7 things to do in Howard County: Food trucks, book festival and more

The week may have started off with rain and gray skies, but there is plenty to do on Mother’s Day weekend in Howard County to get out of a gloomy funk. Enjoy a smorgasbord of cuisines from food trucks, roam through Patapsco Valley State Park and celebrate moms.

Food Truck Thursdays

4 p.m. - 8 p.m., every Thursday through Oct. 24

Food Truck Thursdays kicks off this week at West Friendship Park. Take a night off cooking and enjoy food truck bites outside surrounded by music and family fun. The weekly event, hosted by Howard County Recreation and Parks and Maryland Family Food Truck Nights, runs through the fall, except for July 4.

Books in Bloom

11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday

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Bookworms and casual readers alike can escape into works of fiction and nonfiction at the eighth annual Books in Bloom festival at Color Burst Park in the Merriweather District on Saturday.

Festival events include author readings, Q&A sessions and book signings, a community book swap and an outdoor bookstore hosted by Busboys & Poets.

“Known as the region’s most progressive literary and arts event, Books in Bloom focuses on the power of books to reveal, heal and inspire despite differences in age, race, religion, ethnicity and gender,” according to the event’s website.

This free event is co-hosted by the Downtown Columbia Partnership and Howard Hughes Corp.

Craft Fair & Maker’s Market at Manor Hill

12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

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Grab a brew from Manor Hill’s taproom and peruse the market of goods and trinkets made by local artisans, crafters and agriculture producers. This annual spring market is free to attend.

After selecting some pottery, specialty dog treats or handmade soap from the vendors, mosey on down to the food trucks and enjoy live music from the 100 Proof Bluegrass Band (from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.). Want something sweet? Dessert will be available from the Apple Core Bake Shoppe and Good Karma Creamery.

Patapsco Valley State Park Walking Tour

1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

Hikers and history buffs can take advantage of a special guided walking tour with staff from the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum this Saturday.

The walking tour will showcase how the railroad influenced development in the Avalon Area of Patapsco Valley State Park.

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The tour begins at 1 p.m. sharp at the William Offutt Johnson History Center in Halethorpe. Anyone age 12 or older may attend. The cost is $15 per person.

Mead & Mingle

4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday

Persons 21 and older can sip local craft mead while learning all about bees at the Robinson Nature Center.

Saturday’s events include making a bee hotel with the Howard County Beekeepers, an all-volunteer nonprofit association that promotes local beekeeping, and learning how to make a pollinator-friendly habitat for your home with Bee City USA, a national program that raises awareness about the roles pollinators play in nature while teaching groups how to provide healthy habitats.

While imbibing local craft mead from Clear Skies Meadery, you can learn about the art of mead making. You must be at least 21 years old and the cost is $35 per person.

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Wilde Lake High School Jazz Cabaret

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m.

Want to listen to cool jazz Saturday night but don’t want to deal with the hassle of traveling on a weekend? Wilde Lake High School has you covered. Sit back and relax in the school’s auditorium for the annual Jazz Cabaret Saturday night.

Tickets cost $10 for students and $15 for adults. For larger parties, bundle packages of either four tickets for $50 or eight tickets for $90 are available.

Light bites and beverages will be available for sale.

Mother’s Day Brunch

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday

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Celebrate your mom, grandma or a mother figure in your life over Sunday brunch at LĀK Columbia.

The brunch buffet spread will include “an array of culinary delights” at $65 per person, according to event details. Atoka Strings Quartet will play music from noon to 3 p.m.

Not feeling brunch? LĀK Columbia also has an evening dinner seating at which Atoka Strings will again perform and with the purchase of an entree, all moms will receive a glass of bubbly and a limited-edition dessert.

Jess Nocera

jess.nocera@thebaltimorebanner.com