Pikesville’s Jewish community came out in full force for the annual Taste of Northwest Festival at Pikesville Armory, a festival meant to celebrate Northwest Baltimore’s culture and diversity. The businesses and organizations tabling reflected the area’s diverse background, and because there is such a large Jewish community in Pikesville, those present at the festival on Sunday, Aug. 18 reflected that fact.
With over 700 people registered to attend and 40 businesses and organizations tabling — 13 more than 2023’s festival — it was an afternoon of community fun, even with concerns about bad weather that day.
The festival has been held annually for the past two years, but 2024 marked the first time it was held at the Pikesville Armory. Previously, it had been held in Central Park Heights, but the Pikesville Armory’s ongoing renovation projects made it a prime area for the festival’s new location.
For some of the Jewish organizations that hosted tables at the festival, it was a great opportunity for them to get their names out there and connect with each other, as well as with community members who might not be familiar with their services.
“It’s definitely important for us to get our name out there, no matter who we reach,” said Sarah Eckhard, Beth Israel Congregation’s marketing and communications coordinator, who operated a table promoting The Joseph and Corinne Schwartz Beth Israel Community Learning Lab. “As long as our name is at the top of people’s minds, they can recommend us to other people.”
Other Jewish organizations represented at Taste of Northwest included the JCC of Greater Baltimore, Baltimore Jewish Council, CHAI: Comprehensive Housing Assistance Inc., the Edward A. Myerberg Center and the Baltimore Shomrim. Additionally, the Jewish-owned Tovavi Falafel served as the festival’s kosher, vegan and gluten-free food vendor.
Several local Jewish politicians also attended the festival, such as state Sen. Shelly Hettleman, Baltimore County Councilman Israel “Izzy” Patoka and Del. Jon S. Cardin. Representatives from Mayor Brandon Scott’s Faith Outreach Team were also present, including Jewish Liaison Rebecca Mark.
BJC and CHAI were both involved in the festival’s organization as part of the One Park Heights Initiative, a program of the Northwest Baltimore Partnership meant to bring the area’s community together and build bridges between different cultures. The Taste of Northwest Festival is an effort of the initiative — the initiative has also arranged a fall festival at the Weinberg Park Heights JCC and a community clean-up in Central Park Heights.
“This year seemed like an excellent opportunity to bring the event to the Pikesville Armory and encourage other parts of Northwest Baltimore to get involved,” BJC Executive Director Howard Libit said. “It’s gratifying to see such diverse representation at a Sunday afternoon festival like Taste of Northwest. It’s an important and productive way for neighbors and neighborhoods to build valuable relationships.”
In addition to its strong Jewish component, the Taste of Northwest Festival served as a sneak peek for what the Pikesville Armory has in store. The Transform Pikesville Armory Initiative has been working toward becoming a public community hub, with walking paths, sports fields and concert venues currently in development.
The festival offered a small taste of what might be in store for Pikesville Armory once the project has been completed.
“Many of our vendors had great engagement, and overall, we’ve had an incredibly positive response from both attendees and those involved … all of whom are very excited to attend next year,” said Kelly Baccala, neighborhood development officer at the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development. “This was our first year at this location after two years in Central Park Heights, and I was incredibly proud to see all of the smiling faces.”
