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What: Restaurant Week in Baltimore

When: August 7-16

Where: Baltimore

Why: It seems like every city is jumping on the Restaurant Week bandwagon. But Baltimore, thanks to its traditional regional cuisine and burgeoning dining districts like Fell’s Point and Mount Vernon, is a particularly enticing place for prix fixe fun this August. More than 90 restaurants are on board for this season’s culinary blow out, with three-course dinners going for $30.09 and lunch priced at $20.09.

What: Baltimore Waterfront Invasion

When: Now Through September 6

Where: Baltimore, MD

Why: Late this spring, lo-fi ads started assaulting the Baltimore airwaves with B-movie graphics promising a “Waterfront Invasion” this summer. Luckily, it’s much less sinister than the British invasion that besieged the harbor in 1814: The Maryland Science Center and the National Aquarium have teamed up with two exhibitions, one focused on jellyfish, the other on dinosaur fossils unearthed in Asia.

What: Artscape

When: July 17-19

Where: Mount Royal Avenue and Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD

Why: Artscape is the country’s largest free public arts event, bringing more than 150 artists, designers and craftspeople to the streets of Baltimore, along with a stacked roster of musical shows, featuring headliners Dionne Warwick, Cake, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

What: World Football Challenge

When: July 24, 8:00 p.m.

Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

Why: The World Football Challenge is bringing some of the biggest squads from Europe and Mexico to the US for a round-robin tournament of six exhibition matches this summer, including a game between AC Milan and Chelsea at M&T Bank Stadium. It’s a rare opportunity to see some of the world’s best players in the US, particularly for soccer fans whose last look at European teams was during the 2009 UEFA Champion’s League Final in May.

What: African American Heritage Festival

When: July 3-5

Where: Camden Yards, Baltimore

Why: The biggest celebration of African American culture in the mid-Atlantic, last year’s AAHF drew more than half a million visitors, and this year’s partnership with the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association is sure to make the 8th annual celebration even bigger. In addition to the backdrop of fireworks from nearby Inner Harbor, festival draws include performances by En Vogue (remember them?!), Teena Marie, and Anita Baker as well as carnival rides, ethnic foods, a fashion show, and kid-friendly activities.