Comedian “Big Fred” Watkins will be bringing big laughs to the Inner Harbor this weekend in the latest installment of the Baltimore by Baltimore festival series.
From noon to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Inner Harbor Amphitheater, the festival will feature local, family-friendly comedy acts, as well as maker and food vendors.
Festival headliners include the event’s producer, “Big Fred” Watkins, as well as King Midas & the Natives, DJ Flow & Friends, SheMore Funny, and others.
Best known for winning the Oxygen reality show “Last Squad Standing,” Watkins now operates Lil’ Laughs, a non-profit dedicated to eradicating bullying and violence through comedy in Baltimore City schools. The anti-bullying and anti-violence messages that Watkins spreads through Lil’ Laughs will be part of this month’s Baltimore by Baltimore event.
“I’m so excited to bring so many talented performers, vendors, and youth together on such an historic weekend at such an important time,” Watkins said in a statement. “We’re all excited to show Baltimore, visitors, and one another, how bright our city deserves to shine and how much light we add to it.”
For those looking to shop, local vendors like From Baltimore With Love, Isolation Wear, Perfectly Lit Candle, and See’mour Skin will be open for business alongside the festival’s entertainment.
Local restaurants Bar Movement, Cre8tive Mindz Café, Funnel Cake King, Mom Dukes Desert, and 3 Jays Chicken and Seafood will also be available for attendees to purchase refreshments.
Discounted parking will be available for the event’s attendees at Arrow Parking Garage on 204 E. Lombard St.
Launched this summer by the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, the Baltimore by Baltimore event series strives to entertain and educate audiences on Baltimore’s culture. On the first Saturday of each month from June through November, a rotating roster of Baltimore-based producers will put on an event unique to Baltimore, with local talent, makers, and food vendors.
The gradual closure of retailers and restaurants in Harborplace and the sudden shuttering of The Gallery last fall posed concerns for the entertainment scene at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
But the planned redevelopment of the Harborplace shopping pavilions by P. David Bramble of MCB Real Estate is a sign of what could come to Baltimore’s waterfront, and the Waterfront Partnership is looking to help breathe life back into the Inner Harbor.
“Through this program, Waterfront Partnership seeks to revive the heartbeat of the Inner Harbor and create experiences for Baltimore, by Baltimore,” Waterfront Partnership officials said in a press release.
Baltimore’s Waterfront Partnership has been working to cultivate safe, sustainable waterfront spaces throughout the city since 2005. The partnership is also responsible for Mr. Trash Wheel and the other members of the trash wheel family that work to keep the harbor clean.
