Baltimore's 12 Ethnic Festivals
Baltimore Polish Festival, St. Nicholas Greek Folk Fest, LatinoFest
Since the early 1970s, the ever growing Showcase of Nations Summer program has honored the heritage and customs of the diverse cultures of Maryland's vibrant city
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts announced the 2008 dates for the Showcase of Nations Ethnic Festivals, celebrating the city's cultural diversity and proud ethnic heritage.
Most weekends from 30th May to 19th October 2008, various locations in Baltimore host Polish, Greek, Latino, African American, Caribbean, Nigerian, Native American PowWow, Ukrainian, Irish, Korean, Russian festivals as well as an International Fest featuring ethnic foods, crafts, music and dance, live entertainment and traditional ceremonies.
2008 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE (sorted by date)
Baltimore Polish Festival
- Dates: May 30 – June 1
- Hours: Friday 4 -10 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday noon -10 p.m.
- Location: Patterson Park at Linwood and Eastern avenues
- Admission: Fee
- Features: The Polish community kicks off the festival season with local, regional and national entertainment by polka bands and more; Polish traditional delicacies; Polish crafts including hand-made dolls and afghans.
Baltimore St. Nicholas Greek Folk Festival
- Dates: June 6-8
- Hours: Friday 12 p.m. - 11 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
- Location: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at 520 South Ponca Street
- Admission: free
- Features: A showcase of the Greek community featuring dancing, costumes and tours of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. In addition to an array of Greek cuisine (dishes including patstitsio, spanakopita, and souvlaki), the Greek Folk Festival features an assortment of imported Greek wines, beers, and spirits.
Baltimore LatinoFest
- Dates: June 21 & 22
- Hours: Saturday noon - 10 p.m. and Sunday noon - 9 p.m.
- Location: Patterson Park at Linwood and Eastern avenues
- Admission: Fee
- Features: A lively weekend of Latino arts and culture, Hispanic cuisine and more.
Baltimore African American Heritage Festival
- Dates: June 27-29
- Hours: Friday 5 p.m. - 10 p.m., Saturday noon - 10 p.m. and Sunday noon - 8 p.m
- Location: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
- Admission: Donations welcome
- Features: A celebration of African-American ancestry, with nationally known entertainment and educational exhibits.
Baltimore Caribbean Carnival Festival
- Dates: July 11-13
- Hours: Friday 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday noon - 9 p.m.
- Location: Druid Hill Park
- Admission: Fee
- Features: With a traditional island costumed parade; soca, reggae, and steel drum bands; live international entertainment, elaborate costumes, and Caribbean cuisine.
Baltimore International Festival
- Dates: August 2 & 3
- Hours: noon to 9 p.m. daily
- Location: Poly/Western High School parking lot at Falls Road and West Coldspring Lane
- Admission: Free
- Features: A celebration of Baltimore's cultural diversity with music, dancing, and a variety of ethnic foods.
Baltimore FestAfrica
- Dates: Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 August
- Hours: noon to 8 p.m.
- Location: Patterson Park
- Admission: Donations welcome
- Features: A Nigerian festival with traditional food, crafts and art.
Baltimore PowWow Native American Festival
- Dates: 22 through 24 August
- Hours: Friday 2 p.m. - 9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.,
- Location: Patterson Park at Linwood and Eastern avenues
- Admission: Fee
- Features: Intertribal gathering of Native American dancers, drummers, artists, and craftspeople organized by the Baltimore American Indian Center. Food vendors will be selling tacos, buffalo burgers, nachos, indian frybread, BBQ pork and hushpuppies.
Baltimore Ukrainian Festival
- Dates: 6 & 7 September
- Hours: Saturday noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday noon to 9 p.m.
- Location: Patterson Park at Linwood and Eastern avenues
- Features: Dance groups, Ukrainian Easter Eggs demonstration, musicians, traditional crafts, Ukrainian beer garden and children's activities. Serving traditional Ukranian beverages, foods, breads (Ukraine is known as "the bread basket of Europe").
Baltimore Irish Festival
- Dates: September 12 & 13
- Hours: Friday 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. and Saturday noon – 9 p.m.
- Location: Canton Waterfront Park
- Admission: Free
- Features: A celebration of the Irish community. Serving cod cakes, baked potatoes, bangers and mash, fish and chips, ham, cabbage, corned beef, red potatoes.
Baltimore Korean American Festival
- Date: Saturday September 13
- Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Location: Memorial Plaza at Fayette and Gay streets
- Admission: Free
- Features: A cultural program with traditional dances, tae kwon do demonstrations, games and more.
Baltimore Russian Festival
- Dates: October 17-19
- Hours: Friday & Saturday noon to 9 p.m.; Sunday noon to 6 p.m.
- Location: Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church at 1723 East Fairmount Avenue
- Admission: Fee
- Features: Russian Tea Room with Samovar. Traditional Russian foods with old favorites and some new items to try: Kolbasa, Holupky, Holushki, Kasha, Kuritsa Kotlety, Goviazhii Kotlety, Vareniky, Shashlyk, Govyadina na Grille, Kapusta, Salad iz Kapusty, Zelenaya Fasol, Borsch, Blini, Blinchky, Marinovanye Yaichky, Kartofelnye Oladi. Homemade Russian Breads: Hoska, Kulich, Makovy Roulet, Bobka, Vishnovaya Bobka, Shokoladnaya Bobka, Rzhanoy, Karavai. Foods are available for carryout.
The copyright of the article Baltimore's 12 Ethnic Festivals in North American Culinary Travel is owned by Maddalena Delli. Permission to republish Baltimore's 12 Ethnic Festivals must be granted by the author in writing.
