Five things to eat, drink, see, hear, and do with your Charm City weekend.
EAT
Oct. 28: Burgers, Brews, & Que Viewing Parrghty
Heavy Seas Alehouse, 1300 Bank St., 410-522-0850, 8 p.m.
The Food Network has been showing our hometown hotspots some serious love lately. On the heels of Guy Fieri’s recent pit stops at Alewife and The Smoking Swine, celebrity chef Michael Symon—along with actor and beloved Baltimore boy Josh Charles—swung by Heavy Seas Alehouse while filming an episode of Burgers, Brews, and ‘Que a few months back. This Friday night, watch Heavy Seas make its big-screen debut at a viewing party featuring specialty firkins and the brewpub’s signature “beerclairs”—a boozy spin on the classic French pastry, which Symon samples in the episode. If you’re in the mood to bar hop, Le Garage, another stop on Symon’s food tour around Charm City, will also be hosting a watch party in Hampden highlighting burger and beer combos for $15 from 9-11 p.m.
DRINK
Oct. 27-31: HallOWLoween Weekend
The Owl Bar, 1 E. Chase St., 410-347-0888, Times vary
With roots dating back to Prohibition, (local lore has it that the speakeasy’s owl sculptures would blink when it was safe to order booze, and stare straight when cops were within range), The Belvedere Hotel’s dimly lit Owl Bar is an ideal Halloween hangout. Show up in costume (perhaps as former Belvedere dwellers like Fred Astaire, Patti Labelle, or Al Pacino) to partake in the bar’s weekend-long celebration, which kicks off with a pumpkin carving contest on October 27 and continues with a Zombie Prom, ’80s costume party, and an all-night happy hour on Halloween night. All the while, sip spooky cocktails like the “Ichabod Cider” (applejack, snap liqueur, and allspice dram), the “I Aint Afraid of No Ghost” (orange vodka, melon liqueur, lemonade, and grenadine), and the “Jeepers Creepers,” a barrel-aged concoction that combines Jägermeister, Picaroon rum, and cherry bitters.
SEE
Oct. 29: The Great Halloween Lantern Parade & Festival
Patterson Park, 27 S. Patterson Park Ave., 410-276-1651, 3:30 p.m., Free
For the past 17 years, Halloween in Highlandtown has become synonymous with prancing around Patterson Park with glowing lights in tow. The annual Lantern Parade & Festival returns this Saturday with a Dia de los Muertos (think colorful sugar skulls and authentic mariachi music) theme and tons of family-friendly activities leading up to the annual procession after dark. Before the parade steps off, create your own hand-drum lantern, do some yoga, jump on a hayride, and indulge in bites and booze from local food trucks. After the grand finale, head over to the Creative Alliance to bust a move at the annual Glow Ball—the official adults-only after party featuring the sounds of Afro-Mexican jam band Las Cafeteras.
HEAR
Oct. 29: Third Annual Halloween Cover Show at The Crown
The Crown, 1910 N. Charles St., 410-625-4848, 9 p.m., $3-5
Though there are plenty of costume parties to choose from this weekend, The Crown is the move for music lovers. This Saturday night, the third annual Halloween Cover Show returns to the club’s Red Room with a slew of local bands performing their renditions of everything from ’60s chick rock to ‘80s new wave hits. Watch Wume pose as Joy Division, belt aloud to familiar Fleetwood Mac melodies, and pay homage to the late Ziggy Stardust with David Bowie covers by The Scroll Downers, all while sipping spooky cocktails and getting use out of your creative costume.
DO
Oct. 29: Dundalk Family Fall Festival
Veterans Park, 44 Shipping Place, Dundalk, 410-282-0261, 10 a.m., Free
Before All Hallow’s Eve passes us by, squeeze in one last day of scarecrow making, face painting, and pumpkin picking at this family fête hosted by the Dundalk Renaissance Corporation. Take the little ones trick-or-treating around the merchants on Main Street, get creative with your costumes in the annual contest (there’s even a canine competition for the most festive furballs), and decorate the perfect pumpkin to set on your stoop for Halloween night.