Things To Do in Baltimore

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 30, 2010

THE BALTIMORE BOOK FESTIVAL WELCOMES AUTHORS NIGEL BARKER,

HOLLY ROBINSON PEETE, JESSE VENTURA, SHERRI SHEPHERD AND MORE!

The 15^th annual literary arts celebration takes place September 24-26, 2010

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts announce the 15^th anniversary of the Baltimore Book Festival, the mid-Atlantic’s premier celebration of the literary arts.  The three-day festival features more than 200 celebrity and local authors, poetry readings, workshops, children’s activities, panel discussions, cookbook demonstrations, more than 100 exhibitors and booksellers, live music, food and more.  The annual event takes place Friday, September 24 and Saturday, September 25 from 12-8pm and Sunday, September 26 from 12-7pm in historic Mount Vernon Place centered on the 600 block of North Charles Street.  This year’s author appearances include actress, activist and philanthropist Holly Robinson Peete, author of My Brother Charlie; Nigel Barker, photographer and “America’s Next Top Model” judge; Sherri Shepherd, actress, co-host on “The View” and author of the humorous autobiography Permission Slips; southern cuisine experts Matt Lee and Ted Lee, authors of The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern; Michele Norris, acclaimed journalist and host of NPR’s “All Things Considered;” former governor, wrestler and actor Jesse Ventura, author of American Conspiracies; Judge Glenda Hatchett with her new book Dare to Take Charge: How to Live Your Life on Purpose; New York Times bestselling author Ree Drummond with her latest book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl; and former NFL quarterback, television/radio personality and philanthropist Rodney Peete, author of Not My Boy!. The Baltimore Book Festival is free and open to the public.

The Literary Salon, presented by Bank of America, showcases distinguished authors and panel discussions throughout the festival weekend.  Friday evening highlights include the Robot Hearts: True and Twisted Tales of Seeking Love in the Digital Age panel with editors Cara Bruce and Shawna Kenney and contributors Allison McCarthy, Trudi Taylor, Slash Coleman, Pat Fish and Shira Tarrant and the Ladies’ Night Panel with authors Andrea Lavinthal, Jessica Rozler, Nicole Porter and Nika Beamon, who dish about life, love, friends and other adventures.  Fashion photographer, TV personality and humanitarian Nigel Barker discusses his book Nigel Barker’s Beauty Equation at 7pm.

On Saturday, the festival welcomes renowned authors Amy Dickinson, The Mighty Queens of Freeville; Jesse Ventura, American Conspiracies: Lies, Lies, and More Dirty Lies That the Government Tells Us; Sherri Shepherd, Permission Slips: Every Woman’s Guide to Giving Herself a Break; and Wes Moore, presented by CityLit Project, who shares his story The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates. Featured authors for Sunday are Warren St. John, Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town, the 2010 One Maryland One Book, presented by the Maryland Humanities Council; Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl; Michele Norris, The Grace of Silence; Judge Glenda Hatchett, Dare to Take Charge: How to Live Your Life on Purpose; Holly Robinson Peete, My Brother Charlie and Rodney Peete, Not My Boy!.

The Festival Stage features well-known authors and spirited panel discussions.  Highlights are mystery authors Charles Todd and Caroline Todd, An Impartial Witness; NPR correspondent Barbara Bradley Hagerty, Fingerprints of God: The Search for the Science of Spirituality; financial guru Deborah Owens, A Purse of Your Own: An Easy Guide to Financial Security; novelist Jon Clinch, Kings of the Earth and Essence bestselling author Michele Andrea Bowen, More Church Folk.

The Food for Thought Stage, presented by IKEA Baltimore, has celebrity chef and cookbook authors. On Friday at noon, the festival presents Dish Up Maryland at BBF! with award-winning writer Lucie L. Snodgrass, Dishing Up Maryland and author and owner of Gertrude’s Restaurant at The Baltimore Museum of Art John Shields, Coastal Cooking with John Shields and contributor to Dishing Up Maryland.

Saturday and Sunday features Norah O’Donnell and Chef Geoff Tracy, Baby Love: Healthy, Easy, Delicious Meals for Your Baby and Toddler; Matt Lee and Ted Lee, The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern: Knockout Dishes with Down-Home Flavor; Ron Douglas, More of America’s Most Wanted Recipes: More Than 200 Simple and Delicious Secret Restaurant Recipes–All for $10 or Less!; Fany Gerson, My Sweet Mexico and Daphne Oz, daughter of New York Times bestselling writers Dr. Mehmet Oz and Lisa Oz, and author of The Dorm Room Diet.

The Children Bookstore Stage is home to some of the nation’s best and favorite children and young adult’s writers and illustrators.  On Friday at 5:30pm, Zombies versus Unicorns Debate takes place when Team Zombie takes on Team Unicorn to prove which fantastic creature is superior.  Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier lead their authors in a debate inspired by their new short story collection Zombies versus Unicorns. Participating authors are Scott Westerfeld, Leviathan; Carrie Ryan, The Forest of Hands and Teeth; Diana Peterfreund, Ascendant; and Kathleen Duey, Silence and Stone. Writers Nikki Grimes, Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel; Rebecca and Ed Emberley, If You’re a Monster and You Know It; and Judith Viorst, Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day join in the literary arts fun as well.

The Radical Bookfair Pavilion, sponsored by Red Emma’s Bookstore Coffeehouse, hosts prominent radical, independent, and DIY writers and publishers including political cartoonist Ted Rall, The Anti-American Manifesto; Bitch Magazine founder Lisa Jervis; radical urbanist Matt Hern, Common Ground in a Liquid City: Essays in Defense of an Urban Future; housing activist Max Rameau, Take Back the Land: Land, Gentrification, and the Umoja Village Shantytown and award-winning journalists Benjamin Dangl, Dancing with Dynamite: Social Movements and States in Latin America and Jeff Conant, A Poetics of Resistance: The Revolutionary Public Relations of the Zapatista Insurgency.

The CityLit Stage, presented by the CityLit Project and Urbanite, has local and regional authors and informative panel discussions for up-and-coming and self-published writers. On Friday at noon, aspiring writers can join CityLit Project’s Gregg Wilhelm and other editors, agents and teachers for Free Friday Feedback: Got lit? Get feedback!. A published writer or publishing professional will give free one-on-one discussions and advice on writing, the marketplace and next steps. At 6pm, SHYIB editor and literary shaman William Pat Tandy hosts Smile, Hon, You’re in Baltimore: Waste, a Smile Hon production that focuses on ways to waste it in the city, from the scatological to the sublime.  Select contributors from the “Waste” edition will read and, at the very least, promise not to waste your time. Music is by The Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad.

New this year, on Saturday only, members of Maryland Romance Writers, part of the Romance Writers of America, present Maryland Romance Writers with panels and readings from regional romance authors Catherine Asaro, Diamond Star; Mary Jo Putney, Never Less Than a Lady; Rebecca York, Dragon Moon and more.

In addition, the East Park is home to A Likely Story Bookstore, which will host authors John Vaszko, A Mystery at the Inn; Lois Szymanski, Out Of The Sea: Today’s Chincoteague Pony; Edith Hemmingway, Road to Tater Hill; as well as story time, giveaways and activities including book bingo for children.

The Book Festival Music Stage offers performances from top local and regional bands during the weekend.  Enjoy the sounds of Higher Hands, funk fushion; The Players, ska; Cynthia Renee, pop; P Funk All-Stars, funk; Cathy Ponton King, blues and Jah Works, reggae.

Food and beverages are located throughout the festival with delicious international cuisine by Kumari Restaurant &Bar, Indian; Sarin Grille, Asian; Pepperjack Grill, Mexican and more.  Vendors also sell tasty ice cream, frozen ice, funnel cakes and other sweet treats.

The Baltimore Book Festival is presented by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, produced by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts and supported by sponsors Bank of America, Baltimore Ravens, Renaissance Harborplace Hotel, Visit Baltimore, Land O’ Lakes, Pure Via, IKEA, Amtrak, Charm City Circulator, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, The New York Times, Good Samaritan Hospital, Renewal by Andersen, CLEAR and C-SPAN.  Grantors include The Abell Foundation, Maryland State Arts Council and Baltimore County Commission on Arts & Sciences.  Media sponsorship provided by The Afro-American Newspapers, The Baltimore Sun Media Group, The Baltimore Times, City Paper, Gay Life Newspapers, Fox 45 / The CW Baltimore, Heart & Soul, Maryland Family, Maryland Life, The Power Magazine, Urbanite, WYPR 88.1 FM and WLIF 101.9 Lite FM.  Additional in-kind support by A Likely Story Bookstore, Agora, Baltimore Blues Society, Baltimore Theatre Alliance, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, The Children’s Bookstore, CityLit Project, Donna’s Restaurants, Inc., Double T Diner restaurant in White Marsh, Holiday Inn Inner Harbor Hotel, Maryland Humanities Council, Maryland Romance Writers, Red Emma’s Bookstore and Coffeehouse, Spotlighters Theatre  and Whiting- Turner Contracting Company.

For more information on the Baltimore Book Festival, call 1-877-BALTIMORE or visit www.baltimorebookfestival.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 16, 2010

UKRAINIAN FESTIVAL ON SEPTEMBER 11 & 12, 2010

Enjoy the sights and sounds of Ukraine with traditional dancers, live music, crafts, customary foods and more at the 34^th annual Ukrainian Festival on September 11 and 12.  Throughout the festive weekend, top groups perform including “D3BIH” Choir of Philadelphia Pennsylvania, St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church Choir and Kalena Dancers, which make an appearance in Baltimore while on their world tour.  Taste traditional Ukrainian foods such as pyrohy, kielbasa, potato pancakes, borsch soup, medivka, Ukrainian breads and more!  The festival takes place Saturday, September 11 from noon to 9pm and Sunday, September 12 from noon-8pm at Patterson Park, located at Linwood and Eastern avenues. An opening ceremony is Saturday, September 11 at 1pm.  Admission to the festival is free.  The Ukrainian Festival is a part of the 2010 Showcase of Nations Ethnic Festivals presented by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts and produced by the Baltimore Ukrainian Festival Committee.

Festival-goers can celebrate Ukrainian culture with music by accordionist Matt Dubas & Co, Baltimore hometown favorite Lyman Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and more or by visiting the Ukrainian Cultural Tent, which features Children’s Ukrainian Folk Tales.  During the two-day event, vendors sell authentic crafts including Ukrainian Easter eggs, wood carvings, embroidery, ceramics and icons.

This year’s special event is Pyrohy Pierogi Eating Contest on Sunday, September 12.  In addition to medivka (also known as honey wine), the festival is “home of the original Ukrainian Beer Garden.”

For more information on the Ukrainian Festival, call 410-967-0501 or visit www.ukrainianfestival.net.  For updates on the 2010 Showcase of Nations Ethnic Festivals, call 1-877-BALTIMORE or visit www.promotionandarts.com.

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For immediate release: August 10, 2010

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR

THE BALTIMORE OFFICE OF PROMOTION & THE ARTS’ FALL AND WINTER EVENTS

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts present an array of festivities for the fall and winter seasons.  2010 events include the 15^th annual Baltimore Book Festival, School 33 Art Center’s 22^nd annual Open Studio Tour and Ports America New Year’s Eve Spectacular.  Below is a preview of what is to come during the upcoming seasons.

Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar - The market has crisp produce, lean poultry and other meats, dairy and nut products, freshly baked breads and more for purchase.  In addition, the bazaar offers uniquely crafted gifts and collectibles including handmade accessories, home décor items and original artwork, Sundays through December 19, 7am-sell out (usually noon), underneath the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday & Saratoga streets.

Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower Open Studio Day - Visit artists in their studios and purchase their works in this historic building, 21 S. Eutaw Street.  This event takes place on a monthly basis.

• Saturday, September 4 from 1-5pm
• Saturday, October 2 from 1-5pm
• Saturday, December 4 from 1-5pm

The Cloisters Open House Plus - This event showcases top area vendors including caterers, photographers, florists, wedding dress shops, accommodations, DJs, stationers and others servicing the wedding industry.  Visitors can meet with a staff member, receive a tour of the facility, discuss their event and even hold a date for an upcoming event, The Cloisters, 10440 Falls Road, Lutherville, Maryland.

• Wednesday, September 8 from 4-8pm
• Wednesday, September 22 from 4-8pm
• Wednesday, October 6 from 4-8pm
• Wednesday, October 20 from 4-8pm
• Wednesday, November 3 from 4-8pm
• Wednesday, November 17 from 4-8pm
• Wednesday, December 1 from 4-8pm

Showcase of Nations Ethnic Festivals - Baltimore celebrates its proud ethnic heritage with festivals featuring crafts, foods, dances, live entertainment and special ceremonies, weekends September through October, $ and locations vary.

• Ukrainian Festival - September 11 & 12, Patterson Park
• Russian Festival - October 15-17, Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church

School 33 Art Center Members’ Gallery - Artists apply to have their work featured in a solo exhibition. Finalists are chosen by an exhibitions selection committee comprised of distinguished artists and arts professionals from the Baltimore region.  School 33 Art Center, 1427 Light Street, 410-396-4641.

• Kelly Walker – September 3 through October 2
• Group exhibition – October 13 through October 30
• Andrew Shenker – November 12 through December 31

The Temporary Nature of Ideas - School 33 Art Center hosts Melissa Webb’s exhibition from Friday, September 3 through Saturday, October 30. An opening reception is Friday, September 3, 6-9pm and a closing reception on Friday, October 29, 6-9pm.  Gallery is open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 6-9pm, School 33 Art Center, 1427 Light Street, 410-396-4641.

Frank Zappa Sculpture Dedication - The official statue dedication in honor of Frank Zappa, Sunday, September 19, 2pm, Southeast Anchor Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library located at 3601 Eastern Avenue in Highlandtown.

Baltimore Book Festival - The mid-Atlantic’s premier celebration of the literary arts offers 200 local and celebrity authors, bookstores, publishers, children’s writers, storytellers, author signings, food and entertainment, September 24, 25 and 26, Friday and Saturday 12-8pm and Sunday 12-7pm, Mount Vernon Place centered on the 600 block of North Charles Street.

Free Fall Baltimore - Fall celebration features free arts events during Arts & Humanities Month, October 1-31, throughout the city.  Top area attractions offer more than 100 fun, educational and free activities including workshops, dance and music concerts, films, lectures and history tours.

School 33 Art Center’s Open Studio Tour - Visitors observe more than 100 of Baltimore’s visual artists in their local studios during this annual tour, October 23 and 24, 10am-6pm (studio times vary), locations throughout Baltimore, 410-396-4641.

Mayor’s Cultural Town Meeting - The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts invites residents and arts community leaders to share their concerns regarding the importance of the arts to the quality of life in Baltimore City, October, date and location TBD.  The meeting now occurs every other year during Arts & Humanities Month.

Graphite on Paper - School 33 Art Center exhibition features a group of regional artists who employ graphite on paper as their primary media, curated by René Treviño, Friday, November 12 through Friday, December 31, 2010.  An opening reception is Friday, November 12, 6-9pm. Gallery is open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 6-9pm, School 33 Art Center, 1427 Light Street, 410-396-4641.

A Monumental Occasion - Baltimore’s aglow for the holiday season with the official lighting of the Washington Monument, which features entertainment, fireworks and refreshments, Thursday, December 2, festivities begin at 5:30pm, the official ceremony begins at 7pm, Mount Vernon Place, 600 block of North Charles Street.  Produced in conjunction with Downtown Partnership of Baltimore and the Baltimore Department of Recreation and Parks.

Ports America New Year’s Eve Spectacular - A celebration offering a night of live music and the countdown to 2011 with spectacular midnight fireworks, Friday, December 31, 9pm-12:30am, Inner Harbor.

New Year’s Eve at the Top of the World - Top of the World Observation Level hosts New Year’s Eve party with a great view of the Baltimore Inner Harbor fireworks, buffet dinner, drinks and live entertainment, Friday, December 31 from 9pm-1am. Tickets are $125, prior to Wednesday, December 1, 2010 and $150 thereafter, 27th floor of the World Trade Center at 401 E. Pratt Street.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade - Baltimore City commemorates the life of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Monday, January 17, noon, steps off at Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Eutaw Street, and travels south on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

For more information on events produced by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, call 1-877-BALTIMORE or visit www.promotionandarts.com.

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