BloomHaven, Maryland Hall’s outdoor concert series, returns Sunday, and this year’s event is an upgrade.
Maryland Hall Director of Programming Austin Sposato said that, instead of having artists perform on the Annapolis organization’s front step with crowds watching from the parking lot, the event takes place on the lawn, complete with a new stage.
Those changes helped inspire the series’ new moniker, “Live on the Lawn,” and its lineup: four bluegrass and jazz concerts by area artists throughout July and August. Each event will have food spots, activities for kids like face painting, vendors selling everything from vinyl records to vintage clothes, and croquet lessons.
The lineup is as follows:
- Sunday, July 13: Dominique Bianco, featuring Tommy Holladay (jazz; gates open at 5:30 p.m.)
- Saturday, July 19: Dirty Grass Players (progressive bluegrass; gates open at 6 p.m.)
- Saturday, Aug. 9: Black-Eyed Suzies, opened by Gage Rhodes (bluegrass and folk; gates open at 6 p.m.)
- Sunday, Aug. 17: Stephen Arnold & Sea Change (indie jazz; gates open at 5:30 p.m)
“I’ve been here for one year, so this was a new idea that I was bringing in. I live right down the street from Maryland Hall, and I’ve always loved the front lawn area, especially the huge tree that marks the end of the lawn. So, I really wanted to activate that space and have people get to enjoy the beautiful, natural environment,” Sposato said. “You can really stay focused on the music, if that’s your interest, or you can participate in the other activities and hang out.”
Sposato said he assembled the lineup with Maryland Hall’s entire season in mind.
“In some ways, what we’re doing outside in the summer rounds out the rest of the season,” he said. “A lot of people expect things from Maryland Hall, and also expect to find something new.”
Throughout the rest of the year, Maryland Hall is home to many other acts, including the Naval Academy Band, the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Annapolis Film Festival, among others.
Maryland Hall is in the building that used to hold Annapolis High School, which it rents from the district. The building is nearly 100 years old and undergoing renovations, but Sposato said there hasn’t been a reduction in the number of events this year. The areas most affected are the classrooms, meaning its education-oriented programs have had to find new homes. Compass Rose Theater, which uses Maryland Hall as a venue, has also been affected and will hold shows outside of Maryland Hall during part of its next season.
Sposato said the wait will be worth it, however, teasing upgrades being made to its black box Bowen Theater. A lack of soundproofing has made it so that shows could not run or rehearse concurrently between Bowen and the main theater, but renovations throughout the year will rectify that issue, and Sposato says he plans to take full advantage when planning next year’s season.
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