EAT
Sept. 2: La Tomatina Tomato Fight & Festival
La Cuchara. 3600 Clipper Mill Rd. 1-8 p.m. Free. $18-20 fee for tomato fight.
On the list of ingredients that are synonymous with Maryland summer, tomatoes rank pretty high. This weekend, Basque-inspired favorite La Cuchara is devoting an entire festival to the ripe fruits while they’re still in season. Spend your Sunday sipping Bloody Marys, trying your luck in a tomato-eating contest and tomato-toss games, and partaking in the restaurant’s second annual La Tomatina fight to benefit local youth development program Baltimore SquashWise. Throw on a pair of goggles and pelt the plump fruits at friends and neighbors in the massive tomato war—which mimics the annual end-of-summer ritual in Buñol, Spain. Spectators can enjoy Union Craft beers, Spanish wines, $1 oysters, and signature pintxos (small bites) while watching all of the action from the sidelines.
DRINK
Aug. 30-Sept. 2: Space Camp at The Elk Room
The Elk Room. 1010 Fleet St. 4 p.m.-2 a.m.
Everyone once in a while, The Elk Room in Harbor East likes to shed its swanky speakeasy vibe and switch things up with a pop-up theme. (Who could forget when the cocktail bar transformed into an ’80s ski lodge last winter? Or the SoCal Summer-inspired menu a few months back?) This time around, the spot is running with a space camp theme—featuring a galaxy-inspired food menu and live DJ spinning synth tunes all weekend long. Of course, the drink options will also be out of this world. Bar manager Andrew Nichols has crafted a special selection of cocktails based on how he thinks each planet would taste. Make your way through the solar system with options like “Uranus” (Maker’s 46 Bourbon, blueberry, beet, wildflower honey, horseradish, and saline) and “Mars,” which mixes aperol with Peychaud’s bitters, yellow chartreuse, and sour watermelon. Space suits and alien costumes are encouraged.
SEE
Aug. 30-Sept. 2: Baltimore Art, Antique, and Jewelry Show
Baltimore Convention Center. 1 W. Pratt St. Times vary. $20
If you’re looking for an indoor activity to escape the heat (and predicted scattered storms) this weekend, spend some time strolling around Maryland’s largest antique event. The 38th annual bazaar is a Labor Day Weekend tradition for local dealers and collectors, showcasing more than 200,000 individual pieces from as far as Italy, England, China, and Japan. Highlights to look out for this year will include the iconic Norman Rockwell painting “Boy Graduate” and a vintage Bally Quarter slot machine dating back to 1941. Plus, there will be more than 30 top silver specialists, luxury watches and rings on display from local jeweler Samuelson’s Diamonds, botanical-themed porcelain works by Boston-based artist Katherine Houston, and the return of the captivating Booth Talk series—which allows visitors to hear many of the artists address overarching topics that inspire their work.
HEAR
Sept. 1: The Love Boat Yacht Rock Tribute
Union Collective. 1700 W. 41 St. 5-10 p.m. Free.
Union Craft Brewing is waving goodbye to summer in style this Saturday. Beginning at 1 p.m., the brewery is bringing back its second-annual Fiesta Del Sol—an end-of-season soiree featuring tacos and Micheladas from Clavel, The Charmery’s icy paletas (popsicles), music spun by DJ James Nasty, and plenty of baby pools and sprinklers for cooling off. But it wouldn’t be a proper summer sendoff without a live yacht rock soundtrack to sway to. After the party, stick around to hear The Love Boat—a smooth rock tribute band made up of musicians from local greats Psycho Killers, The Bridge, Electric Love Machine, and Yellow Dubmarine, with special guest vocalist Ms. Sara. Sip a cold one and enjoy the chill sounds (think the likes of Toto and Steely Dan) as the sun sets over Hampden.
DO
Aug. 31: Baltimore Bike Party Purple Friday Ride
St. Mary’s Park. 600 N. Paca St. 6:30-11:30 p.m. Free
In Baltimore, one of the few upsides to saying sayonara to beach trips and snowball weather is the return of the Ravens. And since we’re now well into preseason, this Friday is officially an occasion to paint the town purple. Don your most festive football attire for this evening bike ride around the city that will descend into M&T Bank Stadium for an after party with cold beers and a custom photo booth by Side A Photography. As an added bonus, for the first time ever WTMD will be broadcasting a special Baltimore Bike Party playlist throughout the night, so that participants tuning in via the station’s mobile app can jam out together while pedaling through the streets.