Five things to eat, drink, see, hear, and do with your Charm City weekend.

 EAT

Feb. 16-18: Chinese New Year

The Elephant, 924 N. Charles St. 5 p.m.-12 a.m. 443-447-7878. 

If you’re ready to hit the refresh button after the first 44 days of 2018, start the year over with a Chinese New Year-inspired main course at The Elephant. This weekend at the historic mansion in Mount Vernon, executive chef Orlando Amaro is serving up peking duck, a famously celebratory dish with Beijing roots. Prepared five days in advance with a perfectly crisp crust, this dish guarantees a positive start to the year of the dog.

 DRINK

To Feb. 18: Union Pinewood Derby

Union Craft Brewing, 1700 Union Ave. 12-5 p.m. $5-10. 410-467-0290.

This Sunday, put your cub, boy, and Eagle scout merit badges to the test and head to Union Craft Brewing to compete in an old-fashioned pinewood derby. Yes, we’re talking about the wooden toy race cars that prevailed in the ’50s, so ride this wave of nostalgia and grab a build kit, make a racer, and run it down their 40-foot derby track. Racers can design their cars however they want—shaped like a beer bottle, sporting the Maryland flag, or mirroring the Batman mobile—and compete to win a trophy and a can of every 2018 special release beer. If you’d rather watch the four-wheeled waggery from the sidelines, grab a few Duckpins and soak up the suds with signature wood-fired pies by Well Crafted Pizza.

 SEE

Feb. 17: Baltimore’s Legends & Legacies Jubilee

Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park and Museum, 1417 Thames St. 12-4 p.m. Free. 410-685-0295.

This week, Governor Larry Hogan officially proclaimed 2018 as the “Year of Frederick Douglass,” a fitting move since the father of the civil rights movement turned 200 this year. His birthday celebration continues this Saturday at Baltimore’s Legends & Legacies Jubilee, where visitors can check out interactive exhibits from local museums, sample eats from Popsations and Connie’s Chicken and Waffles, and get an up-close look at the new Frederick Douglass wax figure. Another local legend, Baltimore’s own Davon Fleming, who stole our hearts during his time on NBC’s The Voice, will host a singing competition for any brave challengers.

 HEAR

Feb. 16: Classical Music for People with Short Attention Spans

WTMD, 1 Olympic Pl., Towson. 8-10:30 p.m. $12-15. 410-704-8938.

If you get antsy and bored during a 2-hour classical music program, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Classical Revolution Baltimore, a collective of musicians that performs classical music in non-traditional spaces, is pairing up with WTMD to present a program that’s perfect for people with short attention spans. In this “Cliffs Notes of Classical Music,” hear the most notable parts of well-known classical pieces (think Mozart’s “Lacrimosa” and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7”) featuring performances from local artists Pique Collective, Outcalls, and Dominic Shodekeh Talifero. If you can’t make the performance, tune into the live broadcast on 89.7 to hear this one-of-a-kind mix of classical and contemporary ensembles.

 DO

Feb. 16-17: Frozen Harbor Music Festival

Locations & times vary. $20-120. 443-579-7766.

We might be weeks away from warm weather and music festival season, but we can always count on the Frozen Harbor Music Festival to start the party early. With a forecast of cloudy skies, rain, and snow on Saturday, the harbor will indeed be frozen while this 2-day festival hosts 160 acts across 10 stages downtown. Build an itinerary, map out your weekend, and hop from venue to venue to catch local and national artists, including big names like Keller Williams and George Clinton and Maryland favorites like Jimmie’s Chicken Shack and Sam Grow. 

Say it ain’t so! Last night, viewers of NBC’s The Voice voted off Park Heights native Davon Fleming. The proud Baltimore resident made local headlines back in September when he wowed the judges with his rendition of Amy Winehouse’s “Me and Mr. Jones” and quickly became a fan-favorite on team Jennifer Hudson with his effortless singing during every performance week to week. 

After a stellar performance on Monday night of “Gravity” by John Mayer, and an unbelievable rendition of The Weeknd’s “Earned It” with Brooke Simpson on team Miley Cyrus, Fleming was in the bottom for the second week in a row. He was ultimately eliminated from the competition and, to put it mildly, fans weren’t too pleased. 

Although his fans were saddened by the results, in typical Davon Fleming fashion, he thanked and encouraged his supporters with this uplifting message.

Jennifer Hudson threw her shoe at him. Adam Levine refused to sit down. Miley Cyrus’s jaw dropped. And Blake Shelton said, “You deserve to win this show.” All four judges were equally impressed with Baltimore native Davon Fleming’s blind audition for season 13 of NBC’s The Voice. Singing his rendition of Amy Winehouse’s “Me and Mr. Jones,” Fleming wowed the audience and coaches, receiving the coveted four-chair turn.

“You’re praying that they turn around,” Fleming told Baltimore. “When they do, you can’t get excited and stop singing—so I just smiled really big and kept going.”

Each coach was given a turn to plead for him to join their team, but after singing a Whitney Houston song with Hudson, there was no doubt in Fleming’s mind that she would be his coach. Since then—under JHud Productions—he’s won his battle round and, most recently, the knockout round. Next he will compete in the playoff rounds which air on November 13. Should he make it through, he will perform on the live shows that begin November 20. 

On Fleming’s recent visit to the Baltimore magazine, we learned so much about him—he has a twin brother (Tavon), he wasn’t accepted to attend the Baltimore School for the Arts (gasp), and he wants to be the male Whitney Houston. (The magazine’s staff was also lucky enough to witness an intimate performance of his right in our lobby.)

Back in Los Angeles, Fleming has had plenty of memorable moments, namely meeting Hudson’s musical advisor, singer Kelly Rowland. Fleming’s reaction to seeing Rowland was a mix of shock and raw emotion, crashing into the door as he caught a glimpse of her.

“We didn’t know about Kelly—they don’t tell us who the advisors are,” he said. “Kelly was so sweet. It’s so cool to see that the people you grew up listening to are actually like that in real life. I couldn’t help but cry—it was humbling.”

Aside from meeting new people, making life-long friends, and working with some of the most successful artists in the world, Fleming has grown as an artist since being on the show. He’s more assured than ever of his true purpose in life.

“Win or lose, I’ve already exceeded my expectations,” he said. “My goal isn’t to win, it’s to just be a light and inspiration in my community—to let people all over know that you don’t have to be a product of your environment.”

Having grown up in Park Heights, with a background rooted firmly in the Bethel Temple Church of Christ on Rogers Avenue, Fleming took a chance when he chose to perform a rendition of MercyMe’s “I Can Only Imagine.” The advice he received from guest advisor, singer Kelly Clarkson, helped him to win the round and stay true to his beliefs at the same time.

“I knew it was risky doing a gospel song, but I wanted to show my faith,” he said about his performance. “She told me that I’m the ‘vessel for my message.’ I started in the church, and I want to be able to cross over and still bring Christ to them.”

Since the episode of his blind audition aired, Fleming has returned home but will be traveling back to California for the live shows this week. His life has been forever changed since being on the show—including pure pandemonium on a routine visit to Mondawmin Mall—but he wouldn’t change it for the world.

“I love the love,” he said. “I will never turn down a picture, or an autograph because I’m always going to be that little kid from Park Heights that wanted to sing.”