TURNING LEMONS INTO LEMON STICKS
Repurposing a Cancelled Marketing Event
Visit Baltimore spent months working hard on our South By Southwest ( SXSW ) debut scheduled for March 2020 , but COVID-19 had other plans . Though the festival was cancelled , the team found other ways to share the projects and products that were supposed to debut at the venerable convention ’ s annual Austin showcase .
The team planned a pop-up event dubbed “ Baltimore , Beneath the Shell ,” which was equal parts Maryland-style crab feast , intimate conversation , culinary collaboration , and the convergence of cultural voices forging a new story for Baltimore . SXSW attendees were invited to join Baltimore tastemakers who would share their experiences and perspectives while enjoying local delicacies mixed with Austin flavors , including a traditional Maryland crab feast , snowballs , Old Bay ice cream and signature cocktails made with Sagamore Spirit rye .
Once the pandemic subsides and it ’ s safe to hold intimate outdoor events , we hope to recreate these plans on a smaller scale in regional markets like Washington , D . C . or Philadelphia .
SNOWBALL – Baltimore ’ s take on a traditional snow cone includes chopped ice covered with bright , bold flavoring . Skylite and egg custard are local favorites , and experts always put marshmallow fluff on top .
In the meantime , we ’ re giving away the set of ( very cute !) collectible enamel pins that were created as mementos for event attendees . The pins were inspired by Baltimore icons — a steamed crab , Fifi the poodle , a lemon stick , an egg custard snowball , as well as the new Visit Baltimore logo — and designed by the Baltimore-based Harvey Agency . We ’ ve also repurposed these designs into downloadable digital coloring pages for families looking for fun things to do at home .
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