HonFest 2007.

I had monstrous fun at the Honfest on Saturday.

The Honfest is a friendly and little bit eccentric event which covers four city blocks on 36th Street in Hampden [located in the northern Baltimore]. It's one of Hampden's traditional events and it was the 30th year. I learned that Honfest is named after the "Bawlmer" warmhearted greeting "hon", derived from the phrase "honey." It is a term of endearment used by Hampdenites and Baltimoreans generally.

Women epitomized the 60's honey with the bluest eye-shadow, tightest spandex pants, leopard patters, pink and black clothes, biggest beehive hairdo and the sunglasses. You could also have gotten the full hon treatment at the Glamor Lounge. Only one regret I have is I totally missed the Hon Contest :'(

Hampden is the most wicked little city you could have ever been to. I was so glad to discover this community. I don't really know how to express it, but it has a totally different atmosphere compared to other communities in Baltimore. A lot of cool shops too ;)

"Many of its residents came to the area from the hill country of Kentucky, West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania , looking for work in the mills." Ah, maybe that's why they have this friendly greeting, "hon." The greeting brought back the memory of Kentucky... southern folks. I went to school in KY and the friendliness of people in Hampden reminded me of the state. Southern people tend to be more warmhearted compared to Yankees or northeastern folks. Hampden community has a lot of artists and other bohemians. As I already mentioned... this place has wicked people in its very own.. unique way. The instance we arrived there, I fell in love with the place.

[One of my all time favorite movies, Pecker by John Waters' was filmed in Hampden.]