Baltimore Weekend Events: Big Baltimore Kite Fest, Deon Cole, Ukraine Benefit Concert, and more

This April Fools weekend there will be plenty of laughter-inducing events, from several comedy shows to the whimsy of the annual Big Baltimore Kite Festival. So buckle up, enjoy a chuckle or two, and have a good time.

Here’s the weekend lineup:

Magic Conference, Thursday-Sunday, March 31-April 3, 105 W. Fayette St. Prepare to be dazzled as you dive into Poe’s Magic Conference, a convention for magic performance. Whether you’re a practicing magician looking to meet others involved with the art and to share ideas, or you’re just a guest interested in seeing illusions and effects from vendors, all are welcome.

Steve Hofstetter, doors open at 6 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m., Friday, April 1, Baltimore Soundstage. Comedian Steve Hofstetter, now the host and executive producer of “Laughs” on Fox, has released six albums and will bring his comedy to Baltimore on Friday. Accompanying him will be comedians Brett Druck and Jarret Berenstein, who have both appeared on “Laughs,” and art by Leedy Corbin.

Poetry Slam Festival, Friday-Sunday, April 1-3, various locations (see link). The Womxn of the World Poetry Slam (WOWPS) Festival, an annual international spoken word festival held across the United States since 2008, will be hosted in Baltimore this year by the city’s Black Arts District. The festival will honor Baltimore poet Lady Brion, and will feature several poetry slams, workshops and other events.

April Fools Blues, 7 p.m., Friday, April 1, An Die Musik Live! The Paul Carr Quartet is performing on April Fools Day, but their talent is no joke. Paul Carr on saxophone leads the group, which also features pianist Allyn Johnson, bassist Corcoran Holt and drummer Quicy Phillips. In addition to playing music himself, Carr also re-established the East Coast Jazz Festival as the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, of which he serves as executive and artistic director.

Disgraced Play, 8 p.m., Friday, April 1, Vagabond Players. Ayad Akhtar’s play “Disgraced” opens this Friday at Vagabond Players and runs through April 24. In the play, Pakistani-American lawyer Amir and his wife, a white woman, have dinner with Amir’s Black co-worker and her Jewish husband. Beliefs about race and religious identity are put to the test, and the play forces the characters to grapple with their upbringings and heritage.

Darren Brand, Friday, April 1, and Saturday, April 2, Baltimore Comedy Factory. Comedian Darren Brand has appeared on the sketch comedy and improv show Wild ‘n Out, and on MTV’s Animal Style alongside YouTuber Tim Chantarangsu. Now, Brand is coming to Baltimore.

Kite Fest, noon to 4 p.m., Saturday, April 2, The Observatory at Patterson Park. Go fly a kite! No, really, fly a kite at the The Big Baltimore Kite Festival this Saturday. Bring your own, buy one at the festival, or just bring a picnic while enjoying the colorful kites flying overhead. Also, participate in a 60-minute yoga and movement practice with Grace Marshmallow, suitable for all experience levels.

Ukraine Benefit Concert, 1 p.m., Saturday, April 2, Grace United Methodist Church. Baltimore Musicales will hold a benefit concert in support of Ukraine. The concert will feature songs by Florence Price, John Rosamond Johnson, Richard Strauss, Amy Beach, Claude Debussy, Du Nam Cho, and more. A percentage of the proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund to provide food, water, and other aid to children affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Deon Cole, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 2, Hippodrome Theatre. Comedian Deon Cole takes the stage at the Hippodrome Theatre. His latest standup comedy special, “Cole Hearted” was released on Netflix in 2019.

A Universal Language, 2:30 p.m., Sunday, April 3, Baltimore Museum of Art. PostClassical Ensemble will perform compositions by Harry Burleigh, Gustav Mahler, and Manual de Falla. There will also be a special performance of the Motown classic “Baby Love.”