30+ Things to Do in January

Family Friendly

New Year’s Day Celebration
Jan. 1 | 10 a.m. | Port Discovery Children’s Museum
Celebrate the beginning of 2018 with a day of play featuring an interactive story time, music and movement during Jingle Jangle Music Time, interactive art projects, and science exploration!
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Zoo Snooze Family Overnight
Jan. 20 | begins at 6 p.m. | Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Join other animal-loving families for an educational sleepover inside the Penguin Coast exhibit.
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Frankenstein200: Celebrating 200 Years of Frankenstein
Jan. 27 | 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. | Port Discovery Children’s Museum
Celebrate the 200th anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein with fun science activities. Learn about innovation and science through interactive, Frankenstein-themed projects; do the Monster Mash; and enjoy other drop-in activities.
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Super Sunday
Sundays | noon-5 p.m. | Port Discovery Children’s Museum
Make it a true Sunday FUN-day when you spend the whole day learning through play! Explore movement and music together, play in a percussion garden, join in on interactive story times, and create art and science that you can take home.
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Lexington Market Catacombs
Jan. 13 | Lexington Market
Explore Baltimore’s Lexington Market and its catacombs on this tour by Baltimore Heritage. Visit Faidley’s, Berger’s, Konstant’s Candy, and other vendors that have been in their stalls for a century or more before exploring the catacombs under the marketplace. Rediscovered in 1951 during the construction of a parking garage, the origins of these tunnels and vaults are mysterious.
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Celebrating Dr. King

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
Jan. 11 | 5-8 p.m. | Walters Art Museum
Celebrate the life and continuing legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with an oratory performance by Baltimore Urban Debate League, a choral concert by Joyful Noise Gospel Singers, and civic engagement with Synergy Baltimore. Attendees can also participate in art-making activities and stop by the free photo booth.
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I Have A Dream Weekend: Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.
Jan. 13-15 | All Day | Port Discovery Children’s Museum
Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy through fun, educational activities. Experience African-American history and heritage through interactive programs and performances designed to educate, inspire, and help children understand the impact Martin Luther King Jr. made on America and the world.
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MLK Day of Service
Jan. 14 | 11 a.m. | Creative Alliance at the Patterson
Join the Creative Alliance and help create relief kits with Heart to Heart, an organization that distributes much-needed supplies to refugee communities around the world. Lite fare provided and a musical performance will follow the service event.
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18th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade
Jan. 15 | noon-2 p.m. | Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Eutaw Street to Baltimore Street
This parade commemorates the life of civil rights leader and icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and brings together more than 70 groups, including high school and community bands, honor/color guards, equestrian units, fraternities & sororities, lively dance squads, and civic organizations.
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MLK Day Celebration 2018
Jan. 15 | noon | Reginald F. Lewis Museum
Honor civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy through live performances, community discussions, films, and crafts. This celebration will include the musical concert, “Man of Peace: The 50th Anniversary of the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.,” featuring choral presentations and spoken texts from Martin Luther King, Jr. set to chamber music written by music composer Benny Russell and performed by Peabody's Tuned In Orchestra.
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Special Day for Train Rides at the B&O
Jan. 15 | noon | B&O Railroad Museum
In observance of Martin Luther King Day, the B&O offers a round trip ride along the first commercial mile of railroad track laid in America, recognized as the birthplace of American railroading.
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Special Events and Festivals

Baltimore Restaurant Week
Jan. 12-21
During Baltimore Restaurant Week, you’ll find two-course brunch and lunch menus ranging from $12-20 and three-course dinner menus ranging from $20-$35 at restaurants throughout the city. Try somewhere new, go out to lunch, or have a date night (or two)!
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Harbor Point Ice Festival
Jan. 19-20 | Harbor Point’s Central Plaza
Ice carvers will use chisels and chainsaws to bring ice sculptures to life for this inaugural festival. On Jan. 19 from 6-7 p.m. the professional carvers will be finishing up their masterpieces, which will be on display from 7-9 p.m. and all day Saturday, Jan. 20.
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Honoring Poe's 209th Birthday
Jan. 19 | 6 p.m. | Westminster Hall and Burying Ground
Join Poe Baltimore and Edgar Allan Poe: Evermore for a free apple cider toast to Edgar on his 209th Birthday in the historic Westminster Graveyard, where the author is buried.
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U.S. Lacrosse Convention Baltimore (LaxCon)
Jan. 19-21 | 7 a.m.-7 p.m. | Baltimore Convention Center
More than 7,000 attendees are expected to come to this convention for educational clinics, networking opportunities, and more.
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Gingerbread Lane
Through Jan. 7 | Maryland Science Center
Take a stroll around a Baltimore-themed gingerbread village hand crafted by chef Jon Lovitch. The art installation will be considered for a world record for largest installation of its kind! Free with paid admission to the Maryland Science Center.
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PANDORA® Ice Rink
Through Jan. 15 | Harborplace Amphitheater, Inner Harbor
Break the ice at the PANDORA Ice Rink at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, complete with a skate shack, rentals, concessions and entertainment, as well as special events like SkateFest, a learn-to-skate program and more. Visit with Santa every Saturday and Sunday in December until December 23rd!
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Concerts and Shows

John Oliver
Jan. 1 | 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. | Hippodrome Theatre
Emmy and Writer’s Guild award-winning writer, comedian, and host of the HBO show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver performs stand up.
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BSO Pulse: Tank and the Bangas
Jan. 4 | 8:30 p.m. | Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
BSO Pulse brings together the worlds of classical and indie music onto one stage. The concert begins with a Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performance, followed with a set by Tank and the Bangas, and culminates with both groups performing on stage together.
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Mozart's Jupiter
Jan. 5-7 | various times | Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Mozart's beloved and revolutionary "Jupiter" Symphony spans the breadth of human emotion, showcasing compositional skill that remains unrivaled. Mozart’s only score for harp, his Double Concerto, performed by Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Principal Flute Emily Skala and Acting Principal Harp Sarah Fuller, is divine and melodic.
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Off the Cuff: Impressionist Masterworks
Jan. 12-13 | various times | Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Discover the many influences of impressionism in this concert presented in partnership with the Baltimore Museum of Art. Music Director Marin Alsop and the BMA’s Senior Curator of European Painting and Sculpture Katy Rothkopf explore the world of brush strokes, colors and orchestration as masterworks by Debussy and Ravel are performed along with projections of timeless art by Cézanne, Monet and Degas.
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A Night of Entertainment featuring The Passing Zone
Jan. 20 | 9:45 p.m. | Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Jon Wee and Owen Morse make up the comedic duo of the Passing Zone, who finished in the top 10 on America’s Got Talent. Their breathtaking death-defying stunts will leave you on the edge of your seat.
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Sunday Serenade: Stephanie Blythe
Jan. 21 | 3 p.m. | Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric
Renowned opera singer and recitalist Stephanie Blythe was named Musical America’s Vocalist of the Year in 2009, received an Opera News Award in 2007, and won the Tucker Award in 1999.
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Diva to Diva: From Ella to Adele
Jan. 25-28 | various times | Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Multi-Platinum selling Broadway star Ann Hampton Callaway fuses a unique blend of jazz and pop that keeps her in demand around the world. From Carly Simon to Carole King, Etta James to Ella Fitzgerald, join Ann and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for a night to remember.
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Shen Yun – Experience a Divine Culture
Jan. 26-28 | various times | Hippodrome Theatre
Experience five millennia of traditional Chinese culture during this epic production that immerses you in stories from the past. Shen Yun features one of the world’s oldest art forms— classical Chinese dance —along with patented scenographic effects and all-original orchestral works, Shen Yun opens a portal to a civilization of enchanting beauty and enlightening wisdom.
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Dancing with the Stars Live! – Light Up the Night
Jan. 28 | 8 p.m. | Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric
This all-new production showcases ballroom and contemporary dances from ABC’s hit show Dancing with the Stars, including sizzling group numbers, steamy duets, and over-the-top original pieces.
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Waitress
Jan. 30-Feb. 4 | 8 p.m. | Hippodrome Theatre
Brought to life by a groundbreaking all-female creative team, this irresistible new hit features original music and lyrics by 5-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles, a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson, and direction by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus.
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Fitness, Yoga, and Mindfullness

Healthy First Saturday
Jan. 6 | beginning at 10 a.m. | Port Discovery Children’s Museum
Walk, skip, run or slide to Healthy First Saturday and find ways to get active as a family! Take part in enjoy programs that encourage children to get active, make healthy choices, and understand how our bodies work.
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Yoga in the Park
Jan. 6 | 9 a.m. | Lake Roland
Stop by the Nature Center at Lake Roland for an all-levels gentle yoga class with a view of the Lake Roland dam. Yoga mats are available to loan on a first-come, first-served basis – so bring your own if you have one.
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Yoga at the Zoo
Jan. 14 | 8-10 a.m.| Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
From downward dog to cobra, animals have been a core element of yoga poses for centuries. This hour-long Vinyasa-style yoga class takes place right next to the Penguin Coast exhibit (weather depending). Tickets include same-day admission to the zoo.
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At the Museums

Crossing Borders: Mexican Modernist Prints
Through March 11 | Baltimore Museum of Art
For the first time, the Baltimore Museum of Art is highlighting its holdings of works by modern Mexican artists. Approximately 30 prints, drawings, and photographs will be on view.
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Fabergé and the Russian Crafts Tradition
Through May 27 | Walters Art Museum
Between 1885 and 1917, Peter Carl Fabergé’s workshop created exquisite jeweled and enameled Easter eggs for the Russian tsars. The exhibition includes over 70 stunning objects that highlight the extraordinary artistry of Russian jewelers and enamel-workers.
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Tomás Saraceno: Entangled Orbits
Through July 8 | Baltimore Museum of Art
Internationally acclaimed artist and trained architect Tomás Saraceno uses iridescent panels, spider webs, and inflatable orbs in three fascinating sculptures on view. The centerpiece of the exhibition, Entangled Orbits, transforms the East Lobby with clusters of iridescent-paneled modules held in place by strings reminiscent of a spider web.
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Beyond Flight: Birds in African Art
Through June 10 | Baltimore Museum of Art
This exhibition presents approximately 20 works that illustrate the honored place birds hold within numerous African cultures. Included are works that cite birds by material or motif made in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria.
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Free Family Sundays at the Baltimore Museum of Art
Sundays | 2-5 p.m. | Baltimore Museum of Art
Explore your creative side with hands-on art workshops in response to works on view at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
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Free Drop-in Classes
Saturdays and Sundays | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Walters Art Museum
Drop in, explore cool materials, and create a work of art to take home every Saturday and Sunday. Each weekend features a new project. No registration required.
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