by GREG G. WEBER
The Higher
the Hair, the
Closer to God
At HonFest, there’s only one
Best Hon
Get on your blue eye shadow, beehive hair
and anything in a leopard print, Hon! It’s
this year’s HonFest, a celebration of some
of “Bawlmer’s” most endearing qualities,
ave
Date
the
MOUNT VERNON
Baltimore
Basilica
Daily
Known as America’s
first cathedral, the Baltimore Basilica has been
a landmark since the
day of its completion in
1821. Now completely
restored, it remains a
site worthy of a visit, no
matter your religious
affiliation. 410-727-3565;
baltimorebasilica.org
MOUNT VERNON
With an Artistic
Eye: Folk Art
Ongoing
Assembled from the
Maryland Historical
Society’s permanent
collection, the exhibit
features textiles,
furniture, watercolors,
paintings, sculpture,
pottery and jewelry.
410-685-3750; mdhs.org
CITY GUIDE
Baltimore
especially the wonderful women of a previous
generation (and their holdovers) who wait
tables and treat us like the sweetest friends
ever. The genius behind HonFest, Denise
Whiting, is also the genius behind Café Hon,
where you may be asked, in Bawlmerese,
“J’eet yet?” Cafe Hon is the center of Hon Life
(“The Higher the Hair, the Closer to God”)
and is dedicated to hearty home cooking and
big hair. Fifteen years ago, Whiting launched
the fest in humble fashion (to honor the
working women of America), but it has since
grown to two days of music, food and fun
along four city blocks. The highlight is the
Best Hon contest—contestants must have a
command of Bawlmerese and sport their own
Hon style. June 12—13. 36th Street and Falls
Road, Hampden. honfest.net.
It’s the second
greatest of all
horse races, the
Preakness Stakes,
but the greatest
event on the Baltimore calendar,
running this year
on May 15, for the
135th time. Nearly
a week of activities
precede the race,
including the Pee
Wee Preakness for
In Baltimore,
It’s the Greatest
CHARLES VILLAGE
Baker Artist
Awards 2010
Through June 27
The awards present
artists in and around
Baltimore with prizes
of $1,000 and $25,000.
Afterward, their work
is exhibited at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
443-573-1700; artbma.org
VARIOUS LOCATIONS
Maryland Film
Festival
May 6–9
Baltimore is the birth-
place of Barry Levinson
and John Waters, and
the setting for The Wire
and Homicide: Life on the
Streets, so the annual
Maryland Film Festival
is the place to celebrate
the cinematic charms
of Charm City. 410-752-
8083; md-filmfest.com
kids on Tuesday in
Federal Hill Park,
the Frog Hop on
Wednesday in front
of City Hall, the
Preakness Crab
Derby on Thursday
at Lexington Market, the Black-Eyed
Susan Stakes Friday at Pimlico (the
second biggest
day of horse racing in Maryland),
and a Friday night
parade
downtown.
And, of
course, the
race itself is on
Saturday. It was
won in tremendous
fashion in 2009 by
Rachel Alexandra,
the first filly to
do so since Nellie Morse in 1924.
preakness.com.
CAMDEN YARDS
NCAA Men’s
Lacrosse
Championships
May 28–31
The college lacrosse
championships for
divisions I, II and III
are back in Baltimore
at M&T Bank Stadium,
home of the NFL’s
Ravens. In 2007, the
championships drew
123,000 fans. 410-261-
7283; ncaa.com/lacrosse
