As the kids head back to school, the Ravens roll back into M&T Bank Stadium, and cooler weather starts to set in, Baltimore is alive with lots to do. This September calendar of events will guide you through the first month of fall in Baltimore.
||Baltimore Summer Antiques Show||
September 3-6, 2009
The 29th-annual show is one of the most important in the country. Featuring 550 exhibitors from all over the world, the four-day fair kicks off Thursday, Step. 3 at noon. Held at the Convention Center, admission is $12 and good for all four days.
||Journey in concert||
September 9, 2009, 8 p.m.
Don't stop believing! Catch classic rockers Journey in concert at 1st Mariner Arena. Tickets start at $37.50 and are available online.
||Sesame Street Live "1-2-3 Imagine! With Elmo and Friends||
September 10-13, 2009
Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Big Bird and the kids' favorites will be on hand for this high-energy musical. There are eight performances over four days at 1st Mariner Arena. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster online.
||Fort McHenry Defenders' Day||
September 11-13, 2009
The Star-Spangled Banner Weekend honors Defenders’ Day, Baltimore’s oldest holiday commemorating the bombardment of Fort McHenry and the writing of “The Star-Spangled Banner!” Events begin with a Friday evening ceremonial procession of War of 1812 soldiers from the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House to the Inner Harbor, followed by a ceremony at the amphitheater. After the ceremony the reenactors will board sailing boats and return with the 30’x42’ replica flag to Fort McHenry. Saturday and Sunday, activities include children’s programs, historic boats, military encampments/demonstrations and a “privateer’s auction” of “captured goods.” Saturday evening’s program, beginning at 6 p.m., features a concert, a musket firing tactical demonstration with volunteer reenactors from all over the country (narrated), a symbolic ship-to-shore bombardment and evening fireworks show.
||Pigtown Festival||
September 12, 2009, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Pigtown Festival in Baltimore is the city's only community festival that features the a parade of pigs. Complete with your standard street fair attractions - music, food, and drink - it is the pig parade that sets the Pigtown Festival apart. Held in the 700 and 800 blocks of Washington Blvd.
||HampdenFest||
September 12, 2009, 11 a.m.
HampdenFest in Baltimore is an annual community festival in the city's Hampden neighborhood that features music and art performances, an activity area for the kids, an emerging artists exhibit and a film festival. It takes place on four blocks of 36th St.
||Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's Annual Celebration Gala||
September 12, 2009
Marin Alsop leads the BSO and renowned pianist Lang Lang in Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. Concert tickets start at $50, and tickets for the gala, which features pre- and post-concert events, start at $500 per person. This is the BSO's largest and most important fundraiser of the year.
||Baltimore Ukrainian Festival||
September 12 and 13, 2009, Noon
The city's 33rd-annual festival is held once again at Patterson Park. Live Ukrainian dance groups, live music, the 6th-annual Pyrohy/pierogi eating contest, and more than 40 vendors retailing folk art, paintings, wood carving and ceramics will be on hand. Don't forget about the Ukrainian beer garden. Admission is free.
||Abell Community Street Fair||
September 13, 2009, Noon to 5 p.m.
The Abell Improvement Association hosts a day of live music, all-you-can eat crabs, local artists and vendors and kids activities at 3100 Abell Ave. in Charles Village. Admission is free.
||Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs||
September 13, 2009, 1 p.m.
The Ravens open their quest for Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa by hosting the Chiefs at M&T Bank Stadium.
||Mt. Washington Wine, Art, and Jazz Festival||
September 20, 2009, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The 9th-annual festival will provide wine samples from Basignani Winery, Woodhall Vineyards, The Old Vine and microbrews from Clipper City Brewing Co. Cheeses from all over the world will also be featured courtesy of The Great Cheese and Whole Foods as well as breads from Bonjour Bakery. Entertainment will be provided by jazz artists, Coldspring Jazz Quartet, Rumba Club and Greg Hatza.
In addition, a children's area will feature games, face painting, balloons and the Oriole Bird. There will also be antique cars, a Gumbo eating contest, and more. Held at Newbury Street and Sulgrave Avenue.
||Baltimore Book Festival||
September 25-27, 2009
The 14th annual festival includes authors Buzz Aldrin, Gwen Ifill, Ralph Nader, Chris Gardner, Amiri Baraka, Ingrid Hoffmann, Farai Chideya, Maureen McCormick, Dale DeGroff, Lourdes Castro, Adam Ried, Mordicai Gerstein and James Warhola. The festival opens each day at noon at Mount Vernon Place (600 block of North Charles St.) and is free.
||Canton Wine and Jazz Festival||
September 26, 2009, 1 p.m.
The inaugural Canton Wine and Jazz Festival is held on O'Donnell Square. Sponsored by the Canton Community Association, the festival will include wine tasting, live music, children activities, various Canton retailers, and discounts from local restaurants for lunch and dinner the day of the event. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 day of event (includes 10 wine tastings). For additional information email info@cantonwinefestival.com or call 410-342-0900. Online ticket sales are not currently available.
||Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship||
September 28-Oct. 4, 2009
The final major of the PGA Champions Tour season (the senior tour) tees off at Baltimore County Club in Timonium. There are a variety of ticket packages available, which start at $10 for the pro-am and practice rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday. Actual competition begins Thursday and concludes Sunday. Among the notable players in the field is Tom Watson.
