The History and Tradition of the Locust Point Festival
SouthBMore.com sat down with Caitlin Reagan, co-chair of the Locust Point Festival, to learn more about this event and its tradition. The festival will be held this Saturday at Latrobe Park form 11am to 6pm.
How did the Locust Point Festival get started?
The Locust Point Festival was started in the late 1970s as a fundraiser for the neighborhood, at a time the neighborhood was fighting the state and city for the Fort McHenry Tunnel. I-95 was proposed to go through Locust Point, and the residents band together to stop it.
How are the founders of the festival and these efforts honored?
The founders of the event are honored by the tradition of the festival. It is for Locust Point, by Locust Point. It is truly amazing how many residents are involved in the festival. The neighborhood has tremendously changed in the past decade that I have lived here, but it is amazing to see this tradition live on. One specific tradition is the Kruschki cookies which are available again this year.
If you approach the park from the right entrance, you will notice a memorial for the Doda family. They started the Locust Point Civic Association and festival.
The best part of the festival is how excited the community is for the event. A few evenings ago I was passing out flyers and a group of kids yelled “How many days ’til the festival?” The sense of community in Locust Point is worth its weight in gold.
What can attendees enjoy at this year’s Locust Point Festival?
To eat & drink:
This year we teamed up with Diamondback Brewery. They are pouring four of their beers with a special new brew for the festival “Locust Point Light.” We have nine Locust Point restaurants that will be setting up food tents with their own specialities. New this year, we have a Locust Point Hot Dog Stand.
Entertainment:
We have bands playing all day! Our headliners will be School of Rock and Operation Dankstar. We also will have a cornhole tournament. For the kids, we have partnered with the Francis Scott Key PTA on the kids zone. We also have awesome Locust Point gear for purchase at a Locust Point booth. There will also be numerous other vendors to peruse.
What goes into planning the festival?
The festival is a labor of love for a year. There is a committee of about 20 people who volunteer time to bring the whole festival together. As I have been working on the festival it has been amazing learning all the stories of people who have worked on the event throughout the years. One story that stands out in my mind is a couple in the neighborhood who enjoyed it so much as children that they couldn’t wait to volunteer as adults!
The festival also has corporate sponsorship to help fund the day. This year our sponsors are: Dr. Lamb, who has a dental practice on Fort Avenue; Domino Sugar; Sagamore; and Diamondback Brewing.
What does the money raised at the Locust Point Festival support?
The money raised at the festival goes to support projects and needs of the community. In the past we have been able to fund numerous projects in the park and community charities. We also have a neighborhood grant project which allows residents to apply for a grant from LPCA to fund a community project.
How can people get involved?
People can get involved by coming out on Saturday, September 10th. The weather looks great! Enjoy the food and drinks, and most of all enjoy the Locust Point Community! See you Saturday!
About the Author: Kevin Lynch
Founder and Publisher of SouthBmore.com, longtime resident of South Baltimore, and a graduate of Towson University. Diehard Ravens and O's fan, father of three, amateur pizza chef, skateboarder, and "bar food" foodie. Email me at Kevin@InceptMM.com and follow me on Twitter at @SoBoKevin.
