The first-ever Brilliant Baltimore—the lovechild of the Light City and the Baltimore Book festivals—will kick off this weekend with 10 days of free activities along the Inner Harbor. From November 1 through November 10, catch local musicians performing live outside at the main Brilliant Baltimore Concert Stage adjacent to the Maryland Science Center, as well as other locations throughout the neighborhood. Here are more than a dozen not to miss.

Marian McLaughlin
11/1, 12 p.m., Brilliant Baltimore Concert Stage
Start things off with a mid-day set by this dynamic chamber-folk singer-songwriter. Combining acoustic instruments, stream-of-consciousness storytelling, and a focus on the natural world, her poetic music is a meditative listen in this fast-paced world.

Afro House
11/2, 8 p.m., pop-up performances
This inventive performance art group (and Best of Baltimore winner) brings its Astronaut Symphony—a futuristic fusion of beat box, opera, punk, and funk—to the city streets with roaming performances around the harbor on Saturday evening.

Rufus Roundtree & Da B’More Brass Factory
11/3, 4:30 p.m., Brilliant Baltimore Concert Stage
Keep the Sunday scaries at bay with an afternoon powerhouse performance by this funk-fueled Baltimore institution, always bringing a Charm City-meets-New Orleans get-down that should incite a second line.

Outcalls

11/3, 7:30 p.m., Brilliant Baltimore Concert Stage
Behold the vocal power of Britt Olsen-Ecker and Melissa Wimbish. The two classically trained opera singers make up this pop-opera duo, as they’ve called it, bringing ethereal harmonies, synth-power ballads, and all-around female empowerment to every stage they play.

Abdu Ali

11/3, 9 p.m., Brilliant Baltimore Concert Stage
This avant-garde rap artists first captivated the city’s art scene as the MC of their Kahlon dance parties at The Crown. Years later, Abdu Ali’s talents have only continued to grow, as has their stage presence, with their live performances now backed by a full band and more fiery energy than ever before.

Clarence Ward III & Dat Feel Good
11/6, Brilliant Baltimore Concert Stage, 7:30 p.m.
On Wednesday, this skilled Baltimore brass player takes to the stage with his full band for, as the name rightfully implies, a feel good show filled with influences by jazz, hip-hop, and funk. Ward himself commands the horn and saxophone, while his bandmates keep the vibes high on keys and drums.

MovaKween
11/7, 9 p.m., Brilliant Baltimore Concert Stage
This New Age R&B singer offers a smooth way to slide into the weekend, with jazz-infused melodies, earthy vocals, and an empowering message for all listeners, especially women, on Thursday night.

Wendel Patrick
11/8, 5 p.m. Brilliant Baltimore Concert Stage.
It’s hard to know exactly what type of music this composer, producer, rapper, radio host, and more will be bringing to this Friday evening set. But we do know, no matter what, this Baltimore music veteran and mad scientist is sure to be a showstopper.

Super City

11/8, 7:30 p.m., Brilliant Baltimore Concert Stage
A perfect way to kick off your Friday night, this infectious indie-pop band puts on one of the best live shows in the city with high-powered hits (new go-tos like “Stay” and old favorites like “Artificial Sin”) and killer choreography (fancy feet, low-low dips) that make it impossible to not dance along.

Billy Price & The Charm City Rhythm Band
11/9, 6:15 p.m., Brilliant Baltimore Concert Stage
This veteran blues-and-soul singer brings his six-piece band for an old-school sound and Saturday night shakedown fit for all ages. A newcomer to Baltimore, Price brings funky grooves, rollicking rock-and-roll numbers, and soulful, belt-out ballads.

Joy Postell
11/10, 6:15 p.m., Brilliant Baltimore Concert Stage
One of the most soulful voices in the city, Postell packs a punch on every song she performs, be it socially minded hip-hop tracks, jazzy neo-soul croons, or old-school R&B slow jams. Prepare to be mesmerized.

Patrick McAvinue

11/10, 7:30 p.m., Brilliant Baltimore Concert Stage
This young musician is quickly becoming one of the most regarded bluegrass fiddle players with national awards and a regular gig at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry. Expect a Sunday set of fast-flying, feel-good tunes when he comes back to his Baltimore roots.

Eze Jackson & The Backwudz Band

11/10, 9 p.m., Brilliant Baltimore Concert Stage
A guiding force of the local music scene, this dynamic rap artist and front-man of hip-hop collective Soul Cannon will perform with his Backwudz band for a Sunday evening set of high-octane energy and only-in-Baltimore rhymes.

Traditionally, drone light shows are done within the context of an event on the world stage. (Think the Olympics or the World Cup.) But with the arrival of Brilliant Baltimore—which will combine Light City and the Baltimore Book Festival into one mega-event for the first time November 1-10—comes the same type of installations on a grand scale.

To kick things off on November 1, Baltimore-based Global Air Media will be shepherding a one-of-a-kind drone light show for audiences of all ages. Visible from all areas surrounding the Inner Harbor (we imagine Federal Hill will be a popular viewing spot), the show will begin at 7 p.m. with an encore at 8:30 p.m.

“We’ve gone through a creative process and determined what will go best with Baltimore history,” says Austin Brown, co-founder of Global Air Media. “I call them ‘computer ballerinas.’”

Brown was tight-lipped when asked exactly what onlookers will see in the night sky, but he did reveal that a lighthouse and a ship are some of the formations that the drones are programmed to make.

The show is one of Light City’s many ingenuitive exhibits perfect for photo opportunities. With this in mind, here are six other can’t-miss exhibits among the event’s 20 light art installations scattered across the Inner Harbor.

RADIANT FLUX

Baltimore-based digital media artist Kevin Blackistone is behind this interactive and kinetic triangular art. More than 100 independent mirrors work together to illustrate the capabilities of light, showcasing solar reflections during the day and moonbeams at night. Expect to see a cornucopia of different colors reflecting and refracting.

WATERLIGHT GRAFFITI

The concept behind this exhibit by French artist Antonin Forneau is a wall of thousands of LED lights that only come alive when in contact with water. Truly interactive, participants are encouraged to draw or write on a luminous surface, where their images will emerge and fade. The exhibit is described as being comparable to a switch, lighting up as soon as it touches water, and disintegrating when the water goes away.

LOOP

Though you may have never heard the word zoetrope (a device that produces the illusion of motion from static pictures), after taking in Loop, you’ll be sure to understand the concept. The device is the key to this exhibit billed as a cross between a music box, zoetrope, and railway handcar. The images here are animated black and white fairy tales that are activated by patrons, Steamboat Willie-style. The coolest part of this exhibit: participants control how fast the images move and the light flickers, as well as the audio rhythm depending on the pace they set.

MASTER OF THE EDIFICE

Baltimore’s own artist Ellis L. Marsalis is the brains behind these city mural-inspired photographic lightbox reproductions. It’s a way to recontextualize them into the Inner Harbor as an amalgamation of all the great street art across the city. Walk around an “alley” as you listen to audio of ambient sound recordings designed to accompany the exhibit. There will be two rows of 60 to 80-foot long frames to observe.

(off) LINES

Consisting of 320 linear meters of square bars equipped with an LED light tube, this structure is a series of different shapes and colors that come together to form and fade in short order. More than 7,000 LEDs are a part of a versatile sculpture that can take many different forms to dazzle the senses.

SHROOMS

Amigo and Amigo’s giant astronaut statues were a hit at Artscape earlier this year, and now they’re back with, Shrooms, which continues the artists’ penchant for larger-than-life installations. The kid-friendly exhibit showcases 13 inflatable, glowing mushrooms—which are often a symbol of good luck.

For the first time ever, two of the city’s wildly popular festivals—Light City and the Baltimore Book Festival—will be combined into one free celebration called Brilliant Baltimore, which is taking over the Inner Harbor November 1-10. Since this first-of-its-kind festival is packed with tons of interactive light-art installations, thought-provoking panel discussions, kids’ activities, and everything in between, use our guide to create your own itinerary of things to do and see.

If you want to learn more about local history:

Nov. 1-10: An Abstract Baltimore Story
View area painter Jeffrey Kent’s installation, An Abstract Baltimore Story, which will display his animated abstractions about the history of Henrietta Lacks—whose immortal cells were harvested and cultured without her knowledge at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1951—on a large outdoor LED screen. 5-10 p.m. Inner Harbor.

Nov. 2: Cherry Hill: Raising Successful Black Children in Jim Crow Baltimore
Hear Linda Morris discuss her new book, Cherry Hill: Raising Successful Black Children in Jim Crow Baltimore, as well as the politics surrounding the first planned community for African Americans with fellow local leaders. 12 p.m. The Inspire Stage, 401 E. Pratt St., 27th floor.

If you want to entertain your kids:

Nov. 1: Book Buggy with Miss Kelly
During Book Buggy with Miss Kelly, dance the day away as part of a Zumbini music and movement class for children under 3 years old. 12:30 p.m. Enoch Pratt Free Library Children’s Stage.

Nov. 1-10: Waterlight Graffiti Installation
Draw or write a message on the Waterlight Graffiti installation, and then watch it fade away thanks to the wall’s thousands of LEDs that light up when in contact with water. 5-10 p.m. Inner Harbor.

If you want to rub elbows with celebrities:

Nov. 3: Karyn Parsons in Conversation with CBS Baltimore’s Ava-joye Burnett
Hear from producer and author Karyn Parsons, best known for her role as Will Smith’s cousin Hillary on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, as she discusses her award-winning series of children’s animated films and debut novel. 3 p.m. Literary Salon, 701 E. Pratt St.

Nov. 5: Meet Celebrity Chef Carla Hall
Learn a few new culinary tips and tricks from beloved celebrity chef Carla Hall during her one-day appearance at the festival. 6 p.m. Literary Salon, 701 E. Pratt St.

Nov. 6: Meet Hill Harper
Pack the festival’s literary salon to hear author, actor, and activist Hill Harper, known for his roles on The Good Doctor and CSI, talk with audiences about his life’s work, including four New York Times bestsellers and seven NAACP Image Awards for his writing and acting. 6 p.m. Literary Salon, 701 E. Pratt St.

If you want to avoid the Inner Harbor crowds:

Nov. 1-3: Opening Weekend at The Ivy Bookshop
During the festival’s opening weekend, attend readings and roundtables at The Ivy Bookshop, including a panel on the city’s small presses and a presentation from revered local author D. Watkins. Times vary. 6080 Falls Rd.

Nov. 1-10: Neighborhood Lights
As per Light City tradition, bop around Baltimore to see how various neighborhood centers and library branches light up their outdoor spaces in honor of the annual festival. Times and locations vary.

If you want to jumpstart your literary career:

Nov. 1: The Business and Craft of Self-Publishing
The first day of the festival kicks off with a discussion at the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America stage about what it takes to self-publish your work. Learn about the business savvy needed to publish and promote personal literary works from authors Scott King, Natasha D. Lane, and Alex Shvartsman. 12 p.m. 701 E. Pratt St.

Nov. 1: Welcome to the Hive: Collaborative Writing with Jamaila Brinkley, Rebecca Norinne, Terri Brisbin, and Christi Barth
Learn about the pitfalls and potential rewards of writing collaboratively during this roundtable talk with best-selling authors. Topics ranging from dividing up responsibilities between writers and settling creative arguments are fair game during this in-depth discussion at the Maryland Romance Writers stage. 3 p.m. 701 E. Pratt St.

Two of Baltimore’s most celebrated festivals, Light City and the Baltimore Book Festival, will join forces next year. Both events will merge into a 10-day mega festival in 2019 that will run November 1-10, centered at the Inner Harbor with more events scattered throughout town.

At first blush, this might seem like an odd idea. Why change these two landmark festivals when they’ve been so successful? But planners believe that folding them into one major event will strengthen them both and ultimately benefit the city and its arts community as a whole.

“We just thought that combining the two festivals would have such a tremendous impact on the city, and we could have a greater reach,” says Kathy Hornig, COO and festivals director with Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA). “There’s really nothing else like it in the entire country.”

At its core, Light City is known for its elaborate, large-scale art installations that light up in various ways along the BGE Light Art Walk. Many are site-specific and created by artists from across the globe, as well as right here in Baltimore. In the past, artists have incorporated the harbor itself into some of the pieces. Others feature interactive, musical, and even kinetic elements. The Inner Harbor Promenade becomes a wonderland of lights under the festival’s spell—and all of that will continue.

So, too, will the Book Festival’s variety of panels, readings, book signings, open mics, and other activities.

The change is being made, in part, because BOPA heard from Light City attendees who wished the festival occurred later in the year. Some festival-goers suggested pushing it back to allow kids time to wander along the Inner Harbor Promenade and enjoy the light installations earlier in the day—rather than having to wait until 8 or 9 p.m. for the sky to darken so that they could see them in all their illuminated glory.

Booksellers had a similar need. Book Festival partners, such as The Ivy Bookshop, explained that an influx of books are published during the fall each year, and a September book festival is sometimes slightly premature for authors who have books being released in October, November, or December.

Pushing both festivals back further in the year and combining them “just seemed to check all the boxes,” Hornig says. “We just had an ‘ah-ha’ moment.”

Light installations will be on view for all 10 nights, and literary events will also occur each day of the festival. (As for an official festival name, organizers are still working on it.)

Neighborhood Lights, where local artists make site-specific illuminated pieces in several of Baltimore’s neighborhoods, will still be part of the event, but books will be a focus, too. In order to connect with each featured neighborhood, BOPA has partnered with Enoch Pratt Free Library to offer literature events at several of the 22 library branches within Baltimore City.

Another slight variation to the combined festival will be the elimination of Labs@LightCity, the coinciding panel discussions that occur throughout Light City’s run. Instead, Baltimore Book Festival readings and speaker series will take place throughout the day.

Some of the favorite Labs@LightCity events, like the Pitch Competition for entrepreneurs and the popular Kindling Community Dinner, will continue. These events will be held indoors and outdoors.

“We want to illuminate the city with light during the day and art at night,” Hornig says. “As I looked out onto the harbor today—which is a year to the day from the start of this festival—I’m just so excited about all the possibilities for Baltimore and our arts community.”

The many free attractions created and organized for the third annual Light City didn’t stop locals and tourists from spending their money in Baltimore. Baltimore Office of Promotion and The Arts (BOPA) announced today that the light, music, and innovation festival brought about $33.5 million into the city.

That economic impact came from approximinately 442,500 nighttime visitors to the Inner Harbor, including a record-breaking estimated 175,000 who headed downtown on opening night.

“The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts brought the magic of Light City to more than 38 neighborhoods before we opened the festival at the Inner Harbor,” said Roz Healy, BOPA’s interim CEO. “We are thrilled that Light City has been embraced so wholeheartedly by visitors and residents alike.”

By comparison, last year’s festival contributed more than $44 million to the local economy (a $10 million increase from its inaugural year) and an estimated 470,000 visitors.

Artists looking to get their work in front of those approximately 885,000 pairs of eyes next year should start brainstorming now. The call for entry for Light City 2019, set for April 5-13, is now open, and BOPA offers grants of $10,000-75,000 to fully fund pieces for the festival’s Art Walk. About 25 temporary visual light art installations from local, national, and international works will eventually be chosen from the hundreds of applicants.

Finalists will be chosen by a panel of jurors including filmmaker, curator, and author Elissa Blount-Moorhead; Marcus Civin of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Department of Art; Burning Man Director of Art & Civic Engagement Kim Cook; Signal Prague Light Festival co-founder Jan K. Rolnik; and Jess Wilcox, Director of Exhibitions of the Socrates Sculpture Park in New York. Finalists will be notified in late October, and participating works will be chosen in December.

What can attendees expect from the new pieces? The prompt calls for works that exemplify the core values of collaboration, social innovation, technology, sustainability, audience engagement and accessibility, and transformational impact. How those ideas manage to light up the Inner Harbor is up to the artists.

Despite chilly temperatures, hundreds of people gathered in the Inner Harbor Tuesday night to take in the sights and sounds of Light City Baltimore. As soon as the sun set and the exhibitions came to life against the night sky, visitors of all ages—bundled in jackets and scarves and clutching cups of hot chocolate to keep warm—explored the fourth night of the three-week-long free arts and innovation festival.
 

Riverside resident Laura Knapp, who has attended Light City since the inaugural festival in 2016, said she’s enjoyed watching the event grow from a few installations scattered near the waterfront to a citywide event.
 

“I really like how many neighborhood exhibitions they had this year and that they’re growing that,” she said. “It’s a fun way for people to walk around the city together in places where they might not normally.”
 

While there was a steady stream of people snapping pictures of the multicolored exhibits, grabbing eats from local vendors and food trucks, and riding through downtown in Fireflies’ illuminated pedicabs, many said they waited until mid-week to visit the Light Art Walk to avoid lines or congestion around the attractions. 

Angela Montgomery, who started her first Light City experience by stargazing at the Solar Power/Solar System installation, said she and her group of friends wanted to beat the weekend crowds by coming on Tuesday night.  

“But it’s great that it gets people down to the city,” said Montgomery, who lives in Franklintown. “And it gives them a way to experience art in a way they haven’t before.”  

The night was packed with entertainment, from performances by the Cristo Rey Jesuit step team and Washington, D.C.-based band The Loving Paupers to a set by WTMD’s Sam Sessa on the Club Light City stage. At Pier 5, next to 400 inflatable swim rings floating in the harbor for The Herd installation, Baltimore’s beloved avant-garde group, Fluid Movement, performed a Herdling March for onlookers while wearing the blowup art pieces and flashing bulbs on their heads.  

Kathy Carducci, who lives in Locust Point and attended the event with her daughter, said events like Light City bring people from surrounding areas to Baltimore and are a great way to promote the city.  

“I love it. I never want to live anywhere else,” said Carducci. “I think it’s an awesome city and it’s been getting a bad rap lately, so I hope events like this help turn that around.”
 
 
 
 
 

While most of the 21 sculptures that will line the Inner Harbor for the Light City Art Walk this weekend are flashy, multicolored installations, Baltimore’s Post Typography team chose to be more minimalistic in their approach—so much so, that passersby might not even notice the piece if they’re not paying attention.

Spearheaded by Post Typography cofounder Bruce Willen, artists at the Baltimore-based design agency veered slightly from their traditional medium of graphic design to create a light installation for the event, something the team had wanted to do since the festival started in Baltimore three years ago.

Two hundred light bulbs will be completely submerged in the harbor at various depths for their piece, “Some Thing in the Water,” which measures roughly 33,000 square feet.

“Once the lights are four to five feet down, you don’t even see them anymore,” Willen points out, also noting that the water quality varies from day to day, which will alter the piece along with it.

They used the murky water to their advantage.

Diffused blue lights, strung together with about six miles of wire, will glow from beneath the surface, giving the work an organic feel, as if it were a mysterious underwater creature—perhaps a giant luminescent jellyfish, Willen suggests, that appears to be breathing. The lights are programmed to blink, dim, and brighten so that at times they appear more energetic and frenzied, and at times there are quieter, more contemplative periods, like a symphony’s movements.

On that note, the piece will be set to an ambient soundtrack, created by Willen, who is also one half of the instrumental duo Peals.

Post Typography collaborated with PI.KL Studio architects for the project, and Figure 53 provided technical assistance, both of which are based in Baltimore.

Find “Some Thing in the Water,” stop No. 35 on the tour map, near the Pier 5 Hotel Baltimore, across from the National Aquarium. Listen to an audio tour of their piece by dialing 410-934-7821 and entering art installation code 14.

“A lot of the other pieces are more about the lights themselves,” Willen says. “We wanted to activate a space in the harbor—to actually activate the water itself as a medium. We wanted to take the harbor—the reason Baltimore exists—and use that as the canvas for the viewers’ imaginations.”

In its third year, Light City has expanded to cover three weekends: Neighborhood Lights from April 6-8, Light City art and music festival from April 14-21, and Labs@LightCity from April 18-21. Expect to see 21 illuminated art installations along the Inner Harbor, more than 50 performances, dozens of speakers at panel discussions at Labs@LightCity, fireworks, and a whole lot of light bulbs.

Opening Night Parade

The kickoff to the main festival comes by way of parade. Community groups, school marching bands, stilt-walkers, and arts groups will take to the streets in a celebratory walk that starts at 7:30 p.m. April 14. You can stop by 621 E. Pratt St. at noon that day for a workshop to make artwork for the parade, then take part in it. After all, this is about celebrating our city and the people and art who make it light up.

Grand Master Flash and G. Love

Headlining music acts are always a draw, and this year is no exception. Headlining music acts: Grand Master Flash will perform at 10 p.m. April 14, G. Love & Special Sauce at 10:30 p.m. April 20, and Kimbra at 10:30 p.m. April 21 on the Light Up the Night! Concert Stage at the Inner Harbor Amphitheater. For a complete list of musical acts, see https://lightcity.org.

A New Stage

A second Club Light City stage, presented by Morgan State University, has been added to the event in 2018 to showcase local, national, and international DJs playing house, dance, and hip-hop in Kaufman Pavilion by Rash Field.

Audio Tour

New this year, you can grab your phone, dial 410-934-7821, enter the number of your Art Walk stop, and listen in* for a self-guided audio tour of the art installations—both at the BGE Light Art Walk and Neighborhood Lights. Learn about the stories behind these wondrous pieces. (*Works best on speaker phone and shared with friends.) 

Illuminated Crankies

Crankies have gained widespread appeal throughout the city, perhaps in part to performances at Black Cherry Puppet Theater and the popular Crankie Fest at the Creative Alliance. Lantern Studios will roll a cart through the festival that will bring shadow puppet crankies shows to the streets. As the story scroll is lit from behind to reveal silhouetted characters and settings, crankies are a perfect addition to a festival of lights.

Drone Prix

A drone race—the only of its kind in the world—will bring league competitors from across the country to the festival’s light installation/sculpture garden/obstacle course, created by Baltimore-based artist collaborative McCormack and Figg. During any race downtime, you can wander through the installation to see it up close.

Labs@LightCity

Billed as an “ecosystem of ideas,” Labs@LightCity brings together leading thinkers for conversations focusing on education, the environment, the arts, social issues, health, the makers movement, and food. Registration is required, but tickets are “pay what you can.” There are so many speakers to get excited about, it’s hard to choose—arts activist Aaron Maybin, Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. of the Hip Hop Caucus, beloved artist Joyce Scott, radio host Marion Winik, to name a few.

Fireflies Pedicabs

Whether you ride on one of artist Cai Guo-Qiang’s Fireflies, or watch them go by, these whimsical pedicabs will be a sight to behold. The artist designed 27 illuminated kinetic sculptures that will be attached to pedicabs, for a more festive way to travel during the event.

Neighborhood Lights

This artist-in-residence program pairs local visual artists with community organizers in 14 Baltimore neighborhoods. For a full weekend, you can see site-specific art installations made specifically with each neighborhood personality in mind. Take photos because they won’t last long. That’s part of their beauty.

“The Eighth Art”

Much like Labs@LightCity, it’s impossible to pick just one art installation at the Inner Harbor when each of the 21 pieces will be mind blowing. For instance, “The Eighth Art,” by Erinn E. Hagerty and Adam P. Savje of Unfolding of the Wave Ltd., is a 24-foot geodesic dome that you can actually get inside of, to watch the light displays around you.

Light City
April 6-21. Locations & times vary. Free. 410-752-8632. Since the inaugural event in 2016, this bright and bold arts festival has become a cherished citywide tradition. Now, Light City’s organizers are taking this year’s theme of “More Love! More Lights!” to heart by expanding the festival to include as many people and installations as possible. Head to the Inner Harbor or one of 14 participating neighborhoods to see awe-inspiring illuminations that are sure to elicit ooohs, ahhhs, and about a million Instagrams.

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Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival
April 6-7. Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Rd., Timonium. Fri. 6-10 p.m., Sat. 12-6 p.m. $29-99. 410-252-0200. Picture this: two days of unlimited sampling of more than 40 bourbons, 60 beers, and all-you-can-eat barbecue with all the fixins. In between local brews from Flying Dog, Jailbreak, and Heavy Seas, or Maryland-distilled whiskey from Sagamore Spirit, enjoy live rock and bluegrass music, participate in bacon-eating or stein-holding contests, or take in a tasting seminar. If that doesn’t describe your dream weekend, then we can’t help you.

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Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar
April 8-Dec. 23. Underneath the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday & Saratoga Sts. Sun. 7 a.m.-12 p.m. Free. 410-752-8632. For more than 40 years, locals have dragged themselves out of bed on Sundays to fill their stomachs and totes with the best locally grown and handmade products that Maryland has to offer. From typical farmers’ market fare like fresh produce and flowers to made-to-order eats such as mushroom fritters and falafel, this is an event worth setting an alarm for. Reward yourself for getting up early with a breakfast sandwich from Blacksauce Kitchen.

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Motown The Musical
April 13-15. Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, 12 N. Eutaw St. Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 2 & 8 p.m., Sun. 1 & 6:30 p.m. $49-117. 410-837-7400. For one weekend only, flashback to the groovy glory days of 1960s and ’70s Detroit with this behind-the-scenes look at the iconic record company that launched the star careers of Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, and many more. From Broadway, the story of Motown Records comes alive on the Hippodrome stage in this smash-hit jukebox musical, featuring hit songs such as “ABC” and “Dancing in the Street.”

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CityLit Festival
April 14. University of Baltimore, William H. Thumel Sr. Business Center, 11 W. Mount Royal Avenue. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 410-271-8793. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the CityLit Festival, the signature event from CityLit Project that celebrates reading, writing, and creativity. To tie into this year’s focus on poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, The New Yorker writer Philip Gourevitch will keynote the event with conversations about his book We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda. Make time in between editorial and speaker sessions to participate in guided discussions about motherhood, the #MeToo movement, and local funding for literary artists.

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Under Armour Sole of the City 10K
April 14. Charm City Run, 1713 Whetstone Way. 9 a.m. $50-75. 410-645-8266. Spring has officially sprung, so lace up your sneakers, breathe in some fresh air, and get moving during this annual 10K. Start your Saturday early and dash through the streets with more than 4,500 other runners at this race that starts and ends in Locust Point. While the mileage might sound intimidating (10K = 6.2 miles), it’s a prime opportunity to embrace our city, especially with the route’s stellar views of the city skyline and the Inner Harbor.

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Peter Max Retrospective
April 20-29. Y:ART Gallery & Fine Gifts, 3402 Gough St. Wed.-Thurs. 12-5 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. 443-928-2272. Peter Max was practically born to be an artist. He was raised in Germany, China, Tibet, Israel, and France, gaining inspiration from vibrant societies and shifting art movements along the way. As a young art student in Manhattan during the late 1950s, he worked diligently under the American painter Frank Reilly before being swept up in the counter-cultural revolution of the ’60s. The budding artist would go on to create bright, radical posters and psychedelic art—the style he’s mostly recognized for today. The abstract expressionist has been called the United States’ “Painter Laureate,” painted portraits of six presidents, and crafted posters for major events like the Grammys, the Super Bowl, and the Olympics. Despite his global fame, his art remains immediate and accessible. This month, catch his remarkable collection of major works in Highlandtown, carefully curated to include pieces that span his five-decade career. View never-before-seen celebrity portraits, iconic pop art like the above “Cosmic Runner,” and even a special tribute to Charm City.

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Charm City Bluegrass Festival
April 27-28. Druid Hill Park, 3100 Swann Dr. 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Free-$55. This year’s two-day party is slated to be bigger and better than ever with three stages, 21 bands, plenty of local food, and homegrown brews from Union Craft Brewing. With national acts like The Devil Makes Three and The Travelin’ McCourys and local talent such as Caleb Stine and The Honey Dewdrops, the dynamic lineup promises to be a little slice of Americana heaven for all music lovers.

Women of the World Festival
April 28. Notre Dame of Maryland University, 4701 N. Charles St. 9 a.m. $20. 410-435-0100. The past year was defined by female voices—from speaking out against sexual harassment to becoming a tenacious political force. In April, the Women of the World Festival returns just in timeto explore women’s issues through panels, performances, and activities. Get inspired by keynote speakers Tarana Burke, the #MeToo founder who was named a Time magazine “Person of the Year,” and Roxane Gay, cultural critic and The New York Times best-selling author of Bad Feminist and Hunger.

It’s that time of the year when the city becomes a living art display featuring crazy sculptures, flashing lights, and interactive waterfront installations for the annual Light City Festival presented by the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA). The festival kicks off on April 6 and will span across three weekends.

While the beautiful giant egg, glowing seesaws, and illuminated peacock were crowd pleasers last year, the social innovation labs were thought-provoking, as well. And this year’s panels, called Labs@Light City, will be no different. From April 18-21 at the IMET Columbus Center, the conferences will feature discussions from more than 140 innovative thinkers including Baltimore Rising producer Sonja Sohn, health commissioner Dr. Leana Wen, chef Dave Thomas of Ida B’s Table, and activist DeRay Mckesson.

“The overarching theme of all seven of the labs is how to become a more fair and just society,” labs organizer Jamie McDonald said, referencing the art, education, food, social, environment, maker, and health themes. “We look at social innovation through the lenses of each of these topic areas—that’s what makes this conference so unique. Our whole philosophy is that there’s brilliance everywhere.”

This year locals can also expect a few changes to the labs including the cost of the tickets. Last year, admission was $149 for one lab and $99 for each additional. BOPA is highlighting a “pay what you can” model for each session. McDonald said that it’s always been the case, but jokingly admits that it took BOPA three years to perfect the language.

“We want everyone who wants to attend to attend,” she said. “We decided that we didn’t want to make it feel like you had to go through a special process to attend. This gave us a way to say to everyone, ‘Come and be part of the conversation, join us at the labs, and pay what you can.’ It’s one simple message and it’s worked a lot better.” 

Another thing to look out for is a change in the frequency and duration of the labs. Instead of full-day sessions, the sessions will only last four hours. Also, the popular DesignLab from last year that covered a broad range of topics from art to digital media has been split into two separate sessions—an ArtLab and a MakerLab—to provide a more concentrated discussion on each.

“Art in Baltimore, particularly art as it relates to social impact and social commentary, did really good on its own and warranted an art-focused lab,” McDonald said. “Makers, similarly, have become a really important thing in Baltimore and in cities around the country and we wanted to highlight that.”

Author and entrepreneur Shanti Das is excited to be a part of the new MakerLab and plans to share her successes, failures, and experiences on April 20. 

“When you look at a lot of the racial and socioeconomic issues that Baltimore has had to deal with, it’s important that you continue to empower the young people that are there,” she said. “I think there are a lot of opportunities in Baltimore now. I feel like I can offer a unique approach from a leadership perspective—sometimes failures are a good thing. You have to crawl before you can walk.” 

For the second year,YouthLabs will take place April 19-20 at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum for high school students. These sessions will feature a series of workshops and activities on topics like coding, large-scale collaboration, dance, and even a drone demonstration to help Baltimore teens unlock their artistic passions.

“The first day is more brain-based activities like concepts in problem-solving,” said Sarah Doccolo, YouthLabs curator and BOPA art education coordinator. “We are calling the second day ‘the body.’ We will have a performance and Q&A with the TSU Dance Academy—it’s a really great celebration of Baltimore City through dance.”

McDonald says that the purpose for the entire festival is to promote social change and inspire the residents of the city. The Labs are just one layer of the bigger picture, but she believes that they are vital to the progression of Baltimore because they provide a start to the conversation. 

“It’s uplifting our thinkers, whether they are artists or in the labs,” she said. “It’s making comments about society and bringing together people from neighborhoods who would not normally share spaces together. It’s doing so much more than what people may think about on the surface, and that’s what really makes this festival special.”

This week, The New York Times released an interactive feature describing 52 cities its readers should visit in 2018. And, wouldn’t you know, our very own Baltimore made the cut at no. 15. Each writeup is short and sweet with a map, some links, and a small sentence describing why the city landed on the list. In our case, it’s because Baltimore “honors an abolitionist and lights up with art.”

“Charm City’s packed cultural calendar is showcasing commemorative events for the 200th birthday of the Maryland-born abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass,” writes Nora Walsh. “Meanwhile, an expanded Light City festival in April will feature light-based art installations and performances in 14 neighborhoods.”

We were particularly heartened that the Times chose to highlight our celebration of Douglass, a figure that we chronicled in our cover story “How Baltimore Invented The Modern World.” (We’ll also be detailing the events surrounding the 200th anniversary in our upcoming February issue.)

The writeup also mentions the eventual opening of Hotel Revival, which we’ve reported is going to cut the ribbon in Mt. Vernon this spring. The swanky new spot will have 107 guest rooms, a street-level restaurant, three karaoke rooms, and a rooftop bar headed by by Chelsea Gregoire.

Baltimore joins an elite list of regions, cities, and entire countries around the world in what the publication calls “a starter kit for escaping.” Rounding out the top three are New Orleans, the country of Colombia, and a southern region of Italy.

To get locals involved, the feature linked to a Facebook thread asking followers to post about their favorite things to do in each region. For Baltimore, the suggestions vary—from tours at  Ft. McHenry to visits at local breweries—and it’s a nice nod to the expertise of local residents.

This isn’t the first time the newspaper has lauded Baltimore and, most recently, in its famed “36 Hours” series, we think writer Nell McShane Wulfhart struck the right chord when she wrote, “The traditional things, like the old-school sheet cake at Lexington Market, remain unchanged, while neighborhoods like Charles Village seem to be opening new bars and restaurants daily.”

She continued: “Charm City has raised the charm quotient considerably in the past few years, managing to retain its quirky appeal as it develops stylish, more upmarket restaurants and hotels.”

Not only did the second annual Light City festival achieve many abstract goals—sparking important social conversations and inspiring artistic creativity within the community—but it also brought about a major boost to the Baltimore economy.

A recent survey commissioned by organizers at the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) reveals that the nine-day festival had a total economic impact of more than $44 million, with $26 million generated in direct spending and more than $18 million that rippled through the economy indirectly.

“We couldn’t be more pleased,” says BOPA’s outgoing CEO Bill Gilmore, mentioning that the total impact increased by nearly $10 million from 2016. “We’re building momentum. The goal was always to make incremental increases and we did that in just about every category. It’s exciting to move the needle across all measures.”

The study, conducted by Pennsylvania-based research firm Forward Analytics, estimates that 470,000 people visited the glowing installations scattered throughout the Inner Harbor after dark, and 33 percent of the total attendees hailed from out of state.

“The survey acts as a benchmark for us to use in our planning from year to year,” Gilmore explains. “It gives us a good reporting mechanism to see why people came and what they’re interested in.”

Results indicated that the majority of out-of-state visitors came from D.C., Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, and New York. Almost all—81 percent, to be exact—indicated that Light City was their “main reason” for visiting Baltimore, and each spent an estimated $80.

BOPA has already begun accepting proposals from artists who wish to be featured at next year’s free festival, which is set to run April 14-21.

Though next year’s event will continue to feature Light City’s signature illuminated attractions, concerts, performance art, local food and drink vendors, and daily innovation conferences, the schedule will be tweaked slightly. Instead of running Neighborhood Lights (a program where various Baltimore communities showcase their own installations) in conjunction with the Inner Harbor festivities, the individual neighborhood showcases will kick off the festival April 6-8, with some installations on view for a longer period.

“We thought giving Neighborhood Lights its own weekend would give them a little more spotlight so that it wouldn’t necessarily compete with the downtown festival,” Gilmore says. “It also gives us three full weekends of activity.”

The economic impact study comes on the heels of Gilmore’s resignation announcement after 37 years with BOPA. He says that he is most proud of the artistic integrity that has been showcased throughout festival by the community at large, and he is confident that the nonprofit will find a replacement who will be able to “grow Light City into adolescence” in the future.  

“To be considered one of the top-tier light festivals in the world is an amazing accomplishment,” he says. “It’s only a two-year-old, and still has a long was to go to maturity, but I’m excited to see it grow and thrive for many years to come.”

We were promised bigger, brighter, and bolder for this year’s Light City festival. And, so far, it hasn’t missed the mark. With everything from installations slanted towards the political to illuminated seesaws that bring us back to childhood, this year’s iteration has impressed us with its range.

Though the only true way to explore Light City is to grab a jacket and pound the pavement, we wanted to entice your senses through visuals, sound, and stories.

The Inner Harbor isn’t the only area being illuminated for Light City. Eight neighborhoods throughout the city—including Sandtown-Winchester and Coldstream Homestead Montebello—are featuring their own light art and community events.

While some of the installations feature international artists, local talent is on display as well—including Sueños by Edgar Reyes, Light Happenings Part II by Labbodies, and Communication Gaps by GSP Studio.

Light City continues through April 8, promising more moments of childlike wonder, surprising encounters, and a greater sense of community.

Adding to that nightlife energy is this year’s Light City signature cocktail. Determined by a judge’s panel earlier in the year, B&O American Brasserie‘s Eric Fooy won this honor for the second year in a row with his “Golden Hour” creation made with Sagamore Spirit Rye, Luxardo Maraschino, Angostura bitters, orange and lemon juice, and a cherry garnish.

“I wanted to create a cocktail that would be approachable to a mass audience while also introducing a unique ingredient—maraschino liqueur,” Fooy says. “It’s also a tribute to a really beautiful hour of the day, which is why I used orange with red hues.”

The cocktail will be available at various stalls throughout the festival and participating bars around the city.

A number of local restaurants are also creating signature cocktails of their own. In particular, the Lord Baltimore Hotel will host a special happy hour throughout the festival featuring discounted appetizers and drinks served in light-up glasses including “The Orange” (moonshine, peach brandy, orange bitters, and maraschino cherries), “The Red” (white whiskey, watermelon juice, Aperol, and rosemary), and “The Green,” which combines vodka, Chartreuse, lime juice, and soda.

In general, local organizations feel that the Light City festival, especially in its second year, is a great excuse for Baltimore to come together.

“We’re really going to be all hands on deck that week,” Evitts says. “Now that people know what the festival is about and have seen how cool it is, the interest is really growing.”

St. Pierre has put together a team of people—including renowned Baltimore musician Dan Deacon, who created the background music—to work on the project. (To see how you, too, can get involved, check this out.)

And perhaps one of the most important parts of the installation doesn’t have anything to do with light or sound, and is something you’ve likely encountered before—a nametag, which visitors will receive when they arrive at the installation. St. Pierre hopes festivalgoers will use this simple tool as a way to get to know one another at the festival.

“There’s this idea of, ‘Hey, I’m not a stranger to you. Talk to me.’ We’re all just in this together,” St Pierre said. “I hope people really walk away feeling they connected on a human level.”

Colors

Music is a natural place to evoke the refraction of light into the colors of the rainbow. Light City performer and gifted local composer George F. Spicka performs inventive piano improvisations like Blue Aeons and Yellow Thoughts, while Baltimore legend Chick Webb leads his jazz band in the lustrous Azure. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra rounds out this set, with Purple by Michael Torke, conducted by former music director David Zinman. Elsewhere on the list, you’ll find our own masterful maestra, Marin Alsop, conducting the BSO in Bernstein’s sacred yet profane Mass (“God said ‘let there be light,’ . . . and it was goddamn good!”). You’ll also catch her conducting the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in The Light, by native son Phillip Glass.

Beams

Sprinkled throughout the playlist are radiant tracks, like “Give the World Light,” a gospel-infused number featuring Light City performer Ama Chandra. Besides Ama’s honest and attractive expression, the synthesizer choices really heighten the appeal. Pro-tip: listening with headphones reveals some clever channel-swapping effects that increase the energy of this great tune—terrific work on the part of the producers. Speaking of great synthesizers, Parliament, Portugal. The Man, Ellie Goulding, KSTONE4U, and Faame Emanuel bring the party throughout.

For a little romance, connect with “I’m Beginning to See the Light,” here performed by the Inkspots, along with Ella Fitzgerald’s smooth soubrette. Movie buffs will recognize that it’s the same version heard in Manchester by the Sea. For a trip to true frenzy, try classical music’s rising rockstar, Barbara Hannigan. Her kaleidoscopic performance of Hans Abrahamsen’s “Let Me Tell You” is the epitome of musical storytelling, with brash angles and sinewy curves setting off this powerful text drawn from Shakespeare’s Ophelia in Hamlet. The list wouldn’t be complete without LC 2017 headliner Biz Markie’s popular “Just a Friend.”

Daylight

Could you imagine a Baltimore without Nina Simone? Neither could we. Sit back and enjoy a scintillating remaster of “Here Comes the Sun,” followed by the boistorous bass of Rye Rye’s “Sunshine” remix. Try not to get style whiplash: Next up is Max Richter’s mournful “On the Nature of Daylight” from the motion picture Disconnect, starring Jason Bateman.

Dusk

Doubtless, the most alluring colors of the day fill the sky as the sun sets. Baltimore composer, Peabody faculty member, and music community leader David Smooke lights the evening sky with the iridescent “Dusk,” from his Transgenic Fields for piano. “Dusk” appears on his not-to-be-missed new album, Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, which features a number of other Charm City artists performing Smooke’s exceptional and essential creations. For something completely different, dusk turns to night in The Dirty Dozen Brass Band’s performance of the classic, “Night Train.” This unconventional acoustic jazz/funk band creates unmistakable and effective train imagery with the snare drum and brass waves in the intro.

For those who love to mix their music with pop culture, the classic tune will bring to mind the background music of the “Under the Sea Dance” in Back to the Future. Sticking with jazz, and in homage to our hometown paper, this set rounds out with Ella Fitzgerald singing “Midnight Sun.”

Moonlight

Discovering new local music is one of the best parts of Light City and one of the most exciting parts of compiling this list. Prog rock ensemble Papadosio was one of the highlights. Check out their 11-minute jam, “Weekend at Bernie Sanders”—the title alone says it all. To follow it up, we go back in time to the soulful and songful “Moonlight in Vermont.” (Bernie would approve.) Oh, and check out the singer: that’s none other than Seth MacFarlane, creator of Family Guy and the voice of Peter, Stewie, and Brian. Can you believe the way he croons? To cap off this final section is Debussy’s Clair de Lune, French for “moonlight,” and the perfect conclusion to the soundtrack for your stroll down this year’s Light Walk. We’ll see you there.