Flashback: Maryland State Fair, in haiku (originally posted 9/2/07)

Sticking with this haiku theme, here's a post that is now five years old.  It was one of my early favorites, a trip to the State Fair.  The current one is starting up again today.  More details here.

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Maryland State Fair, in haiku (originally posted September 2, 2007)


I went and stuffed myself at the Maryland State Fair today. I haven't been in years, and really not much has changed. Still, it was very different for me, because I always experienced different things when I was younger. That and nobody went with me this time, so I could roam around completely unencumbered.

I saw lots and lots of things, and ate lots and lots of things. So much so that I feel compelled to compress it all down, as with Artscape, into haiku form once again.

Light Rail is easy!
Hopped on at Falls Road Station,
There in 5 to 10.

Plus, it lets you off
RIGHT THERE, at the back entrance -
6 bucks to get in.

One senior didn't like that she couldn't get in as cheap as the kids.

Lots and lots of cows
Lots and lots and lots of cows
At the Cow Palace.

I did mention the cows, didn't I?

After that I hit
Maryland's Food Pavilion
All food grown right here!

I started with crabs:
Two small soft shells on a bun.
Tastes better fried, though.

I tried them with horseradish as well as mayo. Was a little overpowering. For $8, I wish it had been better.

Next I went for lamb:
Barbecued for six-fifty -
Tangy, tasty, good.

I had never seen lamb barbecue until today. It won't be the last time.

I got hit by games:
Simpsons, Dora, Family Guy.
Not tempted at all.

How many of me are there? ¡Cuéntame! Let's count me! Uno, dos, tres, cuatro...

You should see those crafts
All in the 4-H Building.
Innovative stuff...

Someone also made a cake out of pink towels. I forget what the judges thought about it.

Those kids do a lot
Of 4-H dioramas
Some clever, some, well...

Come on, you gotta admit this is cute.

I saw lots of crafts
Like quilts, clothes, flow'r arrangements
Crocheted dollhouse - what!?

That's what I said - a crocheted house. With crocheted furniture.

Much food on display,
Lots of prize-winning ribbons
For the state's best food!

I stared at produce,
Jars of pickles, chutneys, jams.
Oh, my mouth watered!

This isn't the half of it.

Then came the baked goods.
I drooled over all those cakes!
Some done by the kids.

Mmmm. Cake.

There were fancy ones,
Chocolate, red velvet, yellow,
Fondant everywhere!

This one had, like, fifty-seven ribbons

Hungry for some cake,
I left, seeking sustenance.
Got corn dog instead.

Greasy, crunchy, sickening, delightful. Ah yes, the North American corn dog ($3).

Finally found some cake,
In the exhibition hall:
Edelweiss Bak'ry.

By this time I was on a serious fat and sugar high, ready to crash any second.

No, I didn't hit
Any of the rides this time.
Not too big on rides.

"If you ever start feeling like you have the goofiest, craziest, most dysfunctional family in the world, all you have to do is go to a state fair. Because five minutes at the fair, you'll be going, 'you know, we're alright. We are dang near royalty.' "
- Jeff Foxworthy

Saw lots of fried things:
Oreos, Twinkies and fudge (!?)
PB Sandwiches (!!!)

Yes, that says "Deep Fried Fudge"

Thus ended my day.
Stuffed, heading back to my car,
With the smell of hay.

Now that's a lotta hay

To see the rest of the photos, click here.

Co?! Nr Festiwal Polskich!?

It's true: The Sun reports that after 40 years there just isn't enough money to fund it this year. Now where'm I get my pierogi fix on? Seriously though, it's a sad sign of how the economy is hitting local governments, as the city, strapped for cash, raised fees for the organizers of this and all other festivals in the "Showcase of Nations" series. FestAfrica also opted out.

But even though all is lost for 2011, there may be a Festival next year - at the Fairgrounds. Hopefully it can come back to Patterson Park and the Pulaski Monument at some point in the future, accordion in tow.

From Sotto Sopra to Sugarloaf to BEER: events coming up

A few happenings around town that readers have brought to my attention:

• The folks at Sotto Sopra are doing a tax relief $1 Pasta Night on (you guessed it) April 15. More than that, your donations will go to benefit Kennedy Krieger Institute. The press release follows:

(Baltimore, MD-April 4, 2010) Dollar Pasta Night - dine at Sotto Sopra Restaurant at 405 N. Charles Street on tax day, Thursday, April 15th, make a donation (cash, check or credit card) to the Kennedy Krieger Institute that night and for just one dollar ($1) you can order from a selection of nine pastas - it is that simple. Sotto Sopra will be donating 10% of the evening’s proceeds to Kennedy Krieger Institute along with your donations. Reservations are required and will be taken starting at 5 p.m. through to 10 p.m. Call 410.625-

0534 for reservations.

Dollar Pasta Menu

Spaghetti alla Bolognese
Penne with Salmon and Pernod
Rigatoni with Eggplant and Mozzarella
Cappellini al Pomodoro
Fettucine with Mint and Pistachio
Penne Zucchine
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Spaghetti all'Amatriciana
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

A limited menu of salads, entrees and desserts will be offered this evening.

www.sottosopra.us

More about Kennedy Krieger

Internationally recognized for improving the lives of children and adolescents with disorders and injuries of the brain, spinal cord, and musculoskeletal system, the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD serves more than 14,000 individuals each year through inpatient and outpatient clinics, home and community services and school-based programs. Kennedy Krieger provides a wide range of services for children with developmental concerns mild to severe, and is home to a team of investigators who are contributing to the understanding of how disorders develop while pioneering new interventions and earlier diagnosis. For more information on Kennedy Krieger Institute, visit www.kennedykrieger.org.

• The following weekend the 32nd spring Sugarloaf Crafts Festival (April 16-18) happens at the Fairgrounds. I had no idea they actually had things of foodie interest but apparently they do! Exhibitors this time around will include exhibitors from as far as Massachusetts and Oklahoma, among others:
  
  
  Berkshire Sweet Gold Maple Farm
  Ron & Franks Gourmet Beverage Mixes
  Bittersweet Herb Farm
  Leonard Mountain Specialty Foods
  Meadowcroft Farms
  Deedee Desserts
  d’marie Gourmet Foods
  The Toffee House
  Terra Verde Farms
  Rising Sun Farms

• And don't forget what's going on at the Fairgrounds this weekend: The Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival! Granted it's a bit pricey but if you've got the cash and the love for beer and Bourbon AND BBQ, this might be the thing for you.
  

The new Giant near the State Fairgrounds...

I just went in today for the first time. Dan is right (as he Tweeted not long ago): it is amazing.

Natural Market (or, Who needs fish on Friday?)

I'm the first to admit: I'm a "lapsed Catholic." But for reasons bigger than I, I'm going meatless on Fridays during Lent. I tried on Ash Wednesday, too. Well, except for those delicious pieces of bacon I had for breakfast.

I've been forcing myself to eat no meat, only seafood, on Fridays. But it dawned on me that it would probably be a healthy alternative to also make some of those meatless Fridays into vegetarian Fridays.

So today, after a job interview that was more encouraging than I thought it would be, I went to the Natural Market in Timonium. There was some sort of tofu scramble that I thought was cauliflower. More interesting to me was the soy protein Sloppy Joe. For just $3 for a small container - enough to sustain me through three meals, with sides of course - I got the Sloppy Joe, which the guy behind the counter said was pretty popular. I admit: it tasted a lot better than I thought "vegan Sloppy Joe" would be. It tastes pretty good warm, wrapped in a corn tortilla with a slice of red onion. But caution: it's strong.

Exit 24: I-83 North (to Timonium, and York, PA)

I met up with all the folks for our blogger panel - to be held Saturday, February 23 at 3 PM at the Great Tastes Show in the Tremont on Charles, not St. Paul - at Starbucks today. Afterwards, I felt two things: 1) inspired to do my next Beltway Snackin' post, and 2) hungry. So I headed to Timonium, which wasn't that far. Of course, Timonium is off of the JFX, Exit 16A, which is (in turn) the first exit off of Exit 24. But drive five minutes down York Road and you wind up by Exit 16B. So they're really just kind of mushed together.

I pass this way all the time, much more than in the past. But usually I just go there when something's happening at the Fairgrounds, or on the way to the Cockeysville library. There are a few good places around to eat. I was surprised as I drove around that I had never really eaten at any of them - just An Poitín Stil and the occasional hot dog at the Market Pro computer show at the Fairgrounds. Since I've mentioned these before, I won't mention them again.

Sure, there are a few chains in this area, most notably Panera Bread (my GOD, they're springing up like Starbuckses), Starbucks (see previous reference) and the Baja Fresh (the California chain that seemed to just work its way over here). Among the many places I have driven by but just never went to:

• Nautilus Diner (map), which looks kind of like the Towson Diner further down York Road. I have yet to go into Nautilus, but I liked Towson Diner and hopefully this one is pretty good too. Has to be better than the Double T, right? Elizabeth Large seemed to love their $13 crabcake back in 2001. Is it still that cheap?
  
• Steak & Ale (map), which serves what else? Right - steak and ale. Of course, it serves much more. They have this lunch menu where they offer ten different, semi-appetizing-sounding dishes for $7. This is one of those places I have seen many times in passing. I've just never been in. Here's something that surprised me: it's a national chain, with dozens of locations from Colorado to Florida to Michigan. There's only one in Maryland, one in Delaware and two in Virginia.
  
• Cheeburger Cheeburger (map) is another national chain - this one has several Maryland locations. It's near that Panera Bread and the Staples. I've heard people speak fondly of this place but I've never gotten around to visiting. My sister and I almost went into the one by Wegman's when we went Thanksgiving grocery shopping and wanted something to eat, but there were too many children and annoying teenagers around, so we went to Damon's Grill instead.
  
• JJ's Everyday Café (map), across from Cheeburger Cheeburger. A few doors down is the Qdoba Mexican Grill (another chain) and a Natural Market with freezer-case bee pollen and those disgusting Morningstar Farms brand "meat" products (if I was vegetarian, why would I want to eat something that resembled meat, especially as poorly as this does). JJ's looks like a little hole-in-the-wall from the outside, but its description in the link above makes it sound a wee more pricey than a hole should be. The reviewers also liked the food. And this place has a gift shop. This and Cafe Hon - what is it with gift shops where they ought not be?
• Pasta Blitz and Yamato Sushi (map - they're next to each other), next to the REI Camping Superstore and the Super Fresh on Aylesbury Road. They seem pretty self-explanatory. Always up for good sushi and pasta, but not all at the same time, and not today.
  
• Michael's Cafe Raw Bar and Grill (map), which has been in Timonium for almost 25 years. It's a special occasion place. It's not cheap.

I passed by all these places for the Hightopps Backstage Grille (map), which is right next to the Fairgrounds. I was drawn to this place among all others because of the Asian Roast Beef Sandwich advertised on their marquee. That sounded intriguing. I had to try it.

When you walk in you are greeted with an ancient player piano to your right, which betrays the high-tech nature of the entertainment here. This place sports many HDTV's all over the place - SO MANY HDTV'S! There are also lots of autographed photos, guitars and other various things. Hightopps is a place for partying, commiserating and sports-bar-hopping. It was pretty empty on this Sunday afternoon, around 1 to 1:30. Perhaps the food would be pretty good with so few people around to cook for - no need to churn out bland food for lots of drunk revelers.

Along with the Asian Roast Beef - tender roast beef with dark greens, ginger and a wasabi aioli, as it was advertised (about $7) - I ordered a side of sweet potato fries (an extra $1.50; chips instead are complementary) and a diet soda (about $2). About fifteen minutes later my food came out. I bit into the sandwich, and my first thought was "Chewy" - very chewy. Except for one or two tender spots, this roast beef was pretty tough. Plus it was not easy to keep on the roll. It was much easier to just let it fall off the sandwich and eat it with my fingers than anything else. Add to that the pretty bland wasabi aioli. Isn't anything flavored with wasabi supposed to have a kick? This did not, and what little wasabi flavor it had was quite weak, and all on one side of the sandwich, along witgrh a slice of ginger that was interesting, but not enough of it was there for my liking. In short: it was a good idea, poorly executed. It wasn't bad, but I wouldn't get it again. The sweet potato fries, in contrast, were pretty good - I finished most of them. I skipped dessert, which would've been creme brulée, the cheapest I have ever seen at $3. With tax and tip the total came to about $15. It's probably better as a pub or a bar, though I have had better pub food (Little Havana, Lansdowne Inn, even the above-average Poitín). And I could've spent as much or less money at a diner getting a nice, juicy, not-so-chewy cheeseburger, but oh well. You lunch and learn.

Did I mention the Great Tastes blogger panel? $20 to get into the Great Tastes Show and see us all if you don't drink any alcohol ($50 if you do; all the different price options are here).


Places I visited:

Hightopps Backstage Grille (pub / sports bar) - 2306 York Road, Timonium, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 560-7101

• Would I eat there again? I might drink there again, but I wouldn't eat there again.
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? Um, no.

Places to look up later:

Cheeburger Cheeburger (large chain - burgers) - 2135 York Road, Timonium, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 252-4466

JJ's Everyday Café (American / café) - 2141 York Road, Timonium, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 308-2700

Michael's Café Raw Bar and Grill (American / seafood) - 2119 York Road, Timonium, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 252-2022

Nautilus Diner (diner) - 2047 York Road, Timonium, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 561-9236

Pasta Blitz (pasta / Mediterranean) - 49 W. Aylesbury Road, Timonium 21093; Phone: (410) 453-6603

Steak and Ale (large chain - steak house) - 60 W. Timonium Road, Timonium, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 252-6800

Yamato Sushi (Japanese / sushi) - 51 W. Aylesbury Road, Timonium, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 560-0024

An Poitín Stil

My friend Charles is back in town from London for a few weeks. We decided to meet up at the Maryland Oktoberfest at the state fairgrounds. I thought this was a super idea, especially since he and his partner have also lived in Deutschland and done an actual Oktoberfest. In Germany.

So you can understand my disappointment when we got there around 6pm (the earliest either of us could meet up) and weren't admitting anybody else. Nope. Turns out they ran out of beer (!?). Crazy thought, but what kind of Oktoberfest runs out of beer, even as late as 6pm?

So we regrouped and, on my suggestion, headed for the local Irish still. An Poitín Stil* to be exact. An Poitín Stil is pretty close to the fairgrounds, and was a place I wanted to try out (a place I had little success getting to on St. Patrick's Day), so it was a logical choice.

Or at least it would've been on a weeknight. A half hour wait for a table. I told Charles I was fine waiting if he was, so we decided to wait around. In the meanwhile we downed some pints of Guinness (he downed one, I downed two) while we waited. True, the conversation was good, so I didn't mind the wait at all. And although noisy, An Poitín Stil is at least picturesque. The outside is done up like a famous row of Dublin pubs, and the inside is nice and homey - again, Dublin pub-like. Everything is in warm greens, browns and woody colors, with harp images and other Irish things everywhere. Almost like an Irish pub version of Disneyland right in Timonium. And it certainly seemed like enough people were in there to fit into Disneyland - barely room to breathe (again, I am so looking forward to February 1).

After a while we wondered if half an hour had passed, and Charles went and asked (we never heard our beeper go off). He came back with the maitre'd, who was leading us to a table in a for-now quieter section of the Stil. It turns out we had been waiting for an hour, and the six parties after ours had already been seated! Oh well, at least they didn't give us a runaround and seated us immediately.

Charles has been living off of English food for a few years, and doesn't get much opportunity to eat American food, so he ordered a burger - buffalo, to be exact, and some chicken tenders as an appetizer. For my appetizer, I ordered a fried brie, coated in a beer batter and drizzled with a raspberry syrup with dark salad greens on the side (about $7). I could only finish about half before I had to get a box for it. But holy cow was it delicious! The main course was, in contrast, less memorable. It was just a standard fish and chips with tartar sauce and malt vinegar on the side ($11, one of the cheapest entrées that doesn't come in burger form). The fish and chips were tasty enough, though I have had better. The fish was a little less flavorful than I have had elsewhere, either stateside or in England. I also needed a box for that.

The grand total came to a surprisingly low $38 for two people. I'm not sure, but I don't think I put in enough money. Oh well, I still owe Charles a pint :)

* pronounced on pot-CHEEN still.

Maryland State Fair, in haiku

I went and stuffed myself at the Maryland State Fair today. I haven't been in years, and really not much has changed. Still, it was very different for me, because I always experienced different things when I was younger. That and nobody went with me this time, so I could roam around completely unencumbered.

I saw lots and lots of things, and ate lots and lots of things. So much so that I feel compelled to compress it all down, as with Artscape, into haiku form once again.

Light Rail is easy!
Hopped on at Falls Road Station,
There in 5 to 10.

Plus, it lets you off
RIGHT THERE, at the back entrance -
6 bucks to get in.

One senior didn't like that she couldn't get in as cheap as the kids.

Lots and lots of cows
Lots and lots and lots of cows
At the Cow Palace.

I did mention the cows, didn't I?

After that I hit
Maryland's Food Pavilion
All food grown right here!

I started with crabs:
Two small soft shells on a bun.
Tastes better fried, though.

I tried them with horseradish as well as mayo. Was a little overpowering. For $8, I wish it had been better.

Next I went for lamb:
Barbecued for six-fifty -
Tangy, tasty, good.

I had never seen lamb barbecue until today. It won't be the last time.

I got hit by games:
Simpsons, Dora, Family Guy.
Not tempted at all.

How many of me are there? ¡Cuéntame! Let's count me! Uno, dos, tres, cuatro...

You should see those crafts
All in the 4-H Building.
Innovative stuff...

Someone also made a cake out of pink towels. I forget what the judges thought about it.

Those kids do a lot
Of 4-H dioramas
Some clever, some, well...

Come on, you gotta admit this is cute.

I saw lots of crafts
Like quilts, clothes, flow'r arrangements
Crocheted dollhouse - what!?

That's what I said - a crocheted house. With crocheted furniture.

Much food on display,
Lots of prize-winning ribbons
For the state's best food!

I stared at produce,
Jars of pickles, chutneys, jams.
Oh, my mouth watered!

This isn't the half of it.

Then came the baked goods.
I drooled over all those cakes!
Some done by the kids.

Mmmm. Cake.

There were fancy ones,
Chocolate, red velvet, yellow,
Fondant everywhere!

This one had, like, fifty-seven ribbons

Hungry for some cake,
I left, seeking sustenance.
Got corn dog instead.

Greasy, crunchy, sickening, delightful. Ah yes, the North American corn dog ($3).

Finally found some cake,
In the exhibition hall:
Edelweiss Bak'ry.

By this time I was on a serious fat and sugar high, ready to crash any second.

No, I didn't hit
Any of the rides this time.
Not too big on rides.

"If you ever start feeling like you have the goofiest, craziest, most dysfunctional family in the world, all you have to do is go to a state fair. Because five minutes at the fair, you'll be going, 'you know, we're alright. We are dang near royalty.' "
- Jeff Foxworthy

Saw lots of fried things:
Oreos, Twinkies and fudge (!?)
PB Sandwiches (!!!)

Yes, that says "Deep Fried Fudge"

Thus ended my day.
Stuffed, heading back to my car,
With the smell of hay.

Now that's a lotta hay

To see the rest of the photos, click here.

Luck o' the Italians (or Amicci's)

My big plans to go Irish pubbing just never came to fruition. My plans for St. Patrick's Day would have taken me to An Poitín Stil (an pot-CHEEN still), the big Irish pub up in Timonium. Well, I drove a good distance to get there. And I drove by to see one end of the parking lot blocked off with cones and the other end shut by a gate (I think that's the parking lot). So, scratching my head, with the Garth Brooks song Ireland churning on my MP3 player, I called An Poitín Stil to ask if there was any seating:

Maitre d': It's first come first serve seating tonight, sir.

Me: Okay, and is there any parking?

Maitre d': Well, there's a shuttle that picks people up from the...

I sort of tuned out after she said "shuttle."

Giving up on An Poitín Stil, I set my next destination for the James Joyce Pub, on the outskirts of Little Italy (it's hilarious, there's an Irish pub practically in Little Italy). Parking by Whole Foods - the meters there absurdly run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, just to warn you - I walked over toward James Joyce. I stopped when I saw the loooong line out the door, and decided, "Hell, I'm Irish - okay, Irish-American - year-round! Let the silly people in the shiny green shamrock necklaces have their fun for one night, I'll go some other time when there's breathing room."

So, with Little Italy, like, right next to me, I decided to finally try out Amicci's, which was only about 10 minutes from my car and about 5 minutes away from me.

Amicci's is a lovely place. It's not the Ritz, and compared to places like Villeggia's or Sabatino's it's pretty Spartan. But I think the decor is charming in a country kitchen sort of way, but if that kitchen had lots of Italian and Italian-American movie posters all over the place (I had Joe Pesci staring at me from his GoodFellas poster all night). Amicci's seemed not to be that busy. This makes sense, since everybody in the area was stuffed into James Joyce! There was no shortage of tables, and I even got a table immediately, a big round one that seats five. When I got my menu my eyes went immediately to the mussels, for only $12 and 9/10 (Amicci's lists its prices as mixed fractions). Adding calamari for $8 more and (yes) a Guinness - the tall bottle is served here - for about $4 brought my total to around $25. But more on that near the end.

If I was seated quickly, I certainly didn't give my order quickly. My waitress admitted that she actually didn't see me (I was in a corner, after all). Whatever, but most people did get served faster than I did, so maybe. But I was still a little irritated. The waitress did bring me a basket of bread - very soft inside with a chewy crust, which wasn't too easy to spread the rock-hard cold butter patties onto - and my Guinness in sort of a hurry and then went off.

It's strange, really, how well the Guinness went with the calamari, served on a big plate with a dish of chunky marinara sauce in the middle. I thought this was an easier presentation than at Sammy's Trattoria, who gives you a separate plate of tomatoes. These calamari were about as good as it gets. The squid was not chewy and the breading was crispy, light and tasty. Topped with the tomatoes and washed down with the Guinness it was filling and almost a meal in itself.

Then the mussels came out. OMG, way too much food! But they were good, about, oh, 30 or so mussels bathing in butter, sitting on top of a hearty pasta. Not sure what pasta it was, just long and thick. I could not finish these mussels so I got the rest to go. I left about a $4 tip for a total of $30 - the service, again, wasn't that great, but the women behind me did get served by the same waitress much faster than I did, so again, maybe a one-time fluke. But I am definitely looking forward to my next trip!

From there I went searching for more Irish beer, not too much more lest I get arrested. Knowing I would never get into an Irish pub that night I looked for any non-Irish bar I could find, - neighborhood, cantina, dance, gay, whatever. I wound up at the Eagle, where the bartender recommended yet another Irish pub the next time I went looking, Mick O'Shea's on Charles Street (that I will look into). And of course, all this information was delivered over - duh - a Guinness.

Computer Show at the Maryland State Fairgrounds

This is a pretty strange place to go looking for food, but when I go to the Market Pro Computer Show, searching for cheap-ass software and halfway-usable blank CD's and DVD's, I usually stop for a hot dog. They always have this vendor that sells everything from hot dogs to Italian sausages. Occasionally, they sell quesadillas, even some massive, heart-attack-inducing breakfast bowl filled with everything from potatoes to cheese to eggs to bacon to chili to who knows what else (I've never even considered eating it; I don't want a heart attack at 35). But the hot dogs are okay, a somewhat satisfying, big and juicy way to end the computer fair. And it's only $3, but only outside in the warmer months (with the flies and the chain smokers). Therefore, it's much preferable in the winter months, when it's inside and away from all that. But in that case, you'll need to pay the $7 for entry into the computer show. And that's not such a bad thing.

Beer, Bourbon and BBQ at the MD State Fairgrounds

Just read about this on An American Geisha's website. Sounds fabulous, and it's next Saturday!

Maryland Irish Festival

As I posted in September, this year's Irish festival was moved from Baltimore City to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. It was far more crowded than the small one I went to a few months ago. LOTS of people, and VERY LITTLE room! I wanted to save my money, so I didn't buy much of anything - just some Irish county flags (to commemorate my ancestors from counties Kerry and Cavan) and a cross pendant made from hardened peat moss (who knew?).

I didn't get to eat much, just a sausage with onions ($4 - I should have had the salmon for $5) and some champ ($3). Champ is a traditional Irish potato dish (how uncommon!) mixed with scallions, of which this dish had lots. I think it was made by the Ladies Hibernian Society of Baltimore, or something. Man, I didn't realize how many Irish-American and Irish nationalist organizations there are in Maryland! Many, many fliers, stickers and booths for Irish reunification by 2016. Anyway, the champ was very tasty, especially with a dollop of butter.

Though I ate little, there were lots of food options. The next time they hold this, get there early, so you won't have any problem moving around. Also, look for Irish classics such as:

• Irish soda bread and scones
• ham, cabbage and potatoes
• corned beef sandwiches
• fish sandwiches and fish & chips
• delicious, wonderful Guinness, Harp and various Irish liquors
  
• and of course, those traditional Irish staples, hot dogs and pretzels
  

Though I didn't try it, I did pick up a menu from the nearby Irish pub and restaurant An Poitín Stil (on pot-CHEEN still), in Timonium - down the road from the Fairgronds, in fact. I'll have to criuse on up there at some point.

I also found out that there is a Greek festival at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation downtown - not too far from the recently reopened Roman Catholic Basilica of the Assumption (the first to be built in, what was at the time, the United States). It's the Annunciation's 100th anniversary, from what I hear, and the Assumption's 200th! I will try to get to the Greek festival if I can. Too bad they probably won't have Guinness.