The sun is going down earlier these days, so it’s the time of year when it helps to fill up the calendar to distract from the darkness. Fortunately, Baltimore has plenty lined up this weekend. Festivals offer a chance to explore old time music and new animation. Stages will be filled with music, opera, comedy and theatre. Plus, mark the birthdays of a pair of much-loved destinations and take in some local history. Here’s the lineup:
Baltimore Old Time Music Festival: Nov. 12 & 13 at Creative Alliance. The musicians, singers and dancers of this particular brand of fiddle and banjo-led music with mountain origins are gathering in Southeast Baltimore for two days of song and dance. The event features performances by artists including Brad Leftwich & The Humdingers, Bill and The Belles, and Jake Blount, as well as workshops. In-person and virtual options are available.
Peabody Heights 9th Anniversary Party: Nov. 12-14 at Peabody Heights Brewery. The brewery at Old Oriole Park is staging a three-day celebration to mark nine years. It’ll have food offerings including The Queens Food Truck, Ekiben and Toki Taco. The music lineup includes Automatic Slim & His Sensational Band and The Soul Magnets, plus DJs. And, check out vendors including GoGo’s Fashion Bus and Arvay Adams. Throughout the weekend, sample new anniversary beers that are being tapped just in time for the party.
Sweaty Eyeballs Animation Festival: Nov. 12-14 at SNF Parkway + virtual. The juried festival features “the world’s most boundary-pushing, mind-blowing animation.” In-person programming includes seven festival competition blocks and animator retrospectives. Virtual and on-demand programming is also available through November 19.
“The Medium“: Nov. 12 & 14 at The Engineers Club. The Baltimore Concert Opera presents an English-language thriller that chronicles a “medium” who stages fake seances. It’s billed as a “ghost story with a horrifying twist.”
“The Sea and the Light“: Nov. 11 & 13 at Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Conductor Gemma New leads the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in a program that features opera stars Renée Fleming and Rod Gilfry performing a work inspired by letters between artist couple Georgia O’Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz.
Lillie Carroll Jackson Museum and Baltimore’s Civil Rights Legacy: 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 12, virtual. The Virtual Histories series from Baltimore Architecture Foundationa and Baltimore Heritage features a presentation from the leaders of a museum dedicated to Jackson, a pioneering civil rights activist who organized the Baltimore branch of the NAACP. It seeks to share her legacy through partnerships and curriculum development with public school students.
Fall Fling ’21: 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13 at Old Line Spirits. The Highlandtown distillery marks the release of two American single malt whiskeys: Port Cask and Madeira Cask Finishes. The event will feature live music, food and cocktails.
Baltimore Baseball Book Launch: 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13 at Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum. A new book edited from the Society for American Baseball Research chronicles America’s pasttime in Baltimore, and it’s not just about the Orioles (though they are pretty important). It includes recaps of memorable games and takes a look at ballparks.
Charm City Connections: A History of Transportation in Baltimore City and Baltimore County: 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum. The Baltimore City Historical Society & Historical Society of Baltimore County team up to present a program featuring William Hollifield, author of “Difficulties Made Easy: History of the Turnpikes of Baltimore City and County,” as well as speakers from the city’s transportation department and the MTA.
The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Musical: 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13 at The Lyric Baltimore. The holiday season is kicking into gear. Get in the spirit with this theatrical trip to the North Pole for a look at the lives of Santa’s scout elves.
MAP 40th Anniversary Birthday Bash: 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13 at Maryland Art Place. Celebrate the art destination on the west side of downtown with a big Saturday night party, Merkin Dream Fashion Show and stick around for the after party.
Rob Flax: 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13 at An Die Musik Live! A “one-man band,” the multi-instrumentalist uses a loop pedal to layer sounds from his violin to make music that blends jazz, classical, bluegrass, rock and more.
In Real Life Comedy Tour: 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13, at Royal Farms Arena. Comedian Mike Epps, known for roles in films including “Next Friday” and “The Hangover,” arrives on the big stage in Baltimore for a stand-up show. He’s joined in the lineup by Tony Rock and Dominique.
Baltimore Vintage Expo: 9-11 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 14 at UNION Craft Brewing. Milk & Ice Vintage and Bottle of Bread bring together vintage and antique retailers and dealers from around the region, all so attendees can peruse clothing, accessories and household items.
Miró Quartet: 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 14 at Shriver Hall. The Shriver Hall Concert Series presents the internationally celebrated quartet performing works by Beethoven and Mozart, as well as Caroline Shaw’s Microfictions [Vol. I]. Shaw will discuss the work in a pre-concert talk.
The Wallflowers: 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 14, at Baltimore Soundstage. Jakob Dylan’s rock band rolls into downtown Baltimore, touring in support of recently-released album “Exit Wounds.” The Henchmen open.
Thank you for including Rob Flax in the weekend picks.