Spencer Horsman on AGT

Baltimore native Spencer Horsman moved onto the next round on America's Got Talent.  Here's the video:

Charles Village Festival

Everyone knows Charles Village is an awesome neighborhood (Just got ranked #9 in America's most beautiful neighborhoods), but have you gotten a chance to hang out there lately?  This weekend the neighborhood gives you good reason to.  The Charles Village Festival runs from 11AM-9PM Saturday and 11AM-6PM Sunday.  Here's the official website.  Make sure to check out the music lineup...lots of bands will be performing.

Happy Hour in Center Plaza Today

The Downtown Partnership has setup a happy hour from 5-7PM in Center Plaza (between N. Charles, Fayette, N. Liberty and Saratoga Streets).  Midtown BBQ and Brew will be setup for food and drinks and there will be free, live music.  Make sure to stop by!

Reminder: Bromo Seltzer Tower Open Saturday

The Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower will be hosting it's FREE monthly open house this Saturday, June 2nd from 1-5PM.  Check out their site for more info, and our pictures for a glimpse of the clock from the inside.  As always, keep an eye on the local events calendar on the right side of the page for these kinds of events.

Sowebo Festival Tomorrow

The Sowebo Arts and Music Festival runs this Sunday from 12-9PM.  If you aren't familiar with Sowebo (South West Baltimore=Sowebo), then you should be.  It's an up-and-coming neighborhood around Hollins Market...and this festival is their biggest of the year.  Here's the website for more info.  One last note...Pony rides!

Spencer Horsman on America's Got Talent

Baltimore's own Spencer Horsman will appear on NBC's America's Got Talent on Tuesday, May 29th at 9PM.  Make sure to tune in to see the Baltimore magician at work.  Whether or not you're able to see it, you can always stop by Illusions bar and lounge in Federal Hill to check out his show.  Here's the website.  Good luck Spencer!

Put a Bird On It

If you like Portlandia and the Baltimore Orioles...then you're welcome.  Click here for the video.

Brew at the Zoo

Want to have a great time while helping out the Maryland Zoo?  Brew at the Zoo is your answer!  The event this Saturday and Sunday includes unlimited sampling of more than 50 beers, live music, and great food vendors.  If that wasn't enough, you also get a full-day admission to check out the animals in the zoo.

Click here to get more info and buy tickets.

Guilford Tulip Dig

This Saturday Guilford's Shrewood Garden will be doing their tulip dig.  For only 30 cents a bulb, you can dig your own.  If nothing else, it provides for a great opportunity to see one of the city's most amazing gardens.  Click here for more information.

Summer Social at the Inner Harbor

The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore is sponsoring a FREE Summer Social at the Inner Harbor today from 5-8PM.  Come down to enjoy the Kelly Bell Band, food trucks, a beer & wine garden, family play area, and more.  The event will be at the west shore park next to the science center.  For more information or to RSVP, just email Beth@WaterfrontPartnership.org

Happy Birthday Brooks!

Happy 75th Birthday to one of the greatest Baltimore sports icons ever.  2 World Series, 18 times All-Star, 16 golden gloves, AL MVP, World Series MVP, All-Star MVP, Roberto Clemente Award, Babe Ruth Award, Lou Gehrig Award, Hall of Famer, and member of the MLB All Century Team.  Beyond his accolades, he is truly one of the nicest men to grace the sport.

"Brooks never had a candy bar named after him. In Baltimore, people named their children after him." - Gordon Beard

Norman Rockwell painting of Brooks being Brooks

John W. Brown in Inner Harbor this weekend

Come see one of only two remaining WWII Liberty ships still afloat this weekend in the Inner Harbor.  From May 18th-22nd, you can board the '441 long ship from 10AM-4PM.  At the height of the war, the US was building 3 of these ships a day, with almost 2800 built in total.  If you don't get a chance to make it down to see the ship, you can always drive down South Clinton Street to see it at the normal storage dock (Baltimore is its home).  Heck, if you like ships, that's a pretty decent drive to take anyway.

Japanese Ship in Fells Point

From May 17th-19th, come aboard the JS Shirane currently docked in Fells Point.  The ship is open to the public from 10AM-5PM each day.  The 522 foot long ship is a Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force destroyer.

Preakness Rundown

While you may know that Preakness is Baltimore's leg of the triple crown (the second of the three races), there's so much more to know about Baltimore's oldest sport. This year will be the 137th running of the Preakness Stakes on the second oldest racetrack in the country.  Here's some important points you should know for this weekend:

Purple Route Extended South

The Purple route will be altered on June 4th to allow the route a new stop at the corner of Fort Ave and Charles St.  The previous stop on Marshall street (across from the library) will be closed.

Big Truck Day

Do your kids love big trucks?  Take them down to the Baltimore Museum of Industry tomorrow to see the largest trucks in the city fleet FOR FREE.  Big Firetrucks, SWAT trucks, dump trucks, and even a huge fire boat.  Here's the official site.

The Let's Eat! Charles St Fest

Charles Street in Midtown/Mount Vernon will play host to the Let's Eat! Festival this Saturday from 12-5PM.  More than 40 food, drink,and retail vendors will be there.  The Carousel Rouges will be playing the completely free event.  If the food, drinks, and music doesn't entice you enough...The Oriole Bird will be there prior to the game that night!  Here's the official website for more information (and a listing of all the awesome vendors...including one of my favorites; Brewers Art).

Flying Wallendas Pictures

Despite the threat of rain, the turnout was great for a high-wire walk over the harbor.  Enjoy a few pictures, and click here to learn more about the Flying Wallendas.

High Wire Over Inner Harbor Today

At 5:15PM today, Nick Wallenda will walk over the Inner Harbor to kick off Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum opening.  Be there!  Here's the Article.

Baltimore Tattoo Convention

Thinking of getting ink?  The Baltimore Tattoo Convention is in town this weekend, May 11th-13th.  For $20 a day, or $40 for the 3 days, you can check out live tattooing, artists, suspension acts, burlesque shows, and sideshows.  www.tattookingpin.com

1st Place Orioles!

The O's just keep them coming in absolutely amazing style.  Today they swept the Boston Red Sox in Fenway park for the first time since 1994.  The game went 17 full innings at just over 6 hours.  If that weren't enough, they used the most amount of pitchers in Fenway history (18) including two position players.  In fact, the winning pitcher for the game is the Orioles first baseman Chris Davis...FIRST BASEMAN!  Davis is the first position player to win a game as a pitcher since 1968.  He's also the first pitcher to win a game after going 0-for-8 since 1905.  The Orioles now hold 1st place in the AL East, and have the best overall record in all of baseball!

Let's keep it up O's!

FYI...Since the Orioles won with 5 or more runs, Papa Johns offers %50 off your entire online order tomorrow (remember not to call the order).  To get this deal, just put in ORIOLES5 in the promotion code spot when you put your order in.

So go get that lunch or dinner 50% off:
www.PapaJohns.com

Flag House Half-Off

Sure you've lived here for years, but have you ever been to the Flag House?  It''s the home where Mary Pickersgill sewed THE star spangled banner now displayed in the Smithsonian.  The flag that was flown over Fort McHenry in the Battle of Baltimore and inspired Francis Scott Key to write our national anthem.

Google has a great offer to get into this national treasure for only $4 (instead of the normal $8).  At that price you can't not go.  Here's the link.

First Thursday Pictures

Here are just a few pictures from the First Thursday event in Mount Vernon.  The perfect weather made the event just fantastic.  If only just a few more food trucks could be there...

Weekend Roundup

With tons going on this weekend, it will be hard to decide what to see and do.  Here are some of the major happenings around town.  Don't forget that you can find these events and more on our local events calendar to the right of this site.

First Quarter Homicides

Now that we're past the first 4 months of the year, it's a good time to look at the number that's defined the city over the last few decades;  homicides.  From January 1 to April 30 of this year, we had 63 homicides in Baltimore City.  In that same time period last year, we had 70.  That's a 10% reduction...not too shabby.  If this trend continues, we can expect around 177 homicides at the end of the year (compared with 196 in 2011).  What makes this decrease even more impressive is the fact that last year was the lowest total since 1977.  To improve on such numbers is just fantastic.  Is there still quite a ways to go?  Yes.  Keep an eye out in your neighborhood and do your part to keep our streets safe.  Report any suspicious activity to 911 (NOT 311).