The eve of the biggest FREE art festival in the country is almost upon us. This Friday through Sunday, Baltimore city will have its 28th annual Artscape festival. The city is already stirring with activity in preparation for this event. Stages are being built, tents are being pitched, and roads are being blocked off in order to make way for the performers, exhibitors, and the 330,000 people that are drawn to them.

Be prepared to walk and be careful where you park. City cops thrive on events such as this. I got three tickets last year within a 12 hour period because apparently my car was parked too close to a bus stop.

For more information, visit the website at www.artscape.org.

This weekend I’m taking a road trip to Ocean City Maryland, where I will join as a spectator of the North American Craft Show! Craft shows and fairs are spectacular events because they bring together hundreds of artists that have found their passion in life. It is a great feeling to be surrounded by all of that positive energy. If you are interested in finding local craft events, you can easily find them in your local paper. National postings can be found on various websites. I have sifted through hundreds throughout my research and have been satisfied with a select few that provide the most information without navigational confusion. If you would like to do some research of your own, make sure you check the date of the postings and the last time the website was updated. The sites that I’ve found most helpful are http://www.artandcraftshows.net/ and http://art-collecting.com/artfairs.htm.