Power Plant Live and pickle party promoters The Big Dill have teamed up to bring a massive festival celebrating the beloved brined snack to Charm City.

Whether you already relish pickles, or are just pickle curious, the inaugural event is sure to satisfy all odd cravings. Attendees will enjoy pickle vendors, bars offering requisite pickleback shots, and 40 food trucks peddling their pickle-inspired creations. The festivities will take over Power Plant Live on September 22 from 1-6 p.m. (VIP guests will be granted early entry at noon.)

There are three levels of pickle passes—some of which range all the way up to VIP (very important pickle)—which grant admission to attractions like a pickle-eating contest, live country music, carnival games, and even a class on the art of pickling.

Inspired by the growing pickling trend, the event is bringing together an array of local vendors offering everything from themed barbecue to desserts. (If you are feeling bold, Dessert Fantasies will be celebrating with pickle cupcakes.) Josh White, head chef at Wayward Smokehouse, says he’s looking forward to getting in on the fun.

“Pickling has absolutely become more popular in recent years,” White says. “There are some great Southern chefs [such as] Sean Brock and Edward Lee who have really pushed the envelope on pickling and infusing different flavors and ingredients into pickling. They appear on white tablecloth menus and old school barbecue joints alike.”

Specifically for the festival, White is planning to put an entirely new spin on the classic chicken wings that he serves at Wayward.

“We were asked to participate and make wings, which just so happens to be one of my specialities,” he says. “I’ve done pickle-brined fried chicken in the past and it was always a hit, so I figured, why not? I may or may not be working on a pickle barbecue sauce to pair with them, as well.”

There will also be plenty of pickle-infused drinks to wash down all of the eats. Whiteford-based Slate Farm Brewery has partnered with the event to provide pickle, cucumber, and strawberry-flavored beer. If you’d rather down a shot, the creators behind The Original Pickle Shot—bottled in Ocean City—will be mixing a variety of pickle brines with small-batch vodka to create an excellent hangover cure.

What some might not know is that Baltimore has a hidden history with pickles. It dates back to 1881 when pickle and kraut manufacturing company C.C. Lang & Son was founded at 725 North Haven Street, according to the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Though it’s now closed, it once rivaled Pittsburgh-based H.J. Heinz Company in size.

Originally using cucumbers grown on the Lang family farm in Glen Arm, Maryland, the company eventually expanded to open factories in Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, and Michigan. Lang’s also held a patent on a machine that could slice cucumbers longitudinally for more efficient packing.

Organizers and vendors are looking forward to celebrating the local roots of the acidic snack at the first-of-its-kind festival next month.

“I’ve cooked for a lot of different events, but never a pickle festival,” White says. “I always get excited for people to try our food, but I’m really excited to try what everyone else is making. I’m a huge pickle fan.”

Just when we thought we had finally escaped the “Baby Shark” song invading our social media feeds, the ominous theme from Jaws will now begin playing on a loop as Discovery Channel brings back its annual promotion celebrating the gargantuan fish. Shark Week is officially upon us, and outposts all over the city are celebrating in style.

The National Aquarium, one of the Inner Harbor’s crown jewels, is offering a specialized tour if you dare to walk with the sharks. But for those with cravings for more tasty shark-themed specials, there are plenty of ways to get in on the fun without going to the beach. From ocean-themed drinks to edible shark candy, here are a few highlights:

7/28-8/4: Woody’s Cantina
Enjoy Shark Week with fin-credible specials at this rooftop spot in Fells Point. This Mexican restaurant is serving up (Great) White Claws or Landshark bottles for $5 or less. Of course, you can catch the main event—while taking in the rooftop views—with the 24/7 shark coverage on all of its TV screens.

7/28-8/4: Black Eyed Suzie’s
Suzie’s in Bel Air hosts regular specials like martini Mondays, kids-eat-free Thursdays, and daily happy hours from 2-7 p.m., but this week the neighborhood bar is partnering with Malibu and Jameson to bring you shark-inspired food and drink specials. You can drink like a fish at this celebration while tuning in to the weeklong Discovery Channel event.

8/3: Wayward Smokehouse Viewing Party
Head over to this party at Wayward Smokehouse in Federal Hill to get hooked on Landshark specials, shark-bite bombs, games, gifts, giveaways, and fittingly themed mini pools. Not into seafood? Classic American barbecue dishes are smoked daily by executive chef and pit master Josh White.

7/28-8/4: Atwater’s
Swim over to Atwater’s to find a shark lurking in your latte. In addition to the coffees topped with shark-designed latte art, the homegrown cafe will also have all of its signature sandwiches and salads for a meal you can really sink your teeth into. Don’t let the lack of seafood fool you, shark week is in full swing here.

7/28-8/4: Nacho Mama’s
This Tex-Mex favorite features margaritas famously served in hubcaps. For Shark Week, Nacho Mama’s is serving up a scene from Jaws in the form of a blue margarita with a facedown figurine, splash of grenadine, and blue-gummy sharks circling. It might seem intense, but you’ll be drinking in comfort on dry land.

7/28-8/4: Papi’s Tacos
In Hampden, Papi’s Tacos is mixing up a variety of ocean-themed cocktails. The newest location will bait customers with a frozen Shark Week house margarita featuring a gummy-ring life preserver. But, don’t stop there. There’s also an expanded drink menu including the tequila-infused “Mako-Rita,” “Coral Reef” (Malibu rum, pineapple juice, grenadine, whipped cream), and the “Hot Hammerhead” with jalepeno-infused tequila and club soda.

7/28-8/4: Charm City Chocolate
This corner candy store made the perfect treat to lure in customers with a sweet tooth. The chocolatiers have fished out chocolate-covered blue raspberry gummy sharks, making the man-eater become the pray. In this case, we strongly encourage you to play with your food.

7/28-8/4: Frazier’s on the Avenue
Any shark would appreciate these fishy specials, and Frazier’s includes an array of seafood to devour. Chomp down on beer-battered ahi tuna bites, fish tacos, and salmon cake sliders. With these features, it is hard not to take the bait.

OPEN

Milk & Honey Market: It’s been two years since Milk & Honey Market closed its original location in Mt. Vernon, and now, the spot has finally made a comeback in Station North. Located on the ground floor of the artsy Nelson Kohl apartment building near Penn Station, the cafe offers a menu of warm and cold coffee drinks, smoothies, sandwiches, salads, and pastries. The new space is bright and inviting, with white walls, modern light fixtures, comfy couches, and lots of interior greenery. On the heels of the Station North opening, owners Ernst and Dana Valery are also planning to expand with a second location in Pigtown. The forthcoming cafe will be housed in the new Bath House Square project in development on Washington Boulevard. 20 E. Lanvale St. 667-309-3506

Farm to Face: Regulars of the Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar no longer have to wait around until Sunday mornings to get their hands on a seasonal falafel wrap from this longtime vendor. Farm to Face owner Miranda Betts recently moved into her own brick-and-mortar space on Harford Road in Hamilton. The former home of Zeke’s Coffee, which relocated to larger digs up the street last year, is now a permanent shop for Betts to serve her organic falafel in wraps. The crispy chickpea balls are topped with seasonal fruits and veggies (think everything from beets and strawberries to apples and arugula) and signature sauces before being tucked into traditional or leafy lettuce wraps. 4607 Harford Rd. 443-438-5559

Haven Street Ballroom: The owners of the modern-industrial event venue Main Street Ballroom in Ellicott City have launched a second space on North Haven Street in Highlandtown. Sandwiched between Urban Axes and Monument City Brewing Company, the airy space features white walls and high ceilings on the inside, and a bright exterior mural with pops of pink and yellow—which was designed by frequent Monument City collaborator White Coffee Lettering—on the outside. The venue is now booking events being held after May 1, 2019. 1 N. Haven St.

COMING SOON

Döner Brös: After spending a year roaming around on their Oktoberfest-inspired food truck, Döner Brös owners Alex Politsch and Steven Banks are putting the finishing touches on their brick-and-mortar eatery in Charles Village this week. The spot will open to the public on Monday, December 17, serving salads, wraps, and fries topped with authentic döner kebab meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie. Döner Brös neighbors THB Bagels & Deli, Bird in Hand, and Red Star Bar & Grille in the Nine East 33rd development near the Johns Hopkins University campus. “Hopkins was always a home run for the food truck so it was only natural for us to open our first store here,” Banks said in a statement. “We are excited to add another unique cultural option to the already eclectic and dynamic neighborhood.” 9 E. 33rd St. 844-366-7277

NEWS

Wayward Smokehouse Expanding to White Marsh: Federal Hill locals should prepare to see familiar signage while spending time around The Avenue at White Marsh in 2019. The team behind Wayward Smokehouse on South Charles Street has announced plans to take over the former Don Pablo’s space off of Honeygo Boulevard. The plan is for the restaurant to combine Wayward’s Texas barbecue vibe with The Curious Oyster, a new concept that focuses on sustainable seafood. 8161 Honeygo Blvd. White Marsh

Guinness Partners with Sierra Nevada for Fire Relief: In the wake of the deadly wildfires that recently spread throughout Northern California, Sierra Nevada recently established the Camp Fire Relief Fund to help rebuild communities affected. Doing what they do best, the brewing behemoth also created the Resilience Butte County Proud IPA, with proceeds directly benefiting the fund. Our own Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House is one of 1,200 breweries nationwide that has vowed to brew and sell the beer in hopes of providing more relief.

“I grew up in California and even though I’m now on the East Coast, the wildfire tragedies still feel close to home,” Open Gate brewmaster Peter Wiens said in a statement “Ken Grossman and the rest of the Sierra Nevada family are industry icons, and I’m honored to join their effort to help rebuild the lives of those devastated by the Camp Fire.” The IPA will be available in the Guinness taproom and upstairs 1817 restaurant starting December 13. One hundred percent of all proceeds will benefit the rebuilding efforts. 5001 Washington Blvd., Halethorpe. 800-909-2645

EPICUREAN EVENTS

12/13: 3rd Annual Christmas in Mexico at The Charmery
The Charmery co-owner David Alima and Clavel chef Carlos Raba have been hard at work preparing for their third-annual Christmas in Mexico celebration this week. The duo will be getting into the holiday spirit with fried ice cream treats that resemble adornos de navidad (Christmas ornaments). A portion of all proceeds will benefit Guardian Gym—a California-based boxing and jiu jitsu nonprofit that Raba supports. 801 W. 36th St. 6:30-8:30 p.m.

12/16: Prima Pop-Up at Le Comptoir du Vin
New Station North restaurant Le Comptoir du Vin is teaming up with yet-to-open Old Goucher spot Sophomore Coffee to host a special breakfast pop-up this weekend. Mix up your regular Sunday brunch routine with a traditional Turkish breakfast (think boiled eggs, veggies, cheese, and flatbread) paired with warm drinks provided by Sophomore. The team will be pouring Toby’s Estate coffees, as well as local Sparrowtail Tea blends. 1729 Maryland Ave. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $12