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Oct. 8-9: Ryleigh’s Oysterfest

Ryleigh’s Oyster Federal Hill, 36 E. Cross St. Sat. 12-9 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Free.

It’s October and oyster season is officially upon us. Yes, you can now get them all year round, but with the cool winds of winter slowly approaching, those briny bivalves make for the perfect snack. This weekend, enjoy all-oyster-everything at seafood stalwart Ryleigh’s Oyster in Federal Hill. For the tenth year, Cross Street will be filled with raw bars, buck-a-shucks, ice-cold beer, and hundreds of onlookers for Saturday’s oyster shucking competition. For two full days, eat your way through dozens of oyster varieties, from Chesapeake Bay wilds to locally grown farm-raised oysters, including homegrown favorites like Barren Islands, Hollywoods, Sweet Jesus, and newcomer Orchard Points. Whether it’s an excuse for a Saturday day drink or early prep for your Sunday tailgate, feel good knowing that proceeds benefit the Oyster Recovery Partnership and Living Classrooms Foundation, both of which work to make our bay a more healthy, vibrant place.

DRINK

Oct. 7-16: Baltimore Beer Week

Locations, times, & prices vary.

Starting this weekend, the streets of Baltimore will start tapping drafts, pouring pints, and kicking kegs in celebration of the city and state’s booming beer scene. Over the last several years, the region’s offerings have expanded from Heavy Seas, Oliver Brewing, and The Brewer’s Art to a new class of suds, including Union Craft, Monument City, Waverly Brewing, and Key Brewing, and for the eighth year, Baltimore Beer Week will help you taste them all. Across 10 days and more than 300 events (which we narrowed down for you), embrace your inner cold-one connoisseur with full days of brewing tours, pairing dinners, late-night happy hours, stein-holding contests, chili and homebrew competitions, and Ellicott City benefits. On Friday, swing by Max’s Taphouse for a full line-up of pumpkin beers, on Saturday, don your lederhosen for Das Best Oktoberfest at M&T, and on Sunday, compete in the Brewer’s Art disc golf open in Druid Hill Park, to name a few.

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Oct. 8-17: Maryland Fleet Week

Locations & times vary. Free.

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. From the Inner Harbor to 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 . . . ”

HEAR

Oct. 7-8: WOW Women of the World Festival

Notre Dame of Maryland University, 4701 N. Charles St. Fri.-Sat. 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. $20.

Who runs the world? Beyoncé said it best. This weekend, celebrate women as a force to be reckoned with and join in discussions about the remaining barriers to gender equality. After stints in London, Australia, Egypt, India, Pakistan, and the U.K., this traveling festival makes its way to Baltimore to spread the word and highlight local women and initiatives. On Friday, catch conversations on gender discrimination and bias, female leadership and entrepreneurship, and women’s health, education, and faith, including the likes of local college professors, Rebecca Nagle of FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture, Deb Tillett of Emerging Technology Centers, Michele Tsucalas of Michele’s Granola, and Charleston’s Cindy Wolf. On Saturday, catch workshops for young girls, meet the leading ladies of Baltimore (including Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Sonja Santelises and Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen), and join commentary on women of color, women in the Muslim community, female athletes, and the role of men in female advancement and women’s rights.

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700-900 blocks of Washington Blvd. 12-7 p.m. Free. 443-908-7038.

Just west of the hustle and bustle of Federal Hill, the quaint 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, the smells of regional food, the sounds of live music by The All Mighty Senators and Kelly Bell Band, and of course the swine of its iconic “Squeakness” pig races. Craft beer will be provided by Oliver Brewing and vendors will be on hand selling locally made goods.

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Dec. 11: Ryleigh’s Oyster Mt. Vernon Basement Grand Opening

Ryleigh’s Oyster Mount Vernon, 1225 Cathedral St. 6 p.m. Free. 410-539-2093. ryleighs.com.

It’s almost been a year since Ryleigh’s Oyster opened its third output in historic Mt. Vernon. Housed in the former Spike & Charlie’s space on Cathedral Street, across from the massive Meyerhoff, this fledgling corner shell shack offers the same delicious seafood and deadly Bloody Mary brunch as Brian McComas’s other haunts, but beats them out with a cozy, New England-style side bar of whitewashed walls and dark wooden accents. This weekend, they’re adding entertainment to the eatery with a new basement music venue and a celebratory whole hog roast to kick the whole thing off. Pig out on heritage pork by guest chef Patrick Morrow of Bluegrass Tavern and imbibe in $5 craft beers while you listen to the sounds of Baltimore-native-turned-Nashville-country-star Jenny Leigh and local southern rock duo Chesapeake Sons.

DRINK

Dec. 12: Mobtown Spirited Holiday Cocktail Workshop

Mobtown Ballroom, 861 Washington Blvd. 6-9 p.m. $50. 443-699-3040. mobtownballroom.com.

At Mobtown Ballroom, you can learn to swing dance, square dance—even belly dance—but this weekend, you can also learn how to mix a little tipple to go with your tango, at the all-new “Spirited” workshop series on craft cocktails and booze. At this beloved Pigtown dance hall, discover the ins and outs of an American classic, the Sazerac—whiskey, bitters, a sugar cube, a lemon peel, and an absinthe rinse—which was invented in New Orleans in the late 1800s and has been a bartender favorite ever since. With Mobtown’s master mixologist, Mel Bowdish, learn the history and construction of the cocktail, with sips, snacks, and a DIY kit for making your own drinks at home. Keep your eye out for more mixology workshops like this one in the future.

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Dec. 12: Orioles FanFest

Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. $6-12. 1-888-848-BIRD. baltimore.orioles.mlb.com.

Baseball season might be over (and jeez, can football season be over already, too?), but it’s once again time to don your orange and black and head to the much-anticipated, makeshift Birdland that is Orioles FanFest in the Inner Harbor. Earlier than usual this year, the Baltimore Convention Center will fill with thousands of fans, all filing in to meet current players and coaches, snag some autographs (don’t forget to bring your Buck gnome), and, hopefully, experience the highly anticipated Adam Jones pie-facing. Stick around for adorable question-and-answer sessions—“What’s your favorite color?”—tours of the clubhouse, and to take home some memorabilia that will tide you over ’til spring.

HEAR

Dec. 12: Nico Sarbanes & Antonio Hart

An die Musik Live, 409 N. Charles St. 8 & 9:30 p.m. $10-23. 410-385-2638. andiemusiklive.com.

We don’t know about you, but the merry month of December has us feeling extra jazzy this year. Whether you’re in the spirit or need a dose of festive feels, swing by Mt. Vernon’s cozy An die Musik club on Saturday night for two sets of “Baltimore Jazz Heroes.” Here, on the little hallowed stage, local jazz musician Nico Sarbanes will perform with Antonio Hart as part of a new concert series that celebrates our city’s vibrant jazz community, which is rooted in rich history. Hart, a local alto saxophonist who draws inspiration from legends of eras past, has played with such greats as the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band and was once signed to RCA Records. Sarbanes, a young professionally trained artist is one of the city’s most talented (and under-the-radar) performers, playing plays a mean trumpet and confidently cooing the influential vocal stylings of the Great American Songbook. Hear them both this weekend, with Todd Simon on piano, Howard Franklin Jr. on drums, and Ethan Philion on bass.

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Dec. 12: Charm City Craft Mafia Holiday Heap

St. John’s Church, 2640 St. Paul St. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. charmcitycraftmafia.com.

If you’re anything like us, you’re running late and haven’t bought any of your holiday presents. But it’s getting down to the wire, and this weekend, there are a slew of pop-up shops for you to buy your loved ones some local goods. You can hit up Maryland Art Place’s Under $500, Post Typography’s Print Sale, or Current Space Art Market, to name a few. But the big kahuna of gift-giving is Charm City Craft Mafia’s ninth annual Holiday Heap. This Saturday at St. John’s Church in Charles Village, shop dozens of DIY treasures from throughout the region, including favorites like Baltimore papercuts by Annie Howe, spiced nuts by Kinderhook Snacks, leather goods by Almanac Industries, and beautiful prints by Boxerbow Press. On the way out, be sure to grab a slice of handmade deliciousness from PieCycle’s treat-toting trike.

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Oct. 10-11: Ryleigh’s Oysterfest 9

Ryleigh’s Oyster, 36 E. Cross St. 12-9 p.m. Free-$99. 410-539-2093. ryleighs.com.

If you were stuck inside last weekend, now it’s time to get out, make the most of this last bit of warm weather, and also get excited for the cold, because with it comes the year’s best oysters. For two full days, celebrate the bay’s bivalves in Federal Hill with 10-plus raw bars, live music, and lots of drinks at Ryleigh’s ninth annual Oysterfest. Hit Cross Street to slurp back shucks, sip some Heavy Seas, and watch the fourth annual shucking competition to benefit the Oyster Recovery Partnership and Living Classrooms, with In A Half Shell’s own celebrity ostreaphile Julie Qui on hand as a judge. It all starts on Thursday with the Moet Oyster Ball cocktail party, a fancy evening full of seafood and champagne.

DRINK

Oct. 9-18: Baltimore Beer Week

Locations, times, & prices vary. baltimorebeerweek.com.

Baltimore has been bursting at the seams with homegrown hooch lately, and our stellar local beer scene is really the one to thank for putting the gears in motion. Baltimore Beer Week is a celebration of those brews, with 10 days of beer tastings, drink specials, tap takeovers, beer dinners, and happy hours at some of our favorites like Max’s Taphouse, Cat’s Eye, Mahaffey’s, and Blue Pit BBQ. For starters, on Friday, drink al fresco during Pints in the Park at Center Plaza with Brewer’s Art beer, get your duckpin bowl on with Union Craft Brewery in Baltimore County, and enjoy a late-night beer happy hour at Parts & Labor. Come Saturday, attend the official keg tapping at Das Best Oktoberfest at M&T Bank Stadium, hit up the second annual Rocktober Cup catch-and-release rockfish tournament at Little Havana, and saunter up to Union Craft’s Schmoke Fest, with smoked meats and a new, smoky lager inspired by former Mayor Kurt Schmoke. Finally on Sunday, participate in the Charm City Chug Run with Heavy Seas beer at Birroteca, or better yet, indulge in the Pints & Pancakes boozy brunch with Evolution Craft Brewing at Kooper’s Tavern, and much, much more all week long.

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Oct. 9-11: Open Studio Tour

Locations vary. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. 443-263-4350. school33.org.

Sometimes we might take it for granted, but boy are we lucky to have so much free art at our fingertips here in Baltimore. There’s the BMA. There’s the Walters. There’s a smattering of great local galleries highly worth a peruse. This weekend, dive into that great gratis luxury with the 27th annual Open Studio Tour from School 33 Art Center. On Saturday and Sunday throughout the city, meet more than 100 artists, admire their workspaces, and get the low down on their creative processes. On Friday, start things off with the event’s “community spotlight” neighborhood celebration, with a heap of happenings in various art hubs around the city. Start in Mt. Washington and celebrate 35 years of Baltimore Clayworks, then head south to browse the myriad galleries of the Bromo Tower Arts & Entertainment District. Make your way over to Highlandtown, too, to hear the energetic Orchester Prazevica brass band perform, and hang out in the city’s art epicenter, with a large-scale Alloverstreet art walk in Station North.

HEAR

Oct. 10: Beach House

Ottobar, 2549 N. Howard St. 8 p.m. $22. 410-662-0069. theottobar.com.

This summer, Baltimore’s indie dream-pop duo Beach House made a big comeback. The band hadn’t necessarily gone anywhere, per se, except for into a bit of a hibernation after 2012’s Bloom, leaving fans in eager anticipation of their next release. Then on August 28, they dropped Depression Cherry with a quiet bang, critical hossanahs, and a sigh of relief from Beach House faithfuls, who warmly embraced the potency of its nine new tracks. The next day, they played an epic set as a headliner at Windjammer at Pier Six, with a twinkling backdrop, mood lighting, Alex Scally’s searing guitar, and Victoria LeGrand’s aching organ (oh, and envy-inducing hair) making for an unforgettable hot summer night. It felt like the band had reached a new pinnacle, all while staying true to not only themselves but also to Baltimore. And now, on the heels of all that, in typical Beach House buck-the-trend fashion, they just announced a second surprise (or “not surprise” album, Thank Your Lucky Stars, full-length and falling next week, as well as a pop-up performance at The Ottobar this Saturday. It’s a rare chance to catch the duo in a small venue, so grab your tickets fast, available Friday online at 10 a.m. or at the door at 6 p.m.

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Oct. 10: Pigtown Festival

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 in celebration of the South Baltimore neighborhood. The free festival sticks to tradition, with the much-loved “Squeakness” pig races returning to the city streets, four times throughout the day, and lots of live music, including the funky, old-school sounds of The Kelly Bell Band. Grab some local eats while you’re at it, with pit barbecue, Dooby’s, Harbor Que, and Pizza di Joey all in tow. We suggest you splurge on the $20 all-day drinking pass, too, with unlimited brews by The Brewer’s Art, Flying Dog, Public Works Ale, and Natty Boh.

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RYLEIGH’S OYSTER: On Tuesday, the beloved Ryleigh’s Oyster is opening its third location across from the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in the space last occupied by Mari Luna Bistro. Though the space has had many iterations through the years (including Spike & Charlie’s, Robert Oliver Seafood, and 23rd Degree Restaurant and Wine Bar), we have high hopes that Ryleigh’s—with its slurp-able sweeties and crabby pretzels—is here to stay. A prix-fixe menu will be on hand for the theater crowd. 1225 Cathedral St., 410-539-2093.

LOCAL PIE: Local Pie is the new pizzeria from former Iggies owners Lisa Heckman and Peter Wood. The 30-seat pie palace takes over the Havana Road space in Towson. The chalkboard menu of seasonal pies and salads will change frequently. Inventive pizzas currently on offer include smashed bison meatball iteration, apple pizza with salt and caramel, and a potato, bacon, scallion stunner with house-smoked mozzarella and duck egg. 8 West Pennsylvania Ave., Towson, 410-583-0008

BLAZE FAST FIRE’D PIZZA: In other pizza news, Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza, a national build-your-own pizza chain hits Laurel’s new Town Centre on Friday, Dec. 19. This will be the chain’s third location in Maryland, with a fourth location planned in the Annapolis Mall in late 2015. The restaurant will feature an assembly line that allows guests to customize one of the menu’s signature pies or create their own—all for under $8. If you’re reading this, now’s your chance for some free food—anyone who “likes” or follows Blaze on social media qualifies for a free whole pie of your choice. 14708 Baltimore Ave., Laurel. For more information e-mail: 1037laurel@blazepizza.com

DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS PIES: And speaking of pie, Dangerously Delicious Pies opens its second location in Hampden inside the historic home formerly occupied by Breathe Bookstore. (Talk about good karma.) Expect the same delicious pies as you find at the Canton location, with the addition of a coffee bar, more vegan options, and soups. The pie shop is slated to open on Feb. 1. 810 W. 36th St.

ENCANTADA: Ever since the closing of Mr. Rain’s Fun House at the American Visionary Art Museum last June, we’ve been eagerly awaiting news of what will occupy the third-floor space. Birroteca and The Nickel Taphouse fans rejoice! Owner Robin Haas will take over the space with Encantada at AVAM. Encantada, while not specifically vegetarian, will feature a menu in which veggies play a leading role. The restaurant is set to open in the first quarter of 2015. 800 Key Highway, 410-244-1900 (for the museum). 

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Here’s
how it works. Ryleigh’s Oyster is encouraging patrons to donate $14
each by telling their bartender or server, “Give ’em the bird,” through
Dec. 23. The money will be added to their restaurant checks. In return,
guests will receive a $10 Ryleigh’s Oyster gift card redeemable
throughout the month of January.

The money raised at the
restaurant goes toward buying turkeys for a food drive run by the
Baltimore Police Department’s Southern District to provide holiday meals
to local residents in need.

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Operating a restaurant isn’t easy, as any owner or chef will tell you. We hope these newbies will be around for a long time:

By Degrees Cafe:
Chef/proprietor Omar Semidey has joined the first wave of restaurants
that is transforming the landscape of South Central Avenue near Little
Italy and Harbor East. His sleek-looking restaurant in a refurbished
warehouse strives for well-prepared plates at reasonable prices.

The Chasseur:
Named after the original “Pride of Baltimore” ship, the Canton
restaurant spiffied up the former Adam’s Eve and started serving upscale
comfort food with one of the best meatloaves I had all year. (And there
were a lot of meatloaves on menus!) The charming white-cloth bistro is a
great addition to the neighborhood.

The Chesapeake:
After a long wait, an updated version of its venerable, eponymous
predecessor opened with a modern American menu in a historic building in
the up-and-coming Station North Arts District. The kitchen’s clever
twist on Mid-Atlantic cuisine keeps the patrons coming back.

Cunningham’s:
The new dining juggernaut in town, Bagby Restaurant Group, unveiled its
fourth restaurant to immediate acclaim with beautiful environs and a
creative farm-to-table menu by executive chef Chris Allen. This is the
place Towson has been waiting for.

Liberatore’s:
The longtime family restaurateurs, who have successfully operated
Italian eateries for 25 years, changed it up this year, opening Liquid
Lib’s, a wine bar adjacent to their Timonium location, and Lib’s Grill, a
steakhouse/raw bar in Perry Hall. Thinking out of the box is good.

Nickel Taphouse:
Chef/owner Robbin Haas, who has worked his culinary magic at
Birrotecca, transformed a failed restaurant space in the heart of Mt.
Washington into a go-to neighborhood tavern with burgers, oysters, and
more.

Oliver Speck’s:
An innovative re-invention happened within a matter of weeks in Harbor
East last summer. Vino Rosina closed, only to open as a barbecue place
with owner Jim Lancaster and chef Jesse Sandlin still firmly in place.
The new concept offers a great alternative to all the small plates in
the area.

Ryleigh’s Oyster: The popular Federal
Hill spot stretched out to the ‘burbs with a second location, taking
over a hulking space once housing Gibby’s and Rib ‘N Reef in Timonium.
The seafood-laden menu, raw bar, and newly renovated space already has a
loyal following.

Shoo-Fly Diner:
Wunderchef Spike Gjerde is creating his vision of American comfort food
in Belvedere Square with dishes like fried chicken, cast-iron catfish,
and a Chesapeake crab roll. Reviews have been borderline. We’re
confident the restaurant will soon follow in the footsteps of Gjerde’s
successful ventures Woodberry Kitchen and Artifact Coffee.

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Cross Street will close down on Saturday, October 12, and Sunday,
October 13, to allow visitors to check out vendors, ranging from artists
and watermen to restaurants and community organizations.

The event features buck-a-shuck oysters from as many as 20 oyster
farms, live musical acts, and more. The pearl of the festivities is the
dress-to-impress Moet Oyster Ball on Wednesday, October 9. Tickets
are $65. Attendees will enjoy unlimited Moet Imperial Champagne, an
open bar, hors d’oeuvres, and a raw bar with more than 15 varieties of
the bivalves.

The crème de la crème of the briny bash is the third annual Baltimore
Oyster Shucking Championship at 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Cross Street
stage in front of Ryleigh’s. Aficionados and amateurs alike can enter to
win cash prizes and a paid sponsorship to the National Oyster Shucking
Championship in St. Mary’s County. Defending champion George “Hannibal”
Hastings will shuck again to uphold his title since the competition’s
start in 2011. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake will officiate at the
ceremonies.

Proceeds raised throughout the celebrations will be donated to the
Oyster Recovery Partnership and The Living Classrooms Foundation
shipboard department, both local nonprofit organizations.

Whether you have a palate for oysters or not, come out for a taste of marine merriment.

—Danielle Moore

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