Summer's almost over, your money's almost gone, and yet it feels like there's still so much left undone. What's a person to do?
We can't help you with the money part. And much as we'd like to, there's no way to expand the calendar. But we can point out what you may not realize: There's plenty to do in and around Charm City in the waning days of summer, even with nary a penny in your pocket.
Herewith, an itinerary for the thrifty, offering 50 no-cost activities to keep body and soul engaged over the next month or so. There's a lot to do, so get busy.
American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Highway. OK, you have to pay to get in, but walking around outside the building is free (and a visual experience in itself), and there's no charge if you want to go inside and visit Baltimore's funkiest museum gift shop. avam.org.
Annie Oakley Festival Fortunately, you don't have to be a gun-toting female sharpshooter to check out Cambridge's Annie Oakley Wild West Festival, set for tomorrow and Sunday on the banks of the Choptank River in a town the real Annie once called home. Organizers promise plenty of country and western music, plus arts and crafts, stagecoach rides, canoe excursions and lots of food. Admission is free. Noon-8 p.m. tomorrow and noon-6 p.m. Sunday at Governors Hall in Sailwinds Park. sailwindscambridge.com
Baltimore Free Store A place where everything is free — is this genuine nirvana, or what? The Free Store specializes in used, recycled goods that someone may no longer want, but someone else does. All they ask is that you don't get greedy, but only take what you genuinely need or want. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 7, 14 and 21. 1413 W. Baltimore St. freestorebaltimore.org.
Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Drive. Hang out all day with Matisse, Picasso, Rodin, Rembrandt and a bunch of other fabulous painters and sculptors, all without plunking down a dime. Free admission to the BMA just may be the biggest cultural deal in town. artbma.org.
Belly-dancing Cazbar Turkish tavernia, 316 N. Charles St., offers free belly-dancing shows at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Fridays and 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturdays. 410-528-1222 or cazbarbaltimore.com.
Belvedere Square concerts The Friday night concert series at Belvedere Square offers free music plus food deals from area restaurants. Remaining concerts include: The Apple Scruffs (Friday), The Remainders (Aug. 13), Barleyjuice (Aug. 20), Fins (Aug. 27), Bob Byer Band (Sept. 3), Sons of Pirates (Sept. 10) and Donegal Xpress (Sept. 17). Shows begin at 6 p.m. at the southeast corner of York Road and Northern Parkway. belvederesquare.com.
BET Health Symposium R&B singer Deborah Cox will be among those providing the entertainment for a day of health education, fitness, fun and entertainment aimed at African-American women and their families. Events run 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 21 at Reid Temple AME Church, 11400 Glenn Dale Blvd. in Glenn Dale, Prince George's County. Advance registration is suggested. 866-356-7348 or betfoundation.org.
Bocce in Little Italy. It's kind of like a cross between bowling and croquet, which means that even if you've never played bocce, it's easy to learn. Check out the courts at D'Alesandro Park in Little Italy (902 Stiles St.). Makes a fun spectator sport, too. bocce.baltimore.md.us
Book discussion The Towson Book Club meets monthly to discuss things literary. This month's book: "Driftless," by David Rhodes. 7 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Towson library, 320 York Road. 410-887-6166 or bcpl.info.
The Book Thing If Baltimore still likes to think of itself as The City That Reads, The Book Thing of Baltimore may be the biggest civic treasure around. Stop in, find some books or magazines you want, and walk out with them without paying a dime. Really. 3001 Vineyard Lane. Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. 410-662-5631 or bookthing.org.
Chesapeake Pride "Gay on the Bay" is the theme for the annual Chesapeake Pride Festival, set for noon-5 p.m. Saturday at Mayo Beach Park, 4150 Honeysuckle Drive in Edgewater. chesapeakepridefestival.org.
Cooking demonstration Area chefs will lead cooking demonstrations at selected Fresh Market stores throughout August. This month's featured dish: ginger-glazed wild salmon with edamame soba salad. Baltimore-area stops include: Baltimore, 2510 Quarry Lake Drive (Aug. 14, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.); Annapolis, 2504 Solomons Island Road (Aug. 21, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.). thefreshmarket.com.
Craigslist If you're looking for free stuff — and we're talking actual, getting-something-for-nothing stuff — there's no better place to look than Craigslist. Earlier this week, a quick search of the Baltimore area revealed a free sandbox, air mattress, weed whacker, hamster cage, even a rear-projection TV. Such deals! craigslist.org.
"A Dance Called Baltimore" Choreographer Meghan Flanigan and students from Peabody Dance will transmit the city's sights, sounds and rhythms to the dance floor through contemporary dance, video, soundscapes, snow cones, sprinklers and more. Sounds energetic, and colorful. 6 p.m. Aug. 14 at Echo Gallery at the North Avenue Market, 20 W. North Ave. Part of the Baltimore Song Project. stationnorth.org.
Dance rehearsal Dance enthusiasts can meet Leslie Seiters, Goucher College's modern guest artist in residence, and watch Goucher dancers as they rehearse for their fall recital. 6 p.m. Aug. 27 at Todd Dance Studio, 1021 Dulaney Valley Road in Towson. baltimore.org/events/id/2699.
Druid Hill Park It's one of the oldest landscaped parks in the country (just one year younger than New York's Central Park), encompassing 745 acres in the center of Baltimore since 1860. You've got to pay to get inside its main attraction, the Maryland Zoo, but there's no charge to walk or bike along the reservoir, enjoy the many statues (including Scotland's William Wallace, of "Braveheart" fame) or scope out the old, left-for-dead fountains and other pieces scattered throughout the park. Nice place for a picnic, too. druidhillpark.org.
"The End of the Line" Ted Danson narrates this documentary on how chronic overfishing is threatening the world's food supply. 6 p.m. Aug. 16 at the Pratt library's Southeast Anchor branch, 3601 Eastern Ave. 410-396-1580 or prattlibrary.org.
Ethnic festivals Baltimore celebrates its cultural hodgepodge with a series of ethnic festivals every year. Some charge admission, but two free ones are still to come in 2010. There's this weekend's multicultural International Festival at Poly/Western High School, 1400 W. Cold Spring Lane, and the Ukrainian Festival, set for Sept. 11-12 in Patterson Park, Linwood and Eastern avenues. promotionandarts.com.
Fashion preview Get an advance look at what the fashionable will be wearing in the coming fall and winter, courtesy of the Towson Town Center's "The Center of Fashion." Participating merchants include Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Ed Hardy, Gap, Levi's — Featuring Curve ID and Vans. 3 p.m. Aug. 15 in the GBMC Grand Court at Towson Town Center, 825 Dulaney Valley Road. towsontowncenter.com.
Federal Hill Check out the stunning view of Baltimore from Federal Hill, just south of the Inner Harbor. There's a lot of history here, too: a celebration of the recently ratified federal Constitution gave the hill its name in 1789, and cannon placed atop the hill by union troops during the Civil War, their barrels pointed at the heart of the city, helped ensure Maryland remained in the union. federalhillonline.com.
Films at Kenilworth The Shops at Kenilworth offer a host of food, drink and other specials to go with its outdoor film series. Films remaining on the schedule include "Twilight: New Moon" (Friday) and "Up" (Aug. 20). The movies start at dark, around 8:45 p.m. 800 Kenilworth Drive in Towson. theshopsatkenilworth.com.
Films on the Pier "Films on the Pier" offers cinephiles a harbor-side seat, with films shown on the Fells Point Pier at the foot of Broadway. Remaining films on the schedule include "Blind Side" (Aug. 11), "Alice in Wonderland" (Aug. 18) and "(500) Days of Summer" (Aug. 25). Shows start at 8:45 p.m. fellspointmainstreet.org.
Film talk Every month, the Pratt's Marc Sober leads a meeting of Baltimore's most devoted cinephiles in a discussion of some classic film or another, shown in the warm comfort of the library's Wheeler Auditorium. This month's offering: Luchino Visconti's 1971 "Death In Venice." 10:15 a.m. Aug. 14. 400 Cathedral St. prattlibrary.org.
Firefighter heroes "Cruisin for Our Heroes," a tribute to Baltimore County's police, EMS and emergency personnel, is set for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Fire Museum of Maryland. Events include antique vehicle exhibits, a swap meet and kids' activities. 1301 York Road in Lutherville. 410-321-7500 or firemuseummd.org.
Flicks from the Hill If it's still summer, there are still free outdoor movies to be seen throughout the Baltimore area. Check out the American Visionary Art Museum's Flicks from the Hill, films that can be watched from Federal Hill. The remaining summer schedule includes " David Byrne's True Stories" (Aug. 12) and "Rocky" (Aug. 19). The movies start at 9 p.m., and there's even free admission to the museum from 5 p.m. until the movie starts. 410-244-1900 or avam.org.
Folk music The monthly Folk Music Night at Perry Hall United Methodist Church, 9515 Belair Road, offers a tuneful, low-key vibe for all. This month's featured performer is Larry Burnett, founding member of the '70s group Firefall ("You Are the Woman"). 7 p.m. tomorrow. perryhallumc.org/folkmusicnight.
Fort McHenry There's no more peaceful place on the Baltimore waterfront than Fort McHenry, 2400 E. Fort Ave., nor more historic. With the city gearing up for a big-time celebration of the War of 1812 bicentennial, the old fort should enjoy some serious spotlight time in the coming years. Get there early or late in the day, and you might be able to help raise or lower the giant flag that flies over the fort. nps.gov/fomc.
Free museum weekend Anyone with a Bank of America/Merrill Lynch credit card gets in for free to the American Visionary Art Museum (800 Key Highway) or the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture (830 E. Pratt St.) Saturday and Sunday. If you can't do it this month, the offer's good the first weekend of every month through December. museums.bankofamerica.com.
Harborplace music The Harborplace Amphitheater will play host to live music every Saturday and Sunday through Labor Day. The remaining schedule includes: Texas Chain Saw Horns (8 p.m. tomorrow), Lovecraft (5 p.m. Sunday), The Key West Band (8 p.m. Aug. 14), Mr. Groove (5 p.m. Aug. 15), Tom Principato Blues Band (8 p.m. Aug. 21), The Real Geniuses (5 p.m. Aug. 22), Funk Daddy G (8 p.m. Aug, 28), Captain Fantastic and 52nd Street (5 p.m. Aug. 29), Old Man Brown (8 p.m. Sept. 4) and Mambo Combo (5 p.m. Sept. 5). harborplace.com.
Hiking and biking at Gwynns Falls Baltimore's favorite hidden oasis offers 15 miles of hiking and biking trails, much of it within Gwynns Falls and Leakin parks. You'll even pick up on some local history, thanks to the 31 informational panels placed along the route. gwynnsfallstrail.org.
Jewish Museum A new exhibit opening at the Jewish Museum of Maryland, "A Blessing to One Another: Pope John Paul II & the Jewish People," looks at the late pope's extraordinary efforts to strengthen ties between Catholics and Jews. The free opening is set for noon-4 p.m. Sept. 2. jewishmuseummd.org.
Lakefront film fest The Columbia Lakefront Festival offers movies at the lakefront, off Little Patuxent Parkway. Movies begin at dusk, about 8:30 p.m. On the schedule: "Avatar" (Friday), "Coraline" (Aug. 9), "Hairspray" (Aug. 13), "How to Train Your Dragon" (Aug. 16), "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" (Aug. 20), "Monsters vs. Aliens" (Aug. 23), "Enchanted" (Aug. 28), "Up" (Sept.3), "Wall-E" (Sept. 5), "Alice in Wonderland" (Sept. 10), "Iron Man" (Sept. 11), "Toy Story" (Sept. 16) and "Toy Story 2" (Sept. 18). lakefrontfestival.com.
"Lightning Train" The Strand Theater presents a staged reading of local playwright Barbara Bryan's play set in 1843, where three African-American businessmen use new technologies to help men and women fleeing slavery move more quickly. 8 p.m. Aug. 14. 1823 N. Charles St. 443-874-4917 or strandtheatercompany.org.
Little Italy Open Air Film Festival For movies with a distinctly Italian flavor, check out the much-loved Little Italy Open Air Film Festival; running Fridays through August at the corner of High and Stiles streets. Remaining films on the schedule include "The Italian Job" (Friday), "My House in Umbria" (Aug. 13), "When in Rome" (Aug. 20) and "Cinema Paradiso" (Aug. 27). Live music and other festivities begin at 7 p.m., with the movie starting at 9. There's even free popcorn. littleitalymd.org.
Live music Second Saturdays in Station North, a monthly free showcase for the Station North Arts District, will bring live music to several spaces on Aug 14. Performers include Beastmaster, Polygons and Tuff Stuff at The Hexagon Space, 1825 N. Charles St. (9 p.m.); Adrian Krygowski, Adryelle and Melissa Moran at Cyclops Books & Music, 30 W. North Ave. (8 p.m.); jazz guitarists Ron Williams and James Tart at Westnorth Studio, 106 W. North Ave. (8 p.m.); The Dave Janesh Trio (7 p.m.) and 2econd N8ture and Swift Technique (10 p.m.) at Joe Squared, 133 W. North Ave. stationnorth.org.
Lunchtime music The Downtown Partnership's free 2010 Pepsi Lunchtime Concert Series, running the first Thursday of every month through October, brings the Kelly Bell Band to Hopkins Plaza Sept. 2 for an afternoon of blues, soul, funk and rock 'n' roll. Noon-1:30 p.m. godowntownbaltimore.com.
More lunchtime music Pack a lunch before you leave for work Aug. 20 and make your way to this month's Summer Sounds in Center Plaza. (The final Summer Sounds concert is set for Sept. 10). 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the corner of Charles and Fayette streets. godowntownbaltimore.com.
Nighttime jazz The second installment of this summer's Cylburn Sounds …Jazz Under the Stars will feature Madd Flow, with saxaphonist Rob Landham, at 6 p.m. Aug. 11 on the grounds of the Cylburn Arboretum, 4915 Greenspring Ave. And if you like that one, the next Cylburn concert is set for 6 p.m. Aug. 25, with Que, featuring keyboardist Rodney Kelley Jr. 410-370-8994 or cylburnassociation.org.
Ocean City The beach is free. So is a stroll along the Boardwalk. In the dead of summer, it doesn't get any better than that. Check out ocisfree.com for all kinds of no-cost deals. ococean.com
Oriole Park at Camden Yards Maybe you've sworn off the O's this year or can't afford a game ticket. But you can still enjoy one of America's most beautiful ballparks. Walk around the outside, stand for a minute at the veterans tribute at the stadium's southern end (salvaged from old Memorial Stadium) and, outside game time, walk along the Eutaw Street plaza, admiring the Orioles Hall of Fame plaques and thinking, 'Wait until next year." orioles.com.
Patterson Park flicks A series of movies shown in Patterson Park East, near the corner of Ellwood Avenue and Gough Street, promises family-friendly films tonight, Aug. 20 and Aug. 27. Showtime is 8:30 p.m. pattersonpark.com.
Pier 6 offsite Maybe you can't afford a ticket to see Blondie and Cheap Trick Aug. 29, or maybe you were too late to get a seat for the sold-out Crosby, Stills and Nash show Sept. 15 (only lawn seats are left). But you can still wander along the nearby piers and listen to the music. Don't bring a chair, don't loiter too long in one place and don't get in anyone's way. Chances are no one will bother you. piersixpavilion.com.
Ravens practice Fans eager to get their football fix should head for M&T Bank Stadium Saturday, where the team is planning a free practice session. Not having been to a game since January, maybe you could use some practice, too. Begins at noon. baltimoreravens.com.
Restaurant Week appetizers Baltimore's Summer Restaurant Week kicks off officially on Aug. 13, but on Aug. 12, "The First Course — Appetizer Challenge" offers a free taste of things to come. Reps from some of the city's finest restaurants will be competing to see who concocts the tastiest appetizers, and free samples will be handed out while supplies last. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Inner Harbor Amphitheater, near the corner of Pratt and Light streets. harborplace.com/events/the-first-course-appetizer-challenge.
Smithsonian Institution Is there any better deal in the world than the Smithsonian? Vast treasure troves of history, science, art and culture, and just about all of it free. All you have to be willing to do is drive to Washington and look for a parking space. si.edu/museums.
Sylvia's mother Nicole Hollander, creator of the comic-strip "Sylvia," will talk about life as a cartoonist (and plug her new book, "The Sylvia Chronicles: Thirty Years of Graphic Misbehavior from Reagan to Obama") 6:30 p.m. Aug. 11 at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral St. 410-396-5430 or prattlibrary.org.
Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St. When it comes to no-cost culture, free admission to the Walters is no slouch. With art from ancient Egypt, classical Greece and Rome and medieval Europe, the place practically makes time-travel possible. thewalters.org.
Wine, beer and cheese Now this is what we're talking about: Stella Artois, Urban Cellars and Cabot Cheese are sponsoring a free wine, beer and cheese tasting on Aug. 12. 5 p.m.-8 p.m. in Center Plaza, Charles and Fayette streets. dinedowntownbaltimore.com.
Workings Artists A Working Artists Forum, featuring works in oil, watercolor, acrylic, monotype and collage from 20 Eastern show artists, opens Aug. 13 in the Chaney Gallery at Maryland Hall in Annapolis — one of three new exhibitions opening at Maryland Hall that same day. A reception is set for 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. 801 Chase St. 410-263-5544 or marylandhall.org.
"Zimmer the Sandman" Performance artist Nino Trentinella will be at the Creative Alliance at the Patterson to discuss his short animation, "Zimmer the Sandman," inspired by the Namib Desert and exploring issues of preservation, threatened heritage and the environment. The short was created as a prologue for a dance performance set to take place in Namibia, Africa. 7 p.m. Aug. 25. 3134 Eastern Ave. 410-276-1651 or creativealliance.org.
chris.kaltenbach@baltsun.com