🍦Outdoor dining is here to stay

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Annapolis. The weekend preview’s a little light this weekend because of Easter. But the weather looks decent – a little windy but Saturday might hit 80º – so get outside, hit up your favorite restaurant, or fire up the grill because it’s just about that time of the year again.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

• Two lights for tomorrow

• Heads up: May Day is near

• Who will build Edgewater’s new recreation center

Let’s get to it.

— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, Duffy Perkins, & Ryan Sneddon

SPONSORED BY PEAKE EVENTS

Annapolis Irish Festival – May 2 & 3 at the Anne Arundel Fairgrounds

Get ready, Annapolis – the Irish are coming back for two full days of music, dance, and culture at the Annapolis Irish Festival!

Friday, May 2: Our adults-only evening features local favorite Dublin 5, followed by the mid-Atlantic favorite, Carbon Leaf.

Saturday, May 3: A full family day with traditional Irish bands, food, dancing, kids' activities, and a sunset performance from global Irish folk stars The High Kings. These guys boast 1.6M Spotify monthly plays for a reason, they are one of Ireland's biggest bands!

Kids 12 and under are free. VIP and general admission tickets are available now.

Special deal for Scoop readers: Use code Scoop at checkout for 25% off General Admission tickets – good until next Friday!

Tap below to learn more and grab your tickets!

Buy Tickets Here

THE DIGEST

Giant news for Edgewater: Rec center plans moving forward

Remember that old Giant off Solomons Island Road? It’s about to get a second life. Anne Arundel County is officially hunting for a firm to transform the long-vacant grocery store into the Edgewater Recreation and Community Center.

Plans include a gym, indoor playground, new pavilion, and even sustainability upgrades. The 45,000-square-foot building sits on a 5-acre lot — and construction could start July 1. Bonus: The same project team will also restore Jonas and Anne Catherine Green Park.

Want to toss your hard hat in the ring? Proposals are due May 15 on the Resilience Authority’s website.

Outdoor dining gets the green light – for 9 months a year

City Council just unanimously passed legislation giving Annapolis restaurants the green light to dish out al fresco dining up to nine months a year. Born in June 2020 from pandemic-era “recovery zones,” this now-permanent policy lets eateries skip the appeals process and apply directly for permits. While Market Space and Inner West Street (Church Circle ▶️ Calvert Street) are off the menu, most of downtown is fair game.

Bottom line? More sidewalk beers, more crabcakes in the sun, and a nice little boost for local restaurants. ($)

May Day Basket Tradition 💐🧺

For seven decades, Annapolitans have cherished the May Day Basket Competition. The Garden Club of Old Annapolis Towne and City of Annapolis want YOU to join the whimsical fun on Thursday, May 1. Grab your flowers and ribbons; then let your individuality shine! Place your baskets outside your home or business by 10 AM labeled with your name and address.

Residents need a traditional basket, while businesses can create floral displays related to their trade. The Garden Club will judge displays in the Historic District and parts of Murray Hill. Adult blue-ribbon winners earn an invite to the May Day Tea on May 6. Kids can design their own baskets and get a participation ribbon. Good luck, and may your creativity bloom! 🌸

Stories with ($) require a third-party subscription.

@NAPTOWNSCOOP

Pro tip: 👇️ That’s a sweet video. Tap or click to watch.

📸 @louisacathphoto

Tag @NaptownScoop to get your photos in the Scoop!

LOCAL BUSINESS

🧱 New development coming to Riva Road

This is a certified sizzlin’ scoop. Pretty sure you’ll hear it here first.

Construction just started on Shoppes at Riva, right across from the Aventon Apartments. By this time next year, the favorite potty spot of many Aventon dogs will be home to Chipotle, Paris Baguette, and one mystery vendor (TBA). The shops will open later this summer barring any construction delays.

Then comes the housing: 18 townhomes will rise on the other side of the lot starting in May. Exterior construction wraps by December 2025 with full completion next fall.

We’ll update you as soon as that mystery third spot is revealed — crossing our fingers for something funky.

Last Chance to Shop HERE. (for now)

HERE. today, gone Sunday. The beloved pop-up shop at 42 Randall Street is wrapping up its spring season this weekend — Saturday, April 19 to be specific. They’re still fully stocked with goodies for Easter, Commissioning Week, graduation, and even prom (yes, that includes vintage dresses and jewelry).

HERE. isn’t disappearing forever — it’s just going poof until summer. In the meantime, you can shop online 24/7 and support 65+ local artists and makers from your couch. El and the crew will be back soon with more pop-up magic. So swing by before Saturday at 6 PM or shop online anytime: hereapopupshop.com.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

SPONSORED BY HOMESTEAD GARDENS

What’s better than a spring stroll through greenhouses bursting with color, fragrance, and fresh inspiration? Adding a stop at the Homestead Gardens Beer Farm, where the experience goes beyond plants. Join us Thursday through Sunday at the HG Davidsonville location, noon to close, and enjoy live music, local food trucks, and cold beer or seltzer under the tent on the west side of the store. It's the perfect way to unwind, catch up with friends, and soak in the season. The full brewery on site is coming later this year—stay tuned! For updates, events, and more, visit HGbeerfarm.com and make spring even more memorable.

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

Today’s featured event. . .

Catfish are wrecking the Bay — so let’s eat ‘em. They’re malicious yet delicious. 🐟 Join award-winning chefs, jam out to live music, sip cocktails, and watch cooking demos at this deliciously eco-friendly party. $55 gets you in. May 3, noon to 4 PM at Annapolis Maritime Museum’s Park Campus. Tickets are selling fast!

Weekend Preview

Annapolis Easter Egg Hunt 10 AM Saturday, April 19, Pip Moyer Rec Center. More than 10,000 eggs are up for grabs.

Egg Hunt Eggstravaganza 2:30 PM to 9 PM, April 19, MyGym Annapolis. Egg hunts for all ages with games, songs, the Easter Bunny.

Spring Plant Sale 10 AM Saturday, April 19, Historic London Town and Gardens. Colonial plants and herbs, all grown on site.

Two Lights for Tomorrow 🕯️🕯️

If you had to memorize a certain Longfellow poem in elementary school, then you’re already familiar with the midnight ride of Paul Revere and his instructions to light candles (say it with me) “one if by land and two if by sea.” Well, we might no longer be awaiting British troops, but on this 150th anniversary of Revere’s midnight ride, Annapolis will participate in Two Lights for Tomorrow. It’s a nationwide initiative to illuminate every home, business, or other building with two lights on the evenings of April 18, 19, and 20.

The purpose is twofold: 1) to commemorate Revere’s warning, and 2) to symbolize American vigilance, preparedness, and the spirit of community that defines our nation. Annapolis and Anne Arundel County are spreading the word (though in a little bit more of a technologically advanced way than Paul did) so all locals can join the nationwide movement.

If you’re participating, be sure to post pics of your lights to social media with the hashtags #TwoLightsForTomorrow , #MD250 , and #Annapolis250.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

WEATHER

Thursday

63 🌡️ 48 | ☀️ | 1% | NW 10 mph (9 knots)

Friday

70 🌡️ 63 | ⛅ | 5% | 💨 S 19 mph (17 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 53ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN

Thursday

49 West | Jazz Wire Jam Session | 7:30–10:30 PM
Brian Boru | Aidan Ewald | 6:30–9:30 PM
Coconut Joe’s | Dwayne Wilson | 5–8 PM
Killarney House | Stephen Henson | 6–9 PM
Market House | b.en | 6–9 PM
Pirates Cove | Jason Bishop | 6–9 PM
The Point | Dan Haas | 5–8 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel | 7:30 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Tavern | Open Mic | 6 PM
Severna Park | Open Mic with George Evans | 7 PM

Friday

49 West | Cruel April | 7:30–10:30 PM
Annapolis Smokehouse & Tavern | Wild Flowers | 8:30 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Dana B | 4–7 PM
Blackwall Hitch | 3 Of a Kind | 9–12 PM
Brian Boru | Nikki Stacy | 7–10 PM
The Choptank | Hunter Rich | 8 PM
Coconut Joe’s | Neel Madan | 5–8 PM
Killarney House | Meg & Angie | 7:30–10:30 PM
The Lodge | Julie Riser | 8–11 PM
Market House | Faith and Alex | 8–11 PM
Market Space | Scott Steers | 6–9 PM
Old Stein | Skribe | 7–10 PM
Pirates Cove | Kevin Lee | 7:30–10:30 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Valerie June | 8 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | Mike Miller | 8 PM
Rams Head Tavern | Nate Finn | 5 PM
Romilo’s Restaurant and Bar | The Shore thing | 7 PM
Severna Park | The Bards | 8 PM

NAVY SPORTS

Past results

Baseball (21-17)
4/16 @ Bucknell | W 6-4

Women's Lacrosse (10-5)
4/16 @ Lehigh | W 21-5

Upcoming games

Men's Lacrosse (7-5)
4/18 @ Loyola | 7 PM

Men's Soccer (4-8-4)
4/18 @ UMB | 7 PM

Stories with ($) require a third-party subscription.

THANKS!

Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who thinks “al fresco” is a type of pasta.