Baltimore offers scads of opportunities for conference attendees
by Mari Graham Evans | Presbyterian News Service
Registration continues for Big Tent, which will be held Aug. 1-3 in Baltimore.
LOUISVILLE — Big Tent, to be held in Baltimore Aug. 1-3, is fast approaching. No Big Tent gathering is complete without a Top 10 list identifying can’t-miss opportunities for attendees:
- Start!
…at the Baltimore Visitor Center! Located right in the Inner Harbor (about a 15-minute walk away from where all the Big Tent action will take place), the visitor center is your go-to spot for recommendations, maps and information from the people who know best.
- Explore …
… the “authentic voice of Maryland African American history and culture” at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. The museum is just a 20-minute walk from Big Tent festivities. Admission for adults is $8; seniors, college students and youth 7-17 years are admitted for $6, while children 6 and under get in free. As its website so aptly states, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum is the place to learn and celebrate “the significant accomplishments and struggles of African Americans throughout 400 years of Maryland’s history.”
- Learn …
… at one of the many learning opportunities. Whether it’s Addressing Environmental Racism through the Lens of Corporate Engagement/Social Responsibility, TransFORMATION Through Christian Practices and Holy Habits, Engaging your Congressperson on Immigration, learning about Online Giving or How U.S. Government Policies affect Native People, Big Tent workshops offer something for everyone.
- Get artsy!
Those interested in a bit of art have the option of visiting the Baltimore of Museum of Art, located three miles away from the Inner Harbor. According to its website, this free museum offers an “internationally renowned collection of 95,000 objects” and encompasses “more than 1,000 works by Henri Matisse anchored by the famed Cone Collection of modern art, as well as one of the nation’s finest holdings of prints, drawings, and photographs.”
- Catch a movie …
… at the Lord Baltimore Hotel, where viewings of PC(USA)-produced documentaries will be screened.
- Dive deep …
… into the National Aquarium, situated right in the Inner Harbor. While a bit on the expensive side, the aquarium is perfect for families, singletons or groups looking to spend an afternoon learning about and appreciating God’s creatures under the sea.
- Eat, eat, eat …
… because Baltimore is famously known for its Maryland Blue Crabs. Not into shell fish? Then pit beef might be your thing. Another favorite is Utz Crab Chips and Smith Island Cake. Check out Spoon University’s list of 10 Iconic Maryland Foods.
- Stand Up and Speak Out …
… against gun violence at the Baltimore Ceasefire walk with city residents on Friday, Aug. 2. This one-hour walk through downtown will pass areas where “multiple people have died in gun violence over the past few years,” said the Rev. Deborah McEachran, pastor of Hunting Ridge Presbyterian Church. “We will stop at three different locations for prayer, remembering the names of those who have died. We will be inviting all of the stores and businesses that we pass to join us.”
- Enjoy …
… one of the four Friday evening activities designed to get attendees out into the city with “several opportunities to see some of the things that Presbyterians are doing in Baltimore and to share a meal. Some involve an additional fee and require advance sign- up, available as part of Big Tent registration. “ Learn more here.
- Join the movement…
… by coming together with Presbyterians from around the U.S. and beyond for three days. It’s an opportunity for attendees to, as Big Tent promotional material says, “live in this moment, immersed in our current cultural context of racial division, gender inequality, and economic disparity to be renewed, refreshed and reformed, so that we may be sent out to effect change in our own communities.”
Click here for more information about Big Tent.
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