10th Annual Pigtown Festival

Did you miss this year's festival?  Or did you have a great time and can't wait for the Pigtown Festival in 2012?  Flip to September 15, 2012 October 20, 2012 and mark your calendar so you'll be sure not to miss it!

We both already know you're going.  How could you not?  So what am I writing about?

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS!!
Go to the Festival's Facebook Page and click "Select Guests to Invite".  This is a festival for Pigtown and all our closest friends, so make sure they're there to party with you!  The festival is this Saturday, September 17 2011 at 800 Washington Blvd, from 12-7pm.   Almost every group and business in the community has something going on down there.


There will also be a fundraiser for the festival because Pigtown Main Street loves putting on the event for everyone, and will do everything in its power to keep this event FREE for their friends.  So come out and be social... heck, you might even make some new friends!  Actually, I've been making a lot of new friends in the area at these sort of events.  Besides, who doesn't like a good excuse to get the party started early?  Man, there should be more parties around here!  Check out the Fundraiser's Facebook Page , RSVP and invite your friends.  The fundraiser party is this Thursday, September 15, upstairs at Calypso Cafe 771 Washington Blvd, from 7-10pm.

Carroll Park Events and others: Saturday June 4, 2011

Rebuilding Day Recap
Check out the great job that was done on Carroll Park's skatepark on Rebuilding Day!   I was super impressed!  The Skatepark of Baltimore teamed up with volunteers from Rebuilding Together Baltimore, the Department of Recreation and Parks, Americorps, Cricket Wireless, and 92Q.com to paint Carroll Park on April 30^th 2011.

Photo courtesy of Skatepark of Baltimore

Next, I wanted to share the exciting news:
FoCP received two grants from the Parks & People Foundation.  The Community Greening Grant was awarded to Ms. Edith Nelson for planting and beautification of the Tot Lot located at Carroll and Archer Streets.  The award was for $546.00.  Planting day was Saturday, May 14th.



The Partnership for Parks Grant was awarded to FoCP for Art and Fitness in Carroll Park.
This monies ($1,798) will help paint a mural on the west side of the PAL Center located near the Skate Park in Carroll Park, a Free Concert in the park on Saturday, July 30th with other games and t-shirt decorating starting at 6:00 pm. and the making of a new sign for the Fitness Trail in Carroll Park.  Recreation and Parks has waived the permit fee and is supplying portable restrooms free of charge.  Thanks Department of Recreation and Parks!
(Thank you Gloria for that news!)



The following are all events going on this Saturday, June 4th 2011
National Trails Day
Baltimore’s First Citywide
National Trails Day

Attend one or more of 20 free family friendly events on any Baltimore trail in parks, along streams, the harbor and reservoirs. Bike, run, walk, learn how to row, or improve a trail: Discover birds, nature and history, explore a stream, or find a treasure:

• Ashburton Reservoir/ Hanlon Park
• Carroll Park
• Cylburn Arboretum
• Druid Hill Park, Reservoir and Jones Falls Trail
• Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park and Gwynns Falls Trail
• Inner Harbor and Mt. Vernon
• Herring Run Park
• Middle Branch Park
• Montebello Reservoir
• Patterson Park
• Solo Gibbs Park
• Stony Run Trail
• Wyman Park Dell

For detailed information and contacts: See our websites after May 29th: http://www.americanhiking.org/NTDSearchResult.aspx?sId=21
http://baltimorecity.gov/Government/AgenciesDepartments/RecreationandParks/Events.aspx
www.gwynnsfallstrail.org
A partnership project with Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, the Baltimore Trail Collaborative (BTC) and the American Hiking Society
With thanks to PNC Bank and the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts and REI

National Trails Day Events in Carroll Park
1-3 PM  
Friends of Maryland Olmsted Parks and Landscapes take a guided walk and explore the history of Carroll Park with an emphasis on the effect the Olmsted Brothers landscape designers had on the park. The Tour will be led by member, Myra Brosius, who, through her expert work as a former City planner and developer of the Carroll Park Master Plan, is intimately familiar with the history of Carroll Park.

The Carroll Mansion, this National Register Historic Landmark, was built in the 1770's as a summer home and plantation. It is the oldest building in the City. Loving care has been given by the Colonial Dames of America to restore it's inside to the looks of its early days.
Here is an excerpt from the Museum's web site about the estate's more recent history as it relates to the Olmsted influence::.." In 1890 the Carroll heirs sold the house and 20 acres to the City of Baltimore Park Commission for use as a public park. The Park Commission pursued more acreage expanding the park to 36 acres. In 1903, the firm of Olmsted Brothers Landscape Architects was hired to make improvements to Baltimore's park lands. Work began in Carroll Park in 1904 and today many of the Olmsted features are still in existence."
Carroll Park is maintained by the Department of Recreation and Parks.

Reservation required, contributions suggested.
Contact hgrundot@aol.com,410 945 0586.
www.olmstedmaryland.org
rain or shine

Noon-1PM  

Attend a Civil War lecture in the stable sponsored by Mount Claire Museum House from 12
 Visit the mansion before or after the walk.
Reservation and fees required see website: www.mountclare.org

call for availability /registration 410.837.3262  info@mountclare.org
Tour the mansion  (about 1 hour) before or after the walk. Open until 4 PM,  discounted  admission fee available for tour attendees or on their web site: www.mountclare.org)
 


Events with Friends of Carroll Park

8 AM-12 Noon
Carroll Park Tot Lot Walk-a-Thon, at 1500 Washington Blvd., Gwynns FallsTrail.

Noon

Community Picnic at noon at 700 Archer Street Tot Lot.
Contact: Edith Nelson, 410 752-6342, contributions suggested
www.friendsofcarrollpark.blogspot.com
Raindate:  Saturday  June11 same place and time.


Other Attractions
 10AM-4PM
Visit the nearby B&O Rail Road Museum
http://www.borail.org


6pm-12am
Gallery 21g (782 Washington Blvd)
Closing Reception featuring work by Stefan Ways, Dan Everett, and Rob Schachter.
Music/Booz/Chaos/Violence
Check facebook event for details

Quick Recap on local news

The construction going on at sidewalk intersections is to create handicap ramps at all corners.  This will bring our area up to code, and provide better accessibility to all Pigtown residents and visitors.  Glad to hear it, since most wheel chairs I see in town are cruising down the street.  That's not very safe!

Business News:
Perfecto, the coffee shop at 784 Washington Blvd, has gone out of business.  I'm not sure what the issue was exactly, but there seemed to be only one employee, and after he resigned it looks like the owner threw in the towel.
Steel Drum Cafe, the bar/restaurant at 771 Washington Blvd, does not have an "out of business" sign, but their doors were closed this weekend when they would normally be open.  I heard they had been that way for a few days at least. 


Political News:
Adam Van Bavel and Bill Marker are a couple of local boys running for a city council seat.  Please be sure to check them out and consider who you would like representing you!  Remember, if you're not making these decisions, someone else is making them for you.  This goes for being more involved in your community as well.
It looks like the new council district zones will take effect after the new election.  Until then, Pigtown remains in 3 different districts. 
Here they are helping out at Pigtown's Rebuilding Day:

Bill Marker

Adam Van Bavel

Rebuilding Day went very well.  Thanks to Amanda Malone of Rebuilding Together Baltimore for helping with that!  You can check out a few pictures from that event as well as the Housewerks Tag Sale, and Gallery 788 Flea Market on Pigtown Main Street's Facebook photo album and Pigtown Fan's Facebook photo album.  Lots of things were going on this weekend!


Events News:

• Tuesday May 3rd at 7pm there will be a Friends of Carroll Park meeting at Wayman's AME Church, 1307 Washington Blvd.
• Thursday May 5th 6-10pm there will be a gallery opening at Gallery 788 (and I'm guessing 21g as well, which is just two doors down), 788 Washington Blvd.  They tend to be quite the event, so check it out!!
• Tuesday May 10th at 7pm there will be a Citizens of Pigtown (COP) community meeting at the bath house, 904 Washington Blvd.  Enter through the side door.
• Saturday May 14th, and Saturday May 28th there will be a neighborhood cleanup with Washington Village Development Association (WVDA).  Meet at 9:30am at the interesection of W Cross & Washington Blvd.
• Thursday May 19th there will be a Southern District Community Meeting at the Southern District Police Station on 10 Cherry Hill Rd.  There is free food.  Just go.  It's delicious.  And informative.

All of these events are on the PigtownHappens calendar.  Check the calendar for your nearby Citizens on Patrol walk, where the natives stroll around with an officer. 

May is National Bike Month!  Feel free to participate in Baltimore's Bike Challenge!  There are events throughout the whole month.  Bike To Work Day is May 20th, and there will be a Carroll Park station set up with refreshments for those pedaling commuters at the corner of Monroe & Washington Blvd.  Check the map for other stops on your way to work:

View 2011 Bike To Work Day Stations in a larger map

Lets start with something that makes sense...

A calendar!!