6th Annual International Edgar Allan Poe Festival "Creeps" Into Baltimore October 7-8

Get in touch with your “eerie” side and head on over to the Sixth Annual International Edgar Allan Poe Festival and Awards (Poe Fest International), presented by Poe Baltimore, on October 7-8, 2023, 11:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. at Poe Park in front of Poe House, located at 203 N. Amity Street. This free, family-friendly event includes themed vendors, live readings and performances, special tours, food and drinks, and the return of The Black Cat Ball as well as the unveiling of the winners of the Saturday “Visiter” Awards, an honor celebrating Poe’s legacy in art and literature around the world. NEW this year, there will be a Poe in Comics Exhibit, Bloody Mary Brunch (Sunday Only), a POErade costume contest (Saturday Only) and "One-Man Poe” and “Murder Mystery Co Performance Tents.” Poe Fest International is made possible by grant and sponsor funding from Wells Fargo, La Cite LLC, RavenBeer and several others. This outdoor, family-friendly event is FREE to the public. For more information or to buy tickets to select events, visit https://poefestinternational.org.

Highlighted Entertainment on the Main Stage (FREE to attend):

October 7:

11:00 AM- Festival OPENS with the Dan Meyer Choir and Empressa Ensemble and an “official” ribbon cutting recognizing the Newest Sponsor, Wells Fargo

12:30 PM- The Ultra Kings

1:30 PM- Ballet Embody

2:30 PM- Ursula Ricks

4:00 PM- Costume Contest POErade

October 8 :

11:00 AM- Wordsmith

12:00 PM- Kristin Ostling

1:00 PM- The Coldharts

1:45 PM- Poe’s Magic Theatre feat. Vince Wilson

2:30 PM- Poehemia

3:30 PM- The Baltimore City Pipe Band

FREE art workshops, art demos, and coffin-making demonstrations all weekend long.

For all details, see Festival Program.

Ticketed Events:

The Black Cat Ball at Westminster Hall: Prom Nite, October 7 at 7:30 PM

Description: This is the official party of the festival and will feature a Nevermore High School Class of 1849 Prom Night. Take a scream-filled trip down memory lane, all the way back to the chilling vibes of the 1840s! Dance to the beat of synthwave, strike killer poses in the retro photo booth, sip on blood-red punch that'll make your hairspray stand on end, then dance til you drop at the Rav'n Dance Off. Poe-rom-pose to the nearest corpse and make some more memories to DIE for. Tickets are all-inclusive for food, beer/wine, and entertainment. Dress to impress, walk our Gothic Red Carpet and pose for Poe Prom photos!! Attendees must be 21+.

Price/more information: $149-200; Westminster Hall, located at 519 West Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21201

VIP Death Weekend “Poe Places” Bus Tour, October 7-8

Description: Explore the enduring mystery surrounding Poe’s tragic death on a special VIP Death Weekend Bus Tour of Poe’s Baltimore. The 2-hour tour ticket includes stops at four important Poe Places around Baltimore, including Poe’s graves (he has two!) plus the sites where Poe was found and passed away. Bus Ticket also include scenes from a special re-enactment of Edgar Allan Poe's first funeral and the new Poe in Comics Exhibit at Westminster Hall. Death and funeral imagery (including body in an open casket), may not be suitable for young children. Viewer discretion advised.

Price/more information: $59 per person; bus tours leave from festival grounds at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at 203 N. Amity

Red Masque Festival Pass, October 7-8

Description: This special pass provides guests with exclusive access to FOUR special programs festival weekend including a Nevermore Murder Mystery Room, A One Man Poe Show, The Poe in Comics and Poe Death exhibits at Westminster Hall, and a Bloody Mary Brunch with Poe! (Bloody Mary Brunch on Sunday only from 11 AM-1 PM)

Price/more information: $35 on-line/$60 at the door

A complete schedule of festival events and ticket information will be regularly updated at https://poefestinternational.com/festival-program. Direct ticket sales: PoeFestInternational.eventbrite.com.

Only Guinness Brewery in US, Baltimore, Announces St. Patrick's Day Celebrations

Month-long festivities invite all to experience Guinness without hopping a plane to Dublin; immersive Irish Village, special beer releases, live music, secret menu

The Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore, the home of Guinness in the U.S. and the center of its experimental beers, will host a month-long celebration for St. Patrick’s Day. With free entry for all, guests visiting the two-acre lawn and three-story brewery will discover the ultimate St. Patrick’s Day experience in the nation, where more than two and a half centuries of Irish brewing experience and American craft beer creativity meet.

Festivities will take place over 16 days in March when the brewery is open: every Thursday through Sunday, including special operating hours for St. Patrick’s Day from 10am-10pm. Highlights include limited edition beer releases and merchandise, live music, an Irish Village lawn takeover with immersive experiences and special menus– including a secret one entirely in Gaelic. In honor of the holiday and Guinness commitment to giving back to the communities it serves, donations will be made to community partners, Sharp Dressed Man and Civic Works Real Food Farm.

-Beer Releases-

As tradition, the brewing team will release a different special St. Patrick’s Day beer on draught and in cans each Thursday throughout the month of March.

Irish Breakfast Amber (4.8% ABV): an American Amber Ale brewed with Irish Breakfast Tea Release Date: Thursday, March 3 Clover Honey Ale (7.0% ABV): made with local clover honey from Apex Apiary. Release Date: Thursday, March 10 Porter (5.5% ABV): brewed with an Irish barley base malt grown in Dundalk, Ireland Release Date: Thursday, March 17 Pineapple Coconut Stout (4.7% ABV): brewed with pineapple puree and finished on toasted coconut chips Release Date: Thursday, March 24

-Secret Menu-

Start practicing your Gaelic, because the brewery has devised a secret St. Patrick’s Day menu for guests with exclusive menu items and deals– but you must place your order in the native language. The only way to obtain the secret menu is to follow and DM the @GuinnessBreweryUS Instagram account with a four leaf clover emoji.

-Food-

Menus inspired by traditional Irish meals include Corned Beef & Cabbage, Shepherd's Pie, Mussels with Stout, Dublin Coddle and Coffee Cake infused with special Porter, a St. Patrick’s limited beer release. The brewery will bring back its four-course ticketed beer dinner series with a free souvenir in the Barrel Room on Sundays at 6pm for $100 a person. The first course will include Roasted Delicata Squash, Baby Greens, Toasted Farro, Cranberry, Blonde Ale Vinaigrette paired with Guinness Baltimore Blonde and the second is Beef Tartare “Rarebit,” Irish Cheddar, Sourdough, Pickled Shallot, and Crispy Capers paired with Guinness Draught. The main course will change weekly to complement the special St. Patrick’s beer release of the week. Dessert is a Pineapple Upside-down Cake with Citrus Caramel and Cereal Malt Ice Cream paired with Guinness Belgian Style Wit. Tickets will be available for purchase at guinnessbrewerybaltimore.com or by calling (443) 575-6893.

-Irish Village-

*Operating Hours Saturday, March 12 through Sunday, March 13 and Thursday, March 17 through Saturday, March 19.

The outdoor two-acre lawn will feature an interactive Irish Village with beer, food, merchandise and booths highlighting the brewery’s community partners. To level-up the experience, guests can partake in interactive activities for an additional cost including: 3D print your ‘picture’ on a pint, guided food and beer pairing experience (available at the top and bottom of every hour ) and learn the process of pouring a beautiful pint from one of our experts at the Perfect Pint Academy. Guinness-curated food stalls inside the Irish Village include The Hollywood Oyster House, Seamus’ Soup House, Lord Calvert’s Chippy, McHenry’s Snack Co, Wiens & Co. Delicatessen Cured Meats and Fine Cheeses, Over the Moon Ice Cream Parlor, Dudley’s Desserts & Baked Goods and Heaney Grill & Mash.

-Entertainment-

The double Whammy award-winning The 19th Street Band, whose lead guitarist/vocalist hails from Northern Ireland, will bring its high energy and strong vocal harmonies to the brewery every Saturday in March and on St. Patrick's Day with a live performance from 5pm to 9pm. Traditional Irish dancers from the McGrath Morgan Academy will showcase the rich history of Irish dance in celebration of the holiday to the sounds of live, traditional Irish music each Saturday and Sunday and on St. Patrick's Day from 11am to 3pm. Guests can also enjoy Trivia Night every Friday at 7pm and local cover bands inside the tent on March 3, 10 and 24 from 5pm to 9pm.

-Social Distancing

The two-acre lawn will be activated with a heated tent, fire pits and spaced outdoor tables. Guests are required to wear masks to enter the property and when moving through the property or standing in line for food, beer or restroom use, but masks will not be required when seated at tables. Guinness hospitality staff will serve orders directly to tables for all guests who utilize the contactless ordering system. Social distancing precautions are outlined on the brewery website.

Brewery visitors are encouraged to share photos of their St. Patrick’s Day experience using #GuinnessBmore. To keep up-to-date with the latest news from the Open Gate Brewery, follow @GuinnessBreweryUS on Facebook and Instagram. Whether enjoying a pint at the Open Gate Brewery in Maryland, at the Guinness Storehouse in Ireland or anywhere in-between, please do so responsibly.

When:

March 3 to March 6 – Weekend 1 Thursday, March 3 – Beer Release Friday, March 4 – Trivia Night Saturday, March 5 – Live Music Sunday, March 6– Ticketed Beer Dinner March 10 to March 13– Weekend 2 Thursday, March 10 – Beer Release Friday, March 11 – Trivia Night Saturday, March 12 – Irish Village & Live Music Sunday, March 13 – Irish Village & Ticketed Beer Dinner March 17 to March 20 – Weekend 3 Thursday, March 17 – Irish Village & Beer Release Friday, March 18 – Irish Village & Trivia Night Saturday, March 19 – Irish Village & Live Music Sunday, March 20 – Ticketed Beer Dinner March 24 to March 27 – Weekend 4 Thursday, March 2 – Beer Release Friday, March 25 – Trivia Night Saturday, March 26 – Live Music Sunday, March 27 – Ticketed Beer Dinner

-Entry is free and open to all ages (guests under 21 require a 21+ escort)
-Seating is first-come-first-served; no reservations
-Guests are encouraged to review social distancing measures in advance of visiting


Where:
Guinness Open Gate Brewery
5001 Washington Blvd, Halethorpe, MD 21227
About Guinness

The Guinness brand was established in 1759, when Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease on St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin. Brewed using four main ingredients, water, barley (malted & roasted), hops and yeast, Guinness is the world's most popular stout brand. The iconic beer is brewed in 49 countries worldwide and sold in over 150 with almost 9 million glasses of Guinness beers enjoyed every day around the world. The most GUINNESS is sold in Great Britain, Ireland, USA, Nigeria and Cameroon. More information can be found at www.guinness.com.

The 10 Best City Art Districts Around The USA

The Parkway is home to the Barnes Foundtation in Philadelphia, a 3,000-piece collection focusing on French Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, American and African art and sculpture.  (Photo: Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC)

It's hard to beat a fun, fulfilling art district for a wholesome day of bargain-priced family entertainment. Cities are quickly catching onto the trend, many boasting several art districts catering to different tastes. Here are just a few we like.

Atlanta: It's certainly not size that makes Atlanta's petit Castleberry Hill area such a satisfying art district, but rather its atmosphere. Located on a short, easily walkable stretch of Walker Street, spilling out onto a couple parallel streets, Castleberry Hill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to artist lofts, more than 11 galleries and a variety of eateries. The area, the most complete warehouse district still surviving in the city, is also quite aesthetically pleasing, with many shops and lofts housed in early 20th-century warehouse buildings.

Baltimore: Baltimore's first neighborhood to be designated an arts and entertainment district, Station North, is an eclectic mix of people, architecture, arts, food and fun. The combination residential and commercial area covers the bases with all manner of theaters, cafés, galleries, music venues, restaurants and bars on offer. Many artist studios and residential lofts are housed in restored former industrial buildings and beautiful early 20th century row homes.

Cleveland: Four miles from downtown Cleveland sits one of the most concentrated square miles of arts and culture in the nation: University Circle. The area is home to more than 20 artistic and cultural venues including the Cleveland Museum of Art,Cleveland Museum of Contemporary Art, Cleveland Institute of Art, and Severance Hall (winter home of the renowned Cleveland Orchestra). Other visitor enticements include the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland Botanical Garden, and the Western Reserve Historical Society.

Dallas: Everything is bigger in Texas and the Dallas Arts District is no exception. One of the largest concentrated urban arts districts in the United States, the area spans 19 acres and is home to four buildings designed by Pritzker-prize wining architects. Among the attractions are the Dallas Museum of Art (offering free general admission),the Nasher Sculpture Center, the Crow Collection of Asian Art (also offering free admission), the Morton H. Meyerson Dallas Symphony Center, the AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas City Performance Hall and more.

Los Angeles: Downtown LA is home to an unexpectedly stout art district, dubbed "Gallery Row." The area (situated along Main and Spring Streets, between 2nd and 9th Streets) is lined with cutting-edge art galleries which, on the second Thursday of every month, host the wildly popular Downtown Art Walk. Those who visit outside of this monthly, jovial art carnival can still happily occupy themselves admiring the area's profusion of sculptures and street art.

Milwaukee: An alluring concentration of art galleries, theaters, exclusive boutiques, specialty stores and antique shops can be found in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward, a six square block area located south of downtown, along the Milwaukee River. The heartening revitalization of this turn-of-the-century warehouse and manufacturing district has rightfully caused visitors to compare it to New York's SoHo neighborhood. Its continued development includes a burgeoning restaurant and nightlife scene.

Philadelphia: The pride and joy of Philly's arts scene is on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, aka the Parkway Museums District, home to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the third largest art museum in the country, the Rodin Museum, the most extensive public collection of Auguste Rodin's works outside Paris, including The Thinker, theBarnes Foundation, Moore College of Artand much more. There's also a variety of pubic sculpture and architecture as well as the Franklin Institute and the Academy of Natural Sciences.

Phoenix: The Roosevelt Row Arts District (RoRo) in downtown Phoenix is a walkable, creative district bedecked with galleries, quirky shops and exhibits by both up-and-coming and old favorite artists. The monthly First Fridays Artwalk includes participation by more than 70 galleries and art-friendly businesses who open their doors, creating what may be the nation's largest, self-guided art walk. From its humble artist beginnings in 1993, the neighborhood has developed to include award-winning restaurants, galleries, boutiques and live music venues.

Raleigh: The Warehouse District is a trendy six-block area adorned with repurposed red brick warehouse spaces and other old buildings which are being used for myriad independently owned businesses. CAM Raleigh, the only non-collecting contemporary art museum in North Carolina, is the core of this burgeoning area surrounded by art galleries and studios like Rebus Works, Designbox and Flanders Art Gallery. Fashion is also well represented in the Warehouse District, including Raleigh Denim Workshop and Curatory, just steps away from the CAM, where custom jeans are hand sewn on vintage machines. For those who consider chocolate an art form (and if not, why not?) there's Videri Chocolate Factory.

San Diego: The Mediterranean-style village of La Jolla may be best known as a well-trodden Southern California vacation destination, but step back from the coastline strip and one will also find one of San Diego's most vibrant arts neighborhoods. Highlights include Thumbprint and their urban art movement based on outsider art, street art and graffiti, and the chic Scott White Contemporary Art Gallery which promotes emerging and mid-career artists as well as renowned modern and contemporary artists. Along the coast is "Murals of La Jolla," conceived in 2010, which features more than a dozen artists whose work has transformed the coastline into an outdoor contemporary art gallery.

Contributed by Leif Pettersen, USA Today