XV Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival FAQs

Where and when will the XV Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival be held?

The XV Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival will be held at the Royal Farms Arena (formerly, First Mariner Arena) at
1:00PM Sunday, July 3, 2016

The Royal Farms Arena address is:
201 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

Where will the practices be held?

All practices will take place at the Royal Farms Arena, the same venue where the XV Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival will take place on Sunday.
The arena is just four blocks from the Hilton and Marriott hotels and is across the street from the Days Inn and Holiday Inn.

When will the practices be held?

Friday, July 1
All groups are expected to participate.
Practice will be 1-4 hours depending on your group, and could start as early as 11:00am. Your instructor will be notified of your group’s time in the spring.

Lunch is not provided on Friday. Water will be available throughout the Arena during all practices.

Saturday, July 2
8:00am – 6:00pm
All groups are expected to participate. Arena concession stands will be open in the morning with lite fare available for a charge: coffee, tea, juice, and Danish pastries.

Box lunches will be provided to all participants during the Saturday practice. Vegetarian and gluten-free options will be available. Preselection will take place when you register. Water stations will be available all day in the Arena hallways.

Will there be evening activities over the weekend?

Planning is currently underway for dances/events on Friday and Saturday evenings, ending with the traditional Sunday evening gala. A dinner honoring all of the dance instructors will take place on Friday evening, July 1.

Monday, July 4 Independence Day – No scheduled activities.

There will be fireworks displays over Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and in Washington, D.C. on the National Mall.

Is there a XV Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival headquarters hotel?

Most evening activities will take place at the Hilton Baltimore Hotel, located on the Inner Harbor at
401 W Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

Which hotels are closest to the Arena?

Both the Days Inn and Holiday Inn are across the street from the Royal Farms Arena.

Will any events be in Washington, D.C.?

No folk dance festival events are planned for Washington, D.C., but festival attendees can travel to Washington by bus/Amtrak/ MARC trains. A beautiful landmark in Washington is the Chapel of Our Lady of Šiluva at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. On October 9th, we will celebrate the 50th year of the Chapel’s dedication.

Will there be Lithuanian Roman Catholic Mass on Sunday?

Holy Mass will be celebrated at the Lithuanian Parish of St. Alphonsus on Saturday 4:30PM and on Sunday 9:00AM morning. The church is about 6 blocks from the hotel; limited shuttle service will be provided for those in need only on Sunday.

The National Shrine of St. Alphonsus Ligouri
114 W Saratoga Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

What is there to see/do in Baltimore?

And much, much more…..

Baltimore offers a “Harbor Pass,” a four-day pass that provides you discounted admission to some of Baltimore’s top Inner Harbor attractions including the Maryland Science Center, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Top of the World Observation Level and a choice between Port Discovery Children’s Museum, the American Visionary Art Museum and Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards, or the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History.

The passes can be purchased in advance at baltimore.org/harborpass with a savings of 25% for Harbor Pass over single ticket purchases. You may also purchase both passes at the Baltimore Visitor Center that is within 3 blocks of the hotels.

How do I get to Baltimore?

Situated in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic, Baltimore is easily accessible by plane, train, or highway.

Planes
Baltimore is primarily served by Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Maryland. Just 15 minutes from downtown, BWI offers more than 650 flights daily to more than 70 domestic destinations, as well as London, Frankfurt and the Caribbean. The airport features easy access to Baltimore’s Light Rail as well as the BWI Amtrak Station. Southwest Airlines flies into BWI from many cities with large Lithuanian-American populations (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago Midway, Cleveland, Detroit, Hartford, Los Angeles, Newark, New York, San Francisco, Tampa, etc.).

Trains
AMTRAK: Baltimore Penn Station services travelers in the Northeast corridor and on the Midwest/Northeast lines. Amtrak offers a 10% discount off the best available rail fare to Baltimore, MD between June 26, 2016 – July 08, 2016. To book your reservation call Amtrak at 1 (800) 872-7245 or contact your local travel agent. Conventions cannot be booked via Internet. Please be sure to refer to Convention Fare Code X21Z-937 when making your reservation. This offer is not valid on the Auto Train and Acela Service. Fare is valid on Amtrak Regional for all departures seven days a week, except for holiday blackouts. Offer valid with Sleepers, Business Class or First Class seats with payment of the full applicable accommodation charges.

MARC: MARC now offers weekend service on the Penn Line! ($7 Baltimore-Washington, $6 BWI-Washington, $5, Odenton-Washington). Take advantage of this new service to bring your family to Washington for a fun day trip! Visit the museums and other sites in our Nation’s Capital, such as the National Zoo, the Smithsonian Museums, and Arlington National Cemetery. Baltimore-bound passengers can enjoy the Inner Harbor, National Aquarium, and Fort McHenry. Cab fare from Penn Station to the Royal Farms Arena is about $10.00, or you can take the Baltimore Light Rail train.

Automobiles
Baltimore is easily accessible on I-95. Take the Inner Harbor exit to the Hilton Baltimore. You can reach Baltimore via I-70 from the west and I-83/81 from the North.

How do I get to downtown Baltimore from the airport?

From BWI airport to hotels/inner harbor: An inexpensive option is to use the Baltimore Light Rail ($1.70 one way.) The BWI Marshall Light Rail Station is located immediately outside the lower level of the terminal building, adjacent to Concourse E. It will take approximately 18 minutes from BWI to the hotel area.
For schedules call 410-539-5000 or go to mta.maryland.gov/light-rail.

Go to mta.maryland.gov/light-rail to view the Light Rail System maps, schedules, fare details and other general information.

Light Rail Train Hours of Operation

Monday – Friday: 5:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Saturday: 6:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Sunday and Holidays: 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Exit the light rail train at the Pratt Street/Convention Center stop. The Hilton and Marriott will be to your left, 1 block away.

If you cross Pratt Street and walk 1 block north to W Lombard Street; Holiday Inn will be to your left; Days Inn will be to your right, on the corner of W Lombard and Hopkins streets.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.bwiairport.com/en/travel/ground-transportation/trans/lightrail

MARC Service Alert
The Penn Line will operate on a Saturday schedule on Monday, July 4. Camden and Brunswick Line service will not operate.
The staff of the MARC Train Service wish you a safe and happy 4th of July holiday and thank you for your patronage.
Saturday schedule can be found here:
https://mta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/PENN-WKEND_JUN20-AUG312016.pdf

SuperShuttle Service from BWI to the hotels is $15 per person + $1 gas surcharge (discounts for more than 1 person in party).
www.supershuttle.com

What are additional parking options near the arena and around Baltimore?

To make parking easy and stress free, we have partnered with Parking Panda, the nationwide leader in online parking reservations. View real-time availability and pricing near the Royal Farms Arena.

Simply compare parking options, reserve, and use your confirmation to access the facility. We strongly recommend that you purchase your parking in advance, if driving. If you need assistance booking overnight parking or have questions contact Parking Panda support (800) 232-6415 or support@parkingpanda.com.

***First time users: enter promo code LITHUANIANFDF10 at checkout to receive an additional 10% off your reservation.***

Baltimore Parking powered by Parking Panda

How much does parking cost at the hotels?

Parking at the hotels ranges from $24 – $37 (+ tax) per night. All hotels allow in/out privileges. If you drive and will not need your car during the week, an alternative to hotel parking is to park your car at the long term parking lot at BWI, take the shuttle to the airport, and use the $1.60 light rail as transportation to the hotel. Long term parking at BWI is $8/night.
http://parking.bwiairport.com/long-term/
Street parking anywhere in downtown Baltimore is not advised – meters are strictly enforced.

There are a number of affordable garages located throughout downtown Baltimore. Close to the hotels are:

LAZ DownUnder Garage
110 W Lombard St.
Baltimore, MD 21201

Landmark Parking
20 S Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21201

Gallery Garage
101 S Calvert St.
Baltimore, MD 21202

What about transportation in Baltimore?

You can walk from your hotel to most of the major tourist attractions. Baltimore also has a free downtown bus system called the Charm City Circulator; 5 different lines, designated by colors, travel to various parts of the city that attract tourists to historic sites, &/or quaint areas with great restaurants & bars.
Schedule:
Mon – Thursday: 6:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Friday: 6:30 a.m. – midnight
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – midnight
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
http://www.charmcitycirculator.com/content/route-maps

Will I need transportation to get from the hotel to the folk dance festival at the arena?

The Royal Farms Arena is within 4 blocks from the Hilton and Marriott hotels and across the street from the Days Inn and Holiday Inn. There is limited parking around the arena, so attendees are encouraged to walk.

If needed, however, transportation (small shuttle buses) will be available between the hotels and the Arena on a continuous loop on Sunday. We respectfully ask that this be reserved for people with disabilities and attendees who have difficulty walking.

What about other options for Festival parking?

This will help.

How do I get to the Lithuanian Hall in Baltimore?

The Lithuanian Hall is just half a mile (a 15 minute walk) from the Hilton & Marriott hotels. Go west on Pratt, cross Martin Luther King Boulevard, walk north one block, turn left on Lombard St., then take your first right onto Parkin St. The Hall is at the corner of Parkin and Hollins Streets.

The Lithuanian Hall is usually open only on Fridays and for special events; however, the Hall will be open Thursday through Monday for the folk dance festival weekend.

The Hall is less than 5 minutes away from the Hilton by car. Go north on S. Eutaw St., left on Pratt St., cross Martin Luther King Boulevard, and take your first right onto Parkin Street. The Hall is at the corner of Parkin and Hollins Streets.

The Hall is in a residential neighborhood, with some meter parking – 2 hour limits – until 7:00 pm, after which time, parking is free.