Maryland’s oldest festival returns to Mount Vernon this weekend.
Flower Mart will be held at Mount Vernon Place in the squares surrounding the Washington Monument from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, April 29-30.
A tradition since 1911, the spring festival is still in keeping with its original goal.
“The Flower Mart’s original 1911 vision of encouraging the greening of the city is a central goal of our stewardship of Mount Vernon Place, Baltimore’s most historic green space,” says Lance Humphries, executive director of the Mount Vernon Place Conservancy, in a news release.
The festival was founded by the Women’s Civic League, which strove to create healthy living conditions in the city. Part of the push behind Flower Mart was to encourage residents to transform their yards and vacant lots with gardening.
Humphries’ conservancy took over as festival organizer in 2019, but amid restrictions and safety concerns for COVID-19, the festival did not occur as planned for the past two years.
The 2020 event was cancelled and the conservancy continued the Flower Mart tradition virtually in 2021. A rundown of what to expect on this year’s roster is included below.
“After two years of isolation, we think people are itching to get outside and enjoy events like this,” Humphries adds.
What’s at Flower Mart?
- Baltimore’s famous lemon sticks: Flower Mart is one of the few places you can get this staple of Baltimore’s spring season.
- 45 local vendors, including nearly a dozen florists and greenhouses.
- Themed arts and crafts.
- Local food vendors.
- Greening expertise from local nonprofits.
- Free workshops and lectures on topics such as beekeeping, flower arranging and urban gardening.
- Local flower growers sharing their expertise.
- Two children’s workshops and daily activities from the National Aquarium.
Washington Monument at Flower Mart 2019 - 20 musical performances by local musicians, spanning genres including contemporary jazz; opera; traditional folk and bluegrass and pop/R&B.
- Extended hours to climb the Washington Monument, whose interior will be decorated with floral arrangements. Its 227 steps lead to a 360-degree view of the city. More about the restoration of the monument here.
For a complete schedule of activities and list of vendors and entertainment, visit mountvernonplace.org.
