September often brings a classic icebreaker to offices and classrooms everywhere: what did you do this summer? For 17-year-old Maisie Rehkemper, the highlight is pretty clear. She was one of approximately 40 students across the country to be accepted into GRAMMY Camp (yes, of those Grammys) in New York City this past August.   

Maisie is a senior studying music production at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson, and the only student in the Baltimore area to be accepted into the program. Presented by the nonprofit GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles—which works to preserve music culture and nurture up-and-coming artists—the week-long intensives in Nashville, Miami, Los Angeles, and New York train high school students interested in pursuing a career in music, offering tracks on everything from songwriting and jazz to music business and production. 

As she settles back into the school year, we caught up with Rehkemper to reflect on what she learned from the pros. 

What is it about music production and sound engineering that interests you most?
I’ve been playing instruments and performing in bands since I was 6 years old. I played ukulele for a couple years, then I went to guitar, then I went to drums, and then I went to bass, which I stuck with. Growing up, performing on stage with these little kid bands, I was having so much fun, and as I got older, I was just more curious as to how it all worked. Once I started interning at local music schools, it was way cooler getting to know and hear the differences in music that I really couldn’t hear before.  

Where did you first hear about GRAMMY Camp, and what interested you in applying?
Last summer, I was at a bunch of different music camps, like a pre-college program at Stevens Institute of Technology [in Hoboken, New Jersey]—which is one of my top college choices—and a program at the Blackbird Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, a legit recording studio. I wanted to do more this summer because they were so fun and I learned so much. My brother is at Berklee in Boston, and some of his friends have previously gone to GRAMMY Camp. They got me to actually take the steps to apply. 

What was the application process like?
For production, we had to submit two pieces. One I wrote with my band, Saltbox, because we were recording an EP at the time, so I got the files and I did a mix on them. And the other one I recorded all myself. It was a cover of “Comfort of a Laugh Track” by Roar. I got to do piano and guitar and sing and try to type in drums. Making the cover all by myself was the first real project I’ve actually done outside of school. Once I finally put them all together, I wrote a little paragraph about each song and what I did with it, and I had to do a video essay. 

Describe the feeling when you found out you were accepted.
I honestly couldn’t believe that I got picked, because it’s such a small group of people. It was so cool, and I had to be kind of secretive about it because we weren’t allowed to tell anyone until May, and I found out in April. But I was super, super excited. It was so surreal.  

What was the first day like?
It was actually really overwhelming. Once we went into our smaller groups, it was super fast-paced. Our teacher, Jason Goldman—his producer name is Spicy G—had us make a drum track, loop it in five minutes, and then add something on. But it was really cool because I didn’t think I could do that. While it was fun and exciting, it was also stressful because I realized I was the only girl in the program. It was a little awkward, but it wasn’t unexpected because that’s usually how it is in every music production [program] I’ve been to.  

Speaking of those experiences, you founded the Women in Sound Engineering club at your school. Tell us more about that.
During my program last year at Stevens Institute of Technology, I started realizing that it’s a very male-dominated field, and I wanted to bring some sort of light to women in audio tech. Stevens is partnered with this program called We Are Moving the Needle, and they’re all about women in male-dominated fields, especially in music and music production.

So I started this club at my school inspired by We Are Moving the Needle. I think I had 15 people sign up, but I’m pretty much just showing them how I work Ableton [software] and going over industry stuff. This year I really want to get the club more involved in venues and performances, something to do with our music concerts at our school,  rather than just me teaching and rambling about all this sound design stuff.  

What were some highlights of your week at camp?
Well, first of all, it was kind of like a mini music industry all in one building. So we were encouraged to work with songwriters and vocalists, or musical theater [students], or a jazz band. I got to record these two songwriters, and I’d never recorded someone else before by myself. I had so much fun working with them, and then also editing and adding guitar, drums, bass, and other harmonies and synths. The song really came to life.  

The main highlight was probably meeting [actor, singer, and Broadway star] Frankie Grande [Ariana Grande’s brother] and [jazz singer] Samara Joy. The guest artists are often previous Grammy winners. We got to do a Q&A with them, and Samara Joy actually played for us. She brought her whole band, and they were up on the panel with her, so we got to ask them questions, too.   

What are the biggest takeaways from camp that will stick with you, especially as you head back into the school year?
I feel like I walked away with real industry experience, especially getting to work with someone who was very blunt and had no cushion when he would tell us how he felt about our work. He kept saying that we had to love a song that we were working on—we couldn’t just like it. So every time I would ask him to listen to my piece, he would be like, “Do you love it yet?” And I was like, “Well, maybe.” And he was like, “Don’t show it to me until you love it.” So, I learned a lot about that work ethic. It was like a launching pad.  

Anything else we should know about your projects?
My band, Saltbox, just put out an EP earlier this summer. We recorded an album last year, and I think that’s what really flipped the switch in my brain where I became interested in everything that goes into the production. We were in our drummer’s family friend’s home studio, and getting to see him clicking all around and twisting all these knobs, I was just so interested. I wanted to do that. So that was pretty much the turning point. Since then I just fully jumped into it. 

Perhaps no fall pastime is more popular than paying a visit to a local pumpkin patch. Once the ‘ber months hit, we hit up our friends, cross-reference our calendars, and pick a day to trek out to a family-friendly farm to celebrate the season.

Luckily, in Baltimore we’re only a quick, scenic drive away from a number of pumpkin-picking destinations that go all out with harvest treats and activities—from apple cider and spice cakes to hayrides and petting zoos.

Below, browse our master list of area farms to find perfectly plump gourds, whether you want to bake pies, carve spooky jack-o-lanterns, or simply step up your porch decor this season.  

Weekends in October: Baugher’s Orchards and Farms
1015 Baugher Rd. Carroll County/Westminster
Hours: Weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
How Far From Baltimore City? About 32 miles.
Harvest Highlights: Pick-your-own pumpkins with a hayride to the patch, plus enjoy play zones, scarecrows, a petting zoo, and more. As always, sweets—including Baugher’s famous apple cider donuts—are a must.

Oct. 1-31: Brookfield Pumpkins
8302 Ramsburg Road. Frederick/Thurmont
Hours: Mon.-Thurs.: 3-6 p.m.; Friday- Sunday: 10 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Wagons to the pumpkin patch run hourly from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
How Far From Baltimore City? About 44 miles.
Harvest Highlights: Pick your own pumpkins, gourds, and squash (priced from $1-40, based on size.)

Weekends in October: Buppert’s/Doran’s Chance Farm
6914 Ridge Road, Marriotsville
Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Weekends from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
How Far From Baltimore City? About 18 miles.
Harvest Highlights: Hitch a hayride to the “U-Pick Patch,” select your perfect pumpkin, and enjoy unlimited rounds of family corn maze fun.

Sept. 19-Nov. 1: Butler’s Orchard
22222 Davis Mill Road. Germantown.
Hours: Wed.–Fri.: 1 p.m.– 6 p.m. (Last entry 4:30 p.m.)
Sat-Sun and Columbus Day: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (Last entry 4:30 p.m.)
How Far From Baltimore City? About 33 miles.
Harvest Highlights: Enjoy pick-your-own pumpkins (priced at 79 cents per pound,) hilltop jump pads, pedal tractors, corn hole games, and straw maze mischief. Also available: pony rides, face paint, giant slides, and pumpkin cannons.

Weekends Sept. 19-Nov. 1: Chapel Hills Farm and Nursery
4356 Chapel Road. Perry Hall.
Hours: Sat: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sun: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
How Far From Baltimore City? About 12 miles.
Harvest Highlights: Come for the pumpkins. Stay for the pony rides, kettle corn, fresh-baked goods, and frozen treats.

Sept. 18-Nov. 8: Clark’s Elioak Farm
10500 Clarksville Pike. Ellicott City.
Hours: Tues.-Fri.: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Weekends: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 
How Far From Baltimore City? About 15 miles.
Harvest Highlights: Kiddos get a hayride to the pumpkin patch and one cute “kid-sized” pumpkin of their choice. They can also take a pony ride, climb aboard the cow train, and visit furry friends at the beloved petting zoo.

Sept. 4-Nov. 1: Gaver Farm
5501 Detrick Road. Mount Airy
Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
How Far From Baltimore City? About 34 miles.
Harvest Highlights: Gaver Farm visitors can pick their own sunflowers, apples, and pumpkins. Also worth mentioning are mini mazes, jumping pillows, pedal karts, animals, and farm fresh grub.

Weekends through October: Knightongale Farm
3924 Solomons Island Road. Anne Arundel County/Harwood.
Hours: Check social media for weekend events and hours throughout the season.
How Far From Baltimore City? About 27 miles.
Harvest Highlights: In addition to pumpkins, be sure to take advantage of a moon bounce, pedal tractors, farm games, cow-milking, and petting zoo fun. And check out the giant spider. 

Sept. 19-Oct. 26: Mary’s Land Farm
4979 Sheppard Lane, Ellicott City.
Hours: Mon.-Sat.: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sun: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
How Far From Baltimore City? About 26 miles.
Harvest Highlights: Look out for animal encounters, hop on a wagon or train ride, and fly down the mega tandem slide. Weekends also feature food truck fare and live music.

Sept. 12-Nov. 8: Montpelier Farms
1720 Crain Highway North. Upper Marlboro.
Hours: Fridays: 5 p.m.-10 p.m. (last admission 9 p.m.); Saturdays: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (last admission 9 p.m.); Sundays: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (last admission 6 p.m.)
How Far From Baltimore City? About 30 miles.
Harvest Highlights: Traverse a pick-your-own pumpkin patch (selections five pounds and under priced $3; others 60 cents per pound) or purchase a Fall Festival ticket to enjoy hill slides, pumpkin bowling, barnyard basketball, and more.

Sept. 26-Nov. 1: Summers Farm
7503 Hollow Road. Frederick/Middletown.
Hours: Times vary by day and month. See details, here. 
How Far From Baltimore City? About 47 miles.
Harvest Highlights: Catch a wagon to the pick-your-own patch. Plus, get the kiddos riled up with everything from farmer mini golf and tug of war to an obstacle course and giant tunnel slides.

To Oct. 30: Valley View Farms
11035 York Rd. Cockeysville.
Hours: 8 a.m.-7p.m.
How Far From Baltimore City? About 14 miles.
Harvest Highlights: Marvel at the storefront’s Halloween Village display, pick pumpkins of all sizes, and guess how many seeds are in the biggest one. As always, WBAL’s Tom Tasselmyer makes the final count. Winners take home gift card prizes.

Sept. 14-Nov. 8: Weber’s Cider Mill Farm
2526 Proctor Lane. Parkville.
Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily (10 a.m.-5 p.m. in November). Last entry at 4 p.m.
How Far From Baltimore City? About 9 miles.
Harvest Highlights: Pick pumpkins, sip on cider, and partake in a host of wholesome barnyard fun. (Think: play structures, face painting, mini mazes, gem mining, hillside slides, tire climbing and more.)

Additional reporting by Grace Hebron and Isabella Passalacqua

Among the countless reasons why we love living in Baltimore is its proximity to the Maryland Renaissance Festival (running weekends through Oct. 25), just about 25 miles south in Crownsville—which is continuously lauded as one of the best in the United States. When the summer winds down, hundreds of thousands of visitors stitch up their corsets, dust off their flower crowns, and make their way to Revel Grove—the 27-acre village of King Henry VIII and his royal company.

Stepping through the front gates sends attendees on a fully immersive trip back to the 16th century, with period-specific shops, artisans, performers (everything from song and dance to juggling and comedy), and sustenance (including the famous turkey legs, eats on a stick, and steins of mead) around every corner.

And fair-goers from near and far seem to be craving that kind of rare escape. As the festival celebrates its 50th anniversary, it’s more popular than ever—with tickets selling out as fast as the horses that rush around the jousting arena, which prompted a wait-list policy for the first time this year.  

Contributing photographer and Maryland Renaissance Festival regular Lauren Castellana—pictured below, donning a hand-made jester costume that she worked on all year in anticipation of the fest—strolled around the village to capture the fun, food, performance, and pure joy of opening weekend.

When longtime Hamilton residents Jason Daniloski and Nicole Evanshaw—the husband-and-wife owners behind Silver Queen Cafe, which opened on Harford Road in 2015—heard that their neighbor Emma’s Tea Spot was relocating down the street, they couldn’t bear the thought of another area storefront going dark. 

“It kept me up a little bit at night,” Evanshaw says of her reaction to the news in May. “In the morning, it hit me, this is our chance. This is the perfect spot for what we want to do.”

Fast forward to this month, the owners have officially transformed the former tea shop at 5500 Harford Road into the Market at Hamilton Fine Foods & Delicatessen—their dream specialty goods store.

“It’s not a grocery store [like nearby Harvest Fare or Hamilton Grocery Store], you can’t buy butter, milk, raw meat, or cereal,” Evanshaw clarifies, “but you can buy a nice pasta sauce from New Jersey.”

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week, neighbors gathered to browse the space, which was renovated in part thanks to community donations. It now features local artwork; seating for 45 (including tables that can be reserved for book clubs and community groups); and shelves and display cases stocked with everything from scratch-made sauces and loaves of bread to tubs of Phil’s Dills pickles and Taharka Bros. ice cream.

In particular, the shop is an opportunity for Evanshaw to show off her love of cheese. She has partnered with local wholesaler Simeon Fromberg of The Great Cheese to curate a lineup of 15 varieties, including a spicy yellow Lucifer Blue bleu cheese and a honey gouda, with more to come.

Another highlight is an entire wall of tinned fish (hello, Fishwife) nestled alongside jams and spreads, crackers, and bags of marcona almonds to complement the cheese. The tins serve as a springboard for one of the shop’s first recurring community events, Tinned Fish Tuesdays, which invites shoppers to sit in on a cooking demo using one of the featured varieties, and try it for themselves, on the fourth Tuesday of each month. 

Aside from offering options for a picnic spread or charcuterie board, the Market also has its own delicatessen, serving made-to-order sandwiches like a muffuletta, Caprese, Reuben panini, and and Italian sub called “the Guido,” which is a nod to Jason’s grandparents. The bread, including fresh focaccia, is baked by Bluebird Bakery’s Kevin Scheuing. Patrons can also pick up sides of pasta or bean salads and citrus-marinated olives.

Overall, the Market is the couple’s way of doubling down in their investment in the neighborhood they love so much. They’re even working with Cecil County’s Flying Plow Farm to make Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce pickups accessible every Wednesday. 

“We’ve seen the neighborhood fluctuate, and we just want good things for it,” Evanshaw sums up. 

This past weekend, fans of Baltimore’s boisterous underground music scene bounced back and forth between neighboring North Howard Street venues Le Mondo and Current Space for Subscape—the city’s ever-evolving DIY music fest that features a lineup of more than 60 area punk, alternative, and metal bands across three days.

Though the shows are all free to attend, in keeping with the event’s DIY spirit, organizers turned to crowdfunding (with rewards like VIP perks and locally designed merch) to make sure all talent got paid and production costs were covered. They raised more than double their goal.

“Our city has one of the best music scenes on the planet, and it deserves to be championed by everyone who lives here,” organizers Michael Habif of Baltimore Showplace, Andy Phillips of Wax Atlas, and Kim Te of the band Natural Velvet, wrote on their Indiegogo page. “In a time when it’s harder than ever to find community in the non-virtual world, the DIY music scene is a refuge for countless people to connect and support each other. ”

Amen to that. Browse the gallery below to get a sense of the energy of the third-annual Subscape weekend, captured through the lens of contributing photographer Josh Sisk.

There has been much talk lately of something called a “Performative Male”—namely a guy who conspicuously reads, say, The Bell Jar on the subway and wears a “Believe Women” tee-shirt. There are performative young men at the center of Kent Jones’ Late Fame, but of a different sort. They dress like they just did a stint at the Algonquin Roundtable and they have a strangely formal way of talking—no “likes” and “you knows” for them. But their metaphors are a bit mixed, as they worship the Beat Generation writers like William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, who probably had disdain for those Algonquin sharpies.

All of them are rich and living off their daddy’s money in New York; they assemble at a bar and call themselves The Enthusiasm Society. (Whether the name is ironic or not is left unclear.)

They have also recently discovered a new poet. Well, a new old poet. His name is Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe). He wrote a book of Beat-adjacent poetry that made a minor splash in the early ’70s and he never wrote again. He now leads a quiet, somewhat unremarkable life—he works for the post office and plays pool and shoots the shit with a group of old friends at an East Village bar.

One day he is approached by the leader of The Enthusiasm Society, Meyers (an amusing Edmund Donovan), dressed in an overcoat and the sort of hat you might expect to see in the film Reds. “Are you the Ed Saxberger?” he asks, in awe. He explains that he and his buddies read Way Past Go, the poetry book, and loved it. They think Saxberger is way overdue for a reassessment and a revival. Saxberger for his part is baffled by this young man’s enthusiasm. Is this a joke? His book is out of print. (Meyers found it at a used bookstore.)

“Call me Ed,” he tells Meyers, who objects. “We use last names,” he says. The affectation is strong with this group.

Saxberger half-heartedly agrees to meet with Meyers’ crew, a self-styled group of playwrights, essayists, and poets, at their preferred bar. (They are much more into calling themselves writers than, you know, actually writing.)

Across from them at a different table, like a rival gang of sorts, are a group of influencers, whom they disdain (except for when they want to get in their pants).

“They’re addicts,” says Meyers (Edmund Donovan), with disgust.

“Heroin?” asks Saxberger.

“No, their phones.”

(I loved that little exchange because it shows that Saxberger emerged from a truly dangerous and underground culture. These pampered boys think a phone addiction is a serious problem.)

I was amused by the first part of the film—it reminded me a bit of Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan—as these self-serious young men courted their new idol.

But then Greta Lee’s Gloria, an aspiring actress, shows up and the film shifts rather significantly, because she’s such an outsized presence. Unlike the boys, she doesn’t come from money. And it’s hard to fully describe her schtick (they all have schtick). She sports a flapper haircut, black cat-eye makeup, and a fur stole. She demands that everyone kisses her hand and when she luxuriously flops into a chair, she loudly orders an absinthe.

All the boys are apparently in love with her, but she sets her attention on Saxberger, perhaps thinking he’ll be easy to manipulate or maybe because she’s always drawn to the shiny new thing.

Saxberger is abashed, flattered, and, yes, a bit turned on. He had reluctantly joined this crew but now he must admit he likes it. He and Gloria even begin hanging out.

But eventually something begins to gnaw at him. He feels tokenized. Like a novelty act.

“You must’ve been so beautiful when you were young,” Gloria says to him. Later, Meyers spins a romanticized fantasy of Saxberger arriving in New York with a “duffel bag and 7 dollars.” (“It wasn’t like that,” Saxberger replies.) A group of young people calls him “grandpa.”  What he wants to do is revisit the promise, the excitement, the possibility of his youth—but these young people just keep reminding him how old he is.

Late Fame is the kind of small, smart, and specific indie film that I can never get enough of. I didn’t agree with all its choices—again, Gloria is just too much, and I wasn’t always sure how we were supposed to feel about her. Is she really a talented actress? Does she really have feelings for Saxberger? And what’s up with that cabaret act she does for a small group of horny old men? Is she…a prostitute? Just a down-on-her-luck actress who enjoys slipping into the genteel world these Enthusiasm Society boys have created? Her presence is so large, loud, and over-the-top, she derails the film. (I’m not criticizing Lee, who is a fine actress. The script just does her no favors.)

Dafoe, however, is remarkable—not afraid to show how quickly the sheepish Saxberger gets swept up in the fantasy of him as this dashing raconteur leading a group of young men to greatness. He quietly yearns for things, almost as if he’s forgotten how, and it’s touching. The film shows how easy it is to mythologize yourself and others. But reality has this stubborn habit of getting in the way.

Late Fame opens Friday at the Charles Theatre.

As we wrap up another summer, it’s time to wave goodbye to pool days and cookouts and say hello to books and backpacks. With kids heading back into the classroom (August 24 for Baltimore City and Aug. 31 for Baltimore County public schools), these local community events—offering with fresh haircuts, classroom supplies, and youth mentorship—are here to help your students step into the school year strong. Most are free and include giveaways, but be sure to check details to confirm times, locations, and registration requirements.

School Supply Drives

8/29: Boost Mobile Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway 
If you’re around Eastpoint Mall, swing by Boost Mobile to pick up a free backpack. Students must be accompanied by an adult and can receive one no-purchase-necessary backpack while supplies last. 7816 Eastpoint Mall. 2-4 p.m. 

8/29: Family Development & Samaritan Foundation Back-to-School Drive
Get ready for the school year with this one-stop-shop event from FDSF in Columbia, which works to make sure local youth have the resources to succeed year-round. There will be free school supplies, games and activities, refreshments, and plenty of community connection. The first 200 families to attend will receive a free backpack. 9033 Red Branch Rd., Columbia. 2-5 p.m. 

8/30: Built to Brand Back-to-School Community Day
Head to Brick Bistro in Hampden to join the folks with Built to Brand—committed to helping kids return to school with confidence—for free hairstyles and haircuts from local barbers and salons. Along with hair services, there will be free backpacks and school supplies, snacks, and fun raffles to enter. Registration is required for haircut appointments, which will be first-come, first-served. 4001 Falls Rd. Hair services available from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Activities and snacks from 1-4 p.m.  

End-of-Summer Fun

8/29: West North Avenue Farmers Market Back-to-School Celebration 
The West North Avenue Farmers Market is ringing in the new school year with a special family day. Shop, eat, and support local purveyors while connecting with neighbors and enjoying live entertainment and family-friendly activities. The market will also offer community resources. 1370 W North Ave. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 

8/29: Back-to-School Bash Community Market 
More than 40 local businesses and organizations will be present at this Columbia celebration hosted by the community champions with Tip & Mary Events. There will be something for the whole family with a live DJ, character entertainment, a kids zone, and local vendors. They will be giving out free school supplies while supplies last, so you can check items off your list before getting the kiddos back on the bus. 5885 Robert Oliver Pl., Columbia. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 

8/30: Kleen Barbers Back-to-School Bash
School preparation meets end-of-summer vibes at this back-to-school bash in Rosedale. Local students are invited for free haircuts, Kona Ice snowballs, and school supplies while they last. There will also be music, food and drinks, giveaways, and more. 8665 Pulaski Highway, Suite 116, Rosedale. 10 a.m.-2 p.m

Wellness & Arts 

8/29: Third-Annual Children’s Veg Fest
What better way to kick off the school year than by practicing mindfulness? At the third-annual Children’s Veg Fest at The Weinberg Y in Waverly, sample plant-based food, participate in a kid-friendly cooking demo to get some new ideas for packed lunch, or practice some yoga. The goal is to prepare the whole family for a healthy, happy school year. 900 E 33rd St. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 

8/29: Back-to-School Parent Workshop 
This season, Pilgrim Christian Day School is working with the Behavioral Health Professionals Collective to ensure parents are equipped to help their kids navigate the stresses of back-to-school. Mental health professionals will share practical tips for supporting your child’s mental health and open a dialogue on bullying in school. Spanish-language interpretation will be available. 7200 Liberty Rd. 10-11 a.m. 

9/1: Teen Craft: Back-to-School Vision Boarding 
Enter the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s historic Hampden Branch for a free after-school craft. The library will guide teens in making a personalized collage to help visualize their goals for the new school year. Youth will be able to flex their creative muscles and envision success each time they look at their masterpiece. 3641 Falls Rd. 3-4 p.m. 

If you’re able to gift supplies and looking for an ongoing donation drive, the Baltimore County Public Library will be collecting everything from crayons and colored pencils to folders, dividers, and three-ring binders at all of its 18 branches through Sept. 13. More info, here.

Additional reporting by Joyce Sampson 

The new voice of the Ravens, Kyle Youmans, is Texas born and bred. For the past seven years, the 30-year-old had what seems like a dream job for most people his age in the football broadcasting industry—working for the Dallas Cowboys media team as a TV host, producer, and reporter.

He hosted more than 1,000 episodes of Cowboys content and events, handled play-by-play for multiple NFL TV and radio broadcasts, anchored the Cowboys’ NFL Draft content, and contributed to the organization’s “Deep Blue” documentary series. He and his wife, Laurina, loved the Metroplex and were set to raise their 2-year-old triplets Noelle, Leo, and Michael to be fans of (the self-described) America’s Team.

Then, almost miraculously, an even better opportunity emerged. He was offered the job of replacing recently retired Gerry Sandusky as the Ravens’ play-by-play announcer.

“The Ravens have always had this reputation of being a family-knit organization with a high quality of football,” Youmans says. “Baltimore was one of the few places I would have taken a job outside of Dallas. Achieving a lifelong dream of being the voice of a franchise was enticing for me, but if my family’s not happy and if the football isn’t good, then it’s not really the dream. Baltimore gives a unique opportunity for all those things to be successful.”

As Youmans prepares for his first season of broadcasting in Baltimore—in addition to gameday radio broadcasts, he’ll also be a leading football contributor to WBAL and 98 Rock—we sat down with him to learn more about his love of the game.

When did you fall in love with football?
Growing up in Waco and watching Baylor athletics, my love of football stemmed from college football on Saturdays. My dad was a big NASCAR fan, so on Sundays, it was racing. Usually, it was my mom trying to get the TV switched from NASCAR to football. Being in Texas, the Cowboys were that big- name team that everybody cheered for, but I never got to experience the winning that Dallas had in the ’90s. I was born after a lot of that. So I gravitated toward players. I loved watching Peyton Manning play. I loved watching Ray Lewis and Ed Reed on this Baltimore defense. I loved watching the college players at the time—Vince Young and Reggie Bush. That grew into Robert Griffin III, who had a short stint here.

Did you play football or any other sports?
I was mostly a baseball player growing up. I played football, I played basketball, but I was never really good at either of those. I thought I was going to be a much better baseball player than I ended up being. I pitched a little bit, played a little first base, but never really got the college looks. So once it started settling in reality-wise that maybe baseball wasn’t the future, that’s when I really started pursuing sports journalism.

When did broadcasting become your focus?
The end of my junior year in high school. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to pursue in college. I had taken a video editing class as a junior, and I really enjoyed it. I loved talking to people. I loved watching sports and waking up on Saturday and watching College GameDay and watching the pregame shows on Sundays. So I finally came to the conclusion that covering sports and being around the athletes and coaches wouldn’t feel like a job.

How did you get your start?
Once I arrived at [the University of North Texas], I started doing the Olympic sports play-by-play. Women’s volleyball, women’s soccer, a little bit of women’s basketball and men’s basketball. I joined the student newspaper, the student television station, the student radio station. I tried to get as many reps as humanly possible to give myself some aspect of an identity on a microphone. The confidence level grew from there and I was able to get outside freelance opportunities in high school football and some college basketball.

Do you have an overarching philosophy when it comes to your coverage?
I want to keep a high energy throughout a broadcast. I look at it like a musical artist would look at a crescendo. In music, you’re taught to hit the beginning of the crescendo hard and then let it steadily grow as time goes on. I want a big open with all the storylines. I set the stage, and then from that point forward let the game speak for itself.

[Radio analyst] Rod Woodson is one of the best to ever play this game, so I want his expertise to shine. I want to give as much context to the viewer and to the listener as possible around his expertise. That way the viewer or the listener can get the all-encompassing picture of each play’s importance in that moment.

You mentioned your family played a big role in your decision to move to Baltimore. What was your reaction when you found out you were having triplets?
It was the first eight-week appointment that we had after we found out Laurina was pregnant. We were ready to start a family. We had just bought a house in Dallas. I had established myself with the Cowboys, everything was great. When we went into that appointment, we had no inkling that it would be multiples. We don’t have multiples in our family. The doctor initially said, “Oh, there’s two in here.” We’re like, “Wow, okay, twins, that’s crazy.” And she kind of paused for a second and said, “And I think this is a third one.” We’re like, “Okay, good one Doc.” She was like, “No, I’m serious.”

We just kind of looked at each other and started laughing. That was the first reaction. The second reaction was, for me, concern over health for the babies and my wife because it is a high-risk pregnancy. So for them to be all healthy and for her to be healthy was the number one priority. It’s really been such a blessing and so much fun from that point forward.

“I look at [my job] like a musical artist would look at a crescendo. In music, you’re taught to hit the beginning of the crescendo hard and then let it steadily grow. I want a big open with all the storylines to set the stage, and then I let the game speak for itself.”

How many hours of sleep do you get these days?
They’re actually pretty good sleepers. We’ve been extremely lucky. I’m finding some wood to knock on as I speak.

Do any of your children seem to have the pipes to become a broadcaster one day?
There is a louder one, and it’s my lone daughter. We have the identical boys, Leo and Michael, and then we have Noelle, who is our princess baby girl. She’s got the personality. She’s got the vocal cords. She has every ounce of smarts, too. Too smart for her own good at times. So if there was ever one that decided to follow in my footsteps, right now, as 2-year-olds, I think Noelle has the edge.

It’s only slight hyperbole to say that The End of Oak Street is the greatest film Steven Spielberg never made. This is not just because it’s set in 1982 and features remarkably life-like dinosaurs chasing around a nuclear family. It’s because writer-director David Robert Mitchell takes the time—but not too much time—to allow us to get to know this family. We know that mom, Denise (Anne Hathaway, who is apparently legally obligated to be in all the films that come out in 2026), is unhappy in her marriage and fantasizes about running away. She expresses this desire through a novel she’s been secretly hammering away at (on a manual typewriter, no less) in the basement. Meanwhile, dad Greg (Ewan McGregor, likeable enough that we tolerate his attempt at an American accent) is strapped for cash and makes extra money delivering pizzas. Every night, he dutifully removes the pizza cartop from his sedan because, as he tells his son, “Mom is embarrassed.”

Then there are the kids, Brian and Audrey (Christian Convery and Maisy Stella). Brian is crushing on the new girl and running away from a bully. He’s also the one who’s most devoted to the family dog, Starbuck—a somewhat brilliant narrative devise because it answers the question, “Why would a kid leave his home in the middle of a dinosaur uprising?” (Answer: To look for his dog.) And Audrey rather conveniently is obsessed with space travel and Carl Sagan. Her knowledge of black holes and portals comes in handy under the circumstances.

So what are the circumstances? There are lights. Weird objects that show up out of nowhere—a prehistoric plant that suddenly appears in the backyard of kindly Mrs. Huddleston (Anne Gee Byrd) and a giant pile of manure (at first we assume it’s cow manure) that has landed on the front lawn of tetchy neighbor, Mel (P.J. Byrne)—he blames the kids. Then, a giant light flash, a thunderous noise, fierce wind, and the power goes out. But it’s more than that—eventually the family realizes they are surrounded by dinosaurs including pterodactyls, triceratops, and these giant snake like things that can slither around hallways and have a mouthful of spiky teeth. What the hell is actually going on? Is it some sort of alien invasion? Has nature reclaimed the burbs? Have the dinosaurs time traveled? Or…has the neighborhood?

Because we like and care about this family, the stakes are particularly high. And the action is great—family members jumping through cars with shattered windows, using inadequate guns and bows and arrows, getting separated, coming together in emotional reunions. And of course, through it all, Denise and Greg are going to realize how much they love each other.

I was all in.

The fact that it’s set in the 80s makes for a nice Spielberg homage and raises the stakes. No cell phones, no internet, no AI (“Hey Claude, how could a human survive a dinosaur apocalypse?”). A pay phone ends up playing a prominent role.

And the film is funny—not quite as sharp as Spielberg at his best—but the script gets in a few good ones. As far as I know, Spielberg never showed us two T-Rexes getting it on.

There is one deeply disturbing and gory scene that suggests that director Mitchell was raised on a slightly more gnarly version of horror. But his heart is in the right place—he loves these characters and so we do. And as scary as it can be, there’s that comforting Spielbergian feeling that mom and dad are going to make everything okay. Gulp, we hope.

Chris Davis, the once-proud slugger who by then might as well have had his albatross of a contract hanging around his neck, trotted down the orange carpet from center field on Opening Day 2019 to a mix of cheers and boos. By his third strikeout, in the sixth inning, boos were all that was left.  

They rained down from a crowd of more than 44,000 at Camden Yards, on a day that’s usually a celebration in Baltimore no matter the score. This was different. When a little-used utility infielder pinch hit for Davis late in the game, the crowd let out a roar louder than anything Davis had heard all day. 

He could have ducked out quietly afterward. Instead, he stood at his locker, answered every question from the media, while wearing a gray T-shirt reading “Courage.” I was there.

“I don’t think anybody’s feeling sorry for me right now,” Davis said. “I understand the frustration. Nobody’s more frustrated than I am.”

He was ready to turn it around. He never did. But on Saturday, more than six years from that low, Davis went into the Orioles Hall of Fame at Camden Yards, alongside former pitcher Storm Davis and the late scout Jim Russo. In an on-field, pregame ceremony before the O’s hosted the Philadelphia Phillies, Davis heard only cheers, as if the organization and the city could finally exhale over one of the most dramatic career arcs in franchise history. 

It’s worth remembering why there was once so much good noise about Davis. After arriving from the Texas Rangers in a 2011 trade as a 25-year-old, the 6-foot-4 left-handed-hitting first baseman spent 10 seasons in Baltimore and put together a series of enduring highlights, including clobbering 11 career home runs onto Eutaw Street, which is still tied for most in Camden Yards history. 

In 2013, Davis led the majors with 53 homers—still the franchise record—along with 138 RBIs and got his only All-Star nod. Two years later, he led the league in home runs again, making him the only player in Orioles history with two 40-homer seasons, as the Orioles, coming off 14 straight losing seasons, made three playoff runs in five years.

“Crush” was so beloved, in fact, that during 2016 free agency, Jimmy’s Seafood publicly offered Davis, his kids, and his future grandchildren free crab cakes for life if he re-signed. 

In one of the last big deals made by former owner Peter Angelos, the Orioles signed Davis that January to a seven-year, $161 million contract, the largest in franchise history, with deferred payments now stretching to 2037, when Davis will be 51—Baltimore’s answer to Bobby Bonilla. But almost as soon as the ink dried on the deal, Davis’ production fell off. His body started to deteriorate and he lost his form and confidence at the plate. Then-manager Buck Showalter told him it was hard to watch. 

He struck out a career-high 219 times in 2016, hit .215 in 2017, then hit a career-worst .168 in 2018, which was one of the worst seasons by a qualified hitter in major league history. By 2019, he’d go 0-for-54, the longest hitless streak by a position player ever recorded—an ordeal that included that painful Opening Day when he was repeatedly booed. 

Later that season, Davis sat in the visitor’s dugout before a game in Washington, took off his hat, and found clumps of his own hair inside it because of the stress. “It tore me up,” Davis said during an extensive interview with Ryan Ripken last week. “It’s so hard when you can be elite…and then it just leaves. It’s super frustrating and it’s confusing.” 

Davis has said since that he spent the end of his career masking a back injury he never fully addressed. Spinal injections in one spring training once left him unable to rotate his torso for eight weeks. He pushed through it until a torn hip labrum and bone spurs ended his career for good in 2021.  

The contract didn’t cause the decline, but it gave frustrated fans a price tag to point to and fueled public doubts— including from O’s Hall-of-Famer Jim Palmer, who questioned Davis’ work ethic on TV. There was also a 25-game suspension for amphetamines in 2014, after Davis’ longtime therapeutic-use exemption for the ADHD medication Adderall lapsed for one season.  

But maybe the lowest single moment came in August 2019, in a blowout loss to the Yankees, when Davis and then-first-year manager Brandon Hyde got into a heated exchange in the dugout physical enough that teammates and coaches had to hold Davis back. He addressed it himself two days later.  

“I hit a breaking point,” he said. “It’s going to happen when you have that much frustration. You’re going to have episodes where you have to let it out, unfortunately.” He wished it had happened somewhere private, he said, “but it happened, and I can’t go back and change that.” 

By the time he retired in 2021, Davis carried what felt like a big burden. “When I left, it was really hard because I felt like I had let a lot of people down,” he said Friday, inside the Warehouse at Camden Yards. “I was beat up, physically, mentally, emotionally.”  

He stayed almost entirely away from the sport for a couple of years, needing the distance. “I always kept up with the Orioles, but I felt like I needed that time to just reset and regroup.”

Now, he sees those years differently. “The hard parts, they help me appreciate the good times even more,” he said, “the good years when we were winning baseball games and going on playoff runs and all that stuff.” 

Davis, who turned 40 in March, is now on the field most for youth sports: volunteering as a hitting and infield coach for the baseball team at Liberty Christian School outside of Dallas-Fort Worth, where his three daughters attend, and coaching and driving them to softball games.  

It’s in this context that he got the call about the Orioles Hall of Fame selection, something he wasn’t sure would ever come, given how his playing days ended. But last year, at Camden Yards for Adam Jones’ own induction, Jones told Davis flatly he was going in too, if only because he’s the franchise’s single-season home run king.  

Davis didn’t buy it until Bill Stetka, the team’s alumni director, called him this spring, while Davis was standing on a practice field in Texas, where his 8-year-old daughter, Grace, was scrimmaging. He told Stetka he’d call him back. They connected again that night, and Davis got the news he was in the O’s 2026 Hall of Fame class. 

“It’s a huge honor,” Davis said. 

While Davis never made the comeback everyone wanted to see on the field, this weekend, he made a different one—back to Baltimore. 

He and his family never lived in the city full time, but after 10 seasons, they feel like part of the community all the same. He and his wife, Jill Davis, donated $3 million in 2019 to fund a cardiac lab and operating room at the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital, named for their oldest daughter, Evelyn, who was born with a heart defect. 

The Davises returned to the hospital this week to scoop ice cream and visit patients, nurses, and doctors. “Just doing something special for them is something we care about,” Jill said.

On Friday, at a luncheon inside the Warehouse, Tommy Hunter—the pitcher traded to Baltimore alongside Davis in 2011—introduced him, and Davis hosted Showalter and a room full of old teammates for dinner. 

“We had a bunch of guys that had stuff to prove. We had a lot of guys that were from other organizations that had been released,” Davis said Friday. “We leaned into that mentality, and I think it kind of goes hand in hand with the mentality of the city of Baltimore. This is a blue-collar city.” 

On Saturday, Davis was welcomed to the field at Camden Yards during a pregame ceremony. Showalter and a handful of former clubhouse mates—Matt Wieters, Zach Britton, Darren O’Day, and former hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh among them—watched from behind home plate as a highlight video played on the stadium’s scoreboard. After a deep breath, a suited-up Davis delivered brief remarks to early-arriving fans, many there to see and hear him. 

“It’s been an emotional last few days to say the least,” Davis said, before thanking his family and friends for being there. “It’s not about the journey, it’s about the people that you walk the journey with. I’m so thankful to have had such a good group of guys to walk that journey with me.  

“It was a big deal to bring winning baseball back to Baltimore. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate everybody coming out, being here. It means the world to me, and I hope y’all enjoy the game.”  

Hunter then slipped the signature O’s Hall-of-Fame green jacket over Davis’ broad shoulders. 

The O’s lost to the Phillies 5-0, but Davis, watching from a suite with Showalter and his old teammates, didn’t seem to mind. He stayed until the last out, then took selfies and shook hands with fans as they left—some of the same people, or people just like them, who years earlier had wanted him gone. 

“You got to keep going,” Davis told a television audience during an appearance in the MASN broadcast booth in the third inning of Saturday’s game. “This game is so hard. You’re going to deal with adversity. You’re going to deal with failure…You have to keep your head up, you have to think about positive things, you have to do things the right way and just keep going.” 

This story was originally published by The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom covering gun violence in America. Sign up for its newsletters here.

In early July, more than 100 people stopped by Sawmill Creek Park just across the Baltimore City line in Glen Burnie for the third-annual “Aaliyah Day.” It was a good turnout, especially given the triple-digit temperatures that threatened to keep some away.  

The stifling weather didn’t stop attendees from playing basketball or entering raffles for cash, shoes, and Orioles tickets. A DJ played upbeat music as family and friends handed out food and cold water. People chatted and exchanged quiet smiles. Many paused to look at the tribute on the black metal fence, where Aaliyah’s portrait hung alongside eight others, all young people lost to gun violence. 

The day before the event, Krystal Gonzalez, Aaliyah’s mother, felt overtaken by emotions.

“Yesterday was full of tears, a rollercoaster,” she said. “This was the last day that I saw my baby alive on July 1, three years ago.”

For Gonzalez, the July 2 celebration was meant to be completely different from the block party where her daughter died. It was her way of reclaiming the day and restoring hope.

“But it’s also inspiring change,” she said.

Aaliyah was 18 and a recent high school graduate when she was shot and killed. She was one of two people who died after shots erupted in the largest mass shooting in modern Baltimore history. Twenty-eight others were also wounded—including 15 minors.

They were shot at the Brooklyn Day block party, an annual community event in the Brooklyn Homes section of Baltimore. The event was banned after the shooting, and the city Housing Authority is now being accused of negligence in a lawsuit filed by Gonzalez and the family of 20-year-old Kylis Fagbemi, the other victim who died in the shooting. Four people injured in the shooting have also filed lawsuits.

“My eyes were opened to the many disparities and injustices that caused this awful event to happen,” Gonzalez says. “There were a lot of missteps and finger-pointing, and as a result, my daughter is no longer here.”

Gonzalez’s journey from grief to activism has been driven by her desire for answers and change. She has become a prominent voice in the media and at the Baltimore City Council, calling attention to systemic failures around Brooklyn Day. She has pointed to years of unpermitted block parties that were allowed to continue, a public housing authority that looked the other way, and police officers who did not respond to several 911 calls about guns at the scene.

The last moments Gonzalez shared with her daughter felt strangely eerie. She had cooked Aaliyah’s favorite meal for dinner, and her gut had urged her to pull Aaliyah into a tight embrace in the hallway, for no particular reason. They had shared similar moments many times— quick hugs before Aaliyah’s shifts at Starbucks, after rides to school, or during late-night check-ins. But this time felt heavier, as if Gonzalez sensed something was wrong that July evening. 

When Aaliyah stopped by her bedroom to say goodbye before leaving for the party, Gonzalez again felt she needed to pay close attention. Aaliyah’s last words to her mother were, “I’m leaving. I love you, Mom. I’ll see you later.”

That night around 1 a.m., Gonzalez was woken up by her husband’s screams. Aaliyah had been shot. They hurried to Brooklyn Homes, hoping to find their wounded daughter. First responders told them to go to MedStar Harbor Hospital, but the hospital told them to go back to Brooklyn Homes. Back on the scene, Gonzalez found Aaliyah’s body, identified by the tattoo on her arm, lying on the ground covered with a sheet. 

Shocked and inconsolable, she learned Aaliyah had been pronounced dead at 12:34 a.m. and that her body had been waiting there all along amid the chaos of overturned tables and broken glass, blood spatters, exhibit tags, and crime scene tapes. 

“I could feel the fear of people in that place,” Gonzalez says. “I knew Aaliyah might have been scared. It was an awful thing for any parent to experience. It never leaves you.” 

Five people have pleaded guilty to charges related to the Brooklyn Homes shooting, but no one has faced murder charges for the two deaths. The Baltimore Police Department has not responded to requests for comment. 

The lawsuits filed by Gonzalez and the other victim’s families claim the Housing Authority failed to provide proper security that could have prevented the shooting.  

The city’s “after-action” report, released in August 2023, placed much of the blame for events spiraling out of control on the Baltimore Police Department. The report noted BPD’s failure to gather intelligence around the event, to deploy needed officers, and to respond to 911 calls prior to the gunfire.

The report added, “Officer indifference may have compromised the awareness, planning, and response to Brooklyn Day prior to the large crowds arriving.” Ultimately, one police officer was terminated along with one BPD civilian employee. Seven other officers and three other civilian employees were assessed days of lost pay.

“There’s nothing that they can do criminally to give me justice for my child,” Gonzalez says. “What I can focus on is seeing my community change as a result of my daughter losing her life.” 

As one of the few victims’ family members to speak out publicly since the tragedy, she realized the community had come to accept violence as normal because it had gone on so long. Without action, this cycle would likely continue.

“Bullets have no name—wrong place, wrong time,” Gonzalez says. “I refuse to let this be a world that we live in. We have to do so much to change the culture.”

That’s how her nonprofit foundation, Redirecting Our Culture (ROC), was born seven months after Aaliyah’s death. The organization helps families rebuild after trauma, focusing on mental health and interrupting the cycle that turns traumatized youth into future perpetrators. 

Key initiatives include bi-weekly peer-to-peer meetings for bereaved mothers affected by gun violence, grief support sessions, and youth character development workshops. ROC also serves as a bridge, connecting survivors with community violence interrupters to access wrap-around services through the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE). 

“Our vision is to turn those same moms into victim advocates, which is going to open up more of a space for more victims to be touched,” says Mark Mason, who oversees victim services at MONSE.

During this year’s Aaliyah Day, representatives from the Anne Arundel County Workforce Development Corporation provided job resources, while officers from the Baltimore Police Department were present not just to ensure safety, but also to engage with the community, Gonzalez says. 

Sitting on a shaded bench, Tamica Howard looked at her son’s portrait displayed on the fence across the field. A rush of emotions came over her as she took in the tribute. Her oldest son, 19-year-old Diamante Howard, was killed in April 2018 during a dice game, and even now it still feels like it happened yesterday.

“I am just trying to bear with it,” she said. “So it’s rough.”

Howard was attending Aaliyah Day for the first time, having recently joined ROC. She takes part in the group chats, Zoom calls, and in-person meetings with the other bereaved mothers. 

“We went through the same thing, but differently,” Howard said. “If you need someone to talk to, you can call them. It’s awesome to have support from people who know what you’re going through.”

Baltimore has seen historic reductions in gun violence in recent years, in line with the national downward trend. Research suggests this is driven by the city’s approach—a coordinated system that combines focused deterrence, community violence intervention, victim services, and improved investigations under the sustained leadership of the Mayor’s Office.  

Nationally, though, gun violence remains the leading cause of death for Generation Z, something that has held true since 2017. That’s where Aaliyah Day comes in, and why it can play a key role in maintaining progress toward reducing gun violence.

From the start, Gonzalez has framed Aaliyah Day as more than just a vigil. She views it as part of a greater effort for community safety, with city agencies, violence interrupters, neighborhood leaders, and survivors all working together.

“It absolutely is a collective effort,” she says. “Everybody has to work together in order to see any kind of change.”

Mason, MONSE’s chief of victim services, says events like Aaliyah Day complement government-led initiatives and can be “hugely effective” in changing how young people see violence and their options. 

“Which is why [Aaliyah Day] is so unique,” he says. Gonzalez “has put things together where, everywhere you turn, as a young person, you can find something or someone to engage with.”

For young adults like Kayla Green, watching people from different backgrounds and cultures come together at Aaliyah Day was inspiring.

Green, a 25-year-old makeup artist from Baltimore, had planned to go to the Brooklyn Day block party three years ago, but ultimately stayed home. Even though she did not know Aaliyah personally, Green was deeply affected by her story. Almost attending the deadly block party changed how she thinks about safety and community responsibility. 

She believes government programs are important, but says survivor-led events like Aaliyah Day “just take away the tension.” She feels that while politicians should do more, the community often does better.

“I feel like we as a community could work faster than them,” she said. “We want the younger community to have a say in protesting, getting out in the field, and sticking up for ourselves.”

On the same day Gonzalez brings families and young people together for Aaliyah Day in Sawmill Creek Park, MONSE, through its Safe Streets Baltimore program, hosts a quieter wellness event at Brooklyn Homes to mark the anniversary of the mass shooting there. These healing events are designed, as Mason puts it, to bring “a more serene type of atmosphere” to Ground Zero.

Along with promoting community events like the bi-annual healing hikes and the annual Aaliyah Day, Gonzalez has spent many hours meeting with lawmakers. She met with Maryland Governor Wes Moore about the ENOUGH Act to fight child poverty after Brooklyn Day, testified for gun control laws to stop DIY machine guns, and spoke at rallies. 

Recognized as a leading advocate for victim services, she attended the Biden-Harris administration’s Mother’s Convening on Improving Services for Gun Violence Victims at the White House in March 2024.

Even as she navigates unresolved grief, Gonzalez is intent on widening the reach of Redirecting Our Culture. She wants to build on her partnerships with MONSE and to one day open a trauma recovery center for youth and parents. 

Gonzalez, who now works as chief of staff for a state delegate in Annapolis, says she feels “no trepidation, no fear, no anxiety” when it comes to standing before those in power to prevent other families from enduring what her family has. 

“There are days where I sit with my tail down, but I let those days come and go,” Gonzalez says. “In the meantime, I have to keep moving forward, because the only things in life that are guaranteed are death and change.”

Outdoor movies have long been a summer tradition in Baltimore. Just look at Bengie’s Drive-In in Essex, which has been a destination for 70 years. Not only do the open-air screenings offer a hefty dose of nostalgia, they also provide an unconventional way for locals to experience some of the area’s greatest greenspaces.

“Experiencing a film in the surrounding setting of a new park or outdoor venue is really what’s bringing people out, especially post-COVID,” says Jonathan Young, the owner of Essex-based Vintage View Cinemas, a company that sources screens, concession stands, and other equipment for many area movie events. 

Beyond the setting, Young says that the summer activity endures as a way for locals to connect.

“Outdoor movies can bring people together, not just from a standpoint of sitting in the same space and watching the same film but, beyond that, creating communities and friend groups based on the love of the movies on the screen.” 

To that end, no matter where you are in the Baltimore area this summer, there is always an outdoor movie nearby. Here, we round up places to catch fresh-air flicks in the coming weeks: 

BALTIMORE CITY

AVAM’s Flicks from the Hill: On four Thursday nights in July, AVAM will once again host its summer movie series on the hill facing the museum off of Key Highway. This summer, show up early to enjoy on-theme, pre-movie workshops preceding The Wiz, A Wrinkle in Time, Men in Black, and Labyrinth. Viewers also get free museum admission from 5-9 p.m., so be sure to do a walkthrough before claiming your spot. 800 Key Highway. 5 p.m. Movies begin at 8:45 p.m. Free.

The Sound Garden x Arepi Summer Film Series: For th second year, Fells Point neighbors The Sound Garden and Arepi are hosting films under the stars in their back parking lot on Tuesday nights at dusk. Throw a lawn chair over your shoulder and head toward Thames to stock up on records, beer, wine, arepas, and popcorn before the opening credits. The theme this year is movies with iconic soundtracks, including Fast Times at Ridgemont High on July 21 and Scott Pilgrim vs The World on July 28. 1616 Thames St. Films start at dusk. Free admission. 

Rhythm & Reels: This summer, and through October, the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks is rotating around the city’s many public spaces to bring the community films of all kinds. You can catch titles like Wicked: For Good on Aug. 22 at Canton Waterfront Park, Jurassic Park: Rebirth at Irvington Park on Oct. 2, and The Craft just in time for spooky season back at Canton Waterfront Park on Oct. 23.  Locations and times vary. Free. 

Outdoor Movie Nights at Baltimore Peninsula: South Baltimore’s waterfront locale is bringing back its outdoor film series with monthly showings, including Love & Basketball on Aug. 14 and The Greatest Showman on Sept. 11. As always, the events will feature eats for sale by visiting vendors beginning at 6 p.m. Pack a blanket or lawn chair and head to the big screen adjacent to Rye Street Tavern. 301 E. Cromwell St. Movies at 8 p.m. Free.   

BALTIMORE COUNTY

Bengies Drive-In: With frequent double features, this famous film fixture—known for having one of the largest outdoor screens in the country—offers quantity and quality. Be sure to review Bengie’s house rules before attending. (A minimum of two people must be in the car.) 3417 Eastern Blvd. Middle River. Times vary. Weekend showings: $4.00 car fee, $12.50 per person, $7.00 ages 4-10.   

Essex Outdoor Movie Under the Stars: Mingle with friends and neighbors while checking out community resources (and chowing down on free pizza while supplies last) at this recurring event put on by the Essex Community Development Corporation. On Friday, Aug. 28, bring a lawn chair to relax and enjoy Pixar’s Elio with the whole fam at 6 p.m. Cox’s Point Park. 820 Riverside Dr. Essex. 6 p.m. Free. 

Movies on Main at Hunt Valley Towne Centre: A massive pop-up screen in Hunt Valley Towne Centre’s center plaza will display movies on the third Thursday of every month through October. Grab dinner (and a requisite treat) from the area eateries before settling down for Inside Out on Aug. 20, Freaky Friday on Sept. 17, and Hocus Pocus on Oct. 15. 118 Shawan Rd. Movies start at sundown. Free. 

Screen on the Green Movie Series: The folks with Baltimore County Recreation and Parks are hosting roving showings at parks around the county on weekends throughout the summer. Among the featured films are The Lion King at the Pikesville Armory on July 26, Goat at the Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum in Catonsville on Aug. 21, and The Wedding Singer at the Fullerton Community Center in Overlea on Sept 18. Locations and showtimes vary. Free.

CARROLL COUNTY

Outdoor Summer Movies in Westminster: On select Tuesdays throughout the summer, join the Carroll County Arts Council for its Outdoor Summer Family Movie Series. Films roll Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. at Carroll Community College. Bring your own chairs, blankets, and snacks to enjoy adventures like Robin Hood on July 28 and Muppet Treasure Island on Aug 4. 1601 Washington Rd. 8:30 p.m. Westminster. Free.

HARFORD COUNTY

Summer Movie Nights in Bel Air: Consider yourself lucky, because the Bel Air Downtown Alliance is showing summer movies at Shamrock Park every third Friday in July and August. This season, bring the fam for pre-show activities like face-painting, karate, cheerleading, and book browsing. The movies—Zootopia 2 on July 17 and The Minecraft Movie on Aug. 21—start at 8 p.m., and food trucks (think: Crabby Pretzel, The Slice is Right, Kona Ice, and Sunny Day Lemonade) will be present for all of your concession needs. Shamrock Park-Lee Street. Bel Air. 7:00-9:30 p.m. Free

HOWARD COUNTY

Movie Nights at the Wine Bin: This Ellicott City liquor store has a lot more to offer than its namesake bottles of vino. Along with its craft beers, cocktail kits, and charcuterie selection, the shop provides a great variety of outdoor movies in its parking lot on Saturday nights throughout the summer. The Wine Bin staff has once again curated a jam-packed lineup of classics such as The Breakfast Club, Monsters Inc., The Princess Bride, and The Dark Knight. This year, all popcorn proceeds will benefit Ellicott City advocacy program Voices for Children. 8390 Main St. Ellicott City. Times vary. Free.

Lakefront Live: The Columbia Association is back with another year of Lakefront Live, a series of music, food, and, of course, outdoor movies overlooking Lake Kittamaqundi. Happening on select Friday and Saturday nights September, the well-rounded roster this season includes adventures like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on July 23, Hoppers on Aug. 14, Freakier Friday on Aug. 21, and How to Train Your Dragon on Sept. 4. Downtown Columbia Lakefront 10275 Wincopin Circle. Columbia. 8:15 p.m. Free.

Additional reporting by Hunter Hine, Nina Branwell, and Kirstin Nichols

There’s a reason why Christopher Nolan keeps suggesting that you see his The Odyssey on the largest screen possible—ideally, in IMAX. If nothing else, the film is a spectacle—a technical triumph that brings all the magic, bloodshed, and mythology of Homer’s epic to life.

Ever wondered what it was like inside the Trojan Horse? Wonder no more. Ever asked yourself what it felt like for the soldiers of Ithaca to take on a Cyclops? It was apparently terrifying (and a little sad). We see it all—the depths of Hades, the deadly allure of the Sirens, and, in one remarkable scene, the witch Circe (Samantha Morton) turning Odysseus’ army into a pack of grunting hogs.

We have the technology. And we also have a master of action who can choreograph all of these elaborate set pieces with intensity, clarity, and awe.

I confess I’ve never read The Odyssey (I did my thesis on James Joyce’s Ulysses, if that counts (it doesn’t)). But we’ve all learned the story through cultural osmosis. We know one of its major themes is a primal desire for home, which happens to be an obsession in many Nolan films—from Interstellar to Inception to Dunkirk. Here, Nolan also grapples with the Golden Rule—in the film it’s called Zeus’ Law. The idea is to be kind to strangers, lest they be gods in disguise.

But are the gods even real? In the film, they are depicted as real—although Athena (Zendaya) only comes to Odysseus (Matt Damon) as an apparition. But the Cyclops—massive, with a one enormous eye and a nose twisted to its side to make him look like a giant Picasso painting—is real. As is the righteous magic of Circe, the omniscience of the denizens of the underworld (here called Hades), the power of goddesses, and so on.

But Nolan also leaves room for the idea that gods were conjured to explain the horrors and mysteries of nature. When Odysseus’ ship is wracked with deadly storms and waves, his crew believes it’s because he has angered Poseidon. There’s an angry god to explain every natural disaster, every tragedy that befalls man.

So, the plot: Odysseus leads an army into Troy, knowing the mission is possibly futile, if not doomed completely. Meanwhile, his devoted wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), waits for him for 20 years, fending off dozens of would-be suitors, who stay in her castle like it’s a gilded Holiday Inn. Odysseus’ son, Telemachus (Tom Holland), was just a baby when Odysseus left for war—he doesn’t know his father, but he idolizes him all the same. He hears wonderful stories of Odysseus’ decency, bravery, and honor, from not just his mother, but from his father’s loyal servant, the now blind and enfeebled Eumaeus (John Leguizamo). Like many blind men of mythology, Eumaeus can “see” what other men can’t. There is also Odysseus’ bedraggled, loyal hunting dog, half dead, waiting for his master to come home. (Nolan is laying it on a little thick here, but who am I to grumble over a cute dog.)

Of the would-be suitors, the most attractive—and malevolent—is Antinous (Robert Pattinson), who sees young Telemachus as a threat to the throne and plots to kill him.

The film toggles back and forth between life with devoted Penelope and the many trials of Odysseus and his crew. Penelope insists she will pick a suitor once she finishes the funeral shroud she has been weaving for years. However, every night, she unravels the work of that day. When he’s old enough, Telemachus travels to Sparta to learn something—anything—about the whereabouts of his father, a trip that will imperil both him and his mother.

By now, the war is essentially over. Odysseus is presumed dead, but in fact, has been a captive, of sorts, of the goddess Calypso (Charlize Theron), who healed his wounds and has been feeding him lotus flower to cloud his memory for seven long years.

Is it spoiler to say that Odysseus eventually makes his way home? (This is less a spoiler alert and more of a “know your classic literature” alert.) He disguises himself as a beggar—and we get a little Good Will Hunting action. Never underestimate Matt Damon, especially if you think he’s beneath you.

Damon, I should say, is an excellent Odysseus. The 55-year-old actor got jacked for the role and he seems powerful, even as an old man with a white beard wandering around in a tattered toga on Calypso’s island. Importantly, he manages to convey the wisdom, kindness, and practicality of Odysseus. Like all great leaders, he must make difficult choices. Sometimes a few men need to be sacrificed to save the rest.

Most of the acting is solid, with Hathaway able to do some enjoyable scenery chomping as Penelope, ever imperious and regal but nearly driven mad with grief. In their few scenes together, she and the mustache-twirling Pattinson get to fight over who can devour the scenery more greedily. Go off, you two. Holland is fine as Telemachus—he brings an earnestness and sturdy physicality to the role. He’s likeable, as ever, but just not that interesting? (Or maybe that’s just compared to the histrionics of Hathaway and Pattinson.)

Other standouts in the cast include Leguizamo, Morton—the film really comes to life once her Circe appears—and Himesh Patel as Odysseus’ faithful (to a point) deputy.

Again, I’m not able to point out discrepancies between the film and the original text, but there is one element to Nolan’s Odyssey that feels very modern, very much him: Odysseus’ guilt over the destruction of Troy, which mirrors Oppenheimer’s guilt when he sees what his atom bomb has wrought. I’m not sure Odysseus was that in touch with his feelings back in 1200 BCE.

Still, it’s Nolan’s party and he can do what he wants with it. He’s succeeded in many ways—bringing a classic epic poem to life, modernizing it, but certainly not in a thoughtless way, and utilizing the full range of his prodigious cinematic toolkit. Did I love it? Not quite. I prefer more a little more character development and a little less spectacle. But it’s going to be a lot of people’s favorite film (okay, mostly dudes). And yeah, it’s more than good enough to earn that honor.

We know, we know. When you walk up to a bar on a sweltering summer day, and the maître d’ asks if you prefer inside or outside, the obvious answer is to get in that chilly AC. But there’s something about sipping al fresco, amidst the city’s classic summer sights and sounds—neighbors walking their dogs, a parade of 12 O’Clock Boys—that feels like a rite of the season.

The outdoor patio becomes the point. Gathering with friends you haven’t seen in a while, with a beautifully garnished drink in your hand, becomes a special occasion. And if you know where to go, you’ll find that the city’s seasonal craft cocktail offerings are worth breaking a sweat for.

Case in point: Sugarvale in Mt. Vernon. Its outdoor seating consists of small café tables, picnic tables, and benches installed during the pandemic, which have become a go-to spot to post up and people-watch near the Washington Monument.

Beverage director Collin Schnitker has been excited about the warm weather for months. “We’re a craft cocktail bar, but, to me, we’re a neighborhood bar above everything else,” he says.

Nearly a decade into his tenure, Schnitker still approaches each new menu the way a chef does. He looks at which ingredients are in season, and pursues the unexpected.

“It’s a creative thing,” he says. Outside of Sugarvale, he produces music and film through his label Shiny Boy Press, now approaching 50 releases. He uses those same artistic instincts to show up behind the bar.

He breaks his menu philosophy down into three sections. The first is “the big swing,” a strong concept usually borrowed from food. Previously, he’s used pho and tacos al pastor as inspo for drinks. This summer, Schnitker is featuring the “Uncle Albert,” which spotlights broccoli juice (he promises it tastes better than it sounds) with Uncle Val’s botanical gin, Pangur Irish Poitín, ginger honey, lime, black pepper, and ranch powder tinctures—all garnished with olive oil droplets to tease its savory flavors.

The second is the classic riffs, where he takes something familiar and pushes it somewhere new. The last is simple: find an ingredient he’s never worked with and figure out how it can appeal to customers.

This summer, these goals surfaced in new drinks like the Mai Taigo, a riff on the Mai Tai that wasn’t complete until Schnitker took a walk around the corner to see his friends at neighborhood restaurant My Thai Go. He went over, explained what he was thinking, and came back with Thai tea and Thai chilies. The result is cold, bright, and built for a warm evening outside.

Another is the Telenovela, a cilantro-forward cocktail that gets its name from a connection Schnitker couldn’t resist: cilantro, soap, soap opera, Mexican soap opera. The drink fuses tequila, a wheat-based spirit from the company Empirical made with cilantro, and a house-made roasted coriander syrup that gets blended fresh with cilantro every day. There’s a little pepper liqueur. A little aquavit. It’s approachable, but strange in the best way— something that sounds like a margarita but drinks like its own thing.

That balance is welcoming and adventurous, as is the whole vibe at Sugarvale. The menu is built to have something for everyone, including NA versions of all the shaken cocktails. Schnitker designs each menu to span the full range: savory drinks, easy-sippers, and “drinks your mom could order.” He wants people to feel comfortable asking questions, admitting when they don’t see what they want, and letting the bartenders take them somewhere new.

Nine years in, he still talks about the bar like it’s a living thing—something that gives back what you put in, that belongs to the neighborhood as much as to anyone who works there.

“There is something for everyone here,” he says. “I just want people to feel welcome.”

Now that we’re all in the summer sipping spirit, here are a few more local bars to hit for refreshing libations before the season passes us by.

The Coral Wig
Tucked in an alley near Mt. Vernon’s Hotel Ulysses, this concept—lauded by Bon Appétit—draws on owner Lane Harlan’s childhood in the Philippines and her husband Matthew Pierce’s upbringing in St. Kitts, giving the drink menu a tropical, rum-forward sensibility perfectly timed for warm weather. Inside is tiny, dark, sexy, and sumptuous, while the outdoor patio is small and feels like a secret, which is part of the appeal.

The Dive
We don’t know about you, but, to us, cocktails taste better when served in a vintage cartoon glass with a crazy straw. This is the kind of nostalgia you can expect at The Dive in Canton, which pours signatures like the cucumber gin and melon-forward Pinball Wizard and blue-hued Mermaid’s Tale with rum and amaretto. Don’t leave without ordering a pizza and a swirl of house soft-serve. 

Fadensonnen
In Old Goucher, this courtyard at natural wine bar is a popular spring-summer hangout. Recent upgrades include a roster of all-Spanish bottles “designed for long afternoons and evenings in the garden.” It’s also a known venue for community events, so be sure to peep the online calendar of live music, markets, and other programs before you visit.

Golden West Cafe
At this nearly 30-year-old institution on the Avenue in Hampden, beverage director Dee Acosta builds her drinks around ingredients that trace back to her New Mexico roots—prickly pear, agave, lavender, peppers, and nixta (corn). “Using traditional ingredients is an act of cultural preservation and resistance,” according to Acosta, who connects the bar’s approach to Indigenous food sovereignty and a broader effort to help modern communities reconnect with ancestral knowledge.

Go for the Spaghettini, an Aperol and High Life pony poured into a coupe glass, or the Espresso Tonic, made with La Colombe coffee and the NA spirit Pathfinder—proof the NA program gets the same level of care as everything else on the menu.

Pink Flamingo
Set in the longtime home of dive bar The Dizz in Remington, the space is now a rum-forward tropical tavern from  Brendan Dorr and Eric Fooy of Dutch Courage in Old Goucher. The cocktail list, developed with bar manager Nick Pikounis, leans into a lineup of more than 150 rums.

The signature Dizzy Flamingo is a two-rum daiquiri with lime and sugar, while the Whirlybird riffs on a Jungle Bird with black pot-still rum. For something lighter, the Road Less Traveled is a spirit-free amaro mule. Vivid tropical murals and a patio make it an easy add to a summer crawl.

Spirits of Mt. Vernon
Employee-owned since 2024, this North Charles Street staple is stocked with a carefully curated selection of wine, spirits, and beer. But regulars know the cocktail program running behind the counter is the real draw, especially on a sticky summer evening when the patio fills up. Order a chilled glass of Vinho Verde or an icy shaken martini to help cool off.

Tiki Garden
Boozy slushies are the stars of the show at this island hideaway on East Cross Street Federal Hill. Icy iterations include a classic pina colada or rum runner, plus mango daiquiris and prickly pear margaritas. In keeping with the theme, there are also a variety of tiki-inspired cocktails and shots. But if you’re out with a crew, consider the Volcano Bowl of rum punch that arrives topped with a flame.

Thousands lined the paths of Druid Hill Park this past weekend to celebrate Baltimore’s many Caribbean communities at the Baltimore Washington One Carnival, which has been a local staple for more than four decades.

Now a three-day event, the fest features authentic food, live music, and non-stop activities for all ages. But its crown jewel continues to be its parade—a three-mile, heart-thumping procession of dancers, musicians, stilt walkers, and revelers (often covered with mud, clay, or paint to align with the ancient mud mas tradition) showing off stunning cultural attire.

Sporadic downpours and excessive heat didn’t even come close to putting a damper on the party this year. Here’s a look at all of the color, costumes, and culture through the lens of contributing photojournalist J.M. Giordano’s 20-year-old Nikon D200.