An East Baltimore park has undergone a $3.6 million renovation, including upgrades to the playground, the addition of an outdoor classroom, and other updates.

Parks & People, a nonprofit working to improve and expand green spaces in Baltimore City, held a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday to mark the grand opening of the renovated Cecil Community Park, located at Cecil Elementary School in East Baltimore Midway.

“Cecil Community Park is a beacon of what we can achieve when we invest in our youth and their education,” said Parks & People CEO Frank Lance in a statement. “Parks & People is committed to transforming our city, and Cecil Community Park stands as a testament to that mission. This park will not only offer a safe and fun space for children but will also provide a platform for educational programs, fostering a brighter future for our young generation.”

Spanning 1.5 acres, the project involved the complete renovation of the school’s park and playground spaces. The park also has a new outdoor classroom and raised garden beds, serving as “a hub for outdoor experiential learning, recreation, and community involvement,” according to a news release.

The park is intended to not only support the school community, but also the more than 2,000 residents who live within a quarter-mile radius of the space.

“This project embodies our commitment to building stronger, healthier neighborhoods through strategic investments in green spaces,” Mayor Brandon M. Scott said in a statement. “Building better park and recreation spaces to ensure every Baltimorean has access to world-class facilities has been a cornerstone of my administration.”

Scott added, “Cecil Community Park is a shining example of how public-private partnerships can help create lasting, positive change in our communities. By transforming this space, we’re providing a safe, welcoming environment for families and children, improving the quality of life for residents, and fostering a sense of pride and ownership in the neighborhood. Projects like this show the power of collaboration in creating a better future for Baltimore.”

The renovated park is the product of collaboration among Parks & People, the Central Baltimore Partnership, The Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs, Baltimore City Public Schools, Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, and the East Baltimore Midway community.

Funding came from a mix of public and private sources, including The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the France-Merrick Foundation, the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs, and Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.

“Creating Cecil Community Park was the top priority for the Cecil Elementary School and East Baltimore Midway community,” said Ellen Janes, Executive Director of Central Baltimore Partnership. “Through a participatory process, they envisioned a welcoming space where the entire community could have fun and meet their health goals. This Park is a true community achievement, and we look forward to keeping it as vibrant and active as possible with sports leagues, classes, and a wide array of gatherings.”

This year, Parks & People celebrates its 40th anniversary. The organization has completed 48 park projects, which have reinvested $15.4 million in underserved communities and impacted approximately 109,000 residents, according to the news release from the nonprofit.

It’s the final weekend before Halloween, so spooky season is in full swing in Baltimore.

From the 25th annual Great Halloween Lantern Parade to Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” performed by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, embrace some frightful fun.

Check it all out in our weekend events roundup:

ArBOOretum, Thursday, Oct. 24, 5 p.m., Cylburn Arboretum. Go on guided moonlit nature walks, explore spooky trails, and enjoy Halloween decorations at the Cylburn mansion. While this is a candy-free event to prevent litter, there is plenty of fun to be had.

Trixie & Katya, Thursday, Oct. 24, doors open at 7 p.m., event starts at 8 p.m., Lyric Baltimore. You know them from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “All Stars,” and on their web series “UNHhhh.” Now this comedic duo is bring their show, “The Bald and the Beautiful with Trixie and Katya,” to Baltimore.

The Textures of Us, Friday, Oct. 25, through Sunday, Oct. 27, Galerie Myrtis. Artist Devin Allen will display work in a solo exhibition titled “The Textures of Us” at Galerie Myrtis. The exhibition will feature photos from Allen’s new book, “Devin Allen: Baltimore”; unreleased images, and work from Allen’s students. The exhibition will open this weekend and will remain on view through Jan. 11.

Halloween Ride, Friday, Oct. 25, meet at 6:45 p.m. at St. Mary’s Park. Ride through the city with the Baltimore Bike Party. This event is a Halloween-themed ride, so costumes are encouraged.

Oyster Gardening, Saturday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Harbor East Marina. Join the Great Baltimore Oyster Partnership in their efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay’s oyster population. Volunteers will help plant baby oysters (spat), build oyster habitats, and install a new oyster garden at Harbor East Marina.

ZOOmbie Run, Saturday, Oct. 26, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., Maryland Zoo. Scary movies aren’t the only way to get your blood pumping this spooky season. Participate in a 5K run or a 1-mile walk through the Maryland Zoo. Costumes are encouraged. There will be food trucks, a photo booth, and other post-race activities.

Sailabration, Saturday, Oct. 26, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fells Point Broadway Pier. Learn about the connections between sailing and tattooing. Plus, experience what life was like sailing on the high seas in the 18th and 19th centuries by drinking grog and sampling “hardtack.” Read more in this Baltimore Fishbowl article.

Play Me A Ghost Story, Saturday, Oct. 26, 11 a.m., Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Listen to symphonic ghost stories inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, Frankenstein, and more. The event will feature music by Gustav Mahler, Lou Reed, and Jim Stephenson.

South Baltimore Halloween Bash, Saturday, Oct. 26, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Riverside Park. Participate in scavenger hunts and races; eat cotton candy, popcorn, and other yummy treats; get a glitter tattoo; shop vendors; and more.

World Oddities Expo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Baltimore Convention Center. The strange, the peculiar, and the downright bizarre will all be on full display at the World Oddities Expo. This traveling event comes to Baltimore this Saturday, where it will feature vendors, speakers, performances and more. From taxidermy to insects to macabre art, there’s something for everyone who needs a little oddness in their life.

Great Halloween Lantern Parade, Saturday, Oct. 26, festival begins at 4 p.m., parade starts at 7 p.m., Patterson Park. Watch beautiful lanterns parade through the park — and even make your own — at the 25th annual Great Halloween Lantern Parade. There will be a kids costume contest, arts & crafts market, performances, food trucks, and more. Read more in this Baltimore Fishbowl article.

Haunted Harbor, Saturday, Oct. 26, 9 p.m., Power Plant Live! Get in on the ghostly fun, with DJ performances, costume contests, access to bars and nightclubs, and more.

Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert, Saturday, Oct. 26, and Sunday, Oct. 27, Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Hear the music from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” performed live by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as you watch the film on the big screen.

Monument to Monument Ride, Sunday, Oct. 27, 9 a.m., Baltimore Washington Monument. Participate in a ride from Baltimore’s Washington Monument at Mount Vernon Place all the way to the Washington Monument in D.C.

Harbor Harvest Children’s Fall Festival, Sunday, Oct. 27, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Rash Field Park. Decorate pumpkins, pet some animals, participate in pie-baking and costume contests, and more at the festival. Read more in this Baltimore Fishbowl article.

Bluegrass and Goats, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Wyman Park Dell at 29th and Charles streets. Watch goats graze on invasive species while you enjoy a Baltimore Bluegrass Jam hosted by Alex Lacquement, Maddie Witler and Sam Guthridge.

A new agreement between two Maryland agencies will support construction of denser mixed-use projects near transit stations, including more affordable housing, and promote the state’s climate goals.

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) on Monday announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding to formalize collaboration between their agencies on transit-oriented development.

“This partnership is a win-win for Maryland families as transit-oriented development will help lower the costs of housing while increasing access and ridership to transit,” MDOT Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld said in a statement.

Maryland has a housing shortage of more than 96,000 units, but officials hope the new agreement will help close the gap by adding mixed-use, mixed-income developments within a half mile of transit stations.

“We know that progress doesn’t come without partnership,” DHCD Secretary Jake Day said in a statement. “Through this agreement, we’re making firm our commitment to collaboration with our partners at the Maryland Department of Transportation in addressing the housing shortage and fostering economic vitality for communities across the state.”

MDOT owns more than 300 acres of property directly adjacent to its transit stations, which it plans to work with DHCD to develop, said MDOT Assistant Secretary Joe McAndrew.

While the two agencies have a history of collaboration, the MOU will make it easier for them to share resources, McAndrew said.

For example, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit subsidies flow from the federal government to Maryland via DHCD, which will aid the development of affordable, transit-accessible housing.

“DHCD has years of experience developing and partnering with developers; … that’s not necessarily our expertise, so we have an opportunity to collaborate and leverage those years of wisdom, shall we say, in a way that will help us accelerate our curve of learning and delivery for the state, which is ultimately our goal,” he said.

Long commute times and high housing costs are two of the top reasons Marylanders cite in their decision to leave the state, said Scott Gottbreht, DHCD’s Assistant Secretary of Policy, Strategy, and Research. And since the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge earlier this year, commute times have gotten even longer for many residents.

“Maryland’s economic growth puzzle will require the close cooperation of DHCD and MDOT in order to figure it out,” Gottbreht said. “If we want Maryland growing again, we need improved strategies and effectiveness of both the transit and housing space systems, and this MOU will make that possible.”

The Moore-Miller administration’s 2024 State Plan highlighted that Maryland Transit Administration ridership was still down compared to pre-pandemic levels. That decline is consistent with national trends.

McAndrew said Maryland is at an important crossroads: the state can continue current land use development patterns and maintain ridership levels where they are today, or invest in denser developments within a walkable distance of transit stations and watch ridership rise.

With the latter path, he said, “you also see thriving communities … where you’ve got groceries and schools and attainable, affordable houses.”

Transportation is the largest greenhouse gas emission sector for Maryland, comprising 35% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. Although the state has been building out infrastructure to support the transition from gas-powered to electric vehicles, McAndrew said EVs are only one part of the pollution solution.

“We also need to create options for people to have the freedom to travel outside of a vehicle, if they so choose, whether it be biking or walking or transit,” he said. “Fortunately, for the state of Maryland, we have great transit assets, whether it be the WMATA system, Baltimore Metro, light rail, bus network, and the MARC network, as well as our locally operated transit services. The question is: how can we go ahead and encourage and send folks to take those great assets, take those trip options?”

By developing near transit stations, Maryland will be making it easier for residents to use more energy-efficient public transportation to commute to and from work, home, and recreational activities, McAndrew said.

Denser housing complexes are also more energy-efficient, Gottbreht said, because they have fewer walls and have more energy-efficient technologies as new builds.

Building more densely will also cut down on housing-related emissions, Gottbreht said.

“This is good for climate, it’s good for equity, it’s good for affordability,” said McAndrew. “It’s also good for fiscal prudence, for making sure that we’re maximizing the return on our investments. It’s also good for the tax base.”

While Baltimore’s harbor remains swimmable, the waterway’s health continues to be impacted by sewage overflows, stormwater runoff, and trash pollution, according to the Waterfront Partnership’s annual Harbor Heartbeat report card released on Thursday.

For the first year, the report assigned recreational and ecological health grades for sites around the harbor.

The harbor earned an overall C grade for ecological health, which Waterfront Partnership vice president Adam Lindquist said is a signifier of both the diligent improvements to the harbor’s health in recent years as well as the hard work that still needs to be done.

“Baltimore Harbor is a recovering ecosystem, but it doesn’t have the resilience you would like it to have,” said Lindquist, who oversees the Waterfront Partnership’s Healthy Harbor Initiative. “So when we have an algae bloom or low dissolved oxygen event like we did this past September, wildlife can still become stressed to the breaking point. But as we continue to improve our water quality, we will improve the resilience so that these kind of events have smaller and smaller impacts on wildlife in the harbor.”

In September, Baltimore’s harbor experienced a fish kill due to pistachio tides, the result of sulfur bacteria being pushed to the surface and causing smelly green algal blooms; and mahogany tides, from nitrogen and phosphorus runoff causing brown algal blooms.

Ecological health grades were fairly consistent across water testing sites, with scores ranging from C- to C.

Grades for recreational health, which measured the percentage of water samples that tested below Maryland’s threshold for safe water contact for recreation purposes, varied more widely. Fort McHenry, the Mainstem Patapsco River, and Masonville Cove each earned an A+ for recreational health. Meanwhile, sites at Ferry Bar Park and the Patapsco River Mouth received F grades.

The Waterfront Partnership last year announced that Baltimore’s harbor was finally healthy enough for swimming, more than a decade after the partnership launched its Healthy Harbor Initiative with the goal of making the harbor fishable and swimmable. (There are some conditions to that swimmability: swimmers should wait at least 48 hours after rainfall due to stormwater runoff; the water should be deep enough that polluted sediments will not be stirred up from where they’ve settled on the harbor’s floor; and swimming should only take place during designated events with proper supervision to avoid injury from boat traffic and other dangers.)

In June 2024, Baltimore held the Harbor Splash, the city’s first public swim event in the harbor in more than 40 years. At that event, 150 people jumped into the Inner Harbor in timed slots with groups of 25 people to celebrate the swimmability milestone. (The Inner Harbor earned a B- grade for recreational health in this year’s report.)

The Harbor Splash “sold out” within 10 minutes of registration going live, and the event had a waitlist of more than 1,000 people, according to the Waterfront Partnership.

After the inaugural event garnered such enthusiasm, the Waterfront Partnership is not only bringing back Harbor Splash next year, but it is also planning other events, including a half-mile swim across the harbor and stand-up paddleboard races.

Days after this summer’s Harbor Splash, ultra-distance swimmer Katie Pumphrey completed a 24-mile swim from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to Baltimore’s Harbor in about 14 hours. Pumphrey plans to repeat that swim next year.

When floated the ideas of a Baltimore Triathlon or a winter plunge, Lindquist said the possibilities are certainly open.

“I would love that,” he said. “I think that that’s one of the things we’re hoping to see as we demonstrate that you can safely swim in the Baltimore Harbor. We would love to see an event like a triathlon come and incorporate Baltimore Harbor into its route.”

Still, Lindquist acknowledges there remains more work to be done to further improve both the ecological and recreational health of the harbor.

Baltimore’s googly-eyed garbage interceptor Mr. Trash Wheel was launched in 2014, and in that 10 years he has collected 5.2 million pounds of trash from the mouth of the Jones Falls stream at the Inner Harbor.

Among that heap, Mr. Trash Wheel has gathered nearly 2 million plastic bottles. The Waterfront Partnership is advocating that Maryland’s legislature pass a “bottle bill” to reduce litter and pollution from plastic bottles.

“If we pass the beverage container deposit law, we can actually prevent Mr. Trash Wheel from eating his 2 millionth plastic bottle,” Lindquist said.

Additionally, the Waterfront Partnership is calling for Maryland to enact the Extended Producer Responsibility Act, which would hold manufacturers responsible for their products’ impact on the environment.

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works has been working to repair and upgrade parts of the city’s aging sewer infrastructure. That has resulted in an 84% reduction in sewer overflows (more than 240 million gallons of sewage) into the Baltimore harbor over the last four years.

The report also acknowledged the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge earlier this year, in which six construction workers died.

The extent of the bridge collapse’s environmental impact is not yet known, but it stirred up polluted sediment that could harm wildlife in the Chesapeake Bay.

“The collapse sent a plume of sediment into surrounding waters where it impacted aquatic life, potentially including a nearby oyster sanctuary reef [near Fort Carroll],” the report’s authors write.

The Waterfront Partnership anticipates a survey of the reef’s health within the next 12 months.

The good news: polluted sediment ingested by oysters in that reef will not be consumed by people because it is a no-harvest reef. The bad news: the sediment may have smothered oysters in the reef, potentially setting back restoration efforts.

The Great Baltimore Oyster Partnership supplies 350,000 new oysters to the reef at Fort Carroll annually. To offset any potential damage from the bridge collapse, they plan to increase that amount to 400,000 in 2025.

Whether your ideal October weekend involves running or biking around Baltimore, or you want to learn some spooky history, this weekend has a little something for everyone.

Check it all out in our weekend events roundup:

.05K Race, Thursday, Oct. 17, 5:30 p.m. check-in, Union Craft Brewing. Yes, you read that right: a 0.05K race. That works out to just over 160 feet. Presented by 98 Rock, proceeds from this comically short race will benefit the Baltimore City Firefighters Local 734 Widows & Orphans Fund. Prizes will be awarded for best costumes and other categories. Sign up for the race here.

Disney on Ice, Thursday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Oct. 20, CFG Bank Arena. Watch some of your favorite Disney characters skate around the ice in this dazzling performance.

Alsop Conducts, Thursday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 20, Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Former BSO Music Director Marin Alsop will conduct the orchestra in a concert joined by Japanese pianist Hayato Sumino. The performance will include pieces by James Lee III, Frédéric Chopin, and Sergei Prokofiev.

Teacher Night Out, Friday, Oct. 18, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Maryland Science Center. Calling all educators: unwind after a week of teaching with a trip to the Maryland Science Center. There will be beverages from Boordy Vineyards and Pherm Brewing Company. This event is for teachers only, and admission is free with a valid teacher ID.

Japanese Ghosts and Goblins, Friday, Oct. 18, 6 p.m., Guilford Hall Brewery. In this edition of the Profs & Pints lecture series, learn about the spirits of Japanese folklore. Michele M. Mason, associate professor of Japanese cultural studies at the University of Maryland, College Park, will share tales of Japanese ghosts, goblins, shapeshifters, and tricksters.

Spirits & Stories, Friday, Oct. 18, 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., B&O Railroad Museum. Sip on spooky cocktails, go on a haunted history tour, get your face painted, decorate a pumpkin, and go on a train ride.

Hoodstock, Friday, Oct. 18, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Baltimore Museum of Industry. Enjoy rock and folk music from the late ’60s and early ’70s, mixed with contemporary music. This grass roots music festival doubles as a fundraiser for Unified Community Connections and their work to support people with disabilities. In addition to good music by local performers, there will be raffles, a silent auction, dinner, beer and wine.

Brett Goldstein, Friday, Oct. 18, doors open at 6 p.m., event starts at 7 p.m., Lyric Baltimore. British comedian Brett Goldstein is the co-executive producer, writer, and star of the acclaimed Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso.” Now, he’s coming to Baltimore for a stand-up show, “The Second Best Night of Your Life.”

Baltimore Running Festival, Saturday, Oct. 19, 8 a.m., Inner Harbor waterfront, Federal Hill, and Fells Point. Participate in the Baltimore Running Festival, with beautiful views of Baltimore’s waterfront.

OktoBEARfest, Saturday, Oct. 19, and Sunday, Oct. 20, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Sample more than 60 fall-flavored brews, enjoy live music, shop from food and artisan vendors, participating in trivia and a stein-hosting competition, watch an elephant pumpkin smash, and more. All proceeds will benefit animal care and conservation.

Guided Bike Tour, Saturday, Oct. 19, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., meet at Middle Branch Park. Rails to Trails Conservancy will lead a guided bike tour along the Gwynns Falls Trail from Middle Branch Park to Solo Gibbs Park.

Masquerade Ball, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., The Peale. Attend mystical workshops, shop from magical vendors, and enjoy enchanting entertainment at the Bazaar Esoterica Masquerade Ball.

York Road Festival, Saturday, Oct. 19, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., York Road Improvement District (around 5300 block of York Road). The inaugural York Road Music and Arts Festival will feature food and drinks; local craft vendors; and live performances from Easy Star All Stars, Freedom Enterprise, “Original Grease” (ft. members of Greasy Hands, Slow Lights, and Schu & The Souls) and Maura Tull.

The City of Baltimore will terminate its contract with the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, the organization in charge of putting on Artscape, the Baltimore Book Festival, and certain other city events.

In a letter to BOPA’s leadership Wednesday, the mayor’s office writes that “the persistent financial difficulties that have come to light in recent months have led us to conclude that this is the best course of action to ensure the long-term sustainability of our city’s arts and cultural programming. The financial instability has raised serious concerns about BOPA’s ability to continue fulfilling its obligations to the City and its arts community.”

Baltimore officials informed BOPA of the city’s intent to exercise the 90-day termination clause in their contract with the organization.

According to a news release from the mayor’s office, BOPA will execute the two remaining events outlined in the current contract — the city’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display and the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade — and will receive full payment for those services once the events are completed.

City officials said they hope to retain BOPA staff members within the city’s cultural sector.

The city also plans to make case-by-case arrangements for ongoing projects and events, including partnering with other local organizations or creating new entities that would manage programs and facilities.

City officials wrote that they want to ensure cultural assets such as School 33 Art Center, the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower, and The Cloisters continue to be operated and maintained. The city also plans to ensure local artists and arts organizations have continued access to grant programs and support services.

“We want to assure you, the BOPA board, staff, and the entire Baltimore arts community that our commitment to Baltimore’s arts and cultural sector remains steadfast,” the letter reads. “We further desire this transition to strengthen and stabilize the support and services provided to our City’s creatives and cultural institutions. We believe that by defining a new path forward, we can ensure greater financial stability, transparency, and accountability.”

Later, the letter continues, “We recognize that this change may cause concern among BOPA’s staff, partnering organizations, and the broader arts community. Please be assured that we are committed to maintaining open lines of communication throughout this process and will work diligently to address concerns and minimize any disruptions to Baltimore’s cultural programming.”

The news comes after a tumultuous relationship between the city and its events organizer.

The Baltimore City Council temporarily withheld $196,000 from BOPA’s fiscal year 2023 budget after not receiving satisfactory answers to their line of questions about the organization’s operations and fulfillment of contract obligations.

A week and a half before the 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Parade, BOPA announced that the parade would not be held that year and they opted to celebrate King’s legacy with a “day of service” instead.

After outcry from Baltimore residents and political leaders, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced that the city would have a parade in King’s honor after all.

In the midst of the parade kerfuffle, Scott expressed he had “lost confidence” in BOPA’s CEO at the time, Donna Drew Sawyer. Days later, Sawyer resigned.

By June 2023, BOPA had named an interim CEO, Todd Yuhanick. (BOPA board chair Brian Lyles had overseen the organization since mid-January, without pay.)

The city council again temporarily withheld money from BOPA’s budget as councilmembers expressed concerns about the organization’s spending.

Yuhanick steered the organization for the next nine months, during which BOPA held Artscape festival for the first time since 2019. Despite the festival’s controversial move from its traditional summertime period to early fall, and several activities being rained out by a tropical storm, many in Baltimore’s arts community applauded the event’s return nonetheless.

In addition to its traditional New Year’s Even fireworks display, Baltimore welcomed 2024 with a drone show for the first time.

During a press conference announcing 2024 dates of several city events, Scott indicated he had regained confidence in BOPA.

Come March 2024, Rachel D. Graham took the helm of BOPA. She led the city’s 40th Artscape festival, which was shifted back to the summer months after criticism around the previous year’s event dates.

Under Graham, BOPA paired fireworks with the city’s first-ever Fourth of July drone display. Last month, she oversaw the Baltimore Book Festival, which also had not been held since 2019 and which moved to Baltimore’s Waverly neighborhood this year.

But in September 2024, BOPA asked for $1.8 million from the city, which city officials withheld while calling for an “independent forensic audit” of the organization.

A leaked memo from 2023 revealed that the mayor’s office had considered a takeover of the arts organization.

BOPA leaders met Wednesday with plans to “realign” their relationship with the mayor’s office. During that meeting, the board approved “staffing efficiencies” — in other words, layoffs.

“Ending this contract will be an intricate process that will require cooperation between both BOPA leadership and staff and the City, which will be done through the transition team established at today’s board meeting,” Scott said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

He continued, “Most importantly, it is critical for Baltimore’s arts community to know that this step is being taken to aid support for their critical work in our city. We will work diligently to ensure that the events, property management, and, most importantly, direct support for artists and their work is not significantly interrupted. Supporting our artists is critically important, and Baltimore will always do what is right to ensure our artists get the support they need.”

Maryland plans to add three new oyster restoration sites in the Chesapeake Bay over the next few years.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has identified its next three oyster restoration sites: Herring Bay, near southern Anne Arundel County; the Nanticoke River, on the southern portion of the Eastern Shore; and Hoopers Strait, near Dorchester County.

“These three large-scale restoration sanctuaries represent a new chapter for oyster restoration in Maryland,” Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz said in a statement. “We’ve had tremendous success with our existing restoration sanctuaries, and we’re excited to build on that achievement and keep up the momentum for oyster recovery in the Chesapeake Bay.”

The department has completed restoration at four oyster sanctuary sites, and is on schedule to finish work in the Manokin River – the last of its “big five” sanctuary sites – in 2025.

The three new sites were identified based on recommended considerations by the Oyster Advisory Commission, including the ability to support a self-sustaining oyster population, economic efficiency, and different salinity zones to reduce risk of disease.

“Together, these three restoration sanctuaries will strengthen the diversity of Maryland’s sanctuary program,” DNR Fishing and Boating Services Director Lynn Fegley said in a statement. “With new projects on both the Western and the Eastern Shore, as well as the mid- and lower Bay, we’re helping to spread out disease risk and increase the oyster broodstock across all areas of the Chesapeake Bay.”

Oysters filter water and help support the region’s economy. But due to overharvesting, disease, and the deterioration of habitats and water quality, Eastern oyster populations continue to be significantly lower than their historic levels.

DNR hopes to restore the region’s oyster populations through these sanctuaries, which allow oysters to grow without the threat of harvesting, except on aquaculture lease sites.

To date, Maryland has more than 1,000 acres of restoration oyster reefs – bigger than 800 football fields. The state set a new annual record for oyster spat plantings last year, with more than 1.7 billion new juvenile oysters planted on Chesapeake Bay sanctuary and public oyster fishery sites in 2023.

DNR expects the Hoopers Strait site will be similar in size to the state’s three largest restoration sites–Harris Creek, Little Choptank, and Manokin River–which range from 348 to 455 acres.

The Herring Bay site could be larger, which could make it the state’s largest restoration site yet.

The site on the Nanticoke River is expected to be smaller, about 175 acres. Work on that sanctuary is slated to start in the spring and summer of 2025.

Restoration will begin on one of the other two sites in 2026, with work on the third site to come after that.

While acreage of these three restoration sites has not been finalized, estimates put their combined acreage near — or even more than — 1,000 acres, which would double the size of the state’s restoration oyster reefs.

“We met the goals of the 2014 Watershed Agreement for oyster restoration, and we anticipate additional ambitious goals for recovery after 2025,” said Jackie Specht, DNR’s Assistant Secretary of Aquatic Resources, in a statement. “With these three restoration projects, we’re getting started early on additional restoration and we’re maintaining our continuous effort to establish more productive oyster habitat in the Chesapeake Bay.”

After 14 years as president and CEO of the Chesapeake Conservancy, Joel Dunn will resign from his post at the end of this year to join the Campaign for Nature.

The board of directors for the Chesapeake Conservancy, an Annapolis-based environmental nonprofit, announced the departure of the organization’s leader on Thursday.

EJ Amyot, chief operating officer of the Chesapeake Conservancy, will serve as interim president and CEO. The organization will immediately launch a nationwide search for its next leader.

“I am grateful to have been a part of Chesapeake Conservancy’s many achievements,” Dunn said in a statement. “We started this organization with a team of two people focused on the development of a water trail, and from those humble roots we have grown into an organization of nearly 50 dedicated and exceptional people. We’ve changed how conservation is implemented, and we’ve empowered the success of multiple partners throughout the watershed in the race to conserve 30% of the Chesapeake by 2030.”

The Campaign for Nature, which Dunn will join, has a goal of protecting and conserving at least 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030.

Under Dunn’s leadership, the Chesapeake Conservancy helped develop the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail; establish the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park and National Monument; and return 465 acres of the Rappahannock Tribe’s ancestral homeland at Fones Cliffs in the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

Some of the nonprofit’s other achievements include expanding George Washington and Jefferson National Forest by more than 4664 acres; conserving more than 260 acres at Werowocomoco; creating Elktonia-Carr’s Beach Heritage Park; and designating Fort Monroe National Monument, among other accomplishments.

Stephanie Meeks, board chair for the Chesapeake Conservancy, praised Dunn for helping grow the nonprofit into what it is today.

“We are enormously grateful to Joel for his leadership and focus on teamwork, dedication and innovation in the field of conservation,” Meeks said in a statement. “Over the last 14 years, Chesapeake Conservancy helped create a national trail, two national monuments, a national park, a national marine sanctuary and significantly advanced a new national wildlife refuge and national recreation area for the Chesapeake.”

Meeks continued, “We’ve partnered to conserve thousands of acres of land, expand national wildlife refuges, create local parks, restore Chesapeake tributaries and empower the conservation movement with the latest groundbreaking data and technology. Our financial position is stronger than ever, and we are grateful to Joel for building a sustainable platform poised to make an even larger impact in the future.”

Amyot, the soon-to-be interim president and CEO, has more than 18 years of nonprofit operations experience. He most recently served as vice president of operations at The Y in Central Maryland.

There’s an autumnal chill in the air, but Baltimore is hot with events to attend this weekend.

From the return of the Baltimore Speakers Series, to concerts by the band Hanson, there’s plenty in store.

Check it all out in our weekend events roundup:

Grow Session, Thursday, Oct. 10, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Waverly Commons. Get free mulch, free trees, and resources and information about gardening, greening, recycling and growing.

Dining Out For Life, Thursday, Oct. 10, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Silver Queen Cafe. Help raise money for Moveable Feast, which serves people experiencing food insecurity and chronic illness.

Artists-in-Residence, Thursday, Oct. 10, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., virtual. Ainsley Burrows and Vonne Napper, the 2024 JJC Summer Artists-in-Residence at MICA, will discuss their work from the residency. The conversation will be livestreamed on the Baltimore Museum of Art’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

Dan Schøener, Thursday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Harbor East Cinemas. Mentalist and mindreader Dan Schøener will get inside your head during “Mind Over Magic.”

Liz Cheney, Thursday, Oct. 10, 8 p.m., Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) will kick off the 2024/2025 season of the Baltimore Speakers Series. Cheney chaired the House Republican Conference and served as Vice Chair of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. She has campaigned in support of Vice President Kamala Harris’s run for president.

Pokémon Sleepover, Friday, Oct. 11, 5:30 p.m. (overnight into Saturday, Oct. 12), Maryland Science Center. Do you want to be the very best like no one ever was? Are you on a mission to catch ’em all? Put your knowledge of Pokémon evolutions to the test; make a trading card; battle and trade Pokémon; and then sleep overnight at the Science Center alongside fellow Pokémasters. This event is for children age 5 and older. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Kidz Bop Live, Friday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m., Pier Six Pavilion. Listen to Kidz Bop versions of pop songs in this live show.

Hanson, Friday, Oct. 11, and Saturday, Oct. 12, Rams Head Live. Enjoy a two-night appearance by the band Hanson as part of their “Underneath: Experience Tour.” The first night will be an acoustic show featuring special guest Matthew Sweet. Then on night two, enjoy an electric show featuring special guest Phantom Planet.

Bop to the Top, Friday, Oct. 11, doors open at 8:30 p.m., show starts at 9 p.m., Baltimore Soundstage. Get the best of both worlds at this celebration of Hannah Montana and your favorite Disney Channel anthems. There will be a lip sync battle, dance off, costume contest, and more.

Marco Antonio Solís, Saturday, Oct. 12, doors open at 7 p.m., event begins at 8 p.m., CFG Bank Arena. Mexican musician Marco Antonio Solís will perform in Baltimore as part of his “Eternamente Agradecido World Tour.”

Barrio Fiesta, Sunday, Oct. 13, 10 a.m., Power Plant Live! Celebrate Filipino culture with vendors, live entertainment, and more.

Spooky Expo, Sunday, Oct. 13, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Ottobar. At the “Macabre Menagerie of Mysteries,” enjoy a mini-expo full of dark and spooky live performances, special effect make-up demonstrations, taxidermy classes, macabre vendors, and meet & greets and book signings with authors of dark books and comic books.

Indigenous People’s Day Performance, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., The Walters Art Museum. Flutist and storyteller Aio “Blue Heron” Sifu will perform in honor of Indigenous People’s Day.

Art with a Heart has come a long way since founder and executive director Randi Pupkin launched the nonprofit from her law office desk in 2000.

Pupkin had been working in construction litigation for 14 years when she decided she needed a change — a new way of helping people. So, she left her legal practice and founded Art with a Heart in order to provide art classes to communities around Baltimore.

What started as a small but passionate project out of the trunk of Pupkin’s car grew into a citywide operation. Art with a Heart hosts thousands of art classes per year, has installed about 300 public art pieces, and is a regular fixture in Baltimore City Public Schools and other community sites.

Last month, Art with a Heart announced it will be expanding with a satellite location on The Avenue in Hampden, which will house HeARTwares, the nonprofit’s social enterprise store, as well as HeARTworks, their workforce development program.

Next year, Pupkin will retire from the nonprofit she founded and will officially pass the reigns to her current deputy director, Megan Gatto, in June 2025.

Pupkin spoke with Baltimore Fishbowl about Art with a Heart nearing its 25th anniversary, preparing a new generation to take over the nonprofit, and the difference art can make (and has made) in the lives of Baltimore residents.

Baltimore Fishbowl: What was your inspiration for starting Art with a Heart nearly 25 years ago?

Randi Pupkin: My inspiration was my love of art and my love of people. I took art classes as a young child in Baltimore. I’m born and raised in Baltimore, and art was always like my recess or my sport. I never was an athlete, so going to art class was where I could be anywhere in my head – the beach, some foreign country – and kind of escape from life and I valued that. I became a lawyer because I love the idea of helping people and elevating humanity, and I thought I would be able to do that as a lawyer. I found that I was really fighting with other lawyers more than I was elevating humanity, so I decided to combine my love of art and my desire to help people and I founded Art with a Heart from the desk in my law office.

BFB: How did Art with a Heart’s work specifically with Baltimore City schools come about? Tell me how that works.

RP: We just got a request from a principal years ago because there was a void in his school for art programming and he asked if we could fill that void with our programming, which we were already doing in the community. We were already taking art classes to communities that did not have equitable access to art, whether that was in rec centers or PAL programs or shelters, group homes. Children, youth, seniors, anyone who didn’t have access. We were already providing that enrichment, and this principal heard about us and asked if we could fill the void in his school. That’s what we did and that grew from one school to eight schools to 15 schools, and now we’re in 17 schools with the desire that we would not have to be in any schools, but we’ll be in the schools until we don’t have to be in the schools.

BFB: You’re kind of hoping to work yourself out of a job with those schools, right? That one day your partnership will no longer be needed because they’ll have their own robust art programs.

RP: Yes. I mean, the idea is that there’s not a teacher shortage, but I think I read the other day that there’s 171 vacancies in Baltimore City. I don’t know how many of them are arts teachers, but for sure we work here if we’re needed.

BFB: How have you seen youth grow through Art with a Heart’s workforce development (HeARTworks) and leadership (Art of Leadership) programs?

RP: So the workforce development program started 20 years ago. It’s wonderful to see a young person walk into the program skeptical and then kind of figure out that we’re trustworthy and consistent, and that they’re here and they’re in this program and it’s almost like they resign themselves to showing up. Then you watch their minds open and they find joy in the process. Many have gone on to better themselves in school and in jobs. We have two employees right now that were in the program that work in Art with the Heart. And many other young people – well, they’re probably not so young anymore. It depends on how you consider ‘young.’ It’s relative – but many other that I’m still connected to through social media, they’re living their lives, they’re working, they’re married, they have kids. Some aren’t married, but most are working, and many would credit the path that they decided upon starting here at Art with a Heart.

The Art of Leadership is in its 10th year. We’re in our 10th cohort. That has been extraordinary in that the community that is created in that program — it’s a small cohort. It’s between like 18 and 25 students. — they stay connected. For 10 years, the first cohort has been connected. Two of the students in that cohort are now on our advisory board. One is a teacher, and one works for Governor Moore. And Moore [before becoming governor] was the speaker for our first cohort. He came and spoke to them, and all the students got his book, “The Other Wes Moore.” That was the only book he had written at the time. And so one works for him now. I just think that that program provides those students with the opportunity to stretch their boundaries, to meet community that they otherwise would not even know about, to talk about issues that they don’t usually have the opportunity to engage in conversation that they have here. It’s a really special program, and I’m very proud of the students that have allowed themselves to open up and be vulnerable with people they wouldn’t know but for that program.

BFB: Your work with the community is very hands-on. How did you manage to continue that work during COVID?

RP: That’s a great question. Everyone that works here has a lot of grit, and it was a really scary time. I think we all felt like we got punched in the stomach a little bit, like now what? But it really didn’t take us long. It took us a lot of Zoom calls, and as a team gathering on Zoom, and figuring out what’s next, how do we keep our students engaged in the creative, tactile art-making, not just talking on Zoom. I think we were all out in March [2020]. Probably by the end of April [2020], we were packing art kits and delivering them to schools, and the schools were handing them out when they were handing out laptops for students to be able to engage in school virtually. So we packed 12,000 art kits and delivered them to all of the schools that we programmed with. As an aside, we also have a large community art effort, and we engage thousands of volunteers every year, but we have a core group of volunteers that are between the ages of probably 60 and 90, and they come every week. It’s about 50 of them, and they have shifts, and they bring their lunch and it’s like a job to these 50 people. Prior to the pandemic, I used to think ‘Wow, they just do so much for us. They help us prepare for classes, they help with community art projects, and they just keep us rolling.’ And during the pandemic I realized – as they were the first people knocking on our door to get back in and they were the highest risk group – how much we also do for them, not just how much they do for us. And so we built a sculpture, a community art sculpture that’s now at the University of Maryland hospital, entirely during the pandemic. Coming in masked, working six feet apart, whatever we had to do, we created that big eight-foot sculpture during that time.

BFB: Tell me how Art with a Heart has been so successful and stuck around for so long. I know many nonprofits aren’t around after even five or 10 years. So 25 years is a lot!

RP: Well, thank you. I think it’s extraordinary. I think the first thing is that somebody told me right after I incorporated Art with a Heart and really went full throttle – because it was just me – somebody in the funding world said most nonprofits last five years. It was kind of like that’s all I needed to hear to make sure that we lasted more than five years. I was like, ‘Okay, here we go.’ I think the organization has lasted because of the commitment of the people who have worked here, who currently work here, who care deeply about the mission. Both our employees, our teachers and assistants in the community, they’re foot soldiers. They do hard work every day. Nothing happens in a silo here. The recognition is really about the community of people that commit to making it work every day. It’s a machine and we all help the machine run. It’s extraordinary. It really is. And I’m so grateful for the staff and the teachers and assistants and the team and the volunteers; it’s a full community effort. I know that it’s cliche to say it takes a village, but this organization, the village, is what makes it happen. I couldn’t do it on my own, that’s for sure. And nobody here could. But I think we dig in deep when we have to, and we know how to be nimble and we work hard.

BFB: Are there a couple Art with a Heart community art projects that you’re particularly proud of over the years?

RP: Of course. There’s the first large-scale mosaic that we ever did. Debbie Phelps [mother of Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps] was the principal at Windsor Mill Middle School, and a student had been hit by a car while riding his bicycle and he passed away. They were planting a memorial garden for him and she contacted us to do this large mosaic on the wall of the garden. When I said we dig in, we dug in. We were like ‘Let’s do this.’ And it just started a snowball effect of large-scale projects. It was probably 2009 or 2010. And that just started this snowball of other murals, other mosaics, and it’s just continued. We have close to 300 community art pieces of various sizes all throughout the Baltimore community. And that thought brings me incredible joy just to be able to beautify the community. It’s like we’re part of the fabric of Baltimore with paint and tile. So that one project really is special. We had an artist working with us named Jane Rubini who designed it, and then we took the panels to the school. The students that knew the deceased young man worked on it. His family worked on it. Everybody in the school worked on it. Then we installed it. It was a really special project. That led to another project that was like 18 feet by 10 feet. Huge. So that one was really special. And of course, the heart that was created during the pandemic. It’s hard to find a favorite.

BFB: Is the heart that sculpture at the University of Maryland hospital you were speaking about?

RP: Yes.

BFB: Has your leadership style changed over the years?

RP: For sure. I mean, I’ve been marinating for 62 years. I think as a leader and as just a person, you grow and change. I try to keep learning and listening. When I was in law school, I used to take walks with this woman who was 88 years old, and she used to talk to me about listening and how it kept her young, and I’ll never forget that. And so I really try and listen, and I know what I don’t know, and I know that there are people who know what I don’t know, so I really try and grow and learn from that. I think as you get older too, this is going to sound cliche, but you learn to – you don’t sweat the small stuff, but you learn to prioritize things. I also think there’s a divide between what it was like when I was growing up and how we worked, and younger people today and their expectation of a work environment. I try and pass that on to the younger leaders in the organization who kind of speak the same language, because I’m always full throttle. I’m always just charging and working and I love what I do, so it doesn’t feel bad to be doing it.

BFB: I understand that you are set to take a step back from your executive director position soon. What will that look like? I know it’s hard to completely walk away from an organization that you’ve been running for 25 years. Will you still be involved?

RP: So this is interesting. I am the founder, so everyone asks that question and I think it’s a great one. I think it would be daunting if I didn’t feel like the succession plan was good, and the person who was succeeding me, if I was worried about that person not being able to succeed. But I am really excited and really confident in handing this child over to the next person. I think she’s going to do a fantastic job. And I will be behind the scenes coaching her a little bit. Not formally as a coach, but consulting with her and helping her. I will not be sitting on the board. I am not going to have an office. But I look forward to helping her in any way I can and advising her. There’ll be lots of questions, I’m sure. I mean, there’s a lot to think about when you’re running a multi-million dollar nonprofit. There’s insurance and phone systems and HR matters, and she’s learning. It’s a co-leadership model right now. We share an office, so she’s basically shadowing everything. And although she’s not here today for the interview, she’s heard all this before. It’s actually really exciting. I know it’s time to go. The organization deserves a younger leader now.

BFB: Who will be taking over?

RP: Our deputy director, Megan Gatto.

BFB: So after that ‘coaching process,’ when she’s more used to being in the executive director role and you can take even more of a step back, what’s next for you?

RP: I’m going to take a little time to read a book, and then I want to get a job. I want to work somewhere else. I’m not tired. I mean, I’m a little tired, but I see that I have energy to do something else. I just don’t know what that is yet. I’m excited about what’s next. What it is, I’m not sure.

BFB: You mentioned you want to read a book. Do you have any particular books you’re looking forward to?

RP: My advisor from college worked for the State Department, and his wife worked for the State Department, and he published a book of her diary. It’s like 900 pages. They were like surrogate parents to me, so I want to read that book. It’s going to take a while.

BFB: Yeah, 900 pages! Wow!

RP: I know. Maybe I should start with Dr. Seuss to work my way up.

BFB: Art with a Heart will have its 25th anniversary next year. How will you and your team celebrate the occasion?

RP: We are having an event on March 29, 2025 at the M&T Bank Exchange. It’s in the evening. And so we’re going to have a party. I mean, we’ve got to have a party. We haven’t really had a party since 2015, any kind of fundraiser event. I’m calling it a party because really this is a celebration. It’s a celebration of the extraordinary work that the organization has done for 25 years. But also, passing the paintbrush, so to speak. We’re really looking forward to just bringing together, the Baltimore community in one space, to celebrate the organization and the people who have made it happen. We signed a lease to take a satellite location for the organization at where the Hampden Family Center UCLA Avenue is. We have a social enterprise retail store called HeARTwares, and we’ll be moving the store onto the Avenue, which is very exciting because it’s never really been in a location that allowed it to have foot traffic. We’re in Mill One and people do come here, but it will be very nice for just passersby to see the work that’s created by our students in our workforce program. We’re also going to move the workforce program to the Avenue, to that location. It has two classrooms. For students, transportation’s never been a barrier to them getting here; they just have to walk from the stop on the Avenue. So now it’ll just be less of a walk for them. And we’re excited about that too. That’s an exciting thing that’s happening, kind of to celebrate and honor and feel our growth in 2025.

We want to be really clear, because the whole universe is going to think we’re moving, but we’re not moving. When we moved into our space in Mill One, we had eight employees. Now we have 17. So it’s just a lot and that’s why we need supplement. We really ran out of space, which is unbelievable.

BFB: It’s a good problem to have!

RP: I know! I always tell my team that being busy is a great problem to have, because we could be laying people off. I hope that never happens.

BFB: What would you like to see for Art with a Heart in the next 25 years?

RP: Well, I feel like that’s not for me to answer because there’ll be a new leader who will have a vision of her own. I would just like to see it thrive. We have like five branches to the organization, and I would like to see them all continue to grow and, like I said, thrive and be part and parcel to our community.

Monday marks one year since the Hamas-led attack on Israel, in which Hamas killed more than 1,200 people. Over the past year, Israel has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians.

Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli students on Maryland college campuses plan to commemorate the anniversary with a week of protests, vigils, and other events.

University System of Maryland officials in September restricted campus demonstrations on Oct. 7 except for university-sponsored events.

The University of Maryland, College Park barred students from holding their own Oct. 7 demonstrations and University President Darryl Pines encouraged them to “mark the anniversary of Oct. 7 with remembrance and reflection” through university-sponsored events, reported the student-run news publication The Diamondback.

The university’s chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) were set to host a vigil for Palestinians who have been killed.

The SJP chapter sued the university, Pines, and the University System of Maryland Board of Regents for restricting students’ Oct. 7 events. The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Maryland, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University filed amicus briefs in support of the lawsuit.

U.S. District Court of Maryland Judge Peter Messitte last week ruled student groups at the university could hold demonstrations on Oct. 7. The decision does not apply to other institutions in the University System of Maryland.

Leading up to Oct. 7, Towson University reiterated its policy for protests and demonstrations.

Johns Hopkins University

The Hopkins Justice Collective plans to hold a silent study-in on Oct. 7 at 1 p.m. at Johns Hopkins University’s Mudd Hall.

The group plans to “publicly stand with Palestine in University spaces, wear keffiyehs and brandish political signage, and non-disruptively congregate in University study spaces,” Hopkins Justice Collective posted on Instagram.

At 2 p.m., the group plans to march to the Blue Jay Statue, followed by a vigil for Palestinian and Lebanese people.

University of Maryland, College Park

On Oct. 7, UMD Hillel will hold a “Hostages Square Memorial” from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; a reading of Oct. 7 victims’ names from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; a space for reflection and art from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and a vigil at 8 p.m.

The university’s SJP and JVP chapters will hold speeches, teach-ins, and art events throughout the day Oct. 7. A vigil will take place at 6 p.m.

Those groups will continue events throughout the week, including a screening of the film “Holy Redemption” on Oct. 8; a teach-in led by SJP and USAS Labor and Apartheid on Oct. 9; a screening of the film “5 Broken Cameras” on Oct. 10; and a bake sale for Gaza on Oct. 11.

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Starting at 12 p.m. Oct. 7, UMBC’s SJP chapter will gather at Erikson Field to recite the names of people killed in the violence. Then at 6:30 p.m., there will be a group prayer and Dua.

The chapter will continue events throughout the week, including a screening of the film “Where the Olive Trees Weep” on Oct. 8; a bake sale for Gaza on Oct. 9; and chalk writing for Palestine on Oct. 10.

UMBC Hillel will host a commemoration and de-stress event from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 7.

Towson University

Towson Hillel will hold a commemorative ceremony and mourner’s kaddish at 11 a.m. Oct. 7. Then, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., they will offer processing space, community service projects, recipes in honor of hostages, and other activities. They will also join an Oct. 7 community commemoration at Beth El Congregation in Pikesville from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

On Oct. 8 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., members of various Towson University student groups plan to hold a rally and vigil at Freedom Square in the center of campus.

Get into an autumnal mood and spooky spirit with an array of fun Baltimore events this weekend.

From a festival dedicated to Edgar Allan Poe, to a witchy concert, explore it all in our weekend events roundup:

Schooner Race, Thursday, Oct. 3, 12 p.m., Chesapeake Bay. Catch a glimpse of the ships competing in the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race.

Medieval Monsters, Thursday, Oct. 3, 6 p.m., Guilford Hall Brewery. What better way to start spooky season than with a talk about the monsters that scared people in the past — and that might just haunt the present. This installment of the “Profs & Pints” series will be led by Lilla Kopár, a Catholic University professor of medieval literature and culture who teaches courses on medieval monster lore and Norse mythology.

Seasons of the Witch, Thursday, Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m., George Peabody Library. Kicking off the 2024/25 In the Stacks Concert Series, enjoy musical performances about the history of witchcraft and the persecution of women who were called witches.

New/Next Film Festival, Thursday, Oct. 3, through Sunday, Oct. 6, The Charles Theater. Enjoy four days of features, shorts, and other films at the New/Next Film Festival.

Charm City Fringe Festival, Thursday, Oct. 3, through Sunday, Oct. 6, The Peale Museum. Charm City Fringe Festival continues this weekend with theatrical, musical, and other performances.

Billie Eilish, Friday, Oct. 4, doors open at 5:30 p.m., event begins at 7 p.m., CFG Bank Arena. Birds of a feather will be flocking to the Billie Eilish concert at CFG Bank Arena on Friday. She will be making a stop in Baltimore as part of her “Hit Me Hard and Soft” tour to celebrate her album of the same name.

Zoo Boo, Friday, Oct. 4, through Sunday, Oct. 6, Maryland Zoo. With fall upon us, it’s time for the return of Zoo Boo. The series of events will kick off this weekend and run through Oct. 27. Navigate a hay maze, enjoy hay rides, watch an elephant smash pumpkins, meet animal ambassadors, trick or treat through the zoo, and more.

Edgar Allan Poe Festival, Friday, Oct. 4, through Sunday, Oct. 6, Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum. Celebrate one of the fathers of horror writing during the International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards. This weekend also marks 75 years of honoring Poe’s legacy at the Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum.

Victorian-Era Walking Tour, Saturday, Oct. 5, 11 a.m., Seton Hill. Historian Emma Katherine Bilski will lead a walking tour of Baltimore’s Seton Hill neighborhood, where attendees will hear stories about Baltimore’s Black Catholic history, student pranks, asylums, and America’s oldest Gothic Revival masterpiece.

Peace and Wellness Festival, Saturday, Oct. 5, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Ruscombe Mansion Community grounds. Embrace peace and wellness with a drum circle, qi gong, healthy cooking demonstrations, a botanical beverage bar, and more.

Plants and Prints, Saturday, Oct. 5, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., BMA Lexington Market. Vonne Napper will lead this workshop about exploring plant life through relief printmaking. Participants will be able to make their own stamp and use it to create nature-inspired prints.

Sabrina Carpenter, Saturday, Oct. 5, doors open at 6 p.m., event begins at 7 p.m., CFG Bank Arena. If you have good judgement and good taste, you might find yourself at the Sabrina Carpenter concert this weekend. Known for her hits like “Please Please Please,” “Espresso” and “Taste,” Carpenter will perform in Baltimore on Saturday.

Brad Williams, Saturday, Oct. 5, 7 p.m., Lyric Baltimore. With multiple comedy specials and frequent guest appearances in TV and film, comedian Brad Williams will next take the stage in Baltimore this Saturday.

Fell’s Point Fun Festival, Saturday, Oct. 5, and Sunday, Oct. 6, Fells Point. Enjoy food, drinks, shopping, live music, and fun for the whole family at the Fells Point Fun Festival.

Blockbuster Broadway, Saturday, Oct. 5, and Sunday, Oct. 6, Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. New York’s top vocalists will perform a selection of songs from “Wicked,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Annie,” “Jersey Boys,” “The Sound of Music,” “Chicago,” “CATS,” “The Lion King,” and “A Chorus Line.”

Boat enthusiasts certainly have the wind in their sails this week, as the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race returns to Baltimore for its 35th year.

In addition to the race itself, there will be a collection of other events throughout the week.

The maritime merriment begins Tuesday with open docks from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Community members can see vessels docked at Anchorage Marina.

The festivities will continue Wednesday, with an expeditionary learning experience from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Local students will have the chance to board vessels to learn about the past and present of working on ships.

Docks will remain open at Anchorage Marina from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, with schooners viewable dockside.

Rounding out the day will be the Parade of Sail on Wednesday afternoon. The schooners competing in Thursday’s race will cast off at 4 p.m. Wednesday and begin their parade at 5 p.m. Members of the public can view the schooners from the waterfronts of Canton, Fells Point, Harbor East, and the Inner Harbor.

On Thursday, watch vessels compete in the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race. Schooners will kick off the race at 12 p.m., at the starting line just south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Annapolis. The Nellie Crockett, a historic Chesapeake Bay buy boat, will mark one end of the starting line.

Community members in spectator vessels should maintain a safe distance from both the parade Wednesday and race Thursday to allow participating vessels enough room to move.

Baltimore police officers reported feeling better equipped to handle stressful situations after undergoing brain science training facilitated by the nonprofit Roca, according to an 18-month evaluation of the program.

The Roca Impact Institute, the nonprofit’s coaching arm, developed the Rewire4 training program and implemented it with several police departments and correctional agencies, including the Baltimore Police Department.

Law enforcement professionals of all levels, ranging from cadets to commanders to civilian staff members, underwent the training, which uses cognitive behavioral theory (CBT) to teach how trauma can affect behavior – both of officers themselves and the community members with whom they interact. Participants also learn skills and techniques to regulate their emotions.

Program leaders, evaluators, and representatives of some of the participating law enforcement agencies shared their findings and experiences during a webinar Thursday.

“We’re trying to help police officers and corrections officers stay in control, have emotional regulation, and increase those positive interactions with our community,” said Dave Batchelor, director of Rewire4 and a retired police captain from Chelsea Police Department in Chelsea, Massachusetts.

By understanding trauma, officers can learn to not take certain behavior personally, Batchelor said.

“I think sometimes police officers, corrections, often they take something personal. They get emotional. And when you get emotional, sometimes you make poor decisions. So that trauma section is just to really teach police officers, corrections officers, that you really never know what someone’s going through in life.”

The entire Baltimore Police Department was trained during one-day sessions from December 2023 to January 2024. Starting in February 2024, the department offered an online refresher course and also began training the first new recruit class.

“Our department was in a really bad area a few years ago, and we had to reform the police department,” said Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley, who pointed to the federal consent decree that the department has been under since 2017.

According to Worley, police-involved shootings and use-of-force incidents in Baltimore have decreased since officers have undergone the Rewire4 training.

Worley added that the training has improved his officers’ interactions with youth.

“We have a very big problem with juveniles, and this helps our officers deal with this on a daily basis,” he said. “So it’s a skill set that they’re putting to use. It’s going to make them a better officer, which means we’re going to have more success.”

John Skinner, a Towson University lecturer and former Baltimore deputy police commissioner, led an evaluation of the Rewire4 training program for officers who participated from January 2023 through June 2024.

During that 18-month period, instructors trained 5,630 law enforcement officers – including 4,792 police officers and 838 correctional officers – across 21 agencies. Of those, 1,882 were from the Baltimore Police Department.

Before training, about 81% of officers reported feeling stressed about their job very often, often, or sometimes. To that same degree, nearly 59% said they had difficulty controlling their emotions; approximately 23% said they had used force; and 20% said they had lost their temper.

Three months after participating in the training, those numbers dropped (73% reported being stressed about their jobs, nearly 48% having difficulty controlling their emotions, 11% losing their temper, and 7% using force). At the six-month mark, those numbers ticked up a bit for all categories except for “difficulty controlling emotions” (which continued to dip down), but they remained below the pre-survey levels.

“I just want to say that this class was very useful,” said one Baltimore police officer in a comment shared during the Thursday webinar. “As someone who has also noticed I was not always okay, hearing another colleague, especially a Major, say the same was … comforting. Knowing I’m not alone.”

In another comment, a Baltimore police lieutenant wrote, “Having the course just gives you a reminder that there are ways to deal with situations differently. Other officers need to work on non emotionally driven behavior. As a supervisor, the training helps [them] recognize what other officers are dealing with or where their mind might be.”

Batchelor said the emotional regulation that Rewire4 teaches is a necessary precursor to deescalation.

“It’s difficult to deescalate a situation if you can’t control yourself …. Whether it’s policing or corrections, we have to have control because we’re all held to a higher standard because of that power and authority no one else has,” he said.

It’s a disservice to law enforcement officials to not give them the resources they need to manage their stress, said Maureen McGough, co-founder of the 30×30 Initiative which works to increase the representation of women in policing.

“My dad was a law enforcement officer for 30 years in St. Petersburg, Florida, and I can tell you he has been retired for 20 years now and he still screams in his sleep,” she said.

McGough is also the executive director of the Excellence in Policing and Public Safety Program at the University of South Carolina. She said her center, and the agencies it works with, have struggled to identify training programs that are “empirically shown to make a difference in behavioral outcomes.”

“There’s a really sort of clogged field of options for officers out there, and it’s really hard for departments to be able to discern what is worth their time, what is worth their money,” she said.

But Rewire4 has proven effective, McGough said.

“We’re really trying to make it our mission to do what we can to raise funds through grants, to leverage our network across the street, across the state, and across the country to get Rewire4 in front of as many officers as quickly as we possibly can while also holding some fidelity to the model,” she said.

The Enoch Pratt Free Library on Monday named a new president and CEO.

Chad Helton, a former library consultant and director of the Hennepin County Library in Minnesota, will take the helm of Baltimore’s library system.

Helton, who brings more than 15 years of experience in public and academic libraries, was selected after a nationwide search to replace the Pratt’s former head, Heidi Daniels.

Daniels stepped down from that role in February to lead the King County Public Library in Washington state. Darcell Graham, the Pratt’s vice president of public services, served as the interim CEO during the search for a permanent CEO.

Christine Espenshade, chair of the Pratt Library’s Board of Directors, called Helton “the right leader for the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s next chapter.”

“His deep industry experience and creative approach to addressing infrastructure needs will be invaluable as we work toward a bold future for the Pratt Library,” Espenshade said in a statement. “We are confident that his leadership, coupled with a commitment to community, will ensure that the Pratt Library continues to thrive as a cornerstone of Baltimore. Chad’s expertise will help us build on the momentum we’ve already gained, including record-high library cardholders and circulation, as well as securing funding for ongoing infrastructure improvements.”

Espenshade also thanked Graham for her “exceptional leadership” as interim CEO.

In a video message, Helton described dropping out of his undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill after struggling with “the pressures of me being one of the rare Black kids from my community to go to college.”

During the subsequent 10 years, he experienced homelessness and chronic underemployment. But a conversation with his grandmother changed that trajectory.

“She grew up in Jim Crow, and my parents grew up in segregation,” he said. “Think about the people who came before you, that did not have the opportunities. Every day is a new day to change someone’s life — including your own.”

A friend helped Helton get a job delivering books on a golf cart for the local library.

“I started to see the importance of the library, and what the library means, and what the library has to offer,” he said. “The library is whatever you want it to be and whatever you need it to be.”

Helton has worked for more than 15 years in the library field, including most recently as a library consultant.

He previously served as the director of Hennepin County Library in Minnesota, where he oversaw 41 branches, an annual $65 million budget, and the library system’s navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Helton has also worked as the Director of Branch Library Services at the Los Angeles Public Library, where he managed more than 70 branches and the department’s more than $114 million budget; Deputy County Librarian in the Contra Costa County Library; and Library Services Manager in the City of Palo Alto Library.

He also brings academic library experience, after holding positions at Stanford University, University of California-Davis, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“I do not take this responsibility lightly,” Helton said in a statement. “I understand the significance of leading one of the nation’s first free public library systems, and I am deeply honored to take on this role.”

Helton added that he plans to continue the Pratt’s work of empowering communities and effecting change.

“Libraries are not just places for books—they are vital community resources that promote the greater good,” he said. “I look forward to expanding the Pratt Library’s services, modernizing our infrastructure, and ensuring that everyone in Baltimore has access to the information and opportunities they need to succeed.”

In his video, Helton highlighted some of the Pratt’s current programs and partnerships, such as Peer Navigators, who help community members on the journey of recovery from substance abuse disorder; Maryland Legal Aid, whose attorneys meet with library patrons to provide legal consultations; and the new Pratt Free Market, a resource for food insecure residents.

Helton earned a Master of Science degree in Library and Information Studies from Florida State University, a Master of Public Administration from the University of San Francisco, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in African-American Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education from Vanderbilt University.

He has been an active member of the American Library Association; the Public Library Association; the Urban Libraries Council; and Pi Alpha Alpha, the Global Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration.