The Polish Festival on Friday officially kicked off the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts’ (BOPA) 12 ethnic festivals, the Showcase of Nations, which features several different world cultures to Baltimore’s backyard.
“I think the festival gives you a chance to enjoy another cultures,” said Tracy Baskerville, communications director of BOPA. “It’s a chance to see not only great food from other cultures, but also arts and crafts and entertainment.”
Ethnic festivals aren’t the only way to have fun this summer. The Great Grapes Wine Arts and Food Festival in Cockeysville provides entertainment for adults by offering 150 types of Maryland wine, and face painting and sand art for the children, said Kat Arnold, event manager.
“It’s unique because it’s a brand in itself,” Arnold said, referring to the different types of wine and entertainment from local bands. “There are so many different features of the festival.”
Columbia’s Festival of the Arts has also continued to expand, and this year the festival will feature “Columbia: The Opera,” which presents the history of Columbia by providing archive footage, interviews with residents, and music from local bands. It celebrates the festival’s 20th anniversary as well as Columbia’s 40th anniversary, said Lisa Miles, marketing director.
The variety of visual arts, like music, dance, theater and comedy, attract the nearly 30,000 visitors over the 18 days of the festival, Miles said.
“I think art impacts everything we do in life,” Miles said. “It impacts everyone’s life in a positive way.”
The Maryland Renaissance Festival will be returning in its 31st year and will provide entertainment through jousting competitions, magicians and sword-swallowing, as well as an opportunity to dress up as a favorite Renaissance character, said Jules Smith, vice president general manager.
“It’s easy; it’s fantasy,” Smith said. “It doesn’t require a lot of thinking. You can easily transform to a different, simpler, less stressful period. It’s escapism for people.”
Smith said the Renaissance Festival sees about 290,000 visitors over the 18 days. “The Renaissance era evokes the notion of chivalry,” he said. “People dress up as lords and ladies, wenches and scoundrels and henchmen.”
FIND A FESTIVAL
LatinoFest
June 23 (noon to 10pm) -24 (noon to 9pm)
Patterson Park, Baltimore
410-783-5404
African American Heritage Festival
July 6 (Friday 5pm to Midnight) - July 8 (Sat and Sun 12 noon to Midnight)
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
410-235-4427
Caribbean Carnival Festival
July 13 (5 to 10pm) -15 (Sat and Sun noon to 9pm)
Druid Hill Park, Baltimore
410-230-2969
International Festival
July 28-29 (noon to 9pm)
Poly/Western High School at Falls Road and West Coldspring Lane
410-396-3141
Paetec Jazz Festival
Aug. 9-11
Downtown Baltimore
Harve de Grace Seafood Festival
Aug. (11am to 7pm) to 12 (11am to 6pm)
Tydings Memorial Park, Havre de Grace
410-939-1525
NAIJA Fest
Aug. 11-12 (noon to 8pm)
Patterson Park, Baltimore
PowWow Native American Festival
Aug. 24 (noon to 8pm), Aug. 25 (10am to 9pm), Aug. 26 (10am to 6pm)
Patterson Park, Baltimore
410-675-3535
Maryland Renaissance Festival
Aug. 25 to Oct. (10am to 7pm)
Crownsville in Anne Arundel County
1-800-296-7304
North Beach Bay Fest
Aug. 26 (noon to 6:30pm)
North Beach, Calvert County
410-257-9618
Ukrainian Festival
Sept. 8 (noon to 10pm) -9 (10am to 9pm)
Patterson Park, Baltimore
410-687-3465
Maryland Seafood Festival
Sept. 7-9
Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel County
410-266-3113
Bel Air Festival for the Arts
Sept. 16 (10am to 5pm)
Shamrock Park, Bel Air
Korean American Festival
Sept. 22 (10am to 10pm)
War Memorial Plaza at Fayette and Gay Streets
410-625-2442
Baltimore Book Festival
Sept. 28 (5 to 9pm), 29 and 30 (11am to 7pm)
Mount Vernon Place, Baltimore
410-752-8632
Russian Festival
Oct. 19 and 20 (noon to 9pm) and 21 (noon to 6pm)
Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church East Fairmount Avenue
410-276-6171
See our Events Calendar for a complete listing of festivals and other events in the Baltimore region.
kseith@baltimoreexaminer.com
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