This first weekend in May is all about welcoming back spring and the return of warm-weather months. That explains all the springtime celebratory events and festivals going on throughout the state of Maryland, most of which have proven to be time-tested annual community traditions dating back several years or more. That’s certainly the case with the longstanding Towsontown Spring Festival which, this weekend, will celebrate its 55th year as a beloved seasonal mainstay.
The Towsontown Spring Festival made its first official debut back in 1968. Originally presented as the Towsontown Art Exhibit, the event also doubled as a Bicentennial celebration commemorating Towson’s founding in 1768. All festivities and events were primarily concentrated around the Baltimore County Courtyard. Leading in the order and overall organization of the event was Hilda N. Wilson (of Wilson Electric), a founder of the Towson Business Association.
Owing to its success and popularity, the festival returned a year later in 1969. That was when it received its official name as the “Towsontown Spring Festival” and became an official annually occurring community tradition.
In the years and decades that have since followed, the Towsontown Spring Festival has evolved to become one of the state’s largest outdoor festivals. The setup now comprises hundreds of diverse vendors and attracts somewhere in the ballpark of around 200,000 to 250,000 attendees yearly.
Presented as a two-day weekend event, the 2024 festival will run from Saturday, May 4, to Sunday, May 5. Attendees may begin arriving on the scene of this free-for-all event as early as 10 a.m. Saturday, although the official opening ceremonies won’t start until noon. They will be presented on the corner of Washington and Pennsylvania Avenues and will include Bag Pipers, the Color Guard, and a kick-off singing of the National Anthem.
As mentioned previously, the Towsontown Spring Festival features a fabulous array of diverse vendors. They will all be setting up shop around the greater 400 Block of Washington Avenue in Towson (and spanning all along Chesapeake, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore Avenues). You can view a detailed map of this year’s layout here.
Offerings are profuse, featuring everything from artisans and unique crafts vendors to specialty and gourmet food sellers, from booths for local businesses to those of Baltimore County agencies, and other services.
And don’t forget about all those delicious food trucks and other mouthwatering booths to check out. Click here to see the entire list of all of this year’s participating vendors.
In addition to the great array of browse-about featured finds, the Towsontown Spring Festival also plays host to plenty of ongoing live entertainment each year. Not only will 100.7 The Bay be onsite, but you can enjoy ongoing performances by bands over at the Patriot Stage all weekend long. Baltimore’s own That’s What She Said will be on the scene Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. followed by Vertigo Red between 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Then, Crushing Day will be crushing it from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday’s live lineup will commence with Doc Marten & The Flannels from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., followed by Kelly Bell between 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Let it also be known that throughout the festival’s run, various other community-provided entertainment acts and demos will be ongoing as well. It’s always a hopping scene sure to get you dancing.
While the Towsontown Spring Festival runs for two days only, it’s also worth noting that another beloved preceding event now takes place annually on the Thursday before. Known as Gardens Day, this other festival too is held in the heart of Towson, on the corner of Washington and Pennsylvania Avenues, no less. This year’s installment will take place on May 2, running from noon to 2:30 p.m. This makes it a great option for workers in Towson to check out during their lunch breaks! Furthermore, like the weekend happening, many vendors set up shop for Gardens Day too. Don’t be surprised to find many of the same ones slated for the weekend scene at the preceding event as well. Live entertainment will be presented at Gardens Day by Mike Manos & Justin Levy. Click here to read more about Gardens Day.
Official hours of operation for the Towsontown Spring Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on May 4 and from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on May 5. Visit the official website at www.towsontownfestival.com for all other information.