The List: January 2024

1/27: PRATT CONTEMPORARIES BLACK AND WHITE PARTY
Thanks to this annual Enoch Pratt Free Library fete, you don’t need a plane ticket to visit New Orleans, the undisputed capital of festive beads, crawfish, and mouthwatering beignets. In honor of the Pratt Contemporaries—a group of engaged Baltimoreans looking to spread the word about our city’s vital free library system—the theme of this year’s black-and-white soiree will be “New Orleans, Mon Amour.” It’s a reference to writer and NPR commentator Andrei Codrescu’s book of essays by the same title, which features roughly 20 years of pieces he wrote during his time living in the famed city.

This year’s event will take place at Enoch Pratt’s Central Library, inside the building’s recently refurbished Central Hall. Proceeds raised from tickets, which will go on sale beginning Jan. 11, will promote local literacy programs for kids and teenagers. Accentuate your black-and-white attire with a subtle pop of purple, green, or gold. Enoch Pratt Free Library. Central Hall. 8 p.m.-12 a.m. $175.

1/3: NEW YEAR’S STORYTIME
At Enoch Pratt’s Herring Run Branch, begin the new year with a reading of Tami Charles’ Freedom Soup, the story of the traditional soup recipe dating back to the Haitian Revolution. After the reading, create your own Freedom Soup craft. Enoch Pratt Free Library. 11 a.m. 

1/4: NEW YEAR NEW YOU VISION BOARD PARTY
Prepare to take on 2024 with a visit to Enoch Pratt’s Waverly branch, where you can bring your biggest dreams and aspirations to life via a vision-boarding session. (Just think, maybe it could lead to your most prosperous year ever.) Enoch Pratt Free Library. 5:30 p.m.

1/5: NOAH PIERRE BAND W/ BRANDON WOODY AND AUSTIN LOMAN GROUP
Ease into the new year with live music at the 8×10. The Federal Hill venue will play host to Baltimore’s Noah Pierre Band, which will join Baltimore trumpeter Brandon Woody and Washington, D.C.’s Austin Loman Group on stage. The 8×10. 7 p.m. $19.06. 

TO 1/7: MAKING HER MARK: A HISTORY OF WOMEN ARTISTS IN EUROPE, 1400-1800
Challenging the idea that European women artists were not as talented as their male counterparts, the captivating Baltimore Museum of Art exhibition highlights women-made objects from the 15th to 18th centuries, showcasing the works of artists such as Judith Leyster. Baltimore Museum of Art. Times and prices vary. 

1/10: SELECTOR SERIES # 11: J. ROBBINS
Matt Byars and Lee Gardner, hosts of WYPR’s Essential Tremors music podcast, present an immersive vinyl listening experience at Idle Hour. Guitarist and vocalist J. Robbins, founder of Washington, D.C.-based post-hardcore band Jawbox, will select the evening’s listening material. Idle Hour. 7 p.m. $25. 

1/11-14 TREVOR NOAH: OFF THE RECORD
Why not begin the new year with a needed laugh? This month, Trevor Noah—the comedian, writer, actor, and former host of The Daily Show—brings his 28-stop North American tour to fans in Baltimore with performances at the Hippodrome Theatre. Hippodrome Theatre. Times and prices vary.

1/11-14: SHE’S GOT SOUL
Singer and actress Capathia Jenkins lends her vocals to a series of iconic R&B numbers and soul classics. Performances at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and the Music Center at Strathmore include hits by Stevie Wonder, Toni Braxton, and Adele. Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Times and prices vary. 

1/12: GROWN UP FIELD TRIP: GAME ON
Thought field trips were only for tikes? Think again. This 21-plus game night at the Maryland Science Center features sips by Chesepiooc Real Ale Brewery, a giant Scrabble game, a pool noodle duck hunt, and Pac-Man live-action roleplaying. Maryland Science Center. 7-10 p.m. $40.

1/12-13: ELVIS’ BIRTHDAY FIGHT CLUB
Embarking on its 13th year, this rousing set of staged brawls—which is co-hosted by “Elvis’’ and his sidekick Kittie Glitter—brings burlesque, below-the-belt jokes, and a star-studded fight roster out to Highlandtown. Previous matches have included opponents like Bridezilla and Godzilla. Creative Alliance. Times vary. $30-45. 

1/12-28: THE BOOK OF GRACE
Courtesy of local theater company Rapid Lemon Productions, this take on playwright SuzanLori Parks’ The Book of Grace follows an optimistic waitress and her step-son. With Grace’s encouragement, he returns to South Texas to face up to his abusive father. Rapid Lemon Productions. Times vary. $20. 

1/13: MLK JR. DAY CELEBRATION BY UNIQUE ROBINSON
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., this program at The Walters Art Museum as curated and emceed by Baltimore professor and poet  Unique Robinson. The event will feature poetry embodying the topics that inform Dr. King’s monumental legacy. The Walters Art Museum. 2-4 p.m. 

1/13: MONOLOGUE SLAM
At Fells Point Corner Theatre on South Ann Street, pay attention as competitors present their best theatrical techniques to judges. With only two minutes allotted for performances, and chances to take home coveted cash prizes, the stakes are relatively high. Fells Point Corner Theatre. Time and pricing TBD.

1/13: WATCH YOUR STEP: CLOSING CELEBRATION AND DINNER
At School 33 Art Center, the boundary-pushing showcase (featuring the works of siblings Hope and Faith McCorkle) will receive a special send-off. Spend time with the exhibit, which pays homage to their lineage, and shop Black food and drink vendors. School 33 Art Center. 6-9 p.m.

1/14: JULIA BULLOCK AND BRETTON BROWN
At Shriver Hall, acclaimed soprano Julia Bullock joins pianist Bretton Brown for an evening of song, anchored by Bullock’s transformative, bold, and emotion-rich vocals. The two-hour program will be preceded by a concert talk at 4:30 p.m. Shriver Hall. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Prices vary. 

1/15: DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY PARADE
Departing from Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Eutaw Street, the annual parade, courtesy of Mayor Brandon Scott, returns to Baltimore. This celebration of the late civil rights activist is known for drumlines, marching bands, and throngs of cheerful onlookers. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 12 p.m. 

1/15: PUNK ROCK KARAOKE
What better music venue than the Ottobar to host this punk rock-friendly karaoke night? Slated performers throughout the evening, wherein guests can take the mic, include Darrin Pfeiffer of Goldfinger, Randy Bradbury of Pennywise, and Greg Hetson of Bad Religion. Ottobar. 8 p.m. $27.50-30. 

TO 1/19: GET ON MY LEVEL: A GREENMOUNT WEST COMMUNITY CENTER EXHIBITION
On display at Creative Alliance, the showcase features works by members of Greenmount West Community Center’s R.I.S.E Emerging Artists program, serving neurodivergent youth learning about entrepreneurship. It features handmade works by teens in Greenmount and Highlandtown. Creative Alliance. Times vary. 

1/20: DRUMLINE LIVE
By way of the musical team behind the popular movies, this performance at The Lyric pays tribute to marching bands at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Enjoy an energized performance replete with intoxicating beats, bold sounds, and stirring rhythms. The Lyric. 7:30 p.m. Prices vary. 

1/20: REMEMBERING ARETHA, PHYLLIS, AND TEENA
Presented by Charm City Jazz, this woman-powered concert at the Gordon Center for Performing Arts remembers three musical forces of nature. We can almost guarantee that it will feature tracks including Franklin’s “Chain of Fools” and Teena Marie’s “Square Biz.” Gordon Center for Performing Arts. 7-9 p.m. Prices vary. 

1/20: QUEERING THE COLLECTION: JAMIE GRACE ALEXANDER
At The Walters Art Museum, Charm City activist and artist Jamie Grace Alexander joins Weiwen Balter, the Mount Vernon museum’s manager of school communities, to discuss the complicated histories of feminism, activism, and abolition in relation to the arts. The Walters Art Museum. 2-3 p.m. 

1/20-21: BALTIMORE HOME SHOW
For two days, the interior design showcase heads to the Baltimore Convention Center, offering homeowners a bevy of product demonstrations, design ideas, and tools to help with landscaping. Meet industry experts and head home with motivation to zhuzh up your digs. Baltimore Convention Center. Times vary. Free-$10. 

1/26-27: 2024 SUPER PLUNGE
Ahead of the Polar Plunge (a Maryland tradition celebrating our great Special Olympics athletes) this challenge is for those willing to raise a minimum of $10,000 for the program. This experience includes photo ops, costumes, chair massages, and more. Plunge Maryland. Time and pricing TBD. 

1/26-2/4: BALTIMORE WINTER RESTAURANT WEEK
In search of a delicious meal that doesn’t cost a fortune? End the month with prix-fixe breakfast, lunch, and dinner deals prepared by local eateries. Participating spots include Indigma, Barcocina, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Bluestone Restaurant, and Twist Fells Point. Baltimore Restaurant Week. Times and prices vary. 

1/28: BACK TO THE FUTURE IN CONCERT
Calling all time travelers: Prepare to celebrate the classic 1985 film with the help of a full orchestra. Courtesy of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, this trio of performances yields roughly 20 minutes of new music by the score’s composer, Alan Silvestri. Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Times and prices vary.