Entertainment On the Go

MARYLAND AFTER DARK is a satisfying mix of music, friendship, fine food and a few laughs. In the tradition of jazz legends Billie Holliday, Eubie Blake and Cab Calloway (all of whom were raised in Baltimore), our big cities and small towns offer a host of hip destinations geared toward the over-21 crowd. Hot concert venues, cool ethnic events and a new gaming facility are all part of the package.

Pubs & Clubs
Sophisticated, upscale bars, breweries and lounges compete for your attention in the D.C-area towns of Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Silver Spring. Some spots incorporate live jazz or large-screen TVs tuned to the big game.

Speaking of sophistication, National Harbor not only features a new restaurant that synchronizes music to the setting sun, but has also hosted Cirque du Soleil shows, seasonal celebrations and outdoor concerts along the Potomac Riverfront.

In Frederick, most of the nightspots are on or around Market Street, making it easy to sample Irish music here, stand-up comedy there and a little dart-playing just down the road.

Baltimore’s Fells Point neighborhood, famous for its maritime past, is home to dozens of pubs, clubs and taverns, plus small shops and a variety of restaurants serving everything from seafood to vegetarian dishes.

The term “nightlife” takes an ironic twist when considering that some of these towns are also known for hauntings. Lantern-led ghost walks are on tap in Fells Point and Frederick, as well as Ellicott City, Annapolis and other locations.

Starry Nights
Built more than 40 years ago as the home turf of the National Symphony Orchestra, the Merriweather Post Pavilion open-air music facility in Columbia instead emerged as a major rock venue: Led Zeppelin and the Who played here in the ’70s, and Merriweather has recently hosted popular acts such as Godsmack, Lady Antebellum and Billy Idol. The Pier Six Pavilion at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor fills its own niche with options like the Prairie Home Companion “Summer Love Tour” and folk rock courtesy of Crosby, Stills and Nash.

The world’s top nightclub with less than 500 seats is right in the heart of historic Annapolis. Rams Head On Stage is part of a family of venues that includes another concert facility in Baltimore, a tavern in Savage and the Stevensville-based Rams Head Shore House.

Fairgrounds throughout the state hold music parties like the Outlaw Jam, which brought classic rockers Bad Company and Blue Oyster Cult to Frederick in August 2010. Soon thereafter, anyone within a few miles of Timonium on the second-to-last night of the Maryland State Fair could no doubt hear the rapturous screams of pop star Justin Bieber’s fans.

Shore Bets Maryland’s first gaming facility recently opened in Perryville – a 75,000-square-foot Hollywood Casino with 1,500 slot machines. It was followed a short time later by a new casino next to the popular Ocean Downs horseracing track in Berlin.

The Eastern Shore also has contemporary clubs and intimate music venues along Kent Narrows and in Ocean City, while Easton continues to emerge as a stylish setting for hip entertainment.

Films & Festivals
From June through October, Baltimore holds ethnic festivals just about every weekend. Popular options include the Polish Festival, African American Heritage Festival, LatinoFest and Ukrainian Festival.

Several Baltimore neighborhoods have also made a summertime tradition of hosting free outdoor film festivals. You bring the lawn chair and let Cross Keys, Fells Point and Little Italy supply the films.

TAKE NOTE …
Luxurious cruise ships, complete with themed lounges and casinos, sail year-round out of the Cruise Maryland terminal, which is just minutes away from shopping, dining and entertainment at Baltimore’s world-famous Inner Harbor.

TIME IT RIGHT ...
Friday After Five
May-September – City Centre Outdoor Mall, Cumberland
Live bands, free entertainment and al-fresco dining.
www.downtowncumberland.com

Columbia Festival of the Arts
June – Columbia
More than two weeks of free and ticketed performances and visual arts.

Artscape
July – Mount Royal Avenue, Baltimore
The region’s premier celebration of the arts.