Towson Town Festival

This weekend marks the beginning of the festival season in the Baltimore area.  Sure we've had a few beer festivals and the Pirate Festival in Fells Point, but the first weekend of May always marks one of the better festivals in the Baltimore area.  The Towson Town Festival has long been one of my favorites because it normally coincides with warmer weather and the Kentucky Derby. 

This year there is some added excitement for those Towson area vets as the Charles Village Pub (CVP) has reopened after a fire basically shut down the joint for a few months.  Honestly I'm not sure how long its been since CVP reopened but I would bet it's been in the past couple of weeks.  My sister Kerrie loves CVP and she went up there this past Monday night to check it out.  To be honest, the old CVP was a dump but they had a nice back patio that was always a welcome spot.   This is also the bar that will probably have the highest rate of college kids getting hammered.  The bar might be cool to check out for a drink at most. 

The best part of the festival is the beer garden by the Courthouse.  They have lots of different beer selections from which you can choose while listening what's usually a decent music selection . There is a larger beer garden that's been sponsored by 98 Rock in the past.  You will get a steady diet of rock from some of the more popular local bands.  Actually I just looked at the band lineups and, with the exception of the Amish Outlaws on Sunday, I can safely say the music lineup is garbage. 

If you go with your family, there are a ton of things to do with plenty of vendors and areas to do things with your kids.  I don't have kids and I don't shop.  You will probably find me at Souris because I think it's the best bar in Towson and one of the only bars that has good food.  The only problem in Souris during the Towson Festival is that patrons squeeze into the place like recovering addicts squeeze into a methadone clinic.    Unfortunately Towson bars do their best to appeal to the underdeveloped appetites of poor college kids.  

Sometime around 6pm the Kentucky Derby will go off and everyone will pack into already packed bars for 15 minutes to watch the race for whatever reason.  Normally we find a group of people and everyone will randomly pick a horse.  Someone wins a quick 50 bucks and that ends my festival.  I hope the weather cooperates.