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.”