Celebration

A "Celebration of Junella Spencer's Life," honoring the longtime volunteer who aided Shepherd's Staff and other nonprofits in the county, will be held Tuesday, Nov. 20, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Greene Turtle Westminster, 830 Market St., Westminster The restaurant is donating 10 percent of proceeds, and a portion will benefit Shepherd's Staff, the Westminster-based nonprofit that helps families in need with clothing, food and other necessities....

One of Baltimore's most beautiful settings will be showing off its place in the art world this weekend. More than 50 painters will be exhibiting their work at the Cylburn Arboretum's "Celebration of Art. " While the work will certainly be varied, they'll all share a common theme. Every piece will depict a scene set within the grounds of the 19th-century North Baltimore estate, once home to a prominent Baltimore businessman, now a picturesque oasis of flora and fauna. "When folks visit Cylburn, they find a space that is so inviting," said Nancy Hill, the arboretum's education director.

Union UM Church held a celebration of service for Italy and Etha Overton at the Bayou Restaurant on Sunday, April 28. Etha Overton participated via Skype.

Nearly 300 people visited the Bel Air Reckord Armory May 4 to explore the 4th Annual Celebration of Cultures, sponsored by the Harford County Human Relations Commission in partnership with LASOS Inc. (Linking All So Other Succeed), the Town of Bel Air and the Harford County Cultural Arts Board. The Celebration was a family-friendly event designed to highlight the many cultures within Harford County. Several attendees said it was a wonderful event and a great opportunity for community members to learn from and about the community's proud heritages.

Except for the protesters at the Occupy Baltimore rally in the Inner Harbor, there won't be many people staying up late this week, which seems pretty subdued. There are a couple of dance parties celebrating their anniversaries - Deep in the Game and Peer Pressure - and what's sure to be a great show at Metro Gallery by Celebration, but those won't happen until the weekend. By far the biggest nightlife event of the week is the third annual Baltimore Beer Week, which starts on Thursday.

The wild celebration that began immediately after Maryland's 79-72 victory over No. 4 Duke late Wednesday night started with players being carried on the shoulders of other students and ended early Thursday morning in a not-so-joyful setting. The first win over the Blue Devils in more than three years triggered another Maryland tradition: students pouring into and out of the campus bars along U.S. 1 and confronting police and one another. According to Prince George's County police, 27 arrests were made, including several students, among more than 1,500 students who congregated there.

The Howard County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission is conducting its seventh annual celebration commemorating the life of the late civil rights leader 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Hammond High School in Columbia.The theme of the event, "Expanding the Dream," will feature music and song, dramatic readings and recognition of Howard Countycitizens.Information: 313-2022.

Dee Tana loved Sunday's Columbus Day celebration, loved the Italian military band that came all the way from Rome to play, the dignitaries who laid wreaths at the foot of the Columbus monument, the five-block procession from St. Leo's to Columbus Plaza off President Street. "It's all about our pride," she said, echoing the sentiment of many of the dozens of Baltimore's Italian-Americans who gathered on the western edge of Little Italy to celebrate one of the old country's favorite sons.

A celebration for freshmen members of the Maryland state legislature ended abruptly late Thursday when smoke entered the Annapolis barroom in which it was held. Gov. Martin O'Malley and House Speaker Michael E. Busch were among at least 50 lawmakers who left the smoky building at about 11:15 p.m., just before Annapolis fire units arrived. Lt. John J. Bowes of the Annapolis Fire Marshal's Office said there was "no fire" at the bar, but said smoke and debris came out of the ventilation system when the heating system -- which had been off for some time -- was inadvertently turned on. The smoky conditions occurred toward the end of a celebration for roughly 40 lawmakers who had just finished their first terms in office, a bi-partisan affair designed to build camaraderie.