EAT

Oct. 4-6: The Night Brunch Festival

Harbor Point, 1500 Thames St. Fri. 6 p.m., Sat. 2 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. $15-500.

After more than a year of hosting brunches after dark at area hotspots—no mimosa cut-off times or reservations required—the Night Brunch team is stepping up their game with a three-day festival dedicated to all things fried and boozy. Kick off the weekend with a happy hour preview at the 1405 Point rooftop pool (featuring mermaids and freshly rolled cigars) before returning to the Harbor Point plaza on Saturday and Sunday to sample brunch-inspired eats from local restaurants and vendors such as Clavel, The Local Fry, and Big Softy. In between rounds of Bloody Marys, take in live music sets by local artists Joi Carter, FUNSHO, and the co-founder of the event himself, DJ Impulse.

DRINK

Oct. 5: Mobtoberfest

Mobtown Brewing Company, 4015 Foster Ave., Suite 400. 12-6 p.m.

Thanks to new brewery on the block Mobtown Brewing Company, Brewers Hill is getting its own Oktoberfest complete with a German-style food menu from The Rolling Grill, live music by whiskey-rock band Old Eastern, and commemorative beer steins. Don your best lederhosen or dirndl dress and spend the afternoon downing Mobtown’s special-release Mobtoberfest Marzen and Schwarzbier, as well as taproom favorites like the Belgian amber ale Tiny Purple Fishes and the golden sour Ex-Girlfriend.

SEE

Oct. 4-6: Baltimore Japan Art Festival

Short North Arts District, locations and times vary. Free-$15.

Expand your worldview of contemporary Japanese art and culture at this four-day festival in the Station North Arts District. With the mission of broadening American viewers’ perceptions of Japan, the annual event will host several Japanese artists and cultural experts at multiple venues across the arts-centric neighborhood, including The Crown and the MICA Fox building. Don’t miss the chance to see this year’s special guest, Tokyo-based illustrator Utomaru, present her first-ever solo exhibition at MICA’s Julian Allen Gallery.

HEAR

Oct. 5: Parktoberfest

Mount Vernon Marketplace, 520 Park Ave. 12-11:30 p.m. Free.

We all know and love the Mount Vernon Marketplace for its eclectic mix of food and drink options, but for one weekend a year it also becomes the site of a full-blown music festival featuring some of the best rising acts in Baltimore. With more than 11 hours of nonstop live music, this can’t-miss shindig features eight back-to-back sets from the likes of hip-hop artist Al Rogers, Jr., trumpeter Brandon Woody, and high-energy rapper and DJ Kotic Couture. Stick around to imbibe on specialty cocktails, sample eats from 14 local vendors, and jam out to a wide range of artists that represent every corner of the Charm City music scene.

DO

Oct. 5-6: Doors Open Baltimore

Locations vary. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free.

Have you ever walked past a centuries-old landmark like the Baltimore Basilica or a brand-new skyscraper like 414 Light Street and thought, “I wonder what’s inside?” Well, this weekend is your golden opportunity to peek inside more than 50 of the city’s most intriguing spaces and places. Take a self-guided tour through local architectural wonders, ranging from the historic Howard O. Rawlings Conservatory to the Zion Lutheran Church, and talk with on-site volunteers about the insider facts of each location.

After an inaugural festival that brought Japanese art, culture, food, and film to Station North over the course of three spring days, the Baltimore Japan Art Festival is back Sept. 28-29 with new partners and a bigger profile. While it’s now spread over just a Friday night and full Saturday, the fest will pack in more events, more family-friendly activities, and multiple opportunities to appreciate the visit from acclaimed illustrator and featured guest Yusuke Nakamura.

Co-founders Michael Young and Rob Perry have swapped roles this year, with Perry taking over as chairman from BJAF 2018. Perry, who has been a fan of the artist for the past 12 years, will also moderate the lecture and Q&A with Nakamura on the topic of “Art for the Masses.”

“To our knowledge, BJAF will be the first event outside of Japan to host an exhibition of his work and honor him as the featured speaker,” Perry says. “Mr. Nakamura has given lectures to many different audiences but selected this topic for BJAF in order to appeal to both students and the general public as opposed to solely focusing on technique and other topics that are geared specifically towards artists. I have been told that he is planning to show examples of Japanese art, including his own, and discuss their cultural significance and specifically how color is used.”

Nakamura rose to prominence in Japan in the 2000s, first as an illustrator of album artwork and then for his work on novels and magazines. In addition to print illustrations, he now also works in animation. Festival attendees can get a taste of his work on film at a showing of Night Is Short, Walk On Girl, for which he served as the original character designer, at The Charles on Friday.

“Since announcing the event, a significant amount of people have contacted us directly to express their interest and pre-existing admiration for Mr. Nakamura’s work. While my own appreciation of his art was enough to take on the task of organizing this festival in the first place, hearing from these people has truly touched my heart,” Perry says. “Being a self-proclaimed ‘Japanophile’ for nearly 20 years has intrinsically relegated me to the outer rims of mainstream American culture. What I look forward to most is the chance to meet people whom I share interests with, and, more importantly, see them meet and interact with Mr. Nakamura.”

In addition to the film screening and lecture, the festival will feature the exhibition Blue / Now / New: Yusuke Nakamura, on display at MICA’s Rosenberg Gallery. For those with children in tow, Saturday’s Aki Matsuri at the Ynot Lot will bring the festivities outdoors for food, games, and hours of kid-friendly cultural workshops on calligraphy, origami, and onigiri. Local Taiko drummers and a DJ spinning Japanese music will also perform throughout the afternoon.

Wrap up the two-day event with a night of selected screenings from New York Japan CineFest, as well as shorts from MICA Film & Video students inspired by the lineup. While free to attend, both the films and Nakamura’s lecture at MICA’s Falvey Hall require an RSVP for guaranteed seating.