Get ready to mark your calendars because on Thursday, March 31, Loyola students will be able to transport to and from the Light City Baltimore Festival by bus for free. This exciting and innovative new event will take place in downtown Baltimore in the Inner Harbor and run from March 28 to April 3.This event will feature light displays, performances, musical talents, workshops and an ongoing convention of ideas and innovation. Light City Baltimore celebrates the city through an international collaboration of creativity and imagination. Along with the illumination of Baltimore, the festival showcases the importance of sustainability and energy efficiency. Many of the pieces will be man, solar or water powered while utilizing LED light. An aspect that makes this festival especially engaging is the importance of audience involvement as many of the displays are interactive and will be lined throughout the Inner Harbor.
The majority of the light displays will be featured outside and allow viewers to touch, walk under, and play around in the exhibition. One of the works, “The Pool” by Jen Lewin, will feature a large-scale playground of light in the form of circular pads. “Projected Aquaculture,” created by Kelly Bell and Corrie Parks, will be projected onto the side of the National Aquarium and will explore the need for protecting our ecosystems. The “Diamonds Light Baltimore” collaboration by Cheon Kroiz will entertain many with its LED lights and various diamond structures. In addition to the lights downtown, neighborhoods including Hampden, Little Italy, and Greater Mondawmin are joining in on the illumination with displays and events of their own throughout the course of the festival.
Along with the beauty of the artwork, there will also be over 35 performances ranging from speakers, dance companies and a lantern parade. Some of the performers will include Ben Drexler, Convergence Maximus, David London, Harley Newman and the Harley & Sam Puppet Company. Musical performances include singers, DJs, bands, and musicians. Performers will include Clear for Takeoff, DJ Lil Mic, Jocelyn Faro & the Ragazzi and Symphony Number One. The full, official list of performers along with the music schedule can be found on the Light City website.
Although the festival is free, attendance for the individual conventions requires tickets. Visitors are welcome to engage and join in the conversation centered on the festival’s main question: How do we become a more responsible and equitable society? The conferences are based around five themes: social innovation, health innovation, sustainability innovation, creative innovation, and bright lights. Light City Baltimore promises to be an unforgettable event that will not only light up the night sky, but also spark the conversation on how to create a better tomorrow.
http://lightcity.org
Feature Image: Ferd Brundick Photo, Courtesy of Flickr URL
