Baltimore’s Longest-Running Street Festival Returns

The Best Things to Do in Baltimore This Weekend...

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Eating Baltimore
October 09, 2025

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Hey Baltimore—

Welcome to the 73 new subscribers who joined since last week’s edition. Happy to have you in our (growing) community!

Let’s get right into it…

  • The Fells Point Fun Festival, Baltimore’s biggest and longest-running street festival, returns for its 59th year…

  • OktoBEARfest at the Maryland Zoo is this weekend with over 60+ breweries…

  • And the Baltimore Taco Festival is taking over an entire city block with 30+ restaurants and food trucks…

Scroll on, make plans, and as always — eat well, Charm City.

Together With Our Friends At Craft Crush

🍊 Maryland’s #1 Cocktail in a Can (and my personal favorite too!)


Born in Baltimore. Loved everywhere. Craft Crush delivers real-deal Crush cocktails—gluten-free, 200 cals, 6% ABV, vodka distilled 6x.

Locally owned by Stacey (yes, she’s awesome). No fake stuff. Just citrusy refreshment that actually tastes like summer.

I’ve tried all three—Orange, Mango, and Strawberry Lemon—and they’re delicious. 

Smooth, not syrupy, and somehow even better straight from the can (not typical for canned cocktails)

Perfect for: Beach days. BBQs. AC blasting on the couch. Find it at your local liquor store or visit craftcrushes.com to see where it’s stocked.

Things To Do In Baltimore & Surrounding Areas This Weekend

Food & Drink

🎉 59th Annual Fell’s Point Fun Festival (Free)
📅 Friday–Sunday, October 10–12th | Starts Fri 5PM
📍 Fell’s Point, 812 S Ann St, Baltimore
Baltimore’s biggest and longest-running street festival returns for its 59th year! Expect three days of live music across multiple stages, 225+ local vendors, incredible food and drink, and that signature Fell’s Point energy. Don’t miss highlights like the Friday Night Market (5–9PM), the Family Fun Park at Thames Street Park, and Sunday’s beloved Pet Parade at 11:30AM.

🍺 OktoBEARfest at the Maryland Zoo ($)
📅 Friday, October 10th | 6–10PM & Saturday, October 11th | 1–6PM
📍 The Maryland Zoo, 1 Safari Place, Baltimore
Raise a glass to fall at one of Baltimore’s favorite beer festivals! Enjoy unlimited tastings from 60+ breweries, plus wine, seltzer, and cider. Expect live music, local food vendors, and full zoo access for a day of fun that supports wildlife care and conservation.

🦪 Shuckin’ in the Street XXII @ Lee’s Pint & Shell ($)
📅 Saturday, October 11th | 12–10PM
📍 Lee’s Pint & Shell, 2844 Hudson Street, Canton
Get ready to Shuck! Celebrate over 1 million oysters shucked at this all-day seafood bash featuring freshly shucked oysters, live music from Hëdrush (1–5PM) and Under the Covers (6–10PM), plus DJ sets and drinks flowing all day.

🌮 8th Annual Baltimore Taco Festival ($)
📅 Saturday–Sunday, October 11–12th | 2–8PM
📍 Power Plant Live!, Downtown Baltimore
The Baltimore Taco Festival is taking over an entire city block with 30+ restaurants and food trucks, margarita bars, a tequila expo, live lucha libre wrestling, mariachi bands, dance troupes, and more. Families can enjoy a free pumpkin patch, kids’ fun zone, and piñata smashing, while taco lovers dive into $4 tacos, nachos, and margaritas all weekend long.

🥣 2nd Annual Borshch Taste Off (Free)
📅 Saturday, October 11th | 5PM
📍 Pizza Harbor – Federal Hill, 2 E. Wells St, Baltimore
Head to Pizza Harbor for round two of their beloved Borshch Taste Off! Taste your way through a special Ukrainian menu, sip on returning fan-favorite beet martinis, and vote for the best borshch to feature next month. Enjoy live entertainment, door prizes, and good vibes all night long. No cover — reservations encouraged.

🏈 Meet Ravens Legend Jonathan Ogden @ Pusser’s Landing (Free)
📅 Saturday, October 11th | 5–6PM
📍 Pusser’s Landing, 2780 Lighthouse Pt E, Baltimore
Sip a $4 Miller Lite, take in the waterfront views, and meet Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden behind the bar at Pusser’s Dockbar. One hour only — come early, grab a drink, and toast with a Ravens legend!

Family Fun

🎃 Spooky Science at the Maryland Science Center ($)
📅 Saturday, October 11th | 12–4PM
📍 Maryland Science Center, 601 Light St, Baltimore
Get ready for an afternoon of spooktacular science fun! Step inside Dr. Frankenstein’s lab for monster engineering challenges, bubbling experiments, and exploding jack-o’-lanterns (watch for flying pumpkins!). Costumes are encouraged—just leave the weapons at home. All activities are free with admission, and completely free for members.

🍂 Greektown Fall Fest (Free)
📅 Sunday, October 12th | 12–4PM
📍 Greektown Square & Event Center, 700 S. Qail Street, Baltimore
Celebrate the season with free, family-friendly fun at Greektown’s annual Fall Fest! Enjoy face painting, games, crafts, a Trunk-or-Treat, fire pit s’mores, live music, and a costume contest with prizes. Plus, grab food and drinks while the kids explore firetrucks and police cars up close. Free admission, costumes encouraged, rain or shine — festivities move indoors if needed.

👶 Baltimore Children’s Business Fair (Free)
📅 Saturday, October 11th | 10AM
📍 Baltimore Museum of Industry, 1415 Key Hwy, Baltimore
Youth entrepreneurs take over the floor at Baltimore’s Children’s Business Fair — a fun, hands-on marketplace where kids run booths, sell wares, and sharpen their hustle. Parents and community members shop, support, and cheer them on.

🍬 Indoor Trick-or-Treat at Town Square Perry Hall ($)
📅 Saturday, October 11th | 4:30–6:30PM
📍 Town Square Perry Hall, 9708 Belair Road, Nottingham
Get ready for a spook-tacular evening indoors with games, painting, Halloween activities, and a family-friendly costume contest! Enjoy 100 free scoops of ice cream courtesy of Friendly’s, plus plenty of treats and smiles for all ages.

Music & Entertainment

🎶 Alexandra Kay Second Wind Tour @ Nevermore Hall ($)
📅 Friday, October 10th | 8PM
📍 Nevermore Hall, 20 Market Place, Baltimore

🎶 Jimmie’s Chicken Shack @ The Recher ($)
📅 Saturday, October 11th | 7PM
📍 The Recher, 512 York Rd, Towson

🎶 MANÁ: VIVIR SIN AIRE TOUR @ CFG Bank Arena ($)
📅 Saturday, October 11th | 9PM
📍 CFG Bank Arena, 201 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore

🎶 Hëdrush @ Lee’s Pint & Shell ($)
📅 Saturday, October 11th | 1-5PM
📍 Lee’s Pint & Shell, 2844 Hudson Street, Canton

This Week in the Community…

Dunkin & Baltimore Ravens to Host Purple Friday Pep Rally in Essex
Dunkin’ is teaming up with the Ravens on Friday, October 10 at the Hyde Park Road location in Essex for a fan-fueled Purple Friday pep rally. Expect morning festivities, appearances by Ravens mascots/cheerleaders, giveaways, and more. Read more…

Laverne’s Club & Restaurant Proposed in Station North
The former Trip’s Place on North Charles Street may soon reopen as Laverne’s, a new club/restaurant that’s part of a broader arts-and-culture hub planned for Station North. The project includes gallery space, flexible event rooms, and creative tenants alongside the nightlife component. Read more…

Lime & Salt Taqueria Coming to Riverside
Mexican restaurant Lime & Salt Taqueria will open a second location at 1749 Belt Street in Riverside, taking over the former Park Bench Pub space. The menu will spotlight family-inspired recipes, tacos (including lamb birria), burritos, brunch, and a full bar of margaritas and Mexican cocktails. Read more…

Winter on the Waterfront Returns November 7
Baltimore’s annual holiday festivities return November 7 with the opening of the Inner Harbor Ice Rink, marking the kickoff of Winter on the Waterfront. Later in November, the Christmas Village and Magic of Merryland also debut as part of the harbor’s winter programming. Read more…

Pet Of The Week

Have a furry, feathered, or scaly friend you’re proud of? Send a photo and a few fun facts, and we might feature them in an upcoming issue. It’s a fun way to share smiles with the community and discover local pet resources along the way.

This week’s reader submission: Buddy

“This is Buddy and he loves to cause ruckus in the neighborhood. Other than that he's a lovable dog”

Buddy, up to no good!

P.S. I’m also looking to partner with a local pet business to help bring this section to life—if that’s you (or someone you know), shoot me an email here.

Date Spot Of The Week

📍 Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218

This week we’re heading to the Baltimore Museum of Art…

Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen — is perfect for a cozy, elevated dinner with Chesapeake soul. Whether seated beneath soft lighting inside or overlooking the sculpture garden outdoors, you’ll feel both special and relaxed. Their menu leans heavily on bay-inspired flavors: start with a half dozen oysters or the crab cake sampler, then try classics like Chesapeake Rock Imperial (rockfish with crab imperial) or a flavorful apricot-glazed salmon. For non-seafood lovers, there’s Mama Lan’s five-spice chicken, grilled pork tenderloin, or a hearty steak frites.

The setting is elegant without being stuffy — ideal for conversation, lingering over dessert, and maybe extending the night with a museum stroll.

👉 Check their full menu & reserve: Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen

Real Estate Corner: Brought to You By Susan Carroll, eXp Realty 

Each week, we team up with our local real estate expert Susan Carroll to share insights that help Baltimore homeowners make smarter decisions — whether you’re buying, selling, or just looking to improve the home you’re in.

This week, Susan’s sharing a few energy-saving tips to help you stay warm and keep bills low this winter:

Let the sun work for you — Open curtains by day, close them at night to trap heat.
Stop sneaky drafts — A $10 roll of weatherstripping goes a long way.
Reverse ceiling fans — Set them to spin clockwise on low to push warm air back down.
Layer up before you turn up — Each degree you lower the thermostat can save up to 3% on your bill.
Go smart — Programmable thermostats can cut heating costs by up to $180/year.

Thanks for reading Eating Baltimore today. If you enjoyed today’s newsletter, share it with someone who hasn’t submitted their adorable pet for “Pet of the Week”.

Have a great weekend!

Matt | Eating Baltimore

Our Eating Baltimore Partners are local businesses and organizations that have committed to growing with us in the Baltimore area community. If you’re interested in what it looks like to be an Eating Baltimore Partner, let’s talk.

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