Get Out: April

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RIDING HIGH
Hie up to Harford County for the 7th Annual Romancing the Chrome car show, brought to you by the Jarrettsville Lions Club and the Harford County Public Library Foundation. Embrace the automotive ardor with 250+ classic cars and hot rods, all competing for Best in Show (and, of course, the $500 accompanying award) or Best in Class (a nothing-to-sneeze-at $75) under the watchful eye of celebrity judge Joe Ligo of MPT’s “Motorweek.” There’s plenty to enjoy, too, for those not enamored with engines or gaga for gaskets: food vendors, including sponsor Jarrettsville Creamery and Deli, music, face painting, a beer garden and more.  April 14 at 3719 Norrisville Rd., across from the Jarrettsville Library (Rain date April 21). Registration $15-$20. Romancingthechrome.org — KIMBERLY USLIN

FLOWER POWER
Get into the seasonal spirit with A Spring Day at the Walters. The event begins with a mid-morning flower-arranging demonstration and lecture from acclaimed Southern designer Sybil Brooke Sylvester, who will follow her impressive petal pushing with a book signing of her latest, “Fresh.” The fun floral afternoon continues with a ticketed light lunch on the sculpture court, the perfect place to usher in the warming weather. Just hope to avoid April showers! April 13 at the Walters. Lecture: $50, Lecture and Lunch: $95. 410-547-9000, thewalters.org —K.U.

EN POINTE
What’s spring without “Swan Lake?” The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Baltimore School for the Arts Dancers join forces to present the classic Tchaikovsky suite, as well as his “Fantasy-Overture” from “Romeo and Juliet.” If that’s not romantic enough for you, enjoy the program’s third feature, Tchaikovsky’s lesser-known “Serenade for Strings,” reimagined for ballet by choreographer George Balanchine. The result? A program simply called Tchaikovsky with Balanchine that’s sure to uplift. April 26 at the Meyerhoff and April 29 at the Strathmore. $35-$99. 410-783-8000, Meyerhoff, and 1-877-BSO-1444, Strathmore, bsomusic.org —K.U.

A LITTLE FISHY
Irvine Nature Center’s epicurean education series, “Eat, Drink & Learn,”returns with Rockfish & Rye, fresh from the success of 2018 hits “Starry Skies and Mai Tais” and “Chestnut Trees and Daiquiris” (We suppose nothing really rhymes with “Rockfish.”) Guests will enjoy a specialty drink and dinner before heading to the Fern Rooms for a program on Maryland’s state fish. April 19 at Irvine Nature Center. Members: $35, nonmembers: $45. 410-902-8210, explorenature.org —K.U.

ON TOP
In the first of two exhibitions in advance of the Walters Art Museum’s “new major installation” of Art of the Americas, the museum presents Crowning Glory: Art of the Americas. The seven-month exhibit shifts the focus to headwear through the ages, examining the ways people adorned their heads throughout the histories of North, Central and South America. On April 5, Ellen Hoobler, William B. Ziff Jr., associate curator of the Arts of the Americas, 1200 BCE–1500 CE (quite the title) will lead a closer look at the one-room exhibit, particularly exploring the language of pre-Cololmbian people. April 5 at the Walters Art Museum. Free. 410-547-9000, thewalters.org —K.U.

SOUTHERN CHARM
When it comes to life below the Mason-Dixon line, nothing’s more essential than the three b’s: Beer, Bourbon & BBQ. So why not throw a weekend-long festival dedicated to the three together? For two days, enjoy all-you-care-to-taste of 60+ beers and 40+ bourbons in the festival’s signature glass, as well as barbecue of every imaginable form, games, live music, vendors and more. P.S.: Pork aficionados, we recommend Friday night’s “Whole Hog Pig Pickin’.” April 6-7 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. $29-$99. beerandbourbon.com —K.U.

GONE COUNTRY
Fresh off the spur-clad heels of a 2017 tour, country music legend Alan Jackson is back on the road in 2018 for the “Honky Tonk Highway Tour.” Known for hits “Chattahoochee,” “Remember When,” and, of course, “It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere,” the newly minted Country Music Hall of Fame inductee brings his blend of country, bluegrass and traditional twang to Baltimore for one night that’s sure to be a “Good Time.” April 27 at Royal Farms Arena. $61-$126+. 410-347-2020, royalfarmsarena.com —K.U.

RAVE REVUE
Experience the best of ballet as the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts presents Innovations 2018, a program highlighting the past and future of the form. The event features Russian ballet “Raymonda,” Marc Galibre’s “Vortex” and a never-before seen creation from composer Ryan Lucas, all performed by the Ballet Theatre of Maryland alongside other to-be-announced works. April 20-22 at the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. $30-$52. 410-263-5544, marylandhall.org —K.U.

SPEAKING IN TONGUES
Like everything else in our culture, language has evolved. We’re no longer going around speaking in Shakespearean English — but neither, some scholars argue, are actors who perform the Bard’s lines. Enter the OP movement, short for “Original Pronunciation,” which attempts to recreate the accent that Shakespeare would have originally spoken (and thus written) in. Hear it for yourself as the Baltimore Shakespeare Factory presents Othello in Original Pronunciation this spring. Be warned: It may make the listening experience a bit more difficult, but the authenticity can’t be beat. April 6-29 at the Baltimore Shakespeare Factory. $19-$24. 410-662-9455, baltimoreshakespearefactory.org —K.U.

LOCO DEVOTION
Why celebrate just one fandom when you could celebrate them all? For the first time ever, Universal FanCon descends upon the Baltimore Convention Center for a  celebration of all — and we mean all — things fandom. What does that mean, exactly? Um, honestly, it’s a little unclear, but the idea is to “celebrate the diversity of  fandom,” including “American Gods,” Anime, Comics, Cosplay, Gaming, Movies, Music, Television and “Star Wars.” (Specific, eh?) Lucky for fans of all kinds, that means a wide range of celebrities will be in attendance, from video game composer Saori Kobayashi to comic book artist Greg Pak to well-known all-genre actors Mehcad Brooks, Yetide Bedaki and Orlando Jones. The convention celebrates the diversity of the fans within the fandoms, too — it was originally conceived by Robert Butler of The Black Geeks podcast and Jamie Broadnax of Black Girl Nerds. If you’re a fan of anything, we suppose you’re welcome to come to the 24-hour convention, but err on the side of nerd-dom. April 27-29 at the Baltimore Convention Center. $25-$300. universalfancon.com —K.U.

SQUARE OFF
Kick off spring shopping season with the first annual Belvedere in Bloom at Belvedere Square. The spring showcase promises “beautiful new blooms from Dutch Floral Garden, new spring menu items from your favorite restaurants, crafts from Baltimore’s top crafters, fresh produce from local farms, live music and more.” What more could you ask for? April 15 at Belvedere Square. Free. belvederesquare.com —K.U.

STRING THEORY
Raise the roots at the sixth annual Charm City Bluegrass Festival,
Baltimore’s favorite celebration of all things folk and fun. Promising to be “bigger and better than ever,” the festival returns to Druid Hill Park with headliners The Devil Makes Three and The Travelin’ McCourys. Nearly 20 other acts will hit the stage, too, including local favorites The Honey Dewdrops and Caleb Stine, paired well with suds from sponsor Union Craft Brewing. April 27-28 at Druid Hill Park. $30-$170. charmcitybluegrass.com —K.U.

TO THE QUICK
Love theater, but have a bit of a short attention span? Try Fells Point Corner Theatre’s annual 10x10x10 2018 — 10 Minute Play Festival. The fast-paced festival features 10 brand-new plays, each written by a local playwright and only 10 minutes apiece. After all 10 have been performed, audience members cast their votes for the best of the lot, which receives not only popular accolade but a cash prize 10 times the price of admission. Come see the best of Baltimore’s creative class, but don’t blink — you might miss something. April 13-May 6 at the Fells Point Corner Theatre. fpct.org —K.U.

SPECTRAL SCENE
Get a surreality check as Mary Reid Kelley and husband/collaborator Patrick Kelley’s We Are Ghosts comes to the BMA. The exhibition, held in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Advanced Media Studies, features two Kelley films: “This is Offal” (2016) and their newest, “In the Body of the Sturgeon,” as well as light boxes featuring characters and set pieces from the films. Reid Kelley, a recipient of the MacArthur “genius” award, is known for her wordplay and sharp social commentary, often focusing on gender and class inequalities —all played out in otherworldly black-and-white scenes. See for yourself April 4 to Aug. 19 at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Free. 443-573-1700, artbma.org —K.U.

OLDE AND NEW
The “New York Times” calls Jen Silverman’s The Moors a “savagely funny mash-up of Bronte and Kardashian-esque milieus.” And though the pair may at first seem totally incongruous, the parallels soon become clear: Love, life in the public eye, irreconcilable differences and more make Kim & Co. not so different from the sisters in Silverman’s Victorian Gothic world. P.S. The play is the final installment, too, of Everyman Theatre’s female-centric salon series, “Women’s Voices,” which combine play readings with potent potables for a night of delicious drama. Keep an eye out for next year’s lineup. April 2 at Everyman Theatre. $20. 410-752-2208, everymantheatre.org —K.U.

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS
The past two years have been a big deal for women in the United States, from the Women’s Marches in 2017 and 2018 to the growing awareness and condemnation of sexual harassment and assault. When better, then, to celebrate the power of females in our city and around the globe? Enter the 2018 WOW Women of the World Festival: Baltimore, a celebration of all things woman that provides speakers, panel discussions, networking and mentoring opportunities and more. This year’s featured speakers include well-known feminist writer Roxane Gay and Tarana Burke, founder of the viral (and vital) #MeToo movement. April 28 at Notre Dame of Maryland University. Ticket information $6-20. wow-baltimore.org —K.U.

CULTURE HEROES
Celebrate the little-known history of a classic jazz hit in Body and Soul: An American Bridge. The film explores the composition of “Body and Soul” by Jewish composer Johnny Green and its ensuing popularization by first Libby Holman and then Louis Armstrong, demonstrating “the complex musical interplay between Jewish and African-American cultures.” Fittingly, the film is presented at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum’s “Sundays@2” Film Series in partnership with the Baltimore Jewish Film Festival, and will be followed by a panel discussion. April 8 at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. Free with museum admission. 443-263-1800, lewismuseum.org —K.U.

RICH CRAFT
Established in Maryland in 1976, the iconic Sugarloaf Crafts Festival returns to Timonium on the last stop of its spring tour, bringing with it its usual host of hundreds of artisans of all sorts. Browse aisles upon aisles of arts and crafts, all while enjoying live music and fabulous food vendors. April 27-29 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. $8-10. 301-990-1400, sugarloafcrafts.com —K.U.

UP AND COMING
It’s a big year for Baltimore art as Maryland Art Place celebrates its 20th Annual Out of Order Spring Benefit. Including a silent auction and party, the fundraiser
will feature the art of 250+ creators in a “salon-style exhibition.” Participating artists vary from mid-career professionals to students and emerging artists, and the proceeds of the show’s art sales are split 50/50 between MAP and the artist. Win/win, are we right? April 13 at Maryland Art Place. Ticket prices $40-45. 410-962-8565, mdartplace.org —REBECCA COHEN

OUT WEST
Watch the drama unfold as estranged brothers Austin and Lee meet under their mother’s roof for the first time in ages in Sam Shepard’s classic dramedy True West. At first, screenwriter Austin and criminal Lee couldn’t seem more different … but as the play progresses, their baser instincts take over, revealing that they’re not so unlike each other after all. The ensuing devolution is as evocative as it is entertaining. April 26–May 13 at the Rep Stage in Columbia. $15-40. 443-518-1000, repstage.org —R.C.

DRAMA QUEEN
Not many performers can boast a 70-year career, but actress Rita Moreno, known for her roles in “West Side Story” and “The King and I,” seems just about unstopp-able. Moreno, one of only 12 actors in history to nab Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards, will speak about her experiences on the screen and the stage in a special appearance at the Weinberg Center for the Arts on April 6. $40-$50 (additional charge for meet-and-greets). 301-600-2828, weinbergcenter.org —R.C.

FEEL IT ALL
Dance troupe The Collective brings the experience of the human body to life in SENSES, an original show that promises to evoke all five senses for a complete dance experience. Called “a broadly accessibly dance performance,” the show seeks, too, to appeal to those whose use of their senses is limited and provide multiple points of entry into the heart of the show. It will be accompanied by a series of “Open Marleys,” which allow local artists and choreographers to perform works-in-progress for audience feedback. April 19-22 at the Baltimore Theatre Project. $15-$25. 410-752-8558, theatreproject.org —R.C.

AHOY, MATEY
Little-known fact: Privateers are not the same as pirates. In fact, they’re just the opposite — government contractors given legal permission to attack enemy ships. Learn more about these law-abiding scalawags at the 14th Annual Privateer Festival in Fells Point, a celebration of waterfront history replete with art, crafts, music, dancing, kids’ activities and more. April 21-22 on the Fells Point Waterfront. Free. 410-675-8900, fellspointmainstreet.org —R.C.

WHAT’S GOING ON
Get ready to rock and roll “All Night Long” when Motown: The Musical comes to town. The jammin’ jukebox show uses genre  favorites like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “I Want You Back” and “Sign, Sealed,  Delivered” to tell the story of Motown founder Berry Gordy. Dance along as Gordy transforms  from a small-town songwriter  to powerhouse producer and  the brains behind the careers  of stars like Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and the Jackson 5. April 13-15 at the Hippodrome. $49-$102+. 410-837-7400, baltimore.broadway.com —K.U.

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