Five things to eat, drink, see, hear, and do with your Charm City and Memorial Day weekend.
EAT
May 22: Shoo-Fly Closing Party
Shoo-Fly, 510 E. Belvedere Ave. 9 p.m. 410-464-9222. shooflymd.com.
We’re sad to see this Southern eatery and late-night bar leave Belvedere Square. We’ll especially miss the Hangtown Fry—with fried oysters, scrambled eggs, bacon, and a biscuit—or the bacon-fried chicken with cornbread. Alas, it never quite found its footing and James Beard Award winner Spike Gjerde of Woodberry Kitchen has decided to move on. This weekend, they’ll be throwing a goodbye party on the patio and it’s going to be a family affair. In addition to the regular food and bar menus (read: plenty of boozy milkshakes and springtime slushies), Gjerde’s sister restaurants will all be there—Woodberry, Artifact, Parts & Labor—bringing their very best eats. As a jump start to your Memorial Day weekend, join them this Friday to kick the kegs, clear the shelves, and bid a good Low Country adieu to this little delicious diner.
DRINK
May 23-24: Brew at the Zoo
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, 1876 Mansion House Dr. 1-7 p.m. $25-65. 410-396-7102. marylandzoo.org.
Lions and tigers and beers—oh my! With warm weather comes day-drinking season, so head to the Maryland Zoo this Memorial Day weekend for one of Baltimore’s biggest outdoor beer festivals. For two days, grab a commemorative glass and lap up unlimited libations, with more than 80 beers on hand, including locals like The Brewer’s Art, DuClaw, Flying Dog, Jailbreak, and Monument City Brewing. There will also be necessary noshes and lots of live music like local soul sensation, Bosley, and the beloved blues group, The Kelly Bell Band. Best of all, you can get a little buzz, wander the zoo, and meet the animals, with all-day free admission.
SEE
To May 24: Dirty Dancing
Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, 12 N. Eutaw St. Tues.-Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 2 & 8 p.m., Sun. 1 & 6:30 p.m. $25-95. 410-837-7400. france-merrickpac.com.
Nobody puts Baby in a corner, so get out there this weekend and head to the Hippodrome stage for the last performances of this iconic
1980s classic. Watch Johnny and Baby dance around their romantic feelings before coming together for that iconic lift. The smash-hit musical doesn’t feature Patrick Swayze in his prime (sadly), but it does have all those summer-lovin’ hits, like “Hungry Eyes,” “Hey Baby,” and, of course, “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.”
HEAR
May 24: Wume Record Release Party
Metro Gallery, 1700 N. Charles St. 8 p.m. $7. 410-244-0899. themetrogallery.net.
Wume is a Baltimore band you need to know. Pronounced like woom, the “soundtrack groove two piece” is the kind of music you can’t help but bob or swing along to. Their layered, rhythmic sound builds from something hypnotic and minimal to something momentous and powerful, and all the while, it’s easy listening, with sparkly synth, tight drums, and spontaneous vocals swirling around and in and out. A sort of 1980s, psychedelic day-dream. Big things are popping for the dynamic duo, with a brand-new album, Maintain, just released this week, and a month-long European tour with fellow Baltimore electronic artist, Dan Deacon, starting in June. Head to Station North this Sunday to hear them for yourself and celebrate the new record with opening sets by Chiffon and Oh Hang.
DO
May 23: The Color Run “Shine Tour” 5K
Camden Yards, 333 W. Camden St. 9 a.m. & 12 p.m. $50-55. 855-662-6567. thecolorrun.com.
If you like long showers and getting paint and glitter in places it shouldn’t be, then this is the race for you. Don your sneaks and white T’s this Saturday and head to Camden Yards for “the happiest 5K on the planet,” where you’ll get covered in colorful, neon paint as you run around Birdland and M&T Stadium. This year, they up the ante with their all-new “Shine Tour,” where you’ll also get sprinkled with a dusting of glitter. With music, dancing, and some thousands of Baltimoreans hitting the city streets, it’s a splashy way to kick off summer.
We also suggest you continue to support local restaurants, bars, and
businesses, to take part in community events, and to donate to or participate in the growing number of volunteer efforts around the city. Some examples include the Inner Harbor Project, Maryland Food Bank, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake. Others can be found via Maryland Unites, which lists several non-profits that are accepting donations like the Red Cross of the Greater Chesapeake, Central Region United Way, and Associated Black Charities, and through the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods, which continues to update an online spreadsheet for volunteer and donation opportunities.