EAT

Sept. 2: La Tomatina Tomato Fight & Festival

La Cuchara. 3600 Clipper Mill Rd. 1-8 p.m. Free. $18-20 fee for tomato fight.

On the list of ingredients that are synonymous with Maryland summer, tomatoes rank pretty high. This weekend, Basque-inspired favorite La Cuchara is devoting an entire festival to the ripe fruits while they’re still in season. Spend your Sunday sipping Bloody Marys, trying your luck in a tomato-eating contest and tomato-toss games, and partaking in the restaurant’s second annual La Tomatina fight to benefit local youth development program Baltimore SquashWise. Throw on a pair of goggles and pelt the plump fruits at friends and neighbors in the massive tomato war—which mimics the annual end-of-summer ritual in Buñol, Spain. Spectators can enjoy Union Craft beers, Spanish wines, $1 oysters, and signature pintxos (small bites) while watching all of the action from the sidelines.

DRINK

Aug. 30-Sept. 2: Space Camp at The Elk Room

The Elk Room. 1010 Fleet St. 4 p.m.-2 a.m.

Everyone once in a while, The Elk Room in Harbor East likes to shed its swanky speakeasy vibe and switch things up with a pop-up theme. (Who could forget when the cocktail bar transformed into an ’80s ski lodge last winter? Or the SoCal Summer-inspired menu a few months back?) This time around, the spot is running with a space camp theme—featuring a galaxy-inspired food menu and live DJ spinning synth tunes all weekend long. Of course, the drink options will also be out of this world. Bar manager Andrew Nichols has crafted a special selection of cocktails based on how he thinks each planet would taste. Make your way through the solar system with options like “Uranus” (Maker’s 46 Bourbon, blueberry, beet, wildflower honey, horseradish, and saline) and “Mars,” which mixes aperol with Peychaud’s bitters, yellow chartreuse, and sour watermelon. Space suits and alien costumes are encouraged.

SEE

Aug. 30-Sept. 2: Baltimore Art, Antique, and Jewelry Show

Baltimore Convention Center. 1 W. Pratt St. Times vary. $20

If you’re looking for an indoor activity to escape the heat (and predicted scattered storms) this weekend, spend some time strolling around Maryland’s largest antique event. The 38th annual bazaar is a Labor Day Weekend tradition for local dealers and collectors, showcasing more than 200,000 individual pieces from as far as Italy, England, China, and Japan. Highlights to look out for this year will include the iconic Norman Rockwell painting “Boy Graduate” and a vintage Bally Quarter slot machine dating back to 1941. Plus, there will be more than 30 top silver specialists, luxury watches and rings on display from local jeweler Samuelson’s Diamonds, botanical-themed porcelain works by Boston-based artist Katherine Houston, and the return of the captivating Booth Talk series—which allows visitors to hear many of the artists address overarching topics that inspire their work.

HEAR

Sept. 1: The Love Boat Yacht Rock Tribute

Union Collective. 1700 W. 41 St. 5-10 p.m. Free.

Union Craft Brewing is waving goodbye to summer in style this Saturday. Beginning at 1 p.m., the brewery is bringing back its second-annual Fiesta Del Sol—an end-of-season soiree featuring tacos and Micheladas from Clavel, The Charmery’s icy paletas (popsicles), music spun by DJ James Nasty, and plenty of baby pools and sprinklers for cooling off. But it wouldn’t be a proper summer sendoff without a live yacht rock soundtrack to sway to. After the party, stick around to hear The Love Boat—a smooth rock tribute band made up of musicians from local greats Psycho Killers, The Bridge, Electric Love Machine, and Yellow Dubmarine, with special guest vocalist Ms. Sara. Sip a cold one and enjoy the chill sounds (think the likes of Toto and Steely Dan) as the sun sets over Hampden.

DO

Aug. 31: Baltimore Bike Party Purple Friday Ride

St. Mary’s Park. 600 N. Paca St. 6:30-11:30 p.m. Free

In Baltimore, one of the few upsides to saying sayonara to beach trips and snowball weather is the return of the Ravens. And since we’re now well into preseason, this Friday is officially an occasion to paint the town purple. Don your most festive football attire for this evening bike ride around the city that will descend into M&T Bank Stadium for an after party with cold beers and a custom photo booth by Side A Photography. As an added bonus, for the first time ever WTMD will be broadcasting a special Baltimore Bike Party playlist throughout the night, so that participants tuning in via the station’s mobile app can jam out together while pedaling through the streets.

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

EAT

September 4: Mother’s Pajama Brunch

Mother’s Grille, 1113 S. Charles St., 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 410-244-8686

It doesn’t get much better than a three-day weekend. But a three-day
weekend featuring half-off hash browns, bennies, and Bloodies during
Sunday brunch is basically perfection. This Sunday, favor flannel and
fleece over shades and sundresses at Mother’s Grille’s bi-annual pajama
brunch. Show up in your jammies (think onesies and fuzzy
slippers—scrubs, sweats, and boxers don’t count) to receive half-off of
your check from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. In true Federal Hill fashion, the menu
includes requisite hair-of-the-dog options like mimosas, sweet tea
vodka, and Arnold Palmer pitchers.

DRINK

September 2: Grand Reopening of Nepenthe Homebrew

Nepenthe Homebrew, 3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 130, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., 443-438-4846

Just shy of five weeks after raging flood waters wiped out this
home-brewing haven in Meadow Mill, the beloved business is officially
reopening its doors this weekend with shelves boasting brand new
merchandise. Though community fundraising (including last weekend’s Hope
Floats benefit at Union Craft Brewery which raked in more than $7,500)
gave the company a tremendous boost, co-owner Brian Arnold tells us that
there’s still a ways to go before Nepenthe can afford to get back to
its normal amount of inventory. So this weekend, as the fall brewing
season kicks into gear, support one of our own by stocking up on all of
the kettles, carboys, and cask tools that you can get your hands on.

SEE

September 2-4: Baltimore Comic-Con

Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St., Times vary, $25-149, 410-649-7000

Don’t be surprised if you spot superheroes strolling around the
Inner Harbor this weekend. Though they won’t actually be warding off
villains, the colorful costumes are a sure indication that Comic-Con has
officially descended upon Charm City. Now in its 17th year, the massive
sci-fi fest is returning to the Baltimore Convention Center for three
jam-packed days of panels, art exhibits, and autograph sessions. Channel
your inner nerd to browse books in Artists Alley, rub elbows with more
than 200 of the industry’s best cartoonists (Kevin Eastman, co-creator
of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, is this year’s guest of honor), and see
who takes the cake at the annual Harvey Awards.

HEAR

September 3: Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour

Royal Farms Arena, 201 W. Baltimore St., 8 p.m., $29.50-125, 410-347-2020

In 1993, after climbing the ranks in New York City’s booming
hip-hop scene, Sean Combs founded Bad Boy Records—the label that
eventually churned out chart-toppers like Mary J. Blige and The
Notorious B.I.G. Now, Combs, who recently revived his Puff Daddy
persona, has launched a nationwide tour to celebrate the artists who
have defined Bad Boy throughout the decades. This weekend, the league of
label-mates, including Lil Kim, 112, Mase, Total, Carl Thomas, The Lox,
Faith Evans, and French Montana, are taking over Royal Farms Arena for a
night of ’90s nostalgia. With so many greats on one stage, we can only
expect that the collaborative tracks (think “I’ll Be Missing You,”
Evans’s tribute to Biggie featuring 112) will be nothing short of
amazing.

DO

September 3: Charles Street 12

The Shops at Kenilworth, 800 Kenilworth Drive, Towson, 7:30 a.m., $85-90, 410-645-8266

Running 12 miles on a three-day weekend might sound downright
daunting, but a course that stretches along one of Baltimore’s most
beautiful byways makes it a worthwhile workout. This Sunday, lace up
your running shoes and curate the perfect playlist for Under Armour’s
annual race down historic Charles Street, which steps off from The Shops
at Kenilworth in Towson. Along the way, take in the sights of the
Towson, Loyola, and Johns Hopkins campuses before descending into the
Inner Harbor for a post-race party at Power Plant Live, complete with
lunch, live music, and free beer.