File this under strange but true: The walls of one of Baltimore’s best neighborhood bars are decorated—some would say desecrated—with photos of football players wearing not purple and black, but burgundy and gold.

It can be jarring to walk into Wiley Gunter’s, a Riverside staple for more than a decade, and be subjected to Washington NFL memorabilia everywhere, but after a few minutes of conversation with a bartender or regular who’s bellied up beside you, a pint or two of a hard-to-find microbrew, and a burger that’s among the best in the city, you’ll feel right at home.

The memorabilia, like the former name of the team, is a relic of the past. The owners of the building’s previous inhabitant, the Sly Fox Pub, were Washington fans. Current owner Wyatt Mackie is not, but when he bought the place in 2012, he adopted an “if ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” attitude, according to general manager Dan Zaranski. He kept the unofficial affiliation—and improved everything else.

The Wiley Gunter’s (the name of Mackie’s great-great-grandfather) motto is simply, “Beer. Jams. Grub.” It delivers on all three.

Crushes are the most popular offering on the cocktail list, and each one is made with freshly squeezed fruit juice. A tower of grapefruits, oranges, lemons, and limes is restocked several times a day. But at its core, Wiley Gunter’s is a beer bar. While it doesn’t have the biggest beer program in the area, it has one of the most interesting.

Most of its 17 taps are changed out at least once a week. (Maine Beer Company’s Lunch, an IPA beloved by beer nerds, is always available.) All its draft upkeep—including line cleaning—is done in-house. Selection runs from local to national to international.

“You can come in on a Monday and by Wednesday there are four new beers,” Zaranski says.

Despite operating out of a space the size of a closet, the kitchen delivers quality. The burgers—each a half-pound of Angus beef, served with hand-cut fries or Old Bay pasta salad—are fresh and juicy. The southwest tuna nachos are labeled “award winning” on the menu.

“A few years back we were invited to the Heavy Seas Oyster Fest,” Zaranski says. “We didn’t have oysters, so we brought our tuna nachos. We thought we were going to have a fun day, have a few beers. We ended up being buried for like four hours making tuna nachos. We picked up an award, so you’ll hear some of the regulars call the tuna nachos ‘Wiley’s oysters.’”

Both Mackie and Zaranski regularly attend DelFest, an annual Memorial Day Weekend bluegrass festival in Cumberland. A few years back, they started making a playlist for the drive home. That’s grown to be more than 92 hours of music, which provides the soundtrack at the bar.

“You’ll get Phish, you’ll get Billy Strings, you’ll get some old-school Willie and Waylon,” Zaranski says. “Grateful Dead’s always creeping in there, too.”

Beer. Jams. Grub. Wiley Gunter’s has mastered the art of simplicity. Hail to one of Charm City’s best neighborhood bars.

Five things to eat, drink, see, hear, and do with your  Memorial Day Weekend in Charm City.

 EAT

May 26: Lobster Rolls Return to The Corner Pantry

The Corner Pantry, 6080 Falls Road, 667-308-2331, $28

Just when we thought Fridays couldn’t get any better, The Corner Pantry is bringing back a long-awaited summer special to kick-start the warm weekends ahead. Starting on May 26, the Mt. Washington hangout will be serving up classic Maine lobster rolls on Fridays throughout the season. Coast up Falls Road to indulge in chef/owner Neill Howell’s fresh-baked brioche rolls stuffed with hefty heaps (five ounces, to be exact) of poached lobster meat smothered in melted butter. The restaurant provides the requisite pickle and side of fries, but don’t forget to BYOB. 

 DRINK

May 27-28: Brew at the Zoo

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, 1876 Mansion House Drive, 410-396-7102, $50-55

If the last time you toured The Maryland Zoo was on a grade school field trip, this annual beer-filled fundraiser is the perfect opportunity to check out what’s been going on at the 135-acre park in Druid Hill. While sipping unlimited samples of beer from more than 80 local and national breweries, stroll around the grounds—which house more than 1,500 wild animals—to spot everything from cheetahs and chimps to black-tailed prairie dogs and African penguins (or the new baby giraffe Willow). Plus, indulge in eats from dozens of food vendors, and enjoy a live music lineup featuring the likes of local rockers Kelly Bell Band, Honey Extractor, and Nelly’s Echo.

 SEE

May 29: Memorial Ceremony at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens

200 E. Padonia Road, Timonium, 410-666-0490, 10 a.m., Free

Of course, the unofficial start of summer has become synonymous with backyard barbecues and soaking up sun at your newly reopened neighborhood pool. But we can’t forget the true meaning behind Memorial Day—a time to honor our country’s fallen soldiers. At this annual observance at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, take in the sights of multiple color guard units, hear musical tributes by Maryland Sings and other local performers, visit Maryland’s 9/11 Rolling Memorial, and stick around for a keynote speech by Baltimore native (and Dulaney High School alum) G. Reid Wiseman—the Navy commander and NASA Astronaut who served aboard the International Space Station for a 165-day mission in 2014.

 HEAR

May 25-28: DelFest

 Allegheny County Fairgrounds, 11490 Moss Ave., Cumberland, 301-729-1200, $35-235

Take the two-and-a-half-hour drive down interstates 70 and 68 to Western Maryland—where DelFest returns with camping, crafts, cold beer, and plenty of bluegrass music this weekend. With the scenic Appalachian Mountains as its backdrop, the annual festival started by legendary country musician Del McCoury boasts a four-day live music lineup spanning three stages at the Allegheny County Fairgrounds. Set up a lawn chair, throw on some shades, and jam to the finger-pickin’ sounds of The Del McCoury Band and The Travelin’ McCourys, along with special guest Dierks Bentley, bluegrass vocalist Sierra Hull, Baltimore boy Cris Jacobs, roots rockers Railroad Earth, and more. The family-friendly fête also includes tons of food vendors, its own arts and crafts fair, and a kids zone with water balloons, scavenger hunts, and environmental education workshops.

 DO

May 26: Summer Sounds at the Square Kickoff

Belvedere Square Market, 529 E. Belvedere Ave., 6-9 p.m., Free

Now celebrating its fourteenth season, this neighborhood concert series brings the Belvedere Square community out in droves on Friday nights throughout the summer. To celebrate the kickoff this weekend, bring the whole family to enjoy kid-friendly activities, eats and drinks from all of the market’s merchants (look out for ice cream from Atwater’s, a crawfish boil from Tooloulou, and kombucha by the glass from Hex Ferments), and live music by local alternative rockers Starcrush. Throughout the season, dance along to the sounds of soul and funk group Junkyard Saints, ‘80s cover band The New Romance, R&B performers Essential Vybe, blues band The Honey Extractors, and more.

The golf cart that whisks Del McCoury around the Allegany County Fairgrounds during DelFest, the four-day music festival he hosts each Memorial Day weekend in Cumberland, makes more pit stops than a racecar at Daytona. The legendary bluegrass singer, guitar player, and band leader can’t travel more than a few feet without being stopped by fans eager for a photo or just hoping to share a moment with the man whose what’s-not-to-love-about-life spirit permeates the musical celebration he founded in 2008. McCoury, almost always dapperly dressed in a suit, not a strand of his white hair out of place, usually obliges.  

That bond between artist and audience has made DelFest an annual pilgrimage for thousands of bluegrass lovers of all ages, from Maryland and beyond. 

Many people arrive Thursday, when the performances begin, and don’t leave until Monday, after the final late-night concert has ended. In between, local and national acts play tunes that span the bluegrass spectrum, with some country, rock, folk, and Americana mixed in. And musicians often sit in with one another, creating indelible, one-off performances. 

This year, Phish frontman Trey Anastasio will headline with his own band. Joining him on the bill—and possibly onstage—are Dierks Bentley, Béla Fleck and Chris Thile, Gov’t Mule, and the Steep Canyon Rangers, among others.

“I think the festival, with Del as the patriarch, honors diversity, celebrates innovation, and honors tradition,” says musician Joe Craven, who will emcee his ninth DelFest this year. “He creates a metaphor for how this country can be unified through music.”

The DelFest drive is a fairly straight shot from Baltimore via interstates 70 and 68. Though the scenery is beautiful, there aren’t many attractions to break up the two- to three-hour jaunt. But once you arrive in Cumberland, a small city of about 20,000 in Western Maryland’s panhandle, there are a few diversions that warrant a gander. Nearby Rocky Gap State Park (12900 Lakeshore Dr., Flintstone, 240-357-4404) features a nature center, miles of trails, and the 243-acre Lake Habeeb, plus all the amenities of the Rocky Gap Casino Resort: an 18-hole golf course, a full-service spa, and four restaurants. In Cumberland proper, George Washington’s Headquarters (38 Greene St.), a one-room cabin built circa 1755, demands a quick visit. If you have more than a minute to spare, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (13 Canal St., 800-TRAIN50), a historic railroad running between Cumberland and Frostburg, mixes mountain scenery and history. For outdoorsy types, the C&O Canal (13 Canal St., 301-722-8226) and Great Allegheny Passage trail (gaptrail.org) provide breathtaking natural splendor. 

For lodgings, the area offers just about every chain hotel known to man. For convenience and economy, it’s hard to beat Rodeway Inn (12310 Winchester Road SW, Lavale, 301-729-6700), which offers free Wi-Fi and is less than a 10-minute drive from the fairgrounds. For more creature comforts—and a central location in Cumberland’s historic downtown—try The Bruce House Inn (201 Fayette St., 301-777-8860) or Cumberland Inn & Spa (120 Greene St., 240-362-7111). Both book up fast for DelFest, but you might get lucky if there’s a cancellation.

But most attendees forgo all that and flock to the fairgrounds, which are nestled along the banks of the Potomac River. Multi-day passes include on-site camping privileges (but not parking), so people pitch tents near ball fields, along the railroad tracks, and in the woods near the water. Campers and RVs fill the lots near the grandstand. Grills are fired up, jam sessions erupt, dancing commences, inner tubes are inflated and plopped in the Potomac, and DelFest becomes home for the long holiday weekend.

Camping locations can get rowdy—this is a festival, after all—so attendees with youngsters generally opt for the Family Camp area, which is closer to the main stage and quieter late at night. Glampers can choose The Show Sherpa—a large cabin-style tent will be ready for you upon arrival. The rentals, which start at $425 for two people, also include cots, camping chairs, a lantern, and amenities like free coffee in the morning, a daily bag of ice, and a full camp kitchen. The only downside is that you are still largely at the mercy of Mother Nature. (Concertgoers are still talking about the epic hailstorm that bore down on the festival in 2009.) 

Festival organizers do go to great lengths to ensure that most needs can be met at the fairgrounds. Dozens of vendors offer an array of cuisines, including barbecue, vegetarian, and Chinese. More than 20 merchants line the back perimeter of the main stage area for an Art and Craft Fair that features clothing, jewelry, musical instruments, and other handmade items from around the world. Movement Playshops offer classes like yoga in multiple locations on the grounds, and the Kidzone (Fri.–Sun. 9-11:30 a.m., 1-7 p.m.) is packed with activities like face painting and scavenger hunts. 

No matter how people choose to experience DelFest, music is the tie that binds. Songs emanate nearly nonstop from two outdoor stages and one smaller indoor venue.  Main Stage acts play until midnight and then bands take tunes inside the Music Hall for intimate (separately ticketed) late-night shows. Music is also omnipresent in the parking lots and at the campsites, where impromptu jam sessions welcome musicians of all skill levels. 

“Sometimes jams go for two, three, four hours, and people come and go,” says Strawhand, a mandolin player. “There’s some rock-solid, amazing musicians, and there are people just strumming along and singing. Young people, old people. Everyone.”

If you want to impress, musicianship can be honed the Sunday through Wednesday prior to DelFest at DelFest Academy. Tickets are $400 and buy you instruction for guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, bass, and, new this year, dobro. Hosted by The Travelin’ McCourys (Del’s sons’ band), the sessions target individual needs and leave ample time for one-on-one interaction.

Presiding over the whole event is McCoury, 78, who grew up in York, Pennsylvania, where he learned to strum the guitar from his older brother, G.C. In his early 20s, he frequently played small clubs in Baltimore—then a hotbed of bluegrass—and developed an impressive enough reputation that Bill Monroe, often called the father of bluegrass, asked him to join his band. 

After a year with Monroe, McCoury set off on other musical adventures and got married. He worked in logging to support his family, which includes sons Ronnie, now his mandolin player, and Rob, who’s on banjo. It wasn’t until 1992, when Del moved to Nashville, that he became one of bluegrass’ most beloved ambassadors. In 2003 he joined the Grand Ole Opry, and in 2010 he received a lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Along the way, he performed at nearly every bluegrass festival around the country, but never thought of establishing his own until the idea was suggested by his manager. Sites in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and elsewhere in Maryland were considered, but “the first place we went was the Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland,” says McCoury. “I said, ‘We’ll never find a prettier location to have a festival.’ It’s really flat there, but you look across the river at West Virginia and it’s straight up. I said, ‘As far as I’m concerned, we don’t have to look any further.’”

They didn’t, and in 2008, DelFest was born. It quickly gained a national reputation as a festival embraced by both traditional bluegrass enthusiasts and those with more progressive tastes. It also has paid dividends for local charities and nonprofits. The DelFest Foundation has contributed $300,000 to a number of organizations, including the Western Maryland Food Bank and Allegany County Habitat for Humanity. 

“DelFest has become a part of the community,” says Brian Grim, a diehard festivalgoer, lifelong Cumberland resident, and, for the past six years, the city’s mayor. “It just has a really positive vibe that makes people feel welcome.”

That’s delightfully evident in the makeup of the crowd, which includes toddlers in diapers, grandpas wearing overalls, and many makes and models in between. They partake in various levels of partying. Friendships form in the rarely short beer lines (suds from craft breweries like Victory, Devils Backbone, and SweetWater are sold along with big boys like Stella Artois), and clouds of pungent smoke waft through the air—but remarkably, there never seems to be any friction between the factions. 

“It’s everybody’s happy place,” says Little. “Everybody’s having the best weekend ever. Kids are happy, parents are happy. It’s fun being around people when they’re happy.”

The man who makes this all possible has a passion for music that is infectious. Despite Del’s age (“I feel like I’m 17,” he says, chuckling), he will play sets every night but Saturday, and usually joins each major act for at least one number. To conclude its final show at last year’s festival, The Del McCoury Band chose “White House Blues,” a tune about presidents William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt. The song, like the man who sung it that night, is old but still so very relevant today. After it ended, a cheer rang out from the crowd, one that has evolved specifically to honor the patriarch of this festival. 

“Del yeah!”