Mother’s Day is this weekend and there are plenty of opportunities in Baltimore to mark the holiday if you celebrate it – from concerts and theater performances to flower sales and more. Plus, enjoy the wild and wacky return of AVAM’s Kinetic Sculpture Race after two years!
Find out what’s happening and make some weekend plans:
Clipper Ship Talk, Thursday, May 5, noon to 1 p.m., online. The Maryland Center for History and Culture is hosting an online discussion about the legacy of Baltimore’s clipper ships with a panel of maritime experts. The discussion will feature Fred Leiner, a maritime historian and author; Pierre Henkart, a sailor, scientist, and guest crew member of the Pride of Baltimore II; and Karl Kirkman, a retired naval architect and marine engineer; with the event moderated by Alexander Lothstein, MCHC museum learning manager and associate curator.
WTMD First Thursday Kick-off, Thursday, May 5, 5:30 p.m., Canton Waterfront Park. After a two-year pause due to the pandemic, WTMD’s First Thursday Festivals are starting back up again and they’re kicking off the season with Parquet Courts, The Heavy Hours, and Peach Face. Also, support over 50 Maryland-based vendors. The First Thursday Festivals run through September and admission is free. Outside alcohol, coolers, and glass containers are not permitted.
Celtic Illusion, Thursday, May 5, 7:30 p.m., The Lyric. Celtic Illusion will perform Irish dance alongside magical illusions. The show is led by Australia’s Anthony Street, who performed leading roles in the Irish dance production Lord of the Dance.
Ain’t Too Proud, Thursday, May 5 through Sunday, May 8, Hippodrome Theatre. The 12-time Tony award-nominated Broadway musical “Ain’t Too Proud” follows the journey of Motown group The Temptations from their origins in Detroit to their recognition in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. From “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” to “My Girl,” the musical weaves together the group’s musical hits and their story.
Paul Cauthen, Thursday, May 5, doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m., Baltimore Soundstage. After being one half of the Americana and indie folk rock duo Sons of Fathers, Paul Cauthen went solo in 2016. Cauthen released his third album, “Country Coming Down,” in April 2022. Joshua Ray Walker will join him for the show at the Baltimore Soundstage.
Awadagin Pratt, Thursday, May 5 through Sunday, May 8, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Pianist Awadagin Pratt will perform a new piano concerto by Jessie Montgomery. The BSO will perform one of Mozart’s final symphonies and two operatic works – Henze’s “Mänadentanz” and Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier Suite” – led by German conductor Christian Reif.
Dinosaurs Exhibit, Friday, May 6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Maryland Zoo. Get an up-close look at more than 15 life-size animatronic dinosaurs, including velociraptors, triceratops, tyrannosaurus rex, and more, at a new zoo exhibit opening this weekend. Tickets are required.
Market Day, Saturday, May 7, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Cylburn Arboretum. Shop for flowers and garden-related gifts from local and regional vendors, including plants, pots, garden accessories and more. There will also be food trucks, music, hands-on nature education activities for kids, face painting, and more.
Kinetic Sculpture Race, Saturday, May 7, race starts at 10 a.m., Key Highway. The American Visionary Art Museum’s Kinetic Sculpture Race is returning after a two-year hiatus. Watch people-powered kinetic art vehicles traverse Baltimore’s streets, Inner Harbor waters, and sand and mud obstacles at Patterson Park. This year’s theme is “Time Warp,” so expect to see race teams time traveling from the past and future.
Spring Jazz Festival, Saturday, May 7, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Foundry Row. Enjoy performances from Native American Dance Troupe, Blake Meister Jazz Ensemble, Fred Moss Music, and Ebban Dorsey Ensemble. There will also be free balloon art and a special Mother’s Day craft, while supplies last. Bring a chair or blanket to sit on while you listen to some jazz.
Harp Concert, Sunday, May 8, 3 p.m., An Die Musik. Jacqueline Pollauf will perform a solo harp concert for Mother’s Day. Poullauf will perform French and French-inspired music on the harp and offer her own thoughts about the music and her instrument.
Jazz Concert, Sunday, May 8, 5 p.m., Keystone Korner. Catch this jazz performance by Marcus Johnson on Mother’s Day. Johnson has released more than 15 Billboard-charted CDs, including three CDs that comprised his 2008 Jazz FLO (For the Love Of) Anthology which simultaneously made it onto the Top 10 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Charts.
