Five Things To Do At Artscape 2016

An unidentified woman walks through the #Lowtide misting area during Artscape 2015 on Friday, July 19, 2015 in Baltimore, MD. Photo By Anthony Washington

Once again, America’s largest free arts festival is taking over the arts district in Baltimore. If you have not planned out what you want to do yet, here are five must do’s at Artscape. Also, drink plenty of water and stay cool.

Artscape at Motor House

Motor House’s gallery space will start off tonight by hosting a performance of “Dreamgirls” by ArtsCentric at 7:30 p.m. followed by a 90’s Dance Party that will only cost you $5 to get in the door. Saturday, Motor House will welcome one of Baltimore’s best DJ’s Shawn Smallwood to their space for a day-long event called “Paradise: Found”. The event is inspired by Larry Levan’s legendary New York garage parties that featured live music performances, dance parties, and art installations. Saturday night, Rufus Roundtree and Da B’More Brass Factory will bring their “Balti-Gras” style of music to the space from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 a.m. Lastly, on both days Motor House Resident Artists, Soul Space Stories will take place from 12pm – 6pm.

Motor House is located at 120 W. North Ave.

Wyclef Jean, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Burning Spear

Artscape does a great job of bringing in local, regional, and national acts for FREE! Take advantage of being able to see three national acts that you would normally have dish out more than few bucks to see. Wyclef will headline the BGE Main Stage at The Maryland Institute College of Art tonight, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones will headline tomorrow night, and Burning Spear’s last Baltimore performance ever will take place on Sunday night.

The “Anchor Projects”

One of the most fun and interesting parts of Artscape each year are the various art installations and performance artist’s that make Charles St. home for the weekend. This year, there are seven “Anchor Projects” centered around the theme space. Each visual art installation has it’s own back story. From the “The Mothership Connection’s” ode to Afrofuturists of the past from the Dogon to Parliament Funkadelic to “Space Places” inflatable planets and sun that will range in size from 5 to 30 feet in diameter to create a path on Charles St. through the “Solar System”. There will be plenty of fun and interactive visual art projects along Charles St. In addition, be sure to check out the Charles St. bridge near Penn Station. There is always something interesting and interactive going on there.

Prince Dance Party – Party Like its 1999 AGAIN!

This is pretty self explanatory. From 9 p.m.-11 p.m. tonight, DJ Wendel Patrick & DJ Dubble8 and DJ Sam Burns will pay tribute to Prince and you will dance. See you at the Johns Hopkins University Station North Stage, on Charles Street.

KidScape

So you want to go to Artscape, but you HAVE to bring the kids with you. Well, there is plenty for kids to do throughout the festival, but there is also an entire set of activities and events specifically for kids called KidScape. Kids will have the opportunity to make space-themed arts and crafts, there will be hands-on demonstrations that they will be able to participate in, and their will be family-friendly entertainment all throughout the weekend. Other activities include: glow-in-the-dark constellations by Port Discovery; create swirling, sparkling planets, inspired by our galaxy with the Walters Art Gallery; alien headbands and demonstrations showing what happens when meteorites collide with planets with The Y in Central Maryland; face painting by Planet Awkward, Chef Erik “Egg” Berlin’s “Spacefood – Nutrition for Space Exploration” demonstrations and more. Location: Corpus Christi Church Lot, Lafayette Street & Mount Royal Avenue.