Everyone is craving to be outdoors now that spring has arrived and 35% of county residents have received their first dose or completed their COVID vaccination. To accommodate those that prefer to dine outdoors the Inner West Street Association just received approval to start the Dinner Under the Stars outdoor dining and live music events Wednesday, April 21st.
The event will be held on Wednesday evenings from 5 pm to 10 pm with socially distanced dining and live music by local musicians from 6 pm to 9 pm. Diners can choose from the five traditional participating restaurants on the first block of West Street including 49 West Coffeehouse Winebar & Gallery, Luna Blu Ristorante Italiano, Rams Head Tavern, Stan and Joe’s Saloon, and Tsunami. Diners can also eat outdoors close to the original area at Level – A Small Plates Lounge, Reynolds Tavern, or take a stroll to Curate for coffee and dessert. Those looking to take in the arts can explore nearby art galleries (Gallery 57 West and Annapolis Collection Gallery) and the new murals that have been recently completed in the area. There is also family entertainment you can add to your night by experiencing an escape room at Mission Escape Rooms or take an art class at Wine & Design.
As the weather continues to warm up the Inner West Street Association is seeking sponsors to add up to three additional nights at the end of May through the end of the season for Dinner Under the Stars so that extra nights of outdoor dining in the street can be accommodated.
During the height of the COVID pandemic last year most events shut down and some even went out of business. The Inner West Street Association managed to find safe ways to expand Dinner Under the Stars by adding social distancing, adding additional nights, and having safety measures that included mask-wearing when not seated for dining. This event was also used as a model of what outdoor dining can look like in cities around the state. Last year Inner West Street Association hosted 120 free admission events compared to 25 events in 2019. The cover of this year’s Annual Financial Report from Comptroller Peter Franchot features Dinner Under the Stars with the tagline “Ingenuity in the Face of Adversity,” which could also be a tagline for the Inner West Street Association and most of us that have had to reinvent ourselves during the past year.
Diners planning to visit Dinner Under the Stars have the option to make reservations or have first come first served seating. Visit the website www.DinnerUnderTheStars.org for event details that include the music schedule, reservation policies, safety protocols, and sponsorship opportunities.
This event is brought to you by the Inner West Street Association and managed by Evans Management LLC.
