Because Music Matters.
Ready for some marvelous film? The Maryland Film Festival is sweeping back into town the first weekend of May. Thursday May 5 through Sunday May 8, over 150 films from across the globe will be shown at the festival.
The festival will screen 75 short and 50 feature length films over the four-day period. Films span a wide range of genres including documentary, animated, experimental and narrative. Many prominent films have been shown at the festival, such as recent Academy Award nominee Dogtooth.
The Central branch of the Enoch Pratt Library is a gorgeous display of architecture. Located on Cathedral Street the expansive and antique library is part of one of oldest public library systems in America.
The branch is currently hosting the exhibit “Glass House of Dreams: Baltimore’s Victorian Glass Palace,” until the end of April. The exhibit explores the history of glass houses in the U.S, noting the Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory in Druid Hill Park. Rawlings was a prominent African-American political leader (whose daughter is currently Baltimore’s Mayor).
The Maryland Historical Society is full of antique American gems. Currently the museum is showing the exhibit: Maryland’s National Treasures, which was collaboration between the Maryland Historical Society and Maryland State Archives. It features swords, uniforms and life-size portraits of American Revolutionary heroes. The Historical Society is also currently showing With an Artistic Eye: Folk Art at the MHS, which displays history through painting, sculpture, jewelry and furniture.
The MHS is additionally hosting the most comprehensive Civil War exhibit in MD, which includes 3-D videos and personal stories. It’s their largest Civil War exhibit yet!
Saturday, April 16th Fell’s Point revisits its roots. Fell’s may have a raging night life, but more importantly the area has an incredible historic lineage tracing to the 1700’s. Fell’s Point Privateer Day celebrates this heritage. The event goes from 11a.m to 6p.m and is chock full of Privateery fun!
If you’re wondering what a privateer is, so was I. It’s different than a pirate. Privateers are given orders from the government to attack ships, a license to rob type of set up.
It’s sunny, warm and you’re looking for a way to spend the day. How about hanging out with some elephants? The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is a fantastic place for a spring trip.
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is a terrific tourist destination. Grab some ice cream and saunter around looking at lions, penguins, reptiles and more. After having the joyous experience of viewing and adoring animals, hop over to the giraffe feeding station to make a new lanky yellow friend.
The American Visionary Art Museum is always a quality museum outing. Full of quirky art and crazy shenanigans the museum provides visitors a chance to view something interesting and abnormal. Currently the museum is featuring the exhibit, “What Makes Us Smile?” which takes an interesting look at happy human emotion.
‘Smile’ was created by an all-star line up. The instillation is a brainchild of Matt Groening, creator of the Simpson’s, artist Gary Panter, a set designer for Pee Wee’s Playhouse and the museum’s founder, Rebecca Hoffberger. The exhibit features works by 90 artists. They’ve got cartoons, 3-D fun, scientific surprises and spunky art. The Visionary Art Museum is full of spanking cool art, and ‘What Makes Us Smile’ is a rad exhibit to check out.
As we move into amazing April, all sorts of springtime events start popping up. The Baltimore Farmers’ Market and Bazaar is one of these exciting openings. Typically not around until May, the market pushed up its grand opening to April 3rd for the 2011 season.
Every Sunday from 7a.m–12 p.m the Farmer’s Market sells tasty treats and healthy staples. Shoppers can choose from an array of fresh fruit, veggies, baked goods, meats, cheeses and many more delectable foods. After your bag is full of edible goodies, check out stellar crafts and artwork also available at the market.
When touring Baltimore, the top recommendation for a place to visit is the Inner Harbor, specifically the Aquarium. Although there are numerous other interesting parts of Baltimore, the Inner Harbor does boast a few gems.
The Maryland Science Center is one fantastic Harbor offering. Closer to the Fed Hill side of the Harbor, the museum is a staple of the Baltimore museum circuit. It boasts a planetarium, Imax theatre, live demos and a whole bunch of entertaining exhibits. In addition to gaining unique science knowledge from exhibits, museum visitors can try riding a Segway or learn about the stars to impress a hot date with constellation knowledge.
Ever take pictures of your friends being silly and post them on ‘The Facebook?’ Well, that is not the kind of photography you would see upon visiting the Baltimore Museum of Art’s current exhibit entitled “Seeing Now: Photography Since 1960.” The instillations high-caliber, intriguing pictures take visitors through the past fifty years. It is a proactive look at history through artists’ eyes.
Captured topics include architecture, social change, politics, and family life. Over 60 photographers’ works are featured in the exhibit, which is comprised of over 200 photos. Additionally, film and video are displayed throughout the instillation.