All events were scheduled at the time of posting. Please confirm with event hosts before making plans.
Sarah's Family Friendly Event Picks
April
27
Teddy Bear Pajama Party. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see? Brown Bear sees children and their families stomping on catapults to pack a teddy bear picnic, helping little lost bears find their way home in an eco-sensory exploration, gazing up at the stars in the planetarium, playing through the Maryland Science Center’s exhibit halls, and searching high and low for Brown Bear’s friends—Red Bird, Green Frog, Blue Horse and more! A light snack will be provided; you are welcomed to bring additional food and snacks which can be consumed in the café. This event is designed for children ages 8 and under, and their families. Older siblings are welcome to join in on the fun! All children must have a paid adult in their party. $35. 5:30PM-8:30PM. The Maryland Science Center, 601 Light St., Baltimore. https://www.mdsci.org/event/teddy-bear-pajama-party/
28
Bring Back Sunday Dinners: Great Greens! Join Y.M.U. Yummy U! in partnership with the Creative Alliance for an afternoon of food, fellowship and community dining. In each session, Doc. J will lead cooking demonstrations showcasing a featured ingredient or theme and collaborate with participants to create a full community meal. This Sunday dinner will feature vitamin packed greens: Kale, Collards, Cabbage, Chard. Specialty appetizers, small bites, and mocktails will be served. Learn, cook, and break bread together in this cooking experience that brings back Sunday dinners! $50 Standard, $45 Members; $130 Register for all three sessions. 2:30PM-4:30PM. Creative Alliance Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/bring-back-sunday-dinner-great-greens/
May
3-5
Sol Oaxaca Fest. Join Sol Oaxaca for a big festival and celebration of everything Oaxaca for Cinco de Mayo! Event will include live music, cover art, Tim's Piano Show, Mexican Fold Dancers, a margarita garden, cotton candy, a beer truck, tequila and mezcal tastings, outdoor games and other fun activities for children and adults! No reservations for the festival. FREE admission. 11AM-9PM. Sol Oaxaca, 16 Bel Air South Pkwy., Bel Air. https://www.facebook.com/events/827813159156477
3
Bug Out with the National Aquarium. Join this hands-on workshop to learn how to promote biodiversity and keep backyards healthy with bug hotels. Participants will learn about bugs commonly found in Baltimore and draw their own bug hotel designs. Together, you will create one big insect hotel using natural materials and learn how to clean and maintain it. Participants will take home information about making their own bug hotel with a better understanding of the bugs that help our gardens grow. Workshop limited to 25 participants on a first-come first-served basis. FREE. 12:30PM-1:30PM. Flower Mart at Mount Vernon Place, Learning Pavilion, 699 Washington Pl., Baltimore. https://www.facebook.com/events/1291881698867712
First Fridays in Bel Air. Come visit the "Heart of Harford" May through October on the First Friday of each month! Shop at a unique boutique or store in Downtown Bel Air, go for a walk on the Ma & Pa Trail, or order carry-out from one of the delicious restaurants! Each First Friday features local live music, beer and wine, food, and more. FREE admission. 5PM-8PM. Downtown Bel Air, 121 S Main St., Bel Air. https://downtownbelair.com/events/first-fridays/
4-5
Towsontown Spring Festival. 2024 marks the 55th year for the Towsontown Festival and this is one you won't want to miss! If you are a thrill seeker, cotton candy eater, music lover or just a Baltimore explorer, this is your kind of festival. Come make a memory! FREE admission; $2 per ticket for carnival rides; $30 for 25 tickets; $35 wristband for unlimited rides. 10AM-8PM Saturday; 1PM-6PM Sunday. Downtown Towson, Chesapeake, Pennsylvania, Washington and Baltimore Avenues, Towson. https://www.towsontownfestival.com/
4
Shake Out Your Sillies. Shake out your sillies with song, nursery rhymes, puppet shows, instruments, and, of course, a dance party! Each class begins with a breathing exercise before transitioning into music and movement activities. Taught by Eliza Adams, a Maryland preschool teacher and musician, this class is designed for children 5 and under. Caretakers are welcome to join or watch! $15 per class; $12 Members; $55 5-Class Flex Pass; $5 Addl Sibling. 10AM-11AM. Creative Alliance Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/shake-out-your-sillies-spring-2024/2024-05-04/
Grow Wild: Spring Fling. Learn from professional growers, ecologists, and Master Gardeners. Shop for native and pollinator plants and receive guidance on selecting the perfect plants for your yard conditions. The sprouts (kids') area includes crafts, interactive displays, and programs. Giveaways of wildflower seeds, tree seedlings from the Forestry Board, and native plant plugs. FREE admission. 10AM-2PM. Harford Land Trust, 1 S Bond St., Bel Air. https://www.facebook.com/events/771194214929273
5
Touch a Truck. Slate Farm Brewery Touch-a-Truck Extravaganza! Get ready for a day of family-friendly fun. Marvel at a fleet of fascinating vehicles! From fire trucks to construction vehicles, and more. There's something for everyone to explore. Climb aboard, honk the horns, and snap memorable photos with these mighty machines. While the kids enjoy the trucks, parents can indulge in the farm brewery's finest craft beers and delicious food offerings. Their diverse selection of brews perfectly complements the laid-back, rustic atmosphere of the farm. Groove to the beats of live music performed by local artists. The rhythmic tunes will add to the festive atmosphere and create an enjoyable backdrop for your day of exploration. Explore a variety of local vendors offering unique crafts, artisanal products, and farm-fresh goods. Support local businesses and find one-of-a-kind treasures to take home. FREE admission. 12PM. Slate Farm Brewery, 2128 Whiteford Rd., Whiteford. https://www.facebook.com/events/408244731714176
Porcelana Fria: A Mother's Day Workshop with Artesanas. Learn the Ecuadorian practice of Porcelana Fria (“cold porcelain”) in this special floral workshop with the Creative Alliance’s Artesana Zoila Gomez! Porcelana Fria is an easy-to-make material that is used for school program, souvenirs, mementos for baptisms, bridal bouquets, quinceañera cards, centerpieces, decorations, and many more. Come join Zoila and create hands-on flowery art just in time for Mother’s Day! Ages 10+. $22; $19 Members. 1:30PM-3:30PM. Creative Alliance Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/porcelana-fria-mothers-day-workshop-w-artesanas/
11
Cylburn Market Day. A free, family friendly, public festival. Enjoy nursery booths brimming with flowers, artisan booths selling handmade goods, and a kids corner full of activities for the little ones. Add food trucks, a stilt walker, and face painting to the equation and there is something for everyone. Event is rain or shine. FREE admission; parking is $10 within the park. 8AM-2PM. Cylburn Arboretum, 4915 Greenspring Ave., Baltimore. https://cylburn.org/programs-events/market-day/
Shake Out Your Sillies. Shake out your sillies with song, nursery rhymes, puppet shows, instruments, and, of course, a dance party! Each class begins with a breathing exercise before transitioning into music and movement activities. Taught by Eliza Adams, a Maryland preschool teacher and musician, this class is designed for children 5 and under. Caretakers are welcome to join or watch! $15 per class; $12 Members; $55 5-Class Flex Pass; $5 Addl Sibling. 10AM-11AM. Creative Alliance Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/shake-out-your-sillies-spring-2024/2024-05-11/
Monkton Music Festival. Join Puh’tok in the Pines (Camp Puh’tok) as they present the 2nd Annual Monkton Music Festival. This all-day music fest will take place amongst the pines at Camp Puh’tok and features nine amazing bands on two stages, food and beverage trucks, and artisan village. Bands/artists include Kelly Bell Band, Caleb Stine & the Brakemen and many more! Festival proceeds support school-year and summer camp scholarship programs for communities in need, and Living Classrooms’ Ascend Through Music afterschool music programs for Baltimore City Schools. $60 General Admission; $20 for Children ages 6-15; FREE for Children under 5. 12PM-8PM (gates open at 11AM). Puh'tok in the Pines, 17433 Big Falls Rd., Monkton. https://www.camppuhtok.com/monkton-music-fest
12
Mother's Day Special: The Kissing Hand at Irvine Nature Center. On this Mother’s Day, celebrate your love of nature together at Irvine. Gather for an easy nature hike to explore and collect natural materials, where you will stop along the way for a reading of the Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. Then each mom, grandma, or motherly figure and their child will work together to create clay hearts, decorated with their nature finds, to represent their love. Advance registration encouraged. $10/Child, accompanying adults are free. 1:30PM-3PM. Irvine Nature Center, 11201 Garrison Forest Rd., Owings Mills. https://www.explorenature.org/event/mothers-day-special-the-kissing-hand/
16
BARCS Night at Bengies. Bengies is holding a special night to support BARCS. Bengies is one of the few places where you can bring your pet to watch a movie. You are invited to join Bengies with your furry friend to support the fantastic work that BARCS does. Almost all of the ticket sales from this night will be donated to BARCS. Bengies has an exciting evening planned featuring the family-friendly movie “SCOOBY-DOO” (2002) PG. with fun and exciting activities leading up to the show, such as: Scooby-Doo costume contest, Scooby-Doo collar craft, Red-Carpet selfie station, Doggie Treat vendors Good Goods for Dogs/ Kara's K-9 Waffle Treats/ Droolin Dog, Art for Paws - Artwork donated by children to help raise money for BARCS. The box office opens at 7PM, and the movie "SCOOBY-DOO" will start at 8:30 PM. Please arrive early to take part in the pre-show activities. The box office closes at 9PM. $12.50 Adults; $7 Children ages 4-10; FREE for Children under 4. 7PM. Bengies Drive-In Theatre, 3417 Eastern Blvd., Middle River. https://bengies.ticketspice.com/barcs
18
Shake Out Your Sillies. Shake out your sillies with song, nursery rhymes, puppet shows, instruments, and, of course, a dance party! Each class begins with a breathing exercise before transitioning into music and movement activities. Taught by Eliza Adams, a Maryland preschool teacher and musician, this class is designed for children 5 and under. Caretakers are welcome to join or watch! $15 per class; $12 Members; $55 5-Class Flex Pass; $5 Addl Sibling. 10AM-11AM. Creative Alliance Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/shake-out-your-sillies-spring-2024/2024-05-18/
Strawberry Festival. Enjoy live music, delicious food, tasty drink options and various artists from the local and surrounding areas during Boxwood Farms annual Strawberry Festival. During the event visit the strawberry field for U-pick! An opportunity to pick your own berries with friends and family! Berries are extremely fresh, juicy and flavorful. Please bring cash and be prepared for excitement! This is a local family farm with an outdoor play area, picnic tables and great atmosphere to spend the day. $5 entry for anyone over the age of 10; FREE for children under 10.11AM-3PM. Boxwood Farms, 704 Shucks Rd., Bel Air. https://www.facebook.com/events/1181503256359007
23-26
Greek Food, Wine and Cultural Festival. 52nd annual Greek Festival! Join in all of the fun on Memorial Weekend! Lots of delicious Greek food, cocktails, dancing, vendors and exhibits. OPA! FREE admission. 5PM-9PM Friday, 11AM-9PM Saturday, 11AM-9PM Sunday. Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation, 24 W Preston St., Baltimore. https://annunciationbaltimore.org/Festival