Spring Break
Halloween comes a week early with the Great Lantern Festival and Parade
Issue date: 10/29/09
When you think of Baltimore, "whimsical" isn't the first word that comes to mind. For Halloween, though, even Charm City can become quite festive. A week before the costumed masses were to descend upon Fells Point, Patterson Park played host to the 10th Annual Great Halloween Lantern Festival and Parade.
The Festival was a collaborative effort between Baltimore-based groups. One such organization is the Creative Alliance, a local group that serves to support Baltimore artists, spread awareness and support about the arts in general and organize artistic events. The Creative Alliance opened the Patterson, an arts center in which most of their events are held, in 2003.
Although the date of the Festival was pushed from Saturday to Sunday due to rain, the size and quality of the festival was not diminished in any way. Before nightfall, Patterson Park was bustling with activities, with rows of booths selling a variety of treats, goodies and services.
The Festival featured the usual culinary fare, and because Bluebird Coffee and Magic Hat sponsored the event, a thirsty Festival-goer never had to look very far for an eye-opener, or any alternative beverages.
Local businesses, too, took advantage of the large gathering of Baltimoreans. Blue Star Realty, the Loading Dock and Baltimore's Finest Row Homes all had booths in Patterson Park.
Hayrides and lantern-making workshops created an atmosphere of excitement and constant movement. Similarly, crowds of locals - many consisting of children accompanied by parents - generated an air of anticipation leading up to the parade.
Then, at last, it was 7:30 p.m. As the crowd murmured and yelled - depending on how drunk the respective members were - a low drumming could be heard in the distance. The percussion grew louder and louder until an enormous form emerged from the crowd - members of the Rhythm Workers Union, strung together by an 8-foot-tall apparatus that held their drums as they played.
The Festival was a collaborative effort between Baltimore-based groups. One such organization is the Creative Alliance, a local group that serves to support Baltimore artists, spread awareness and support about the arts in general and organize artistic events. The Creative Alliance opened the Patterson, an arts center in which most of their events are held, in 2003.
Although the date of the Festival was pushed from Saturday to Sunday due to rain, the size and quality of the festival was not diminished in any way. Before nightfall, Patterson Park was bustling with activities, with rows of booths selling a variety of treats, goodies and services.
The Festival featured the usual culinary fare, and because Bluebird Coffee and Magic Hat sponsored the event, a thirsty Festival-goer never had to look very far for an eye-opener, or any alternative beverages.
Local businesses, too, took advantage of the large gathering of Baltimoreans. Blue Star Realty, the Loading Dock and Baltimore's Finest Row Homes all had booths in Patterson Park.
Hayrides and lantern-making workshops created an atmosphere of excitement and constant movement. Similarly, crowds of locals - many consisting of children accompanied by parents - generated an air of anticipation leading up to the parade.
Then, at last, it was 7:30 p.m. As the crowd murmured and yelled - depending on how drunk the respective members were - a low drumming could be heard in the distance. The percussion grew louder and louder until an enormous form emerged from the crowd - members of the Rhythm Workers Union, strung together by an 8-foot-tall apparatus that held their drums as they played.
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