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.

Doors Open Baltimore
Oct 5-6. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.. Locations vary. Free. When Margaret De Arcangelis walks past a building—whether it’s a new high-rise office or a centuries-old home—she’s always curious to know what’s inside. That sense of appreciation for local structures of all sizes and ages is what led her to become the committee chair of Doors Open Baltimore, an annual event where more than 55 spaces open their doors to the public. De Arcangelis says that while many people only associate Baltimore’s architecture with rowhomes, Doors Open (this year on October 5-6) gives visitors the chance to explore the different types of buildings, museums, and historic houses that make up the city. “Through this event, people ‘catch the bug’ and get excited about these buildings,” she says. “If we get people interested in them now, we hope that curiosity continues throughout the rest of the year.”—KP

---

The Great Halloween Lantern Parade & Festival
Oct. 26. 3:30 p.m.. Patterson Park. Free. One of the city’s most beloved fall traditions turns 20 this year, and to celebrate, there will be even more parade floats, glowing sculptures, and dance parties than ever before. After spending the afternoon in Patterson Park for the annual Lantern Festival, join thousands of onlookers and watch people of all ages parade through the park holding glowing lanterns and marching alongside community bands.

---

International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards
Oct. 5-6. 11 a.m.. 203 N. Amity St.. Free-$200. Whether you believe Edgar Allan Poe died of alcohol poisoning, cooping, or otherwise, there’s no denying that his “death weekend” never ceases to bring Poe fanatics together. We take a deep dive into Baltimore’s connection to Poe on page 82, but this two-day festival that commemorates his death with a funeral “viewing,” Poe House tours, and a special Black Cat Ball is certainly worth noting. Join thousands of fans outside of his former home on North Amity Street to experience Poe-themed performances, booksellers, and poetry readings, and learn more about the full history of his tormented life through representatives from preeminent “Poe places” such as Richmond and New York.

---

Halloween 2019
Oct. 26. 8 p.m.-1 a.m.. Maryland Science Center. $42-80. Who would’ve guessed that one of the hottest Halloween parties in Baltimore—complete with more than a dozen musical acts, a wild costume contest, and tons of craft beer—would take place at the Maryland Science Center? For one night only, the kid-friendly exhibits will make way for this annual music festival on the Inner Harbor, with big-name headliners such as rock band J. Roddy Walston and The Business, pictured, rapper DDm, and Talking Heads tribute group Psycho Killers. Don’t miss the chance to hear the likes of bluegrass stompers The Dirty Grass Players, folk-pop septet Haint Blue, and DJs Roby Macy and Jasmes Nasty all under one roof in this can’t-miss collaboration between local nonprofit Believe in Music and the Maryland Science Center.

---

Phantom of the Opera
Oct 9-20. 12 N. Eutaw St.. Time varies. $56.50-206. The Hippodrome Theatre is kicking off its 2019-2020 season with the classic of all classics: Phantom of the Opera. Revered as one of the best musicals of all time, this award-winning show follows the story of a brooding, mask-wearing phantom who stirs emotions and schemes at a 19th-century Paris opera house. Whether you’re experiencing it for the first time or the 10th, this timeless show by Andew Lloyd Webber is sure to leave you thinking about its powerful themes all the way home.

---

Charm City Fringe Festival
Oct. 10-20. Time and prices vary. Bromo Arts District. Baltimore’s theater community is even better when it comes together, and this annual festival that brings every type of actor and audience member together proves it. Experience the most innovative and cutting-edge theater productions Charm City has to offer, with 11 days of shows across multiple venues in the Bromo Arts District. Check out the full schedule of acts, troupes, and performers online to make your theater-hopping plans.

---

Oysterfest 13
Oct. 12. 12-9 p.m.. 36 E. Cross St.. Free-$99. For the first time in its 13-year history, this slurp-tastic festival will take place on South Point’s waterfront, with tons of freshly shucked oysters, seafood delights, and drinks to kick off prime Chesapeake Bay oyster season. Spend the day sampling more than 10 varieties of raw oysters, taking in the picture-perfect views, and, if you want to be impressed, watch the some of the region’s most skilled oyster shellers compete for the title of fastest local shucker. If you’re hemming and hawing over the price of a VIP shuck-buck package, remember that a portion of the proceeds benefits the Oyster Recovery Partnership and Living Classrooms Foundation, Shipboard.

---

Baltimore Comic-Con
Oct. 18-20. Time varies. The Baltimore Convention Center. $25-165. If you spot a superhero or villain walking around the Inner Harbor, don’t worry, that just means that the annual Baltimore Comic-Con has officially descended upon Charm City. Now in its 20th year, this weekend-long sci-fi fest is a can’t-miss event for comic book enthusiasts, with a packed schedule of costume contests, art exhibits, panels, and, of course, browsing for comic books. Spend the weekend at the Baltimore Convention Center looking for the perfect addition to your collection, rubbing elbows with big-name cartoonists, and showing off your best Joker or Darth Vader look.

---

Baltimore Running Festival
Oct. 19. Time and location varies. $55-280. One thing that we love about citywide festivals is there’s usually something for everyone, and the Baltimore Running Festival is the perfect example. Since this event features five different events ranging from an all-ages 5K to the BaltiMORON-a-thon, runners of all skill levels can come together and celebrate the beauty of hitting the pavement. Register early to secure your spot at the starting line and get ready to show off that crab-shaped finishing medal.

---

The Walters Gala and Party
Oct. 19. 6 p.m.-12 a.m.. The Walters Art Museum. $115-500. The Walters Art Museum has been revered as one of the best art museums in the country, so it’s no surprise that its annual fundraising gala and party is up there with the best of them. This year’s theme, Modern Nouveau, takes inspiration from an exhibition of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the architect who influenced the art nouveau movement, that’s premiering at the Mount Vernon museum this month. Start the evening with a cocktail reception followed by a gourmet dinner in the galleries, and cap off the night with late-night drinks and dancing in the Sculpture Court. Be sure to grab tickets early, as this party-for-a-cause experience is almost guaranteed to sell out.

Time Out of Mind

East Lafayette Avenue
October 22, 2016

The metal letters nailed on the wooden door read simply: “HANS SCHULER—SCULPTOR.” “I’ve walked past it so many times and have always been curious about what’s inside,” says a visitor, ducking into the 110-year-old ivy-covered brick and sky-lit atelier.

“We get that a lot,” chuckles Francesca Schuler Guerin, the granddaughter of Hans Schuler, an Alsace-Lorraine immigrant known as Baltimore’s “monument maker” for his classical works across the city. An accomplished sculptor in her own right, Guerin is leading a rare tour of the Schuler School of Fine Arts, founded here in 1959 by her parents—Schuler’s son, also named Hans, and her mother, Ann Didusch Schuler.

Schuler’s works include five pieces in the Walters Art Museum collection, most notably a sculpture of Ariadne, the distraught daughter of the mythological Greek king Minos, which won him a gold medal at the Paris Salon in 1901. His outdoor works include the renowned Meditation and Memory pieces at Green Mount Cemetery, the 18-foot statue of Martin Luther at Lake Montebello, and the giant relief of Gen. Casimir Pulaski at the entrance to Patterson Park.

At the moment, a half-dozen students—surrounded by original scale models of Schuler’s sculptures—are quietly painting and sculpting clay in the day-lit studio, as others practice the basic drawing techniques that serve as the foundation of the school’s traditional curriculum. Students here learn to grind their own pigments in the manner of the old masters. In fact, the school was started as a protest against the modernist movement sweeping the nearby Maryland Institute College of Art, where Hans and Ann taught and the elder Schuler served as director from 1925-1951.

Despite the changing times, the school survives, buoyed by a commitment to what Schuler once described as “pure art” that has remained steadfast through succeeding generations. “I read an art magazine story about how the practice of teaching ‘cast’ drawing [charcoal studies of plaster busts] has been recently ‘rediscovered,’” Guerin says. “We’ve always taught cast drawing. It’s not like somebody’s discovered the Incas or something.”

---

Homeward Bound

Greenmount Avenue
October 10, 2016

“I counted on the first 60 miles wearing her down, but it didn’t help,” laughs Erek Barron, a Prince George’s County state delegate, as he jogs into the Greenmount Avenue offices of Community Mediation Maryland behind a surprisingly fresh Lorig Charkoudian. “She can run.”

Charkoudian, co-founder of the nonprofit, which offers free mediation services to prison inmates, their families, and others, had just completed a two-day, 70-mile run from Hagerstown to Baltimore to raise awareness about the benefits of reentry services. She was joined by supporters along her trek—symbolic of the journey thousands make each year as they return from Hagerstown’s penitentiaries—and by Barron, a key legislator behind Maryland’s recent Justice Reinvestment Act, who ran the final 10 miles with her.

Charkoudian picked up a gaggle of runners as she reached the Baltimore Museum of Art and then was greeted by balloons and cheers as she led the way across 33rd Street. Later, glancing at a 10-foot map hung in the nonprofit’s hallway to chart her progress, she notes her southeastern route appears misleading. “It looks downhill, but I can assure you it wasn’t,” she says, running her finger toward the Appalachian Mountains.

Among those meeting Charkoudian were Barbara Doran and her daughter, Rita, who went through multiple family mediation sessions with Doran’s son, Ricky, who has been incarcerated for much of the past 13 years. “I didn’t know what we were going to do with him when he got out,” says Barbara, choking up. “We had lost trust.” Rita, 22, adds she grew up without her brother around. “Basically, we didn’t have a relationship.”

“The sessions were his idea. He learned about them [while incarcerated],” Barbara says. “They’ve made a big impact on all our lives. And my son isn’t even home yet.”

---

Visiting Hours

St. Paul Street
October 22, 2016

Charlie Murphy taps the brakes of his road bike as he heads down St. Paul Street, slowing to allow the three-dozen bicyclists trailing behind to keep pace during the blustery morning start of the Doors Open Baltimore Bike Tour. With more than 50 distinctive buildings accessible to the public today, the third annual Doors Open project—organized by the Baltimore Architecture Foundation and the Baltimore branch of the American Institute of Architects—offers a free opportunity to peak inside some of the most historic sites in the city.

Led by Murphy, a Bikemore board member, and Zach Chissel, founder of Two Wheel Tuesday—a weekly bike-to-work event—the ride includes stops such as the Arabber Preservation Society in Sandtown, the new Lillie Carroll Jackson Civil Rights Museum in Bolton Hill, the Eubie Blake Cultural Center on Howard Street, Open Works in Greenmount West, and Lovely Lane United Methodist Church on St. Paul Street, before wrapping up at the Peabody Heights Brewery situated at the former home of old Oriole Park in Waverly.

The oldest building on the cue sheet is the first—the Lovely Lane church, which broke ground in the late 1800s, almost a century after its original meeting house hosted the famous Christmas Conference that established the first Methodist denomination in the U.S. Designed with an oval sanctuary for better acoustics, the church still has its original organ and oak seats. But it is best known for its nearly 200-foot tower—with massive windows that are lit in the shape of a cross each evening—and in the dome above the pulpit, a heavenly fresco depicting the stars in their exact position on the night of the church’s dedication on Nov. 6, 1887.

“It’s a great place to preach, but if you’re boring, you’ll know right away,” says the Rev. Travis Knoll. “Everybody starts looking up.”

Les Miserables
Oct. 9-14. 12 N Eutaw St.. $54-199. Two years after the end of its second Broadway revival, this Tony Award-winning musical will come alive on the hallowed Hippodrome stage during a six-night stint in Baltimore. Rediscover the timeless story of love and redemption in this updated production presented by famed British producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh. With an iconic soundtrack, including “I Dreamed A Dream” and “On My Own,” and an intricate set inspired by creator Victor Hugo’s original artwork, this rendition of the timeless tale will leave audiences wishing the show lasted one day more.

---

AVAM’s Parenting: An Art Without a Manual
Oct. 6-Sept. 1, 2019. American Visionary Museum, 800 Key Highway. Free-$10. The American Visionary Art Museum considers parenting to be “humanity’s most essential performance art,” and, for the next 11 months, will showcase work that explores the experience of parenting and being parented. This highly anticipated exhibition features a wide range of pieces by 36 artists, including locals such as Francisco Loza, Bobby Adams, and Chris Wilson (“Momas Boys,” pictured).

---

Made in Baltimore: Short Film Festival
Oct. 6. Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave.. 7:30PM. $10. With hometown auteurs such as John Waters and Barry Levinson, this city certainly has film in its DNA. During this one-day extravaganza at the Creative Alliance in Highlandtown, celebrate the city’s up-and-coming directors, producers, editors, and actors with screenings of 12 short films that view the world through a uniquely Baltimore lens. Revel in the chance to view works by the next generation of area filmmakers and join fellow cinephiles to applaud the talented winners who take home the night’s top prizes.

---

Doors Open Baltimore
Oct. 6-7. Location varies. 1PM. Free. For one weekend, get free access to more than 60 of Baltimore’s architectural wonders, along with lectures and guided tours of local historic structures and neighborhoods. During this fifth annual tradition, stop by tourist attractions such as The Star-Spangled Banner Flag House and the Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory, or delve into more recent, lesser-known additions such as the mid-century modern Highfield House landmark designed by architectural revolutionary Mies van der Rohe. Whether you stop into one spot or turn the building hop into your entire afternoon, take advantage of this weekend’s open-door policy and explore the city’s hidden gems.

---

Baltimore Beer Week
Oct. 12-21. Location and prices vary. It’s no secret that Charm City’s beer scene has exploded over the past decade with more new breweries, beer-centric events, and homebrewers than ever before. During this nine-day celebration of all things hoppy and frothy, check out annual brew week events such as the Baltimore Beer Legends Hall of Fame at the Mt. Washington Tavern, the Maryland Brewers Big Wheel Race at Max’s Taphouse, and endless pairings, new releases, and tap takeovers across the city. Prices vary, baltimorebeerweek.com.

---

Oysterfest
Oct. 13-14. 36 E Cross Street. Free-$100. As the oft-repeated quote goes, “He was a bold man that first ate an oyster.” The owners of Ryleigh’s are no strangers to the one-of-a-kind delicacy, and they’re hosting their 12th annual oyster festival just in time for the official start of the R-month season. Stop by the Federal Hill bar and restaurant for two days of al fresco local brews, live music, and tons of mouth-watering mollusks. Be sure to stick around to watch some of the region’s best shuckers compete in the annual competition on Saturday afternoon.

---

Immigrant and Refugee Food Festival
Oct. 14. Canton Waterfront Park, 3001 Boston St.. $15. With the motto #BreakingBarriersByBreakingBread, this food festival celebrates the diversity of the city’s dining scene with dishes by some of the best immigrant and refugee chefs in Baltimore. Spend the afternoon at Canton Waterfront Park sampling authentic eats from local vendors such as Cocina Luchadoras, Man Vs. Pho, and Thai Street, listening to live performances by Madagascan band BeMaeva and DJ Nikilad, and catching an appearance by Maryland Democratic primary candidate Krish Vignarajah.

---

Baltimore Running Festival
Oct. 20. $55-270. Lace up your sneakers for the city’s most anticipated race of the year. Whether you’re trying out the 5K or taking on the full marathon, join more than 17,000 runners in circling the city and seeing picture-perfect views of the waterfront along the way. For the first time in its 17 years, the finish line will be at the Inner Harbor, where participants and spectators alike can celebrate a successful run with food, drinks, music, and family-friendly activities.

---

Maryland Science Center & Believe in Music Halloween 2018
Oct. 27. 601 Light St.. 8PM-1AM. $35-75. Halloween music doesn’t have to consist solely of “Thriller” and “Monster Mash,” and the Maryland Science Center and local nonprofit Believe In Music are hosting an all-out dance party to prove it. Across seven stages featuring Baltimore musicians, prepare to dance with headlining electronic artist Dan Deacon, sing along with folk legend Caleb Stine, rock out to post-punk group Natural Velvet, and wander throughout the center’s exhibits in your finest costume.

---

The Great Halloween Lantern Parade and Festival
Oct. 27. Patterson Park at Eastern & Linwood Aves.. 3:30PM. Free. It’s not truly Halloween in Baltimore until this glow-in-the-dark spectacular takes over the hills of Patterson Park. Each year, on the last Saturday in October, the city green space transforms into a family-friendly festival, complete with lantern-making classes, hayrides, and local beers, followed by the sunset illuminated parade featuring artists, musicians, and dancers in a park-wide procession.

---

Baltimore has no shortage of buildings with unique designs and histories. The Baltimore Fire Museum is one of these distinct buildings, standing apart from the cityscape with its gothic tower and arched entryway. The East Baltimore firehouse-turned-museum is also striking because of the clock and large church-style bell placed in the top of the tower.

The Baltimore Fire Museum is one of 60 sites featured in the fifth annual Doors Open Baltimore event returning the weekend of October 6. The citywide, architectural exploration will open up unique buildings and neighborhoods to the public free of charge and this year there will be a number of open houses held on Sunday.

“Any site we find that would be of interest to the public, and maybe the public doesn’t get to see is something we’d love to have as part of the event,” explained Victoria Kraushar-Plantholt, chair for Doors Open Baltimore. “Baltimore has some great architecture.”

The two-day experience features walking tours of areas like the Howard Street Corridor, and tours by bus. Kraushar-Plantholt explained that, although there are sites to see all over Baltimore, organizers made an effort to cluster locations together—making it easier for people to walk, bike, bus, or drive themselves to see everything.

The weekend includes both self-guided tours and outings with experts. Tour guides for sites like the Hippodrome Theatre are people who have extensive knowledge of the building. At other locations tours will be conducted by historic preservationists or architects.

Doors Open Baltimore grows each year and a new feature this year is a partnership with Yelp. The crowdsourced review platform helped with volunteer recruitment over the summer and will highlight restaurants near sites, so that guests can visit a couple the buildings that interest them and grab a bite to eat along the way. Along with the partnership with Yelp, restaurants like B&O American Brasserie downtown, and SoBo Cafe in Federal Hill will be offering discounts during the event.

“The great thing about this is that even if people aren’t into architecture per se, there’s something for everyone,” said Kraushar-Plantholt. As in previous years, Doors Open Baltimore will feature a number of family-friendly activities, including rides for kids and parents alike at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum on Falls Road.

Once again this year, the Doors Open Baltimore event is sponsored by the Baltimore Architecture Association (BAF) and the American Institute for Architects.

“Doors Open is important because it helps people engage with their community,” said Kraushar-Planthold. “And [it] presents aspects of Baltimore City that visitors might drive by every day but never stop to see what’s behind the building.”

Nestled on Wolfe Street are two houses built in 1797 that were once part of a quadplex—a structure of four living spaces. Built with common materials of wood and brick, these homes were occupied by African-American families in the mid-1800s who worked as ship caulkers less than two blocks away at the port.

These two buildings are some of the last Caulkers’ Houses to remain and have seen more than 200 years in Fells Point history. 

“It’s something you might walk past and not notice,” said Victoria Kraushar-Planholt, the chair for Doors Open Baltimore event. “There’s a lot of rich tradition with our city and its architecture.” 

Stories and structures like these are just one reason why Doors Open Baltimore is back again for the fourth year. Beginning October 28, the multi-day event allows visitors to tour more than 50 of Baltimore’s historical sites for free. The event was extended from one day to a full weekend to allow for lectures, more guided tours, and additional offerings.

The next day, visitors will have an opportunity to experience walking neighborhood heritage tours, bus tours with the Baltimore Heritage—a nonprofit historical preservation organization—and bicycle tours through several sites guided by architects and neighborhood experts. This year, since the dates are so close to Halloween, there will even be a few cemetery tours where you can learn about famous Baltimoreans and where they are buried.

“We’ve had people come up to us because they were upset they could only see so many of the sites if they were also going to do a guided tour,” she said. “The full weekend gives people more opportunities to see more of the buildings they want to see and participate in the events—they won’t have to choose.” 

Doors Open, which was inspired by a Denver event of the same name, is sponsored by the local chapter of the American Institute for Architects (AIA) and the Baltimore Architecture Foundation (BAF), and aims highlight the architectural designs around the city, introducing even longtime residents to something new. 

Among the sites are some familiar names like the Rawlings Conservatory and the Peabody Library. But the event also features hidden gems like The Arch Social Club, which is the second oldest black social club in the country, or Old Otterbein Church, which is the oldest, continuously used church in Baltimore.

“The hardest question is when people ask me my favorite site,” Kraushar-Planholt said. “But the Peabody Library is amazing to revisit. I’m a huge book fan and to see their 60-foot tall atrium with over 300,000 books is breathtaking in real life.”

Visual Art

Undesign the Redline Exhibit
Through July 9, Gallery CA, 440 E. Oliver St. This interactive exhibit connecs the intentional, systematic housing segregation by race of the 1930s to the political and social issues of today through the powerful narratives of the people and communities affected by redlining—the practice of restricting access to credit for prospective homebuyers based on the demographics (particularly race) of the community they want to buy into.

The Dog & Pony Show
Through July 30, Area 405, 405 E. Oliver St. During its 12-year run, The Janet & Walter Sondheim Prize has generated an elite alumni of visual arts from the Baltimore/Washington region. This new exhibit at Area 405 (whose own director Stewart Watson is one such esteemed alumnus) recognizes those who have been previously selected as Sondheim finalists as a community of high achieving visual artists. The exhibit at Area 405 is curated by Watson, and Cara Ober, Editor of BmoreArt and is designed to celebrate the award and the evolving careers of former finalists.

Through the Layers Pt. 1 at Terrault
July 8-29, 218 W. Saratoga St., Third Floor. Antonio McAfee’s fascinating work made him the winner of Terrault’s juried art show earlier this year. In this exhibit, McAfee appropriates photographs from W.E.B. Du Bois and Thomas Calloway’s Exhibition of American Negroes (1900) into various 3D images and collages, attempting to provide alternate ways to see black figures, ways that allow for the subjects to have multitudes of possibilities, real and imagined within a still image. 

The Weight of Absence
Through Aug. 13, Goucher College’s Rosenberg Gallery, 1021 Dulaney Valley Rd. The architectural drawings that artist Erin Fostel is working on came about through grieving the loss of her father in 2014. He was an architect who enjoyed exploration, always interested in finding new ways to get from here to there. She wanted to create a body of work that served as both a commemoration of his life, and a relief from the heartbreak of his death, so she started exploring parts of Baltimore City she did not know well. At some point, she began taking photographs of certain buildings and structures that caught her attention, ones she thought would have been of interest to her dad. These ruminations, explorations, and photographs have become the foundation for her new body of work.

S33 Studio Biennial/Ursula Populoh/Giulia Livi
School 33 Art Center, 1427 Light St. Three new shows open at School 33 this month, including an exhibition that highlights the work of the studio artists in residence there, including Taha Heydari, Cheeny Celebrado-Royer, and Lynn Cazabon. And catch solo exhibits by fiber artist Ursual Populoh, and Giulia Livi, whose geometric objects and paintings utilize materiality to investigate light, form, and the weirdly functional. 

Performing Arts

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s New Music Festival
July 13-15, various locations. This inaugural event has the BSO musicians performing at new, unique venues—like pizza favorite Joe Squared on North Avenue. There’s also a concert that features two BSO premieres by Polish composer and soprano Agata Zubel, as well as the World Premiere of Syrian-American composer Malek Jandali’s The Silent Ocean. And as an added bonus, all of the composers featured in the festival will be in attendance so you can say you’ve brushed elbows with true creative geniuses.

Tick Tick Boom at StillPointe Theatre
July 14-28, 1825 N. Charles St. You likely know Jonathan Larson from his epic, Broadway-changing musical Rent—but you might not know its intimate, autobiographical predecessor. This deeply personal peek into the life of an artist follows one man’s journey to define success on his own terms. 

News

Doors Open Baltimore, the architectural tour that showcases all things eclectic, historic, and truly Baltimore, is expanding to two full days this fall. Locations range from returning favorite the Arabber Center, a must-see attraction at one of the country’s last remaining locations for this African-American folk tradition and Charm City Meadworks, Baltimore City’s only meadery and the event’s newest addition, which will be open for tours and tastings of mead, a honey-based historic beverage similar to wine.

After more than 10 years of serving emerging artists, collectors and the Baltimore community at large, Jordan Faye Contemporary is closing its doors at the Maryland Art Place building at 218 W Saratoga Street, effective July 28th. “What an incredible journey it has been,” founder and director Jordan Faye Block wrote in an e-mail. “Never did I think, when I moved here from a small college town in New Hampshire 14 years ago, that I would fall so in love with this city – its culture, its visionary people, its architecture & the art community.” Block said she is exploring options for a new venture within the city.

The owners and operators of downtown Baltimore’s Platform Gallery—Abigail Paris and Lydia Petit—have announced they are handing over the reigns of the exhibition space to Baltimore Youth Arts, an artist-run, after school program that provides artistic and professional opportunities to youth, ages 14-22. “We could not be more thrilled to have this location and space occupied by a cause that is so crucial to the community, and we encourage everyone who supported us to continue to attend the events they hold,” Petit and Parish wrote in a statement.

Maryland Fleet Week and Air Show
Oct. 8-17. Various locations. Between our historic, national-anthem-inspiring fort and a certain highly decorated Olympian, Baltimore is no stranger to patriotism. It’s only fitting, then, that—for the first time in history—Charm City will host the Maryland Fleet Week and Air Show to celebrate the rich naval heritage of the Chesapeake Bay, as well as the state’s contribution to the defense of the United States. The seventh of its kind in the country, and a descendant of the 2012 Sailabration and 2014 Star-Spangled Spectacular, the festival will feature a full 10 days of red, white, and blue . Join hundreds of thousands of onlookers as historic ships arrive and thrive in the city’s waters, accompanied by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, plus dozens of maritime-themed events. At the Inner Harbor and in Fells and Locust points, board the decks of navy vessels and schooners, catch more than 40 boats competing in the Constellation Cup Regatta, and check out the Fleet Week Fair, with regional food and live music by local and military bands. At Martin State Airport in Middle River, there will be aircrafts on display, both on land and in midair, with flight takeoffs, landings, and pilot autographs. But back where it all began—where a star-shaped fortress protected the city from British attack by the bay—celebrations will abound at Fort McHenry, with ship salutes, sailor meet-and-greets, and living history programs. Just don’t miss the main event, as the legendary Blue Angels fly over the grounds that inspired those iconic lyrics, long ago: “O say can you see . . . ”

---

Pigtown Festival
Oct. 8. 700-900 blocks of Washington Boulevard. 12-7 p.m. Free. 443-908-7038. Just west of the hustle and bustle of Federal Hill, the small neighborhood of Pigtown sits pretty with charming row homes, timeworn warehouses, and a growing brood of businesses. During this 15th annual festival, watch the streets fill with people, food, live music, and the swine of its iconic pig races.

---

Open Studio Tour
Oct. 8-9. Locations vary. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. 410-752-8632. Go behind the scenes of the Baltimore art scene during this weekend-long look inside local studios, presented by School 33 Art Center. For the 28th year, visitors can meet dozens of artists across the city, view their creative processes, and browse their works in fine painting, mixed media, film, sculpture, and more.

---

Baltimore Running Festival
Oct. 15. Locations & times vary, starting at 7 a.m. $15-280. 410-605-9381. Runners, after months of training, it’s the day you’ve all been waiting for—the Baltimore Running Festival is finally here. Whatever your abilities, hit the pavement with everything from a 5K race to 26.2 miles through the heart of Baltimore City. Test your endurance or run for one of many great causes, including the Kennedy Krieger Institute or One Love Foundation.

---

U.S. Oyster Festival
Oct. 15-16. St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds, 42455 Fairgrounds Road, Leonardtown. Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free-$7. Oysters are all the rage these days, but whether you like ’em raw, steamed, or grilled, bring your appetite to the 50th annual U.S. Oyster Festival for a weekend of live music, local food vendors, and plenty of shucks to go around. Watch the country’s fastest shuckers compete for cash prizes in the National Oyster Shucking Championship, or try your luck in the amateur contest. Thanks to the recent boom in Baltimore’s aquaculture, this year’s oyster cook-off is sure to impress (and indulge) local oyster-lovers, with categories like hors d’oeurves, soups and stews, and entrees.

---

WPOC Weekend in the Country
Oct. 15-16. Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. 1 p.m. $55-175. 410-715-5550. Even the most serious country music haters are now putting on their cowboy hats for the boot-scooting Southern genre that’s made its way into the mainstream. Don your bandanas and cutoff jeans to hear big names like the party-starting Little Big Town (“Pontoon,” “Day Drinking”) and up-and-comers like the dynamic duo LOCASH (which is one-part Baltimore native). After 15 years, local country music radio station 93.1 FM has turned this swaggering Southern music festival into a favorite fall tradition.

---

Baltimore Craft Beer Festival
Oct. 22. Canton Waterfront Park, 3001 Boston St. $35-65. 410-252-9463. Get to know Maryland’s booming craft beer scene at the edge of the Baltimore harbor. For one fall Saturday, sample the state’s very best with nearly 150 local beers, including RAR Brewing’s Nanticoke Nectar IPA and Union Craft’s barrel-aged Old Pro with blackberries, plus live music and local bites by the likes of The Smoking Swine and BricknFire Pizza Co.

---

Doors Open Baltimore
Oct. 22. Various locations. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. 410-625-2585. For one day, go behind the scenes at Baltimore’s historic buildings, museums, and landmarks as part of the third annual Doors Open Baltimore. In this free, citywide event, explore more than 50 locations from Mount Washington to South Baltimore, like the Peabody Library, Peabody Heights Brewery on the former site of the old Oriole Park, and the new Baltimore Immigration Museum in Locust Point. Get started at the Maryland Historic Society to map out a self-guided tour of these Charm City sites.

---

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure
Oct. 23. Executive Plaza, 11350 McCormick Road, Hunt Valley. 7-10 a.m. $10-50. Founded in 1993, Komen Maryland has contributed more than $37 million to breast cancer research and programs, and its volunteers, staff, and members won’t stop until they’re #OneStepCloser to finding a cure. At this 24th annual race, Komen brings survivors and supporters together for competitive and recreational 5K runs, a 5K walk, and a one-mile family fun walk, raising funding and awareness for the cause along the way. Afterward, celebrate the triumph of survivors with a recognition walk and dance party.

Free Fall Baltimore
Oct. 1-31. Locations & times vary. 410-752-8632. This fall, celebrate the city with more than 300 free events ranging from theater, dance, and music to art exhibits, readings, and classes, including local museum happenings at the BMA, BMI, and AVAM, gallery shows at Current Space, EMP Collective, and MICA, and performances by local groups like the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Everyman Theatre, and Baltimore Improv Group.

---

Baltimore Running Festival
Oct. 17. Starting line: Camden Yards, 400 W. Camden St. Finish line: M&T Bank Stadium, 1101 Russell St. Times vary. $15-280. 410-605-9381. thebaltimoremarathon.com. Whatever your fitness level, grab your sneakers and hit the pavement for the 15th annual Baltimore Marathon. From the Inner Harbor through historic Fells Point and Federal Hill, join tens of thousands of runners to participate in a full marathon, half-marathon, 5K, relay, or fun-run around the city.

---

WPOC’s Weekend In the Country
Oct. 3-4. Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. Sat.-Sun. 2:30 p.m. $55-75. 410-715-5550. Head to Nashville by way of Columbia at 93.1 WPOC’s two-day country music festival. The genre’s top talent will be in tow, ranging from its new class of wonder women, like Cam and Kelsea Ballerini, to Southern, soulful heartthrobs, like Sam Hunt, Brantley Gilbert, and Canaan Smith. Be it cowboy hats, bandanas, or cut-off blue jeans, we recommend barnyard threads for this backwoods boogie.

---

The Big Hope Show
Oct. 3-Sept. 4, 2016. American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Hwy. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. $20. 410-244-1900. The museum’s 20th anniversary exhibition, The Big Hope Show features works by over 25 artists, and is just the oddball, effervescent tonic the city needs after a stressful and charged spring and summer. Among the exhibitors are Bobby Adams, a member of John Waters’s band of merry misfits, sharing behind-the-scenes photos and assemblages; Chris Roberts-Antieau, a fabric artist known for her vibrant panels; and Wayne Coyne, the frontman of the experimental rock band The Flaming Lips, whose surreal art has never before been exhibited in a museum. “I never thought any art museum would ever consider me,” Coyne says. “It’s wonderful to be thought of as an artist that deserves to be in AVAM.” —Amy Mulvihill

---

Pigtown Festival
Oct. 10. 700-900 blocks of Washington Blvd. 12-7 p.m. Free. 443-908-7038. pigtownmainstreet.org. Now in its 14th year, the prized Pigtown Festival is back on Washington Boulevard with a big block party to celebrate the South Baltimore neighborhood. Sticking to tradition, the much-loved “Squeakness” pig races will once again run down the city streets, with lots of fine fried food, pit barbecue, and live, local music, including the funky, old-school sounds of The Kelly Bell Band.

---

Last Comic Standing
Oct. 21. Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric, 140 W. Mt. Royal Ave. 7:30 p.m. $28.50-38.50. 410-900-1150. This long-standing comedy competition is heading off the NBC airwaves and on the road for an all-new, cross-country tour, with the top contestants performing some of the best sketch, improv, and stand-up around. You might even catch the next Amy Schumer, the former-LCS-loser-turned-raunchy-American-sweetheart and comedy’s current big thing.

---

Maryland vs. Penn State
Oct. 24. M&T Bank Stadium, 1101 Russell St. 2 p.m. $65-115. 410-547-7328. With college football season now in full swing, it’s time to don your red and black, bring your tailgate A-game, and live by these three little words: Fear the Turtle. For one festive fall Saturday, post up at Ravens Stadium and watch the University of Maryland Terrapins take on the Penn State Nittany Lions. Last year, the two teams competed for the first time in more than 20 years (and the first time as Big Ten rivals) with the Terps enjoying a 20-19 win on the Lions’ turf. Let’s see if they can do it again, this time in their own home state.

---

Doors Open Baltimore
Oct. 24. City of Baltimore, locations vary. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. 410-625-2585. For one day, go behind-the-scenes at some of the city’s best buildings, studios, and landmarks with Doors Open Baltimore, part of Baltimore Architecture Month. From Hampden to Locust Point and beyond, delve into the local neighborhoods with dozens of talks and tours throughout the day. Discover the historic relationship between The Walters Art Museum and its Mt. Vernon neighborhood, learn what the Creative Alliance’s Patterson Theater looked like upon opening in 1930, get a one-of-a-kind window into the old factory that now houses Union Craft Brewing in Woodberry, and explore the 234-foot Phoenix Shot Tower that looms above President Street.