Hannah Pursley

Looking for summer fun on a budget? The City of Baltimore luckily features numerous events and places where you can have a blast for free! The possibilities are endless, but we picked a few cool ones.

Head to Power Plant Live! Friday evenings for the Friday Night Live! Concert series feature local artists and national headlining bands performing on the outdoor stage. Hard Rock Café Baltimore at the Inner Harbor also holds free outdoor concerts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights from May to September.

For movie goers, Films on the Pier is a free outdoor movie series on the Broadway Pier. The show starts on Wednesday nights beginning at 8:45 p.m. On Thursdays at 9 p.m., Federal Hill also has free movies sponsored by the American Visionary Art Museum. In addition, admission to the museum is free between 5 and 9 p.m. before the film! Looking for films with a twist? Grab a lawn chair and drive down to Little Italy on Friday nights for free Italian-themed movies at 9 p.m. with live music beginning at 7 p.m.

If you’re looking for something creative, visit the nation’s largest free arts festival; Artscape! The festival features continuous musical performances by local and national talent on multiple stages, indoor and outdoor art exhibits, crafts, sculptures, street theater, and more. The celebration runs Friday July 19 through Sunday July 21 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Another unique attraction you might enjoy is the Baltimore Tattoo Museum. Focusing on electric tattooing in America, the museum displays an array of tattoo art ranging from traditional American to traditional Japanese tattoo artwork, black and grey work, portraits, flash designs and more. The museum is also a fully functioning tattoo studio.

Wanting to embrace your inner Baltimorean? Consider attending Honfest in Hampden on June 8 and 9, a four-block wide festival featuring beehive hairdos, mashed-potato contests and numerous local vendors and entertainment.

Don’t have the gas money to go downtown? Consider these activities for under five dollars; grab a snowball at the snowball stand right here in Hereford, go tubing down the Gunpowder, go for a scenic bike ride on the NCR trail, take a trip to the public library, go for a dip in the Gunpowder at Hillbilly Beach, or treat yourself to come ice cream at Prigel Family Creamery.