It's the REAL Bawlmer, Hon! Annual Hampden Christmas Parade & Rocket to Venus

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Let's celebrate Christmas Kitsch Season in one of Baltimore's most authentic and quirky neighborhoods! Our SHR group has attended the Hampden Christmas Parade for two years straight and had a fantastic time. This parade lasts about three hours and truly has something for everyone.

Hamden Neighborhood - The REAL Baltimore

If you're attracted to endless streets of row houses (both drab and colorful), pink flamingoes, kitschy culture, fake stone siding, corner bars, offbeat yard art, John Waters stuff, and cool shops and restaurants, then this event is for YOU! Everything is local in Hampden, so you won't see the same old chain stores and mass tract homes that have taken over elsewhere.

You never know just what you'll see around the next corner in Hampden, but it's always interesting. Where else can you see outdoor Christmas trees made of hubcaps or find a store that specializes in painted crab shell ornaments and jewelry? Or a combo of Mother Mary and Star Wars figures set prominently on a car dashboard?

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The Hampden neighborhood is ground zero for all things Bawl-mer, including calling people "Hon" and hanging out in John Waters' world where he gets his inspiration and fan mail. The 1998 John Waters movie "Pecker" was filmed here. To get a taste of what Hampden has to offer, check out the local merchants association website for photos, history, and John Waters information:

http://hampdenmerchants.com

The 41st Annual Hampden Christmas Parade

The Mayor's 41st Annual Christmas Parade takes place on 36th Street, which is the main avenue of Hampden. We'll meet at the Holy Frijoles Mexican restaurant at noon to have a bite and a beverage before the parade arrives. Look for us there before 1:00 pm when the parade starts. We'll be there for a while since it takes time for the parade to reach our viewing position on 36th Street.

Attendance along the 2.5 mile route reached 25,000 people last year to view Santa Claus and about 160 marching units. The parade includes the Baltimore Marching Ravens, Harley Davidson motorcycles, marching bands of all types and persuasions, Santa's dancing elf girls, the Boumi Temple performers, imaginative floats, and lots of fun! Full details below:

http://www.mayorschristmasparade.com

You can get a great preview by watching the 2011 Hampden Christmas Parade in this entertaining video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jixwS2ATj8&feature=related

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Rocket to Venus Restaurant

After the parade, we can walk a few block to visit an iconic local restaurant named "Rocket to Venus". It's a cool place that actually has a rocket attached to the front of the building. In 1928, three guys apparently planned to launch a rocket to Venus from Hampden, and you can read about it in the history link on the restaurant's website. True or not, it's a good story for a bar/restaurant in Hampden.

More importantly for us, Rocket to Venus is open on Sunday afternoon. They have good food, drinks, and the all-important Brewers Art Resurrection Ale that's legendary for its strength and curative powers. We hung out last year at the bar and had a very good time. It's a popular neighborhood spot with a great view of the Miracle on 34th Street Christmas lights.

Here is the Rocket to Venus website:

http://rockettovenus.com/index.cfm

Miracle on 34th Street

Across from Rocket to Venus is the famous "Miracle on 34th Street" residential light displays. Every year, the neighbors on one block of 34th Street compete to decorate their homes and yards with a host of colorful Christmas lights and figures. It's now become a Baltimore attraction that attracts thousands of gawkers who walk up and down the block taking it all in. So when it gets dark, we can just walk across the street to join the crowd. Good fun!

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Meetup Details

Hamden is easy to get to from I-83 and Falls Rd. It's the ultimate Baltimore row house neighborhood, so look for street parking where you can find it. We found good parking last year at the Rotunda Shopping Mall at 711 W. 40th Street, which is just a few blocks away from the meetup point on 36th Street at Holy Frijoles. Everything is within a few blocks of 36th Street, and walking around is part of the fun.

The parade will go rain or shine, and so will we. Call Jake at 703-798-8435 with any questions or if you need to find us. I can't always hear my iPhone at festivals, but you can try me.

I hope to see you there!

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