while visiting my folks for the holidays, we attended a local dance studio's production of the…read morenutcracker at this venue. i will say, this venue was hard to find, as we arrived a bit early, but ended up circling around this area for a while since there was construction on some of the side streets and our gps had a hard time locating the exact building despite having the correct address. the fact that the performance was held in the evening didn't help, since it was already dark outside. after calling the venue, and having someone guide us to the appropriate parking area, we were able to go on foot and locate this venue, which had a sign in front, but it wasn't very large or high off the ground, so hard to spot when driving. as far as the interior goes, this was a small-ish venue, with restrooms/dressing rooms to the right, a foyer/waiting area to the left, and a theatre/stage to the back. the stage was a medium-sized stage, and the room seated 300-400 guests (my approximation based on the layout). it definitely felt small and snug since most of the seats were filled with parents, siblings, relatives, and friends, excited to see their little princesses dance on the stage. nice venue, but needs some better markers to locate

Great venue! My son's preschool graduation was held here and it was nothing short of fabulous. The…read moretheatre and reception area are both very high end with all updated media for use. Parking could be better of course with the adjoining pool next door but other than that logistical issue, I would host a nice birthday party here or even a wedding event.

Attended a 40th bday celebration a few Sundays ago at The Grand Ballroom. I've driven past the…read morelocation several times and didn't know it even existed, that is; until I receive the invite for the party. Find a good event space can be quite the feat, so maybe this review will help others make their decision. The venue is located on a busy street in Glen Burnie, not to far from the community college. There is limited parking available on the street in front of the venue, but there is also a free parking garage directly across the street. When you access the venue, you are standing in what would likely be consider a waiting area. A nice sized open space attached to what I would consider a bar, but I am sure he can be used for other purposes. For the party I attended, the open space was used for a photo booth and open bar. the perfect area for your guest to occupy if they main event space is not ready for them. The ballroom itself was indeed very grand! Large, wide-open with high ceiling, the perfect space for a birthday party or even a wedding reception. Very versatile. I did use the facilities while I was there and while they were small, they were clean. The entire venue, in fact; was clean. The few staff members I did encounter during my visit were nice, although the interactions were very brief. All and all, I was very impressed by my visit to The Grand Ballroom and will definitely recommend it to others in the future who are looking for a place to host their next event.

We absolutely love this place. I have hosted 2 events here & it always runs very smooth. We utilize…read moreall the space outdoor & inside . I love that we get the rental for the whole day & don't have to rush . Will continue to support this clubhouse!

This clubhouse is a bright, clean space with a large kitchen. It was perfect for our club meeting…read more The manager responded quickly to our last minute request for renting the clubhouse and made the application process so easy. Instructions for using the facility were comprehensive. The experience was flawless for our group. I would highly recommend renting this facility.

Seems like a very useful space to have for a conference. Parking can be an issue though if the…read moreevent is large as the parking lot did not have enough spaces and we had to circle around a bit.

Receptionist - one who attempts to provide service to customers seeking out information. Typically…read morehas a friendly and helpful disposition. This is my understanding, broadly, of a receptionist or administrative assistant's duties and responsibilities if they frequently interface with the public, (though I know they have infinitely more tasks to accomplish than just greeting guests). This has never been my experience at Oakland Mills Interfaith Center - The Meeting House. I have interacted with the young lady sitting at the desk no less than 6 times, maybe as many as 10 in the past 4 years or so and her disposition 99.98% of the time has been really nasty. I do my best to be sympathetic, understanding or give people the benefit of the doubt, if I meet them for the first time and they seem grumpy, but if I speak with you upwards of 6 times over 4 years, different seasons, rain or shine and you are always pissed, perhaps you've sought out a career in the wrong lane. The attitude some businesses have toward customer service, perhaps, has evolved over the years, but I would still think there is modicum of courtesy that is expected of staff when they meet people who potentially may be interested in doing business with their establishment. I don't know what the protocol is when you see the receptionist, but, typically, I don't like to just interrupt them and tell them what I want, or why I'm there because they're usually typing something that I'm assuming they need a reasonable degree of focus on, and I don't want to break their concentration. I could tell this receptionist was pissed, per her usual, so I just started talking as soon as I got to the desk. The space I was interested in was not available for the date I wanted which was no problem. I asked if I could look at one of the other rooms I could see from her desk. (I wasn't sure if it was being used). She said "Yes". When I walked over, I saw a room to the left of that room, which I couldn't see when I asked to see the first room, so I invited myself to look at that room to (there was no one in it). When I turned back around the corner, the receptionist shot me a look that could cut through a thousand tons of Philadelphia street on the coldest of December nights. She was in the middle of eating her lunch, and stopped, mid-chew, to try and stare me down as if I was trying to usurp her authority. I ignored the vibe and just asked if the 2 rooms were available to which she immediately retorted "I said no"....First of all, she didn't. Second of all, she needs to park all that attitude at the curb before she enters her place of business. I understand being a receptionist may not always be the greatest position because you have to deal with whatever walks through your door, but if you can't be friendly, at least be professional. I understand that the objective of this house of worship is, by no means, solely to make money, but I would think, even a billionaire wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth if it took little to no effort to get it. Anywho, there is another lovely place where, if you're looking to hold a smaller event, that could probably accommodate your needs. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Church is also located in Howard County. As I recall, they do rent by the hour and I don't think it's more than $70/h. Seeing as I'm looking for a new venue to hold my event, I thought others may be to. I tried to include pictures of this venue below.

Perfection t place for your event. The hall is very large and great for parties, weddings, meetings…read moreand events. There is a kitchen, bathrooms, lounge and meeting room available. There is also an outdoor patio space. Great people to work with as well.

I have been to quite a few events at Ridgely's from graduation parties to baby showers. This past…read moreSunday, I attended a high school graduation party. This venue is nice. It is clean and spacious and the staff is nice. The parking lot is a little on the smaller side, but other than that, this venue is great for just about any event.

What a stunning venue for events. It's tucked away right off of exit 24 on Route 50, but you need…read moreto watch the signs. Trees are good at hiding it, as it's slightly down a hill. It has plenty of parking, and plenty of entrances. When you step inside the main one, there's a huge floor t o set up tables or whatever you need. There's a kitchen, bar, and bathrooms towards the back, and a whole second level! You can set up things like a photo booth, a food booth, and more... and there's even another hidden room. There's so much potential! Having attended a wedding at this venue and interacted with the staff, I appreciated how professional and willing to answer any questions everyone was. I genuinely have nothing to complain about -- connect with the staff and make your event visions come to life!

We recently held a Celebration of Life Service at Claret Hall for a wonderful woman who sadly…read morepassed last year. We started working with the team at Claret Hall, Renee, Jennifer, Hope and Eudene back in January. In our planning and requests, Claret Hall did a wonderful job in working with us on our different requests. The service was everything we had hoped it to be. Everyone was comfortable and all of our asks and needs were met. I highly recommend Claret Hall for any occasion, you won't be disappointed.

I came on board as the event planner for a H.S. graduation party after this venue had already been…read morebooked. If I had been involved from the beginning, I would not have chosen Claret Hall. While we were able to pull off a beautiful event, it was in spite of the venue -- not because of it. Dated Look & Layout Challenges Claret Hall's interior leans towards modest and practical. The mirrored walls in the main hall add a dated look, along with the wood floors, and a layout that's more "community center". Despite this, the staff carries themselves as if this is some grand, modern ballroom with marble floors and crystal chandeliers. Let's be clear -- it's not. The lobby has several design limitations: a brown beat up leather sofa that can't be removed because they "have nowhere to store it," and a built-in desk with a counter that takes up valuable space. There's a fireplace in the lobby with exit doors on both sides, and nothing is allowed near or in front of them (something we were reminded of multiple times), including while inflating balloons. If you're hoping to create a dramatic or welcoming entry moment, prepare to work around all of this. The catering/banquet room also had scuffed walls in clear need of a paint refresh. The main event room layout wasn't very functional either, because my design included a large balloon display and DJ booth, I had to carefully measure and adjust to avoid blocking yet another fire exit door. Inflexible Rules & Overbearing Oversight We had planned a mocktail bar setup for the grad on the outdoor patio. However, we were later told that we'd have to go through an entirely separate entity (and pay additional fees) just to use the patio for a "bar" that was NON-ALCOHOLIC, because it's technically not owned by Claret Hall. We ended up relocating the mocktail bar indoors. Additionally, we were told that we could not use any of their high top 32" round tables on the patio. During one of the walkthroughs, their staff member with the British accent, Ms. Eudene, used a very no nonsense tone, was borderline rude and not collaborative. The morning after our final walk-through, I called to ask for the fireplace measurements I had forgotten to take. The woman on the phone said a church event was happening and someone would have to call me back the next day. When I asked, "Isn't there a yellow measuring tape right there on the desk?" she paused, begrudgingly put me on hold, and minutes later returned with the measurements--but with an annoyed tone. It was unnecessarily difficult and honestly, lazy. If you're sitting right there, how does a church service stop you from walking four feet to measure a fireplace? She wasn't involved in the service! On the event day, all my vendors and helpers arrived on time! Granted, we were 30 minutes early, but the building was completely empty -- no church service or event in progress as we had been told there would be. Still, the staffer on duty would not let anyone in even 15 minutes early, citing liability and the contract terms. While I understand the policy, it was frustrating in the moment, especially with no one else in the building, balloon vendors outside with balloons, furniture vendors standing outside waiting, and a tight setup schedule. To top it off, as we were packing up at the end of the night; already actively cleaning and breaking down, the same staffer came over to me with a printed checklist, pointing out everything that needed to be done. I was beyond annoyed. Not exactly the energy you want at the end of a very long day. Final Thoughts Claret Hall is fine for modest events with low design needs. It is not ideal for creative designers who need a blank slate, creative freedom, or flexibility. Be prepared to design around fire exits, some immovable furniture, and strict staff oversight. It is also worth noting that a church regularly holds its services at Claret Hall, which can impact availability. I wouldn't personally book it again.

Great center with lots of amenities. Convenient location and the facility is gorgeous! We love it…read moreholding our events here!

Very clean, updated, spacious and excellent management and staff! The entire venue is worth the…read moreparty, event or whatever your planning. My family was impressed with the service and accommodations.