Pictures from Happenings in Pigtown: Barnum & Bailey and Mobtown Ballroom

So I'm very late on posting these pictures.  But they are worth your wait, I promise.


Pigtown is named for the pigs that were brought by train from the Midwest, dropped off at the B&O terminus where the museum stands today, and then the pigs were herded to their destination, south of the neighborhood.

This tradition of transporting animals by train and walking them through the neighborhood continues today in a different way.  The circus!  Barnum & Bailey makes a visit to Baltimore annually, and their most precious cargo is dropped off in Pigtown.
I have no idea how you plan ahead how to catch this in the future.  I found out by seeing the train parked on the tracks as I passed by on Arlington St, and then received a tip from a friend that confirmed it.  This was on Monday, March 21st.  So I'm guessing you can keep an eye out for the Monday before the circus starts in town, and they will be offloading just before dusk, after rush hour traffic is cleared.

 They offloaded 9 Elephants (Asia, Assan, Baby, Banko, Luna, Sarah, Siam II, Toy and Tonkaw) and 24 Horses!  From there, they hurry them up Arlington St, make a right onto Pratt St, and continue down to the Baltimore 1st Mariner Arena.  This was my first time going to watch, and I will not miss this tradition next year!


If you haven't found out already,  Mobtown Ballroom is the place to go for dancing and entertainment in Pigtown.  They have classes for salsa, belly dancing, aerial silks, and much more!  There are open dance nights every Monday and  Friday, where you'll find most people swing dancing.  You can check out a panorama of their ballroom to help get yourself acquainted.  They also rent the joint out for events and weddings if you wish!  The pictures below showcase Mobtown Ballroom's Variety Show held on March 19th.  Check out these aerial dancing ladies!

And here's a shot of everyone having fun dancing after the show. 

I'm sorry, the combination of mood lighting and camera phone have never resulted well.  You'll just have to go see the place for yourself!  Everyone was super nice, and everyone dances with each other... wall flowers don't stay that way long.  So don't fear going solo, or going with a group of friends that aren't all couples.  BYOB.  Pick up something to-go from Miller's Liquors or Chris's Liquors, or join most of the crew for pre-party drinks at Cafe Calypso.  Afterwards, visit any of the nearby bars - personally, I find Cafe Calypso and Tommy's Downtown Tavern to be the most welcoming (read: no uncomfortable comments or glances) for the lady-folk.  Most importantly, have fun and get home safely.  If you live in the neighborhood, you're so lucky to already be home ;)