Drone show to light up sky at Artscape in celebration of Baltimore, UMMC's 200th anniversary
BALTIMORE -- Artscape, a three-day festival that highlights all things Baltimore and its vibrant arts community, returns to Baltimore this weekend after a three-year hiatus.
WJZ is the proud media sponsor of Artscape.
You won't want to miss this year's new aerial drone exhibition, sponsored by the University of Maryland Medical Center, which is celebrating its 200 anniversary.
UMMC Vice President of Marketing and Communication James McMahon said the drone show will be like a love letter to our community.
"Without Baltimore, there is no University of Maryland Medical Center, there is no School of Medicine, so we have a long history with this community and the drone show will be an homage to that."
The drone show will honor a major milestone with the city and the people who've made UMMC a national pioneer in healthcare.
"We have a huge amount of medical first achievements and bringing innovation into healthcare," McMahon said. "It was a natural synergy between drones and what they mean in terms of innovation."
McMahon says the specialized aeriel light show will introduce folks to emerging technology.
Hundreds of hours of design and programming are put into creating a 10-minute spectacle featuring more than 250 drones.
"A lot of this will be geared towards the spirit of innovation, the spirit of caring for the community and the legacy of coming together as a community," said Nate Mortensen, CEO of Open Sky Productions.
The show will feature a rendition of the Baltimore Trash Wheel and more Baltimore-inspired animations.
For those who've yet to see the magic in person, Mortensen says prepare to be amazed.
"Time slows down as you're watching the drones move and evolve and reveal their next animation or the next message that comes," Mortensen said. "And then coupling that with music that can be synced directly to the movement of the drones creates a very magical experience."
The drone show is a first for Artscape and it is a show you won't want to miss celebrating UMMC's medical advancements here in our community.
"It's really a celebration of where we have been over the past 200 years, what we are delivering today in terms of world-class care and what the future holds," McMahon said."
The University of Maryland Medical Center Srone show begins just after sunset on Friday near Artscapes main stage along the Cathedral Street.
DJ Pee .Wee will be one of the festival's leading acts.
Nile Rogers & Chic and Angelo Moore will also perform at this year's Artscape kicking off Friday, September 22-Sunday, September 24.
For everything you need to know, visit the official Artscape website.
But there are some road closures and parking restrictions you should know about.
Starting Monday, parts of westbound Preston Street are closed between Maryland and Cathedral streets.
The left lane on eastbound Dolphin Street is closed between Bolton and Howard streets and Park Avenue is closed between Howard and Cathedral.
More roads are closing in the coming days.
