Since the launch of Etsy in 2005, the crafting world has been totally reinvented. Gone are the days of the glitter-and-glue extravaganzas one might expect to find at a craft show. We are now seeing the most innovative, creative, and on-trend items, guaranteed to give anything at West Elm a run for its money.

Lucky for us, the largest craft show in the country returns to Baltimore this month, as the American Craft Show comes to the Baltimore Convention Center from February 22-24 with handcrafted items from more than 600 of the best contemporary makers in the country. “Baltimore has always been so welcoming,” says Pam Diamond, director of marketing and communications for the American Craft Council (ACC). “The appreciation for handmade goods has always been prevalent here, and we are thrilled to have so many new artists and selections this year.”

As the DIY movement has expanded, the technology has grown with it, allowing artists and makers to use things such as 3D printing and newfangled resins, plastics, and polymers to create one-of-a-kind pieces. And the ACC is all about sharing that knowledge. “We aren’t just about shopping,” says Diamond. “We want to educate people and, through doing that, we are supporting artists.”

This year, the ACC will feature two specialty programs to offer attendees even more opportunities to be hands on. “Let’s Make” is an interactive session designed to help the next generation of crafters discern between handmade and mass manufactured goods. And “Hip Pop” is a specialty booth where six emerging artists are able to display their work and get in front of an audience.

No matter which booth you end up browsing, the ACC show will have enough options to go around. And be sure to heed Diamond’s advice: “Put on your comfiest walking shoes, come inside, and just get totally inspired.”

Milan may be the current host of Fashion Week with-a-capital-F, but the American Craft Council (ACC) is about to bring just as much style inspiration to Baltimore with its Style Slam program.

In its third year, Style Slam connects local fashion stylists with the ACC’s network of gifted creators, by challenging the stylists to piece together a fashion-forward look from wearable pieces, accessories, and jewelry, exhibited at the Baltimore Convention Center February 23-25.

For the fashion pros taking part in Style Slam, it’s an opportunity to connect with other creatives and to tackle a new challenge.

“To be able to talk to people and see what they do, how they do it, and why is really something special. You don’t really get to see so many artists at this level all in one place,” says Jason Tompkins one of the four stylists and influencers invited to participate, who has done work with local clients like Under Armour. “The artists are from all over, and they’re people who may not be represented by traditional retailers, so it’s more intimate.”

Stylists will each arrive with a model dressed in “base” layers—simple garments like jeans and a t-shirt— and then pull statement handmade pieces from stalls throughout the show. With a veritable treasure trove of wearable art to choose from, the convention will showcase artful accessories like jewelry, hats, and handbags.

“When you’re surrounded by things that clearly took care and talent to make, it’s easy to get inspired and to find something unique to pull from all of it,” says stylist and blogger Shae Li of Beautifully Together. “I’ve always had a fondness for textiles and how things are made. It’s just mind boggling that people can create such works of art with their hands.”

The ACC’s annual Baltimore show is its largest in the country, and that’s no surprise, given Baltimore’s notoriously eclectic style.

“Baltimore style is individualistic, and you can find people wearing any type of personal style here,” says Taylor Evans, whose blog Stylishly Taylored celebrates personal style. “With us stylists all being a microcosm of the city’s diverse style, I’m really interested to see how the other stylists’ creative minds work.”

The stylists’ final outfits will be exhibited on Saturday, February 24, in a pop-up space on the show floor, on live models as well as mannequins for the remainder of the day. ACC attendees can stop by the space to see those looks, and to talk with the stylists themselves about how to incorporate handmade statement pieces into their own wardrobes.

Sydney Paige, stylist and blogger at Coffee Stained Lace, is looking forward to connecting with fellow art lovers looking to introduce wearable art into their everyday lives.

“I hope I can be a resource for anyone looking to style the pieces they love, but aren’t quite sure how to execute them in an outfit,” she says. “I’m ready to inspire and be inspired.”

Spencer Finch: Moon Dust
Feb. 21-Oct. 2024. The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m – 5 p.m. Free. 443-573-1700. The Baltimore Museum of Art adds a light installation inspired by lunar dust. Mankind’s eternal fascination with the moon has inspired generations to marvel at the orb’s bright, serene presence in our nighttime sky. Now Brooklyn-based artist Spencer Finch is using the moon’s alluring luster as inspiration for the BMA’s new installation, Moon Dust, on view February 21 through October 13, 2024. For the next six years, Finch will dangle some 150 chandeliers (each one boasting 417 bulbs) from the museum’s ceiling, using a variety of lights to mimic the chemical composition of the moon’s surface as collected during the 1972 lunar landing mission of Apollo 17. But much like the real celestial body, you don’t need to know a lot about chemistry or science to let it light up your imagination.

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Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit

Feb. 6. Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric, 140 W. Mt. Royal Ave. 8 p.m. $29-56. 410-900-1150. In the 11 years since this Alabama native ditched the Drive-By Truckers to go it alone, his widely successful solo career has proved he made the right decision. With two Grammys under his belt, the Americana songwriter returns to Baltimore with his all-star band for a night of pared-down folk songs you won’t forget.

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Frederick Douglass Day 

Feb. 10. Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St. 12-4 p.m. Free-$8. 443-263-1800. Among the many legends born in the Baltimore region, few are more revered than Frederick Douglass. Raised on the Eastern Shore, the freed slave turned iconic abolitionist, author, and orator spent many years in and around Charm City. This year, celebrate his 200th birthday and honor his historic legacy with readings and a children’s storytime at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum.

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Steve Martin and Martin Short 

Feb. 16. Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric, 140 W. Mt. Royal Ave. 8 p.m. $85-235. 410-900-1150. Steve Martin and Martin Short have earned their reputations as comedic titans through their decades-long careers that included such memorable collaborations as Father of the Bride, Three Amigos, and, of course, Saturday Night Live. These funny men are teaming up again for a rare night of double-billed comedy full of off-kilter humor at The Lyric.

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Max’s Belgian Beer Fest 

Feb. 16-19. Max’s Taphouse, 737 S. Broadway. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Free. 410-675-6297. Take shelter from the cold weather this February at one of Baltimore’s most hallowed haunts, Max’s Taphouse, during its annual Belgian Beer Fest in the heart of Fells Point. With more than 200 bottles and beers on tap, you can sip on your favorite local brews or go bold with European rarities not commonly found in the U.S. The pub will also be offering Belgium-inspired grub such as cheese platters and frites to help soak up the suds.

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Lunar New Year Celebration 

Feb. 18. The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. 410-547-9000. In these uncertain times, we may all feel like we could use a little more luck. On cue, The Walters is bringing together Chinese and Korean dance troupes to perform a traditional Lunar New Year celebration meant to ward off bad luck and usher in good fortune. The museum’s Year of the Dog festivities also feature live music and fun arts activities for the kids.

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Fueling the Automobile Age 
 
Feb. 23. Baltimore Museum of Industry, 1415 Key Hwy. Tues.-Sun. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free-$12. 410-717-4808. When people think of oil, they usually think of big-time tycoons in Texas, not little old Baltimore City. But the BMI’s newest permanent exhibition explores all the ways our town contributed to the booming age of automobiles, thanks in large part to former oil heavyweights like Amoco and Crown. Visitors can learn about America’s love of cars by piling into a real 1962 Chrysler Newport station wagon, pumping fuel at a mock gas station, and viewing advertisements from the car heydays of the mid-20th century.

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American Craft Show 

Feb. 23-25. Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St. Fri. 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $14-34. 612-206-3100. Whether you’re looking for a bold piece of furniture to complete your living room or a fabulous piece of statement jewelry, the American Craft Council’s annual show has you covered. With more than 650 artists hailing from Baltimore and beyond, there are thousands of one-of-a-kind finds, ranging from handmade clothing to fine art and even whiskey.

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Django Jazz Fest 

Feb. 23-25. Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave. Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m. $23-72. 410-276-1651. When Belgian jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt lost movement in two of his fingers after a fire, he taught himself to play with the other three, and in the process birthed an entire genre that is now called Gypsy Jazz, an energetic, swinging style that swept the early 20th century. Revel in the form during this weekend celebration featuring music by the likes of Baltimore’s beloved jazz group Ultrafaux and international guitar star Samson Schmitt.

Last Meal

East Joppa Road
March 26, 2017

Bel-Loc Diner owner Bill Doxanas will be serving his last omelet and coffee later today. But he isn’t really sad to close the iconic Parkville diner’s doors.

“I’m 66—I started working here in 1964 for my dad,” he says, as he manages the long line that began forming before the sun rose. “I can’t keep up the pace any longer. It’s time to go.”

Over the decades, regulars at the Bel-Loc included Colts and Orioles legends like Johnny Unitas and Luis Aparicio. Former Colt star Tom Matte stopped by Friday to say goodbye. Other next-generation Colts, like Marty Domres and Bruce Laird, remain longtime friends of the Bel-Loc—one of the last of diners of a bygone Baltimore era. The name of the diner, as Baltimoreans no doubt can guess, is a reference to its location near the intersection of the Baltimore beltway (“Bel”)—which was completed a few years before the diner opened—and Loch Raven Boulevard (“Loc”).

“Anyone here that isn’t part of a party of six or seven?” a hostess asks with a smile as she ducks her head into the jam-packed waiting area.

Now, the diner is set to become a Starbucks. Doxanas says he contacted the company—which he believes is a good organization—after concluding he wanted a buyer. He says that the company has plans to build a handsome new coffeehouse on the spot. Once word got out that the Bel-Loc was closing, its iconic coffee mugs, featuring the image of a retro-uniformed waitress kicking up a heel as she handles a serving tray, have been at a premium. Normally available for purchase, the diner only has enough left for serving coffee this morning.

“I wanted to buy a mug,” a visitor, getting up from his counter stool, tells Doxanas.

“Just steal one,” Doxanas says.

For decades, the Bel-Loc was open 24/7, and Doxanas says he’s going to spend more time playing golf in retirement.

“It’s been a great run,” he says. “I went to college thinking I’d never return. But rather than spend a few weeks tending bar in Ocean City before a college lacrosse all-star game after my senior year, I decided to work my last couple of weeks here. And then I never left.”

Doxanas adds that it was the best decision he ever made because of the Bel-Loc’s customers, who he says are the best around. (He would know, too: His family’s diner legacy proceeds the Bel-Loc. His father, Tom Doxanas, also co-founded the Double-T Diner—the “T” in Tom serving as one-half of the “Double-T”—with fellow Greek-American partner Tony Papadis.)

Many of the Bel-Loc customers, not to mention longtime employees, still seem a bit disoriented, wondering where they’ll meet for coffee, eggs, pancakes, pie, and conversation after this weekend.

“We’re like a lot of the waitresses,” one man says, sharing a booth and final breakfast with his wife and sister-and-in-law, both of whom grew up down the street from the Bel-Loc. “We don’t know where we are going to go now.”

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Not Board

West Pratt Street
March 19, 2017

On a warm, sunny Sunday, one day before the official start of spring, one of the large upstairs conference areas at the Baltimore Convention Center is filled with hundreds of people playing board games. On cafeteria-style tables filled with Cheåetos, Bergers cookies, and energy drinks, the mostly 30- and 40-somethings hover over throwback board games—some familiar like Risk, Pictionary, and Dungeons & Dragons, but even more that are unique.

One board game is a competition to see who can build the best carnival. Another aims at creating the best bird sanctuary. There’s a story improv game here, too, and one called Hoodoo Sea Salvage—the occult nickname for the Bermuda Triangle—which pits players against one another as they try to pull treasures from the bottom of the sea while avoiding “the freaky and unexplainable terrors that haunt these waters.”

Welcome to Unpub 7—the seventh annual unpublished games festival. The game-playing today isn’t just about fun, however. It’s an old-school twist on the hackathon concept where would-be designers get help perfecting their unpublished games by allowing willing participants to play. Nearly 150 board game designers are on hand, as well as several big-time manufacturers, such as Hasbro. This is the third straight year that the event has been held in Baltimore, and it is expected to draw roughly 2,000 gamers.

“It started in 2010 in a church meeting hall with 12 designers and 30 people in Dover, Delaware,” explains Unpub founder John Moller, between bites of a hamburger and french fries. “The next year, we moved to an FOP Lodge and had maybe 20 designers and 50 attendees. And the community of designers, players, and companies that publish games just grew. People have come from Ireland, Canada, and Australia.”

There’s one governing rule: “No video games allowed.”

It’s not that video games aren’t fun, Moller explains, “They just tend to be isolating.”

“People talk to each other when they play board games,” Moller says. “That’s why people like them. Digital revolution or not, board games never went away. The industry is doing better than ever. Some popular digital games—like the phone app games—later become board games.” 

Several published board games, such as The Game of 49—a kind of auction-bingo combo that’s available at Target—helped get launched through Unpub festivals.

One game getting a test run isn’t a board game, but a lawn game with a Lord of the Rings/Game of Thrones-theme. First, sticks are placed in a circle to create “a realm.” Then players, adopting certain characteristics of the various “clans” they choose, roll bocce-like balls to knock down the castles of opposing clans. 

“My students love it,” says inventor/gym teacher Denny Weston, making his pitch to potential customers and investors. “But it’s for all ages. Kids can play at the park. It’s great for family picnics. It’s something college guys can do outside over beers. I can play with my buddies at a barbecue.

“My grandmother, who is 85, has played. She grew up bowling.” Weston continues. “She loved it.”

Maryland State Fair
Aug. 25-Sept. 5. Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Rd., Timonium. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Free-$8. 410-252-0200.
The Maryland State Fair will feature 12 jam-packed days of agriculture exhibits, livestock shows, carnival rides, horse racing, bull riding, and blowout concerts by the likes of pop star Charlie Puth and country singer Jana Kramer. Stand beneath the bright bulbs of the amusement rides, breathe in the comforting smell of fried food, taste the sweet cotton candy that’s spun on-site, hear the reverberating sound of live music from the racetrack, and feel the warmth of your own grip as you wrap your fingers around the metal bars of the giant swing carousel and are whisked away into the hot night air.—MM

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Fluid Movement
Aug. 5-7. Patterson Park, 148 S. Linwood Ave. Fri. 9 p.m., Sat. 7 & 9 p.m., Sun. 5 & 7 p.m. $10. What do glittery swimsuits, safety goggles, and painful middle school memories have in common? They’re all featured in Fluid Movement’s 15th synchronized swimming spectacular, Science Fair!: The Water Ballet. Using eccentric choreography, comedy, and special effects, the award-winning performance troupe recreates a childhood event that most kids (and parents) dread.

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Maryland Latino Fest
Aug 7. Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road, Timonium. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Free-$15. 410-327-6005. This month, follow the sound of Latin beats to the Maryland State Fairgrounds for the fifth annual Maryland Latino Festival. This full-day event celebrates the culture of Baltimore’s growing Hispanic and Latino communities with art, food, drink, live music, entertainment, and area nonprofits. Spend the afternoon sampling everything from piña coladas to traditional Mexican and Salvadoran fare before heading to the main stage to hear popular artists like bachata dance musician Zacarias Ferreira, reggaeton duo Alexis and Fido, and Duranguense group K-Paz De La Sierra.

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Summer of 69: No Apostrophe
Aug 19. Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, 12 N. Eutaw St. 8 p.m. $58-80. 410-837-7400. Get ready Parks and Recreation fans—Ron and Tammy 2 are leaving Pawnee and making their way to Baltimore. As part of their new tour (yes, you read its title correctly), comedic real-life couple Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally take over the Hippodrome stage to share stories and perform innuendo-filled songs, dances, and skits about their marriage. They’ll likely reference some of their well-known characters, like breakfast-loving Ron Swanson or feisty Karen from Will & Grace, so prepare to laugh with the husband-and-wife duo as they reveal details of their 16-year relationship.

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Hot August Music Festival
Aug. 20. Oregon Ridge Park, 13401 Beaver Dam Road, Cockeysville. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Free-$189. 877-321-3378. Baltimore County’s blues and roots festival returns this month, bringing together a medley of talent for one hot night of unforgettable music. The stacked lineup includes headliners Thievery Corporation, Grateful Dead cover band Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Americana string bands Railroad Earth and Leftover Salmon, and soul-rockers The Revivalists.

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Pet Sounds
Aug 23. Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, 12 N. Eutaw St. 8 p.m. $68.50-147. 410-837-7400. In 1966, The Beach Boys made Pet Sounds, a luscious concept album that catapulted the band from sunny surf-pop stars to rock-and-roll legends. It is arguably one of the greatest albums of all time, and 50 years later, we still know the words to “God Only Knows” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” This month, for one night only, we can sing along with Brian Wilson and former members of the group in honor of the record’s 50th anniversary. Fingers crossed that they play at least one rendition of “Good Vibrations,” too.

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Bonnie Raitt
Aug. 24. Pier Six Pavilion, 731 Eastern Ave. 6 p.m. $40-85. 410-783-4189. Legendary blues singer Bonnie Raitt makes a triumphant return to Charm City this month with a smooth set of songs from a career spanning 45 years and 17 studio albums. Raitt’s latest album, Dig in Deep, features her heartfelt blend of blues, folk-rock, and Americana, accented by her breathy vocals, tasteful instrumentation, and incomparable slide guitar. Soak up the warm weather, sip a cold beer, and hear hits like “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” “Something to Talk About,” and “Angel From Montgomery.”

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Baltimore Summer Antiques Show
Aug. 25-28. Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St. Times vary. $20. 410-649-7000. Whether you’re searching for the perfect piece of vintage furniture or you just need to escape the August heat, this giant indoor antiques show is a summer must, with more than 400 vendors featuring everything from prized silver and estate jewelry to major works of art.

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Miranda Lambert
Aug. 25. Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. 7:30 p.m. $45-125. 410-715-5550. Grammy-winning singer Miranda Lambert is no country music sweetheart. Her fiery lyrics and powerful songs—“Gunpowder & Lead,” “Little Red Wagon,” “Somethin’ Bad”—have made her a female country icon among the ranks of Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn. Watch her rock the Merriweather stage during one of the final stops on her “Keeper of the Flame” tour.

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Maryland Renaissance Festival
Aug. 27-Oct. 23. 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis. Times vary. Free-$24. 410-266-7304. On weekends throughout the fall, all the world’s a stage at the 40th Maryland Renaissance Festival. Set in 16th-century England, the fest allows you to put on flower crowns or suits of armor and indulge in the jousting matches, one-pound turkey legs, mugs of mead, and arts and crafts of yesteryear.

Remembering Poe

January 19, 2014
West Fayette Street

As
barren trees cast shadows over Westminster Hall on a late Sunday
afternoon, those arriving to salute Edgar Allan Poe’s 205th birthday
gently place roses and pennies, per tradition, around the macabre poet’s
burial memorial. (In 1865, Baltimore schoolchildren began collecting
pennies to move Poe’s body from an unmarked grave to its current resting
spot.)

A festive Irish folk song kicks off the occasion, followed
by remarks from Poe House curator emeritus Jeff Jerome. Beneath a
spotlight, actors in period costumes, including Emily Cory in a black
evening gown and cape, perform readings of the despairing poet’s
best-known works, including “Annabel Lee,” “The Raven,” and “Alone,” for
the 60 or so visitors crowding the small burial area.

“From childhood’s hour I have not been

As others were; I have not seen

As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.”

After
the presentation, those gathered—some have come for decades to the
annual event—stay for a raffle of original concrete pieces from Poe’s
old Amity Street home and a couple of Poe-themed birthday cakes before
beginning a tour of the catacombs under the historic hall.

“I’ve
been coming since the 1970s,” says Jo Ann Irick Jones, holding one of
the sought-after black frosted cakes, decorated with red roses and the
iconic image of the sunken-cheeked, sad-eyed poet. “This was where my
husband, he’s now passed, and I came on our first date. We both loved
Poe. We spent the rest of the day driving around Baltimore, talking and
getting to know one another. To me, this is a romantic place.”

American Dream

January 30, 2014
Pratt Street

In
a “holding room” inside the Baltimore Convention Center, hip-hop dance
troupes, teen twirlers, would-be pop stars, comedians, crooners, belly
dancers, an exotic pink-flamingo-riding unicyclist, and an Elvis
impersonator wait for their numbers to be called.

A stage mother
helps with makeup, and a 62-year-old real-estate agent in a tuxedo
trumpets his rendition of “What a Wonderful World.” At one point,
whether to relieve stress or boredom—or just for fun—an impromptu
dance-off, drag cowgirl included, breaks out.

With hopefuls lining
up at 5 a.m. on Pratt Street, executive producer Jason Raff expects a
day-long turnout of maybe 3,000 for the traveling America’s Got Talent
auditions—each aspirant allotted 90 seconds to impress the producers.

In
a registration line as long as the wait for a Disney ride, Feng Zhu,
from Philadelphia by way of Beijing, passes time peforming everything
from Adele’s “Someone Like You” to Mozart’s “Turkish March” on his
Chinese-made melodica, played by blowing air through a small hose
attached to a one-handed keyboard, creating an accordion-like sound.
Listening behind Zhu, who goes by “Zach,” Pigtown gospel beatboxer Corey
Braxton suggests they improv something, which they do, earning applause
from nearby contestants as Zhu adds a foot cymbal to his act.

Asked
about his background, Zhu, in suit and tie, bows and introduces
himself, explaining, in accented but perfect English, that he studied
piano for 20 years. He also recently earned a master’s degree in finance
at Temple University.

“I want to live the American dream,” he
says. “I’ve applied to become a translator and buyer with a New Jersey
aluminum company.” So, why is he here now? “The real dream. To play
music and be a star.”

Pet Friendly

February 1, 2014
York Road, Timonium

“DO NOT handle the dragons without permission,” warns a sign.

“How
much is the iguana?”, “Will the hedgehog show its face?” asks Melanie
Osborne, taking smartphone photos of the scaled, shelled, hairy, and
quilled creatures at Repticon—the two-day reptile and exotic-animal
show, returning for the fourth time to the Maryland State Fairgrounds.
“My sons want a lizard, a snake, and a chameleon—we’ve had two lizards,”
the Severna Park native explains. “Basically, we’re allergic to cats
and dogs.”

Nearby, a teenager touches a big frog, then pokes it a second time: “Does it bite?”

“Yes, it eats mice,” says the exhibitor.

Others
check out the neon geckos and pet the pythons curled around vendors’
necks. Bearded dragons, a vendor assures, actually make quite nice pets.
“They’ll stay on your shoulder or sit on the windowsill in the sun.” A
Halethorpe-based AR Reptile House rep, explains he and his partners keep
25 snakes in their row-house basement—and breed rats (for feeding).
“The neighbors are pretty cool about it.” Meanwhile, Paige Zinderman, a
Carver Center for the Arts & Technology senior, happily allows a
four-inch tarantula to creep back and forth across her hands.

“Aren’t
they poisonous?,” a man asks. “No, venomous,” its owner clarifies.
“Blowfish are poisonous, in that if you eat one, you get poisoned.
Things that are venomous bite you. They have fangs.”

“Oh,” the man replies.

“I
like cats, too, but have you ever been to a cat show?” asks Zinderman.
“Cats are [all] pretty much the same. I like the way the snakes move. I
like that there are a hundred different reptiles here.

“And look around, I fit in,” she adds. “The people are weird.”