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The Best Things to See and Do With Kids in Baltimore This May

Baltimore Things to Do
Saturday Morning Tunes Photo Courtesy of WTMD Saturday Morning Tunes Photo Courtesy of WTMD

April showers really do bring May flowers, and with all these beautiful blooms also come a bunch of fun events in Baltimore! May is the perfect time to get outside and explore all the fun attractions, festivals and events Baltimore has to offer.

This month also brings some major holidays like Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day and Memorial Day. With the warmer weather and so many exciting events, this last month before school is out will fly by. Get ready to celebrate at events like Brew at the Zoo, the 21st Annual Kinetic Race, a Strawberry Festival at Roland Park and so much more! 

School will be out before you know it, so get outside and enjoy some fun with the family before summer vacation rolls around.

First Thursday Festival at Canton Waterfront Park
First Thursday Festival Photo Courtesy of WTMD

First Thursday Festival at Canton Waterfront Park- FREE
Take the family out for a fun evening at the Canton Waterfront Park for a free concert. Sponsored by the radio station WTMD, First Thursday Festival season kicks off on May 2nd (rain or shine) with free music on the waterfront. The fun begins at 5:30 p.m. with plenty of different food and drink vendors onsite at this family-friendly event.

B&O Railroad Museum Thomas the Train
Photo Courtesy of B&O Railroad Museum

Day Out With Thomas at B&O Railroad Museum
Spend a day with Thomas the Tank Engine at the B&O Railroad Museum with a 25-minute train ride, photo opportunities, live entertainment, activities, and programs. This event also includes carnival games, moon bounce, crafts, and rides on the carousel. Enjoy the day with Thomas the Tank Engine at this family fun event the weekend of May 3rd - 5th.

21st Annual Kinetic Sculpture Race
Photo Courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum

21st Annual Kinetic Sculpture Race, American Visionary Art Museum - FREE
Come watch the imaginative constructed works of art race through Baltimore for the 21st Annual Kinetic Sculpture Race featuring machines engineered in all shapes and sizes. May 4th is race day, and for a schedule of events and locations, click HERE. This will be an unforgettable event with unique awards and fun for the whole family!

PJ Masks live at the University of Maryland Baltimore County

PJ Masks Live: Save the Day! at the University of Maryland Baltimore County
Performing on stage in Baltimore this month is the heroic trio, PJ Masks Live: Save the Day! Get ready to hear your favorite songs as well as brand new songs at this live event. Watch as PJ Masks leap, flip and climb their way to save the day from sneaky villains. Catch the show on May 4th at 3 p.m. Save up to 52% off admission to PJ Masks Live with this CertifiKID offer.

Cinco de Mayo
La Milla de Mayo Event

Attend a Cinco de Mayo Family-Friendly Celebration
Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday that celebrates the country's victory over France in 1862 in the Franco-Mexican War. In the U.S., Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage. Grab the family and head out to experience the rich colors, traditions, food, and music at an area celebration. Check out our article on Family-Friendly Cinco de Mayo Celebrations in the Washington, D.C. Area for suggestions.

Nature's Calling at Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center
Photo Courtesy Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center

Nature's Calling at Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center, Parkton, MD
Join in on this outdoor family fun day, Nature's Calling, on May 5th from noon to 4 p.m. The event is located just 25-minutes north of Baltimore City and includes lots of fun activities including live music, local vendors, climbing tower, pony rides, tie-dying, petting zoo, fishing and more. 

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: King for a Day! at The Modell Lyric

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: King for a Day! at The Modell Lyric
Your favorite neighborhood tiger is coming to The Modell Lyric on May 11th at 2 p.m. Take the family to experience the popular PBS Kids television series, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood live on stage. There will be fun for the whole family with teachings of valuable lessons like kindness, helping others, and being a friend. Save 55% off admission with this CertifiKID offer

Strawberry Festival at Roland Park Presbyterian Church
Photo Courtesy of Roland Park Presbyterian Church

Strawberry Festival at Roland Park Presbyterian Church, Baltimore - FREE
The Strawberry Festival at Roland Park Presbyterian Church is an annual tradition dating back to the early 1900s. The fun-filled festival is on May 11th from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. This kid-friendly event includes a moon bounce, carnival games, food and craft vendors, a silent auction and, of course, strawberries! 

Saturday Morning Tunes WTMD
Saturday Morning Tunes Photo Courtesy of WTMD

Saturday Morning Tunes at WTMD Performance Studio, Towson, MD
Get ready for an award-winning, family-friendly concert series that kids and adults can agree on! Saturday Morning Tunes occurs every month on Saturday mornings, broadcast live on the radio with a live studio audience. Join them on Saturday, May 11th for The Baltimore Rock Opera Society Presents “Welcome To Shakesville”, a puppet-filled romp through the magical world of 1960s psychedelia. The songs are steeped in the popular musical styles of the time with a special focus on psychedelic rock and a dash of early ’60s surf rock. Doors open at 9 a.m. and the music starts at 9:30 a.m. 

Mother's Day Brunch in the Ballroom at the Four Seasons Hotel
Mother's Day Brunch in the Ballroom Photo Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore

Mother's Day Events - Celebrate Mom this May! Mother's Day is Sunday, May 12th and what better way to honor mom than spending time with her. Make this Mother's Day extra special with brunch in a ballroom, a craft workshop and a day cruising on a yacht on the Baltimore harbor!

  • Mother's Day Dessert Cruise in Baltimore
    Treat your mom to a day on a yacht cruising the Baltimore Harbor on Mother's Day, May 12th from 1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. This exciting event will also include a sweet treat for everyone and a photo spot for making memories on this special day. Sit back and enjoy the 90-minute cruise from open and comfortable seating on both an enclosed deck and open air top deck. There will be a fully stocked bar on board and restrooms, ages 2 and under are free.
  • Family Second Sundays at the Maryland Historical Society- FREE
    Visit the Maryland Historical Society on May 12th from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. and create Mother's Day crafts and learn about mothers that shaped Maryland history through a self-guided tour. Museum admission is free on Second Sundays and no advanced registration is required.
  • Mother's Day Brunch In the Ballroom
    Take your mom to brunch at the Four Seasons Hotel on May 12th from 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. The brunch will take place in the Cobalt Ballroom overlooking the Inner Harbor and marina. There will be live music, multiple action stations including prime rib and ham, a raw seafood bar, and more. For dessert, indulge in assorted pastries, an interactive gelato station, make-your-own sweet and savory crepes, and s’mores stations. Kids will be able to enjoy an arts & crafts station to make mom a special Mother's Day card. This event is free for children four and under.

The Great Amazing Race
The Great Amazing Race

The Great Amazing Race, Centennial Park, Ellicott City, MD
Join in on this family-friendly, one-of-a-kind race and adventure challenge on May 12th at 3 p.m. Two-person teams will exercise body and brain as they race through a 1.5-mile course completing fun tasks and challenges along the way. The Great Amazing Race is open to ages 4 and up. Save 22% on race entry with this CertifiKID offer.

Earth, We're All on this Together: Reduce, Reuse, Re-Circus at Robinson Nature Center
Port Discovery Children's Museum is hosting Earth, We're All on this Together at the Robinson Nature Center on May 18th from 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Learn how we can reduce, reuse and recycle everyday items with a high energy circus arts experience of juggling, lasso spinning, rolling globe walking, plate spinning and more. This event is free with daily admission to the Robinson Nature Center.

BMI Community Day
BMI Community Day Photo Courtesy of Baltimore Museum of Industry

BMI Community Day, Baltimore Museum of Industry - FREE
Head over to BMI Community Day, the kick off to the 11th season of BMI Farmers Market which includes a full day of fun, plus free museum admission and free onsite parking. On May 18th from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. enjoy kid-friendly hands-on activities, local produce, bread, meats, artisan items and more. If you would like to enjoy the museum at another time, save 50% on admission with this CertifiKID offer.

Baltimore Birth Festival at Patterson Park
Photo Courtesy of Maryland Families for Safe Birth

Baltimore Birth Festival at Patterson Park
Maryland Families for Safe Birth
is hosting the First Annual Baltimore Birth Festival featuring over 100 vendors, $6,000 in giveaways, face painting, balloon art, a kid-friendly DJ, henna art, family yoga demos and animals from Irvine Nature Center. Bring the whole family to the fun-filled event on May 19th from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Sensory Friendly Day at B&O Railroad Museum
Join the B&O Railroad Museum for Sensory friendly Day on May 19th from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. This is a brand new program for children and guests with Autism Spectrum Disorders and sensory processing differences. The museum will have more accessible features, added signage, designated quiet room, extra volunteers and staff members to assist guests and modified lighting and sounds. Stationed throughout the museum will be sensory kits that include feeling charts, fidgets, stress balls, break timers and noise canceling headphones.

Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend 
Check back here for some fun events that will be posted soon!

Summer Sounds at The Square at Belvedere Square
Summer Sounds at the Square Photo Courtesy of Belvedere Square

Summer Sounds at the Square at Belvedere Square - FREE
Get ready for the 15th season of Summer Sounds at the Square beginning May 24th and continuing every Friday evening through September 7th from  6 p.m. - 9 p.m. The free concert series hosts the region's most popular and emerging bands to provide a family fun evening outdoors with festive live music and delicious food and drink from local vendors. This year children are invited to come play with the musical instruments and learn about basic techniques from Stages instructors, from Stages Music Arts, a music lesson and recording arts studio. 

FantasyWood Festival in Columbia Maryland
Photo Courtesy of FantasyWood Festival

FastasyWood Family Festival at Merriweather Park, Columbia, MD
Experience FantasyWood Family Festival for a fantasy-filled three-day weekend (May 25th-27th) of magic with pirates, fairies, dragons, witches, mermaids and more! Enjoy whimsical entertainment, roaming performers, fun activities, art displays, and educational demonstrations. Save up to 57% off admission to FantasyWood Family Festival with this CertifiKID offer.

Brew at the Zoo at the Maryland Zoo
Brew at the Zoo Photo Courtesy of Maryland Zoo

Brew at the Zoo at the Maryland Zoo
Help support the Maryland Zoo at their biggest fundraiser of the year, Brew at the Zoo. The fun begins Memorial Day weekend, May 25th & May 26th from 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Enjoy one of Baltimore's biggest beer festivals while also spending time with the animals. There will be unlimited beer sampling of more than 80 brews, local artisan vendors and live performances from Ballyhoo!, Matt Hutchinson, Kelly Bell Band and more! Tickets to this event include all-day admission to the zoo (10 a.m. -6 p.m.) and children under 2 are admitted free to the event and do not require a ticket. 

The Sowebo Arts and Music Festival at Hollins Market, Baltimore
Photo Courtesy of SOWEBO Arts Festival

The Sowebo Arts and Music Festival, Hollins Market, Baltimore - FREE
The 36th Annual Sowebo Arts and Music Festival will take place on Sunday, May 26th at Hollins Market from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The heart of this event is to bring together local music, artists and entertainers, as well as great food to create a fun event for the community and for all ages. This will be an event you will not want to miss with The City Paper declaring it the Best Festival in Baltimore many years in a row. 

Asian Pacific Heritage Month Celebration at MICA
Photo Courtesy of MICA

Asian Pacific Heritage Month Celebration at Maryland Institute College of Art - FREE
Celebrate the contributions of the Asian Pacific community at the Asian Pacific Heritage Month Event at MICA. This event is the largest Asian Pacific celebration in the greater Baltimore region. It will include free admission with entertainment and presentations of dance by Polynesian, Thai, Viet Nam, Filipino and Korean groups, calligraphy, the tradition of the drums, speeches by diverse leaders, vocals and martial arts. An African drummer will join the performance in the spirit of unity and Baltimore local Riley Hawkins will display his group's martial arts. The Embassies of Japan and Vietnam will bring cultural objects, including Sake Tasting, and a Maglev model train display. There will be free ethnic food served to highlight the cross-cultural experience of the senses. The event will take place on May 31, from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. 

For more family-fun this month check out our Things to do in May with Kids in Washington, D.C. post

Tags: Family Friendly Kids Baltimore May Activities


 

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