What will be new at Artscape 2009 in Baltimore?
Baltimore’s annual showcase of the visual and performing arts keeps piling on new features. If it expands much more, it’ll be poised to swallow the entire city and we’ll have to move it to somewhere more spacious, like Montana. Here are some of the festival’s newest offerings. Getting there: This year, you can ride on over to the bike parking zone at Maryland Avenue between Oliver Street and Mount Royal Avenue to receive a free goody bag. A shuttle service that had been planned for this year has been postponed until 2010. ArtEscape VIP lounge: Purchase an Artscape VIP credential for only $25 per day to score some shade, snacks, a view of the goings-on below and even a 10-minute massage to prepare you for the next exciting activity. The VIP lounge is on the top floor of the Meyerhoff Garage at 1311 Cathedral St. Acrobatics and dance: Step in and cool off in the Lyric Opera House, 140 West Mount Royal Ave., on Friday, Saturday or Sunday and experience inspiring performances by some top i
Artscape in Baltimore touts itself as “America’s largest free public arts festival.” The weekend brings nationally-known bands, the best food vendors from throughout the city, and a collection of artists and art that is second to none. Mount Royal, the city’s cultural district, is the setting for Artscape, which is free and attracts 350,000 visitors from all over the country each year. If you’ve been, you’ll be back, and if you’ve never gone, put Artscape in Baltimore on your calendar. It’s not to be missed. Artscape 2009 When: July 17-19, 2009 Hours: Noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Noon to 8 p.m. Sunday Where: Mount Royal Ave. and Cathedral and Charles streets Cost: Free Getting There With hundreds of thousands of visitors, getting to Artscape can be daunting. Your best bet is to take MTA, a taxi, or that most old-fashioned of transportation modes: walking. Parking on streets in the area usually is brutal, so leave the car at home. The Light Rail stop at University of Baltimore/M
Here are some of the festival’s newest offerings. ArtEscape VIP lounge: Purchase an Artscape VIP credential for only $25 per day to score some shade, snacks, a view of the goings-on below and even a 10-minute massage to prepare you for the next exciting activity. The VIP lounge is on the top floor of the Meyerhoff Garage at 1311 Cathedral St. Acrobatics and dance: Step in and cool off in the Lyric Opera House, 140 West Mount Royal Ave., on Friday, Saturday or Sunday and experience inspiring performances by some top international dance and acrobatics companies. Companies scheduled to perform include Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Acrobats of China, Baltimore Ballet Company, Sankofa Dance Theater, Raw Sound Tap Company and Fuira Flamenco. Sources: http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/events/artscape/bal-artscape-2009-new-0709,0,976177.
