Eat
Aug. 29-30: Ekiben Night Market
1500 Thames St. Sat: 4-10 p.m. Sun: 12-4 p.m. $18-135
Ekiben co-founder Steve Chu has hand-picked 40 chefs from across the East Coast to provide the eats for the restaurant’s third-annual, Taiwanese Night Market-inspired food festival. Snag a ticket and arrive hungry to the Fells Point waterfront to enjoy everything from the host’s signature crab rangoon eggrolls to Edo Cheesecake’s viral silky slices. Other local purveyors to look out for include Aru Aru, The Urban Oyster, Clavel, Ejji Ramen, Kong Pocha, and Cafe Dear Leon. Browse our full preview of the two-day fest, here.
DRINK
Aug. 29: Dolly Brunch
Lee’s Pint & Shell. 2844 Hudson St. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. A la carte pricing.
We can’t help but think that Dolly Parton would want the world to mourn her passing by throwing on a pair of boots and dancing to a playlist of her legendary anthems. This Saturday, Lee’s in Canton is inviting locals to do just that.
Tease your hair sky-high, throw on your best Backwoods Barbie get-up (rhinestones encouraged—whoever is best-dressed will win a $50 gift card), and sip cocktails created in honor of the American icon during a special brunch service. Among them are the Cup of Ambition (raspberry Smirnoff, blackberry, lime juice, and Prosecco), Pink Cadillac (tequila, Triple Sec, lime, grenadine, and grapefruit juice), and Jole-tini made with vanilla Smirnoff, strawberry puree, and splashes of cranberry and grenadine.
See also: First Flush Electronic Music Listening & Ceremonial Tea
SEE
Aug. 29: ArtFusion: Earth, Moon, and Stars
Holt Park and Center for the Arts. 34 Elmont Ave. 12-7 p.m. Free admission.
This inaugural immersive arts fest is taking over Holt Park and Center for the Arts in Overlea, offering installations, performances, fine art displays, family‑friendly activities, vendors, and workshops that align with the theme “Earth, Moon, and Stars.” Block off a few hours to explore everything from a 1950s sci-fi-inspired sculpture and a DIY celestial jewelry station to local art vendors and a juried gallery. An on-the-hour live music lineup features local greats like DJ Amy Reid, classical-experimental group Mind on Fire, and Afro-futurist performers Afro House, as well as jazz legends Sun Ra Arkestra.
See also: Deep Sugar Transmutation Voyeur
HEAR
Aug. 28-30: Subscape
Locations vary. Fri. 6 p.m.- 1 a.m., Sat. 12 p.m.-1 a.m., Sun. 12-6 p.m. Free.
During this growing annual music festival, Baltimore’s boisterous underground music scene will boil over for a weekend of 60-plus local punk, alternative, and metal bands at Current Space and Le Mondo. Peep the detailed lineup, here, highlighting acts like Super City, Natural Velvet, Gasket, The Beach People, and many more.
Organizers summed up the mission best on their Indiegogo page, which is accepting donations if you’re interested in supporting the artists. “Our city has one of the best music scenes on the planet and it deserves to be championed by everyone who lives here,” they wrote. “In a time when it’s harder than ever to find community in the non-virtual world, the DIY music scene is a refuge for countless people to connect and support each other.”
See also: BUNT. at Power Plant Live
DO
Aug. 29: Love Groove Festival
Point Park, 1215 Willis St. 12-8 p.m.$29-209.
Ten years ago, local musician John Tyler got an idea. The Baltimore music scene was full of talented artists and only had so many platforms to showcase them. Sure, there were plenty of local venues, but most of the city’s big festivals looked to national acts to fill their lineups. The Hoes Heights native wanted to change that.
Enter the Love Groove Festival, which has grown from a small concert to a showcase of Baltimore’s talent. Not only are many of the musicians local, but so are the stage designers, event photographers, day-of staffers, and more, with this event also working to foster economic growth and build community.
This year, find big-name headliners like experimental pianist Robert Glasper and rising rapper Saba alongside local heavyweights like the Grammy Award-winning D.K. The Punisher, up-and-coming DJs Styles Bond and Tromac, and Tyler himself. Plus, peruse an art gallery, pop into stalls featuring local restaurants and boutique shops, and soak up the Harbor Point waterfront with friends and family. Admission is free for kids 12 and under.
See also: Baltimore Bike Party Live, Maryland State Fair Opening Weekend, Maryland Renaissance Festival Opening Weekend
Additional reporting by Sophia Naughton and Lydia Woolever