Barnes & Noble Returning To Baltimore

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

Author

Eating Baltimore
June 18, 2026

Hey Baltimore—

A blast from the past… Barnes & Noble is returning to the city for the first time in nearly six years, taking over the former Oceanaire Seafood Room in Harbor East this October. The 10,000 sq ft store at 801 Aliceanna St. will carry books, toys, games, and gifts… and yes, it's about time.

🏠 For Sale: A 3-bed, 2-bath Tudor Revival in Homeland — 2,567 sq ft featuring distinctive original details, a clean unfinished attic and basement for future potential, and a detached garage with EV charging. Priced at $625,000.

(Note: If this one has you suddenly “just browsing,” our real estate guru Susan Carroll can help with buying, selling, or decoding the market without making your head spin. Click here to connect with Susan and learn more.)

🐙 Menu Item: Charred Octopus at Gunther & Co. — perfectly charred and done right.

🎟️ Hot Ticket: Sail250 Maryland & Airshow Baltimore — June 24-30, 2026 at the Inner Harbor, featuring international tall ships, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, the Royal Air Force Red Arrows, and a Kids on the Bay Parade of Nations.

Here’s what we’ve got this weekend:

  • The 50th Baltimore AFRAM Festival…

  • The Baltimore Oddities & Curiosities Expo 2026…

  • And The Walters Art Museum Will Debut A New Annual Summer Festival…

Scroll on, make plans, and eat well, Charm City. Happy Father’s Day.

P.S. Want your business in front of 8,000+ locals? Advertising with Eating Baltimore means growing your business and supporting a feel-good, homegrown newsletter that’s all about building community in the Baltimore area. Click here to partner with us!

Things To Do In Baltimore & Surrounding Areas This Weekend

Friday, June 19th

🎵 The 50th Baltimore AFRAM Festival ($)
📅 Friday, June 19 – Sunday, June 21 | 12 PM
📍 Druid Hill Park, Baltimore
The 50th Annual Baltimore AFRAM Festival returns to Druid Hill Park for three days of live music, food, and cultural celebration. Tickets at 92q.com.

🎵 Juneteenth at Power Plant Live ($)
📅 Friday, June 19 | 12 PM
📍 POWER PLANT LIVE!, 34 Market Pl, Baltimore
Baltimore's First Annual Juneteenth Celebration featuring live music (gospel, jazz, hip-hop), cultural performances, food vendors, local Black-owned businesses, and family-friendly activities. All ages welcome.

FIFA World Cup Watch Party – USA vs. Australia (Free)
📅 Friday, June 19 | 2:30 PM
📍 Peabody Heights Brewery, 401 E 30th St, Baltimore
Peabody Heights Brewery opens early for the USA vs. Australia FIFA World Cup match, with doors at 2:30 PM and game time at 3 PM.

Father's Day Weekend Bottle Your Own Whiskey Experience ($)
📅 Friday, June 19 – Saturday, June 20 | 4 PM
📍 Old Line Spirits, 200 S Janney St, Baltimore
Old Line Spirits' "Bottle Your Own Whiskey" experience returns for Father's Day weekend — sample three exclusive whiskeys and bottle your own to take home. Tickets at simpletix.com.

🎵 Summer Sounds with Rufus Roundtree and Da B'MORE Brass Factory (Free)
📅 Friday, June 19 | 6 PM
📍 Belvedere Square, 540 E Belvedere Ave, Baltimore
Summer Sounds at the Square kicks off its 2026 season with Rufus Roundtree & Da B'more Brass Factory for a Juneteenth Celebration in the parking lot.

Art Show: Poorly Drawn Pets at Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar (Free)
📅 Friday, June 19 | 6 PM
📍 Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar, 1601 Union Ave, Baltimore
BARCS Animal Shelter's Poorly Drawn Pet Portrait fundraiser art show, featuring wacky pet portraits available for purchase at a "name your own donation" price on a first come, first serve basis.

🎵 Dee Dee Bridgewater Sings the Music of Abbey Lincoln ($)
📅 Friday, June 19 | 6 PM
📍 Keystone Korner Baltimore, 1350 Lancaster Street, Baltimore
Two-time GRAMMY winner and NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater performs the music of Abbey Lincoln at Baltimore's premier jazz club. Tickets at instantseats.com.

Teacher Happy Hour (Free)
📅 Friday, June 19 | 6 PM
📍 The Manor, 924 N Charles Street, Baltimore
A weekly happy hour at The Manor for teachers to unwind and enjoy a well-deserved break.

🎵 Strangers Stopping Strangers – Grateful Dead Tribute ($)
📅 Friday, June 19 | 7 PM
📍 The 8x10, 10 E Cross St, Baltimore
Strangers Stopping Strangers bring a youthful, folky/bluegrass energy to the music of the Grateful Dead. Tickets available via DICE.

Saturday, June 20th

Baltimore Oddities & Curiosities Expo 2026 ($)
📅 Saturday, June 20 – Sunday, June 21 | 10 AM
📍 Baltimore Convention Center, One West Pratt Street, Baltimore
A two-day expo for lovers of the strange, unusual, and bizarre featuring vendors showcasing oddities and curiosities. Entry is $15 in advance or $20 at the door; kids 12 and under are free.

Tipsy Scoop Baltimore Boozy Sundae Making Class ($)
📅 Saturday, June 20 | 12 PM
📍 Tipsy Scoop Baltimore, 209 Key Highway, Baltimore
Learn to make Tipsy Scoop's insta-famous boozy ice cream sundaes at Baltimore's first ice cream barlour. Tickets at eventvesta.com.

Mini Maker's Market – Sweet Summer Vibes (Free)
📅 Saturday, June 20 | 12 PM
📍 R. House, 301 W 29th St, Baltimore
A pop-up market at R. House featuring local makers, handmade goods, and delicious bites for an afternoon of shopping and summer vibes.

Summer Solstice Festival 2026 (Free)
📅 Saturday, June 20 | 12 PM
📍 Checkerspot Brewing Company, 1357 Ridgely St, Baltimore
Co.Lab's Second Annual Summer Solstice Festival at Checkerspot Brewing, featuring local music, brews, and vendors to kick off summer.

Goodbye 90s Brunch ($)
📅 Saturday, June 20 | 12 PM
📍 Jimmy's Famous Seafood, 6526 Holabird Ave, Baltimore
A 90s-themed brunch event at Jimmy's LIVE! celebrating the greatest decade one last time. Tickets at jimmysfamousseafood.com.

Whiskey on the Waterfront (Free)
📅 Saturday, June 20 | 1 PM
📍 Sagamore Spirit Distillery, 301 E Cromwell St, Baltimore
Sagamore Spirit's waterfront distillery hosts live music by Enslow, food trucks, and whiskey cocktails for an afternoon on the waterfront.

Summer Solstice Stroll ($)
📅 Saturday, June 20 | 5:30 PM
📍 The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, 1 Safari Place, Baltimore
A twilight stroll at the Maryland Zoo celebrating the longest day of the year, starting in African Journey with an exclusive giraffe encounter. Tickets at marylandzoo.org.

Sunday, June 21st

Father's Day Brunch Buffet ($)
📅 Sunday, June 21 | 11 AM
📍 True Chesapeake, 3300 Clipper Mill Rd, Baltimore
True Chesapeake, a fine dining oyster farm restaurant, offers an all-you-can-eat Father's Day Brunch Buffet with raw and roasted oysters available. Reserve via OpenTable.

Beer & Burgers with Dad – Father's Day at Max's Taphouse (Free)
📅 Sunday, June 21 | 11:30 AM
📍 Max's Taphouse, 737 S Broadway, Baltimore
Max's Taphouse offers 50% off burgers when you bring dad in for a beer on Father's Day before 5 PM, plus free bottle engraving available.

Baltimore Plant Swap (Free)
📅 Sunday, June 21 | 12 PM
📍 Peabody Heights Brewery, 401 E 30th St, Baltimore
A monthly exchange of plants, cuttings, and supplies at Peabody Heights Brewery.

15th Annual Father's Day Crab Feast ($)
📅 Sunday, June 21 | 2 PM
📍 Donna's Tavern & Restaurant of Dundalk - DTR, 6607 Pine Ave, Dundalk
Donna's Tavern celebrates Father's Day the Baltimore way with its 15th Annual Crab Feast. Tickets range from free to $60.54 at Eventbrite.

🎵 FPP Summer Concert feat. The Dirty Grass Players (Free)
📅 Sunday, June 21 | 6 PM
📍 Patterson Park, 27 S Patterson Park Ave, Baltimore
The Friends of Patterson Park Summer Concert Series returns with The Dirty Grass Players, presented by PNC Bank with media partners WYPR and WTMD.

Headlines in the Community

Barnes & Noble is returning to the Baltimore waterfront this fall, taking over the former Oceanaire Seafood Room space in Harbor East. Read more…

The Walters Art Museum will debut Block Party!, a new annual summer festival celebrating Baltimore’s creativity through art, music, and community, on July 18. Read more…

Baltimore Spirits Company is moving its operations to a new facility on Hickory Avenue in Hampden that will include an elevated, French-inspired on-site restaurant. Read more…

The dates are set for two major Baltimore festivals: Charm City Live will take place on Saturday, Sept. 5, and the Baltimore Book Festival returns on the weekend of Sept. 19–20. Read more…

Kicking off Sail250 Maryland, local chefs led by Spike Gjerde are uniting for a Friends of James Beard Dinner on June 23 at the Frederick Douglass–Isaac Myers Maritime Park. Read more…

After 13 years of DJ sets and live drumming, The Rockwell in Fells Point is closing its doors, but the owners are launching a new cinematic nightclub called Wonderland just two blocks away. Read more…

Lifelong musician Chris Tsonos has opened Animal Boy, a punk rock-inspired sandwich shop in Lauraville serving classics like the South Philly Pork and the Gabba Gabba Gool. Read more…

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

Each week we’ll showcase a few standout listings from around the Baltimore area—sometimes it’s a great starter home, sometimes a smart investment, and sometimes just one we can all daydream about.

If any of these spark your interest, or you’re curious about the market in general, our partner Susan Carroll is here to help with buying, selling, or answering your real estate questions.

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 is: Barkley

“The one and only "Mr. B." Meet Barkley.  Rescued 10 years ago...total love bug.  1/2 Chihuahua. He is a bed hog, blanket burrower, and loves everyone of his 40+ toys-evidenced when he pulls each and everyone out of his toybox to show them to you.  Help me honor him with all the love!”

Barkley, lover of all toys!

Date Spot Of The Week

Sally O’s (Highlandtown)

📍 Sally O’s, 3531 Gough St, Baltimore

Sally O’s is the kind of neighborhood date spot that feels relaxed, creative, and very Baltimore in the best way. Chef Jesse Sandlin took the classic corner-bar setup and gave it a glow-up — colorful room, fun cocktails, comfort food with a twist, and enough personality to make dinner feel like more than just dinner.

What to order: Start with the Sally Mac & Cheese or one of the seasonal small plates if the menu is feeling especially chaotic-good that night. For dinner, the Highlandtown Smash Burger is the signature move, while the CrabOnara — blue crab, egg yolk, parmesan, black pepper, red onion, and thyme — is the “yes, we made the right call” pasta order. If you want something handheld, the Not Nashville Chicken Sandwich or Tuna Burger are strong detours.

The vibe: Eclectic, cozy, and a little funky — like your coolest friend opened a corner bar and somehow made it date-night worthy without making it weird.

Thanks for reading Eating Baltimore today. Share it with someone who is going to a World Cup match.

Have a great weekend!

Matt | Eating Baltimore

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