From Juneteenth celebrations to the 50th anniversary of AFRAM, Baltimore has plenty of events to fill your weekend.
Meanwhile, enthusiasts of weird and wacky items will want to visit the Oddities & Curiosities Expo.
Check it all out in our weekend events roundup:
“The Underground Railroad: Freedom Seekers on the B&O” Public Tour, Friday, June 19, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., B&O Railroad Museum. Explore the history of the Underground Railroad using experiences of 27 documented freedom seekers who have interacted with the B&O Railroad.
AFRAM, Friday, June 19 through Sunday, June 21, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Druid Hill Park. Celebrate 50 years of AFRAM with live music, local vendors, entertainers, children’s activities, African drumming, and carnival mask-making. This free, family-friendly event is one of the largest African American festivals on the East Coast.
Juneteenth Celebration at Benjamin Banneker Historical Park, Friday, June 19, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum, 300 Oella Avenue, Catonsville. Enjoy live music, living history presentations, local vendors and exhibitors, and more. Admission and parking are free, but registration is requested. (Link goes to a Baltimore County Rec & Parks page, where user must create an account if they do not already have one in order to register for the event.)
Poorly Drawn Pets Art Show, Friday, June 19, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar. View artworks of pets — and even purchase some of the pieces — as part of this fundraiser for BARCS Animal Shelter.
2000s Dance Party, Friday, June 19, 8 p.m., Ottobar. Party like its 2000 with hits from artists like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Pink, Black Eyed Peas, and more. The DJ will be taking song requests all night!
Artful Celebrations: Juneteenth @ AVAM, Saturday, June 20, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The American Visionary Art Museum is celebrating Juneteenth and the legacy of Black artists. There will be a free docent-led tour highlighting Black visionaries as well as an artist talk with local artist and entrepreneur Sean Ramon Montague of Ethnicitees LLC (who will also be selling apparel and mugs in a pop-up shop at the event).
(pray) Opening Night, Saturday, June 20, 7:30 p.m., Baltimore Center Stage, 700 North Calvert Street. This Off-Broadway production of (pray) runs from June 13 through July 5, with opening night on June 20. The choreopoem channels the energy and vibrance of a Sunday Baptist Church service, confronting the complexity of spirituality and reponsibility to previous generations.
Summer Solstice Stroll, Saturday, June 20, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Maryland Zoo. Learn how different animals spend the long nights of summer, and celebrate the longest day of the year with an exclusive giraffe experience, popsicles, and a guided tour led by the Zoo’s educators.
Solstice Gala, Saturday, June 20, 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m., Maryland Science Center. Celebrate 50 years of the Maryland Science Center with science demonstrations, live musical performances, and all inclusive food and beverages.
Baltimore Oddities & Curiosities Expo, Saturday, June 20, and Sunday, June 21, Baltimore Convention Center. Explore the weird, wild, and wonderful at the Baltimore Oddities & Curiosities Expo. The event will feature vendors, dealers, artists, and small businesses showcasing items like taxidermied animals, horror/Halloween-inspired pieces, quack medical devices, skulls, bones, funeral collectibles and more.
Motown & More, Sunday, June 21, 7:30 p.m., Gordon Center for the Performing Arts. Celebrate Father’s Day with the sounds of Motown as The Legacy Lives takes audience members on a nostalgic musical journey.
