2010 Annual Meeting and Election: Feb. 3

Federal Hill Main Street will hold its Annual Meeting and Election of the Board of Directors on Wednesday, Feb. 3, at 6 pm, at our office, 42 E. Cross St. The public is invited and welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served.

Main Street membership -- free in 2010, in honor of our 10th anniversary -- is required to vote in the board election. You can complete the online Membership Form and bring it with you, or fill it out on Feb. 3.

Come to the meeting and learn more about our program! For information, call Jane Seebold, 410-727-4500.

Small Business Concerns Aired on WBAL Radio

Lack of access to working capital continues to hinder small businesses like those in Federal Hill, Main Street Executive Director Jane Seebold told listeners of WBAL radio's Shari Elliker call-in show this morning. With banks refusing to offer lines of credit or loans to mom-and-pop businesses, owners are forced to rely on high-interest-rate credit cards to purchase inventory and stock their shelves.

With President Obama speaking in Baltimore, today's topic was his new plan for stimulating small business with recovered TARP funds from the bank bailout. One proposal calls for making loans available through community banks. According to Seebold, this would not offer much relief for those in city neighborhoods like Federal Hill, where the only banks are major ones.

Senator Ben Cardin's office is working on legislation to address this issue as well. We will continue to report on new developments here.

Gala Auction to Feature Federal Hill Painting by Renowned Artist

A painting by Crystal Moll of a Federal Hill street scene (right) is one of the featured items in the live auction at the 3rd Annual Fest-of-All, Feb. 27, Baltimore Museum of Industry. Party-goers will have a chance to bid on the gem entitled "Alleyside Fronts."

Other items include a week in a luxury beach house, cooking classes at Corks Restaurant, and more. The silent auction will feature many items, from the whimsical to the practical: jewelry, concerts, framed artwork, fitness & massage, Ravens tickets, and more.

And there will be plenty of eating, drinking, live music, and dancing, too! Lisa Ponzoli of Babe (a boutique) is coordinating an exciting runway fashion show. Federal Hill resturants are supplying a wide variety of food, and taverns are contributing liquor for a full open bar.

All of this is included in the ticket price: a bargain at $60 ($75 at the door). Order online now (and check out photos from last year) at:
www.historicfederalhill.org/events/festofall

Frederick (Md.) Tours Federal Hill

On Monday, Jan. 25, about 20 members of the Frederick Downtown Partnership -- including Mayor Randy McClement -- came to Federal Hill to explore our business district and Federal Hill Main Street program. Executive Director Jane Seebold met with the group and hosted a tour of the central business district, including an impromptu magic show at Illusions and lunch at Mother's Federal Hill Grille. Barry Werner, co-owner of Scarborough Fair B&B, described his experience as a small business owner to the group at the Main Street offices (above). Our visitors were impressed by the variety of businesses and the friendliness of the people they met.

Fed Hill's 2010 Festivals: Mark Your Calendars

For all you advance planners out there in and around Federal Hill, here's the schedule of our 3 annual street festivals. All are on Sundays, 11 am to 7 pm. You won't want to miss the great music, food, friends, crafts & fun!

* Spring Block Party, April 25
* Jazz & Blues Fest, June 6
* Street Beat Festival, Sept. 19

Fest-of-All Tickets On Sale Now

Check out our Fest-of-All web page. Lots of info & you can order tickets online!
http://www.historicfederalhill.org/events/festofall/

Latest "Main Street News" Hits the Street, Online

The January-February 2010 issue of the Federal Hill Main Street News hit the streets and Web this week. This issue features a preview of the Fest-of-All party and fashion show, a profile of our neighborhood toy store (Ladybugs & Fireflies), a story about volunteers for a local organization dedicated to helping underserved middle school students, and the news about local businesses.

The Main Street News is available at neighborhood businesses and online as a PDF file at http://www.historicfederalhill.org/.