades' Howard County Recreation and Parks' annual concert series held at Centennial Park South, 10000 Route 108, continues at 7 p.m. with the Eric Scott Band playing soul, funk and pop music. Concerts are free. $3 per vehicle parking fee, except Aug. 11. Information: 410-313-4700 or howardcountymd.gov/rap.
Farmers' market Site is open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through October at St. John's Episcopal Church, 9120 Frederick Road, Ellicott City. Information: 410-313-6524.
Thursday, July 29
Farmers' market Site is open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays through November at the East Columbia Library, 6600 Cradlerock Way. Information: 301-934-9004.
Friday, July 30
Opera performances The Little Patuxent Opera Institute, in conjunction with Howard Community College's Student Arts Collective, presents performances by the students in its summer workshop at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 30, and 3 p.m. Aug. 1 in the Smith Theatre, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. Opening half of program is devoted to a potpourri of operatic pieces performed in their original languages, while the second half consists of Henry Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas," a love story based on Virgil's "Aeneid." Tickets are $12, $7 for seniors and students with ID. Tickets and information: 410-772-4297 or http://www.howardcc.edu.
Farmers' market Site is open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays through November at Howard County General Hospital, 5755 Cedar Lane, Columbia. Information: 410-313-6524.
Future
Community party The Wilde Lake Community Association and the Howard County Police Department offer a family pizza party from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3 on the Village Green Wilde Lake for National Night Out. In addition to pizza, festivities include drinks, ice cream, prizes, entertainment and more. Event is free and takes place rain or shine. Children younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call 410-730-3887. (Wilde Lake residents only).
Ballet class Master class with Valery Lantratov, founder and director of the Russian National Ballet Foundation, will be held from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Aug. 4 at Howard County Center for the Arts, 8510 High Ridge Road, Ellicott city. Cost is $25. Registration and information: 410-465-9414 or info@howardcountyballet.org.
Hospitality sessions Individuals interested in either starting or advancing a career in the hospitality industry can attend a free "Culinary and Hospitality Open House" from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 14 at Howard Community College, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. Event includes a "Culinary Information Session" and a "Hotel and Restaurant Management Information Session." There will be a light lunch served, along with a gift for attendees. Registration and information: 410-772-4469 or vrege@howardcc.edu.
Open house Kinetics Dance Theatre will hold an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 21 at 3280 Pine Orchard Land, Ellicott City. Registration will be held for a variety of classes, including ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip-hop, musical theater, creative dance, dance fundamentals, as well as specialty classes in Pilates, yoga and fitness. Kinetics Theatre also offers classes for children with special needs and classes for boys only. There is another open house scheduled for 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 2. Information: 410-480-1686.
Announcements for the datebook may be sent by mail to The Baltimore Sun in Howard County, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore 21278; by e-mail to howard.events@baltsun.com; or by fax to 410-332-6455.