BALTIMORE (Map, News) - From Native American dance competitions to jousting matches, Baltimore’s summer festivals promise to bring cool entertainment to the summer heat.

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