The event that really puts Baltimore on the map — The Preakness Stakes — takes place this month. But, around these parts, May is also festival month. We’ve got film festivals, neighborhood festivals, street fairs, sculpture races, and, yes, even that horse race. Essentially, if it’s happening under the sun, we want to be there.
Here are some of our top event picks for May, 2018.
Maryland Film Festival — Forget May, this is one of our fave events of the year! Some festival standards return, including the opening night shorts program, a selection from director John Waters (this year, it’s “I, Olga Hepnarova”) and an Alloy Orchestra silent film accompaniment (the 1926 Japanese film, “A Page of Madness”). You’ll also find dozens of documentaries (including “Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.” about pop star M.I.A. and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” about Fred Rogers), Baltimore-centric movies (including Matthew Porterfield’s “Sollers Point” and Marilyn Ness’ “Charm City”), as well as international features.
The ParkwayTheatre, May 2-6
FlowerMart — Put on your best garden hat and enjoy some Bawlmer-style eats (like those sticky, but much adored, lemon peppermint sticks). This is FlowerMart, though, so you can also expect fresh flowers, hanging baskets and lots of herbs. You can even see if you have what it takes to win the Grand Hat and Show Off Your Best Preakness Hat contests.
Mount Vernon Square, May 4-5
Kinetic Sculpture Race — On your mark, get set, GO see fantastic mobile sculptures as they race from the American Visual Art Museum. This year is all about Mysteries and Tall Tales, so you never know what will come around the corner.
AVAM, May 5
Towsontown Spring Festival — Get ready for exciting carnival rides, gourmet food trucks and three stages of live music at one of the region’s largest outdoor festivals. Browse offerings from more than 400 vendors while mingling with hundreds of thousands of your closest friends.
Towson, May 5-6
The Book of Joseph — A dusty attic, mysterious letters and a family secret. The gripping true story of an intergenerational Baltimore Jewish family is brought to the stage in this production.
Everyman Theatre, May 9-June 10
RemFest — Just when you thought Baltimore had enough neighborhood festivals, along comes a brand new block party. Celebrate Remington and 27th Street’s 100th birthday with lots of live music; Union Craft beer; and food from Sweet 27, The Dizz, Ekiben, Charmington’s and more.
Remington, May 12
William Shatner — Khaaaaaan! Beam up and over to the Lyric to watch “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” with the original Capt. James T. Kirk. Trekkies and other super fans will also have the chance to ask Shatner questions about life on the USS Enterprise and here on Earth.
The Modell Lyric, May 16
Preakness 2018 — We wait all year for the second leg of the Triple Crown. It’s the reason we get all dressed up in fascinators and seersucker and why we participate in such time-honored traditions as the bacchanal of the Infield Fest. So, place those bets and see which horse will be blanketed in Black-Eyed Susans.
Pimlico Race Course, May 19
Balticon 52 — The four-day Maryland Regional Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention is a sci-fi lover’s dream. Meet authors, scientists and musicians alongside fellow sci-fi lovers. Explore game rooms, dealers’ rooms, dances, art shows and much more.
The Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel, May 25-28
To find more upcoming events, go to JmoreLiving.com/events.
Go to facebook.com/JMORELiving every Friday at 12:30 p.m. to watch Your Weekend Agenda with Simone Ellin and Amanda Krotki. Join the discussion on the weekend’s top event picks.
Commemorations of the Holocaust must transcend the past to include concerns about the present and future, writes Menachem Z. Rosensaft.
Someone needed to tell Donald Trump that his appearance at a UFC fight over the weekend was not a good look, writes Michael Olesker.
Journalists bear a responsibility to go beyond the headlines and social media posts to understand the past and present, writes New York University student Lucia Alonso.