Five things to eat, drink, see, hear, and do with your Charm City weekend.
EAT
Mar. 21: Save Your Soul Spring Fling at Union Craft Brewery
Union Craft Brewing, 1700 Union Ave. 7 p.m.-1 a.m. $7. 410-467-0290. missiontix.com
Like budding daffodils, the monthly Save Your Soul dance party is busting out of the dark depths of Lithuanian Hall and sprouting up at Union Craft brewery to celebrate the start of spring. Get down with DJ Rob Fearless spinning soul on the ones and twos, tip back some of Baltimore’s best craft beer, and snack on great local grub. The Local Oyster’s Nick Shauman will be there, shucking Chesapeake beauties for your shooting and slurping pleasure, while the DiPinoteca food truck will keep you full with authentic Italian eats like meatball parm, paninis, and pasta. Not to twist your arm or anything, but winter was long: Sounds like this’ll certainly save our souls.
DRINK
Mar. 22: Baltimore Cocktail Week Launch Party
Pen & Quill, 1701 N. Charles St. 6-10 p.m. $20. 410-601- 3588. baltimorecocktailweek.com
From spirited standbys like Rye, Wit & Wisdom, and B&O to hip neighborhood haunts like W.C. Harlan and Bookmakers Cocktail Club to now nearly everyone in-between, Charm City’s cocktail scene has evolved into a fierce force to be reckoned with. With so much moving and shaking and stirring around town, it only makes sense to give it a toast. Enter Baltimore Cocktail Week, the inaugural seven-day celebration of the city’s hospitality industry, with classes, community events, and of course, cocktails. It kicks off at Pen & Quill this Sunday, with a contest featuring 15 of Balt’s best bartenders, lite fare that we hope includes P&Q’s beef brisket steam buns and beer clams, and a complimentary beverage to boot.
SEE
Mar. 21: Charm City Roller Girls Meet March Madness
DuBurns Arena, 3100 Boston St. 5:15 p.m., doors; 6:30 p.m., event. $12-25. charmcityrollergirls.com
This weekend, the badass chicks behind Charm City Roller Girls are celebrating their tenth season with a rip riding, rough-and-tumble roller derby in Canton. If you’ve never seen them in action, this is no spin around the skate park—no coast beneath the disco ball. See for yourself on Saturday, as four hometown teams are pitted against each other in a triple-header tournament. Starting with Junkyard Dolls vs. Speed Regime and Mobtown Mods vs. Night Terrors, the competition will culminate with the Game 1 winner taking on the Game 2 loser, and the top two teams advancing to the championships on April 25. Get in on the action and while you’re at it, make your own March Madness-style bracket. My bet’s on last year’s runner-ups and winners: the Night Terrors and the Mobtown Mods.
HEAR
Mar. 20: Charm City Folk & Bluegrass Festival’s Battle of the Bands: The Final Four
The 8×10, 10 E. Cross St. 8 p.m. $10. 410-625-2000. the8x10.com
After Maryland beats Valpo this Friday, you can catch a different kind of March Madness as the Charm City Folk & Bluegrass Festival’s final four duke it out in the last round of Battle of the Bands. Hear Harrisburg’s bluegrass boys, Colebrook Road; Philly’s folk-playing fellas, Man About A Horse; Towson’s twangy, thumping Bald Mountain Band; and Baltimore’s own Fried Pickin’. The winner of the Friday night fight will open the third annual festival on April 25 in Druid Hill Park, playing before other talented performers like Cris Jacobs, The Bumper Jacksons, The Manly Deeds, and Letitia VanSant. Last year’s winner was the Highland Hill Boys, of Howard County, who not long ago released their self-titled debut.
DO
Mar. 21: Station North Arts Market
Station North Chicken Box, 1 W. North Ave. 1-5 p.m. Free. 410-962-7075. stationorth.org
Just named America’s third best art district by USA Today (move over Manhattan, Miami, and L.A.), Station North is a Charm City creative mecca that’s only continuing to grow. Head there this Saturday and immerse yourself in local talent at the Station North Arts Market. With handmade jewelry, photography, paintings, prints, and more, you can buy or simply browse. Afterwards, walk around the neighborhood and admire its Open Walls murals, which were just added to the Google Street Art Project.