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.”

Jockey Victor Espinoza wore shiny purple silks as he crossed the finish line aboard California Chrome at the Preakness. Across town, patrons catching the race at one of Canton’s newest bars wore big, saucy smiles. Most hadn’t even won bets, but a Saturday spent at Silks, a stylish pub whose name pays homage to jockeys’ garb and whose menu features a blend of craft and down-home beer, delicious cocktails, and tasty food, is always a winning ticket. For years, the bar on the corner of Hudson Street and South Lakewood Avenue with the tacky sporting-goods mural outside was an enigma. It never seemed open. Was it a speakeasy? A private club? A dive with unusual hours? Who knows? And now, who cares? When new owners renovated, they rid it of practically everything but the name. A lacquered, dark wood bar, staffed by talented and jovial bartenders, runs practically the length of the building. With open windows allowing in plenty of sunlight and a cool breeze on a nice day, it’s one of the most outdoor-like indoor places to drink in the neighborhood.

There’s also a small dining room, but make no mistake, Silks is more bar than restaurant. Which is not to say that its kitchen doesn’t turn out classic tavern fare that’s a cut above. Start with an order of wings (10 for $9.99), prepared confit-style for an interesting twist. You’ll find burgers (the Juicy Lucy, with the cheese on the inside, is $10.19), cheesesteaks ($9.80), and chicken sandwiches (topped with crab dip and cheddar for $10.50), along with entrees like fish and chips ($11.99), Cajun salmon cakes ($11.99), and even a prime rib. While it’s not quite Capital Grille-quality, the steak, served with a vegetable and garlic mashed potatoes, is a bargain at $19.99.

Whatever you order, it’s wise to grab a side of fries. Sidewinders, as they’re called, are a delicious hybrid steak and curly fry, doused with salt and served piping hot. They’re plump and flavorful, and a plate of them makes a perfect side or snack. The cocktail menu features an array of sublime libations. The blueberry margarita, made with Avion Silver tequila, fresh-squeezed lime juice, muddled blueberries, triple sec, and agave nectar, is one of the most refreshing drinks—in one of the most refreshing new/old bars—in the city.

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›› Silks, 2641 Hudson Street, 443-708-0317. Hours: 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Sat.-Sun. Appetizers: $6.80-10.50; sandwiches: $6.80-11.49; entrees: $11.99-19.99.

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Mike Unger is a senior contributing writer for Baltimore.