Five things to eat, drink, see, hear, and do with your Charm City weekend.
EAT
Sept. 19: Baltimore Seafood Festival
Canton Waterfront
Park, 3001 Boston St. 12-7 p.m. $12-$99. baltimoreseafoodfest.com.
In the final days of summer, it’s time to drop anchor and reel in as much seafood as you possibly can. So set a course for Canton Waterfront Park this weekend to celebrate the bay’s best at the city’s second annual seafood festival. Dig into Chesapeake cuisine from local eateries like Thames Street Oyster House, Ryleigh’s Oyster, Captain James, Jimmy’s Seafood, Nick’s Fish House, and fresh shucks from The Local Oyster. Wash it all down with cool cocktails, wine, and beer while you groove to funky tunes by the 8 Ohms and Unity Reggae bands. Best of all, feel the warm September breeze roll off of the water, watch the waves glisten, and soak up some sun.
DRINK
Sept. 19-20: Maryland Wine Festival
Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 S. Center St., Westminster. Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. $30-$50. marylandwine.org.
It’s almost too
cool for the light beers and floral spirits of summertime and yet it’s still
too hot for the brown spirits and dark brews of wintertime and fall. Find a
happy medium this weekend and imbibe in a medley of Maryland wines. The oldest
wine festival in the state, the Maryland Wine Festival is now in its 29th year,
featuring thousands of visitors, more than 30 wineries, live music, local food,
crafts, and a cheese pavilion highlighting Maryland goods (you know where to
find us) in Carroll County. Sample various vintages from local vineyards like
Boordy, Linganore, and Millstone, and then mosey about the beautiful grounds of
this 19th-century farmhouse.
SEE
Sept. 19: Adult Swim Drive-In
Camden Yards, Lot A, 416 W. Lee St. 8:30 p.m. Free. adultswim.com.
The drive-in, one of our favorite, old, iconic symbols of American summertimes past, has sadly gone
the way of the dinosaurs. The giant flickering screen. The hotrods. The large fountain sodas. The hot dog jumping into the bun.
Luckily, we have Bengie’s in Middle River
from Memorial through Labor Day, but in case you didn’t make it, this Saturday is your night. The off-kilter Adult Swim television network is making a stop in Baltimore on a cross-country tour, offering 15 cities that classic, outdoor experience. Outside of Camden Yards, cuddle up under the stars at the Adult Swim Drive-In, with a massive pop-up screen, unaired comedy pilots and specials,
food trucks, trivia, and prizes. Blankets, pillows, chairs, beanbags, etc. are
welcome.
HEAR
Sept. 18: Alabama Shakes with Drive-By Truckers
Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. 8 p.m. $40-$55. 410-715-5550. merriweathermusic.com.
Man, does Brittany Howard have a mean set of pipes. You likely caught wind of them and this Athens, AL, band back in 2012, when they skyrocketed to indie stardom with their first single, “Hold On,” off their debut album Boys & Girls. The whole damn record was solid gold and it garnered the band three Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist. Now on the heels of their second release, with songs like “Don’t Wanna Fight” of equal force and measure, the rock quartet comes to Columbia to tear down the Merriweather house. And don’t miss their opening act. Also from Athens, the Drive-By Truckers are an established collective of Southern rock musicians who have opened for the likes of Booker T. Jones and Lynyrd Skynard.
DO
Sept. 19: Hampdenfest
West 36th Street. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Free. hampdenfest.blogspot.com.
There were few moments more magnificent than watching the sun set over The Avenue last September with a cold Union Craft can in hand and Sam Herring of Future Islands growling and Letterman-ing into the night. The music and humid heat hung heavy in the air, intoxicating and electric, and it felt like summer might never end. That’s the beauty of Hampdenfest: It’s all the free, street-festival fun of HonFest, but without the flamingos and frills. It’s just simple summertime pleasures—good beer, good music, good friends, and, this year, great weather. Hit up Hampden on Saturday to hear live local music like indie-pop rocker Raindeer, post-punkers PLRLS, and this year’s soulful, swinging headliner Bosley. See toilet racers barrel down Chestnut Avenue, aspiring karaoke stars compete in the last-ever Hampden Idol, and a hundred elbows dangling out of colorful row-home windows.