Outta Sight! Good Time Is Had By All as Strong City Celebrates 50 Years, Kicks Off Capital Campaign

Strong City launched its 50^th anniversary year in style on May 4th, as hundreds of guests enjoyed Get On Up!, a 1969-themed party in the unique space of the Hoen Lithograph Building, our future home in East Baltimore. Jonathan Gilmore and The Experience, top local DJs, a costume contest, a 007 martini contest, great local food and drinks, pop-up experiences, a photo booth, a silent auction and more kept visitors entertained throughout the night. The interior of the building was transformed by local artist Corynne Ostermann to resemble the inside of a giant lava lamp.

Strong City congratulates the winners of our costume contest: Abigail “Abbey” Parrish and Paris Roberts, who took the $500 top prize; and Nia Redmond, who took second place.

The winner of the 007 martini contest sponsored by the Baltimore Bartenders’ Guild was Brendan Dorr.

Get On Up! also kicked off Strong City’s $1 million Capital Campaign. You can become part of the effort to finish construction, buy furniture, and make the Hoen Building a community hub for East Baltimore by making a special 50th birthday donation at https://strongcitybaltimore.wedid.it/.

This event, the most ambitious in our history, would not have been possible without the efforts of many dozens of people and organizations.

While it would be impossible to name everyone who played a part, the following deserve special recognition:

• Sponsors: Cross Street Partners, Baltimore City Dept. of Housing and Community Development, Carroll Motor Fuels, High’s, Telesis Corp., MedStar Health, Brown Advisory, JRS Architects Inc., U.S. Bank, H.U. Dove & Co., Kelly & Associates, SecurityPlus Federal Credit Union, Ziger/Snead Architects, MECU, M&T Bank, UPD Consulting, Urban Green Technologies, Barbara Shapiro, Karen & Ed Stokes, Aaron Meisner, Crickett Woloson, Paul Brophy & Mary Reilly, Brad Chambers, Ella Durant, Beth Felder, Randy Knepper, Norman Sensinger
• Food & beverage vendors: Azafran, B&O American Brasserie, The Beadle Group, Blue Dog BBQ, Chef Vince Cole of The Club at Collington Square, Cypriana, Golden West Cafe, HomeSlyce Pizza, Indigma, Kislings Tavern, Mount Washington Tavern, Station North Arts Café/Nancy by SNAC, Orto, Peko Peko, Rowhouse Grill, Soups On, Taharka Brothers, THB Bagels and Deli, Verde Pizza, Woodberry Kitchen, Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore Bartenders’ Guild, Baltimore Spirits Co., Charm City Meadworks, Monument City Brewing Co., The Brewer’s Art, Old Line Distillery, Eddie’s Liquors, Sophomore Coffee
• Working Committee: Dana Murphy, Jo Ann Stallings, Emma Simpson, Liz Hoey, Betti Gregus, Josh Clement, Karen D. Stokes
• Planning Committee: Georgia Smith, Beth Felder, Randy Knepper, Bill Merritt, Kate Grubb Clark, Bill Miller, Jo-Ann Orlinsky, Sandy Sparks
• Production, Photography/Video and Design: Conder Inc., Aiden Korotkin Productions, Farajii Muhammad, Farrah Skeiky Photography, No Wave Studios, Post Typography, Side A Photography, B.Willow
• Costume contest judges: Saran Fossett, Councilman Bill Henry, Donna Maloney, D. Watkins
• Others: Strong City fiscally sponsored projects AZIZA/PE&CE and Dance & Bmore; DJs Brandon Carlo, Rob Macy, and Pharaoh Haqq; keynote speaker Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead; city and state elected officials who supported our event; the Get On Up! Honorary Committee; the Hoen construction team; Strong City Baltimore staff and board; contributors to our mystery gift baskets and purchasers of program ads; Lynette Hodge, Markus Saelzer, Brandon Arinoldo, Dana Neal, Eva Wingren, Israel Baptist Church, and the residents of Collington Square.

Get On Up! is over, but the celebration continues! Strong City’s upcoming 50^th anniversary events include our “Sneaky Social Justice” Film Fest in August at The Parkway; “Strong Voices, Strong City,” a choir concert in September; a Light City/Baltimore Book Festival panel on neighborhood change in November; our 12^th annual Neighborhood Institute; and a Collington Square Block Party. More details to come, so keep an eye on future newsletters, our Facebook page, and our website.