All weekend at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, there is a celebration. Friday there is a concert by the Baltimore Brass,  Saturday they will play at 1 & 3 pm. Friday only there will be veterans there to sign autographs and share their stories about the war(s) they were in. These are FEE FREE days, according to the website. What a great opportunity to honor our veterans!

On Friday evening, November 11, at 8pm, the Creative Alliance in Baltimore has a special event put on by the Veteran Artist Program, which empowers veterans and their art into the community by collaborating with professional artists. Read more about the event here.

Papa John’s is donating $1 to the USO for every online order from 11am EST to 11pm PST.

My son’s school is inviting fathers to come & work side-by-side with their sons, putting together care packages with Halloween candy and more to send to our troops to thank them.

The best thing we can all do is find a veteran or active personnel and say THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, VETERANS!

This year’s parade theme is taking it into the Garden, so expect to see many garden-themed paper lanterns built throughout the past few weeks by children, neighbors, and artists alike in workshops promoting the event.

On Saturday, beginning at 3 pm, there will be another lantern-making workshop, hayrides, live music by the Love Peace Project, Old Man Brown, and Balti Mare, along with food and drinks to enjoy.

7 pm is the line up, and the parade begins at 7:30 pm.

2009 Lantern Parade Lineup photo courtesy of Erica/elh70

Last year, inclement weather made the 2009 Lantern Parade move to Sunday. Rain date this year is on Halloween!

Thanks to the Creative Alliance and Southeast Community Development Corporation for putting this neat event on each year. For more details on the festival parade, please visit their website.

Come to Downtown Baltimore to experience this unique, hands-on event. Make a lantern and you too can be in the parade!

Photo courtesy of elh70/Erica via Flickr CC

Live music, Magic Hat Beer Garden, activities, and festivities galore beginning at 3 pm with the parade line up at 7:00!

For more information, visit the Southeast Community Development Corporation’s website .

One of these events is the Creative Alliance’s Great Halloween Lantern Parade! This year the Alliance has added the Lantern Festival from 3-7 pm in Patterson Park at Eastern & Linwood Avenues.

This fun festival will have spooky stories, hay rides, lantern making, hot cider, live music and more!

At 7 pm the night’s centerpiece will begin. Everyone will line up with their lanterns, and at 7:30 the parade & magic lantern show begins!

Don’t miss this time sure to be enjoyed by those of all ages!

Also, don’t forget the rest of FREE FALL Baltimore with the Walters & Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) offering free admission, and Sunday the 25th’s 2-4 pm “Ghosts of the BMA” Family Tour, plus so much more!

What a great way for Baltimore to show how we can be a great place to live and play!