Music Fest and Fall Fest Take Over Main Street Saturday

Ellicott City will welcome fall this Saturday with an expansive outdoor music festival featuring over 90 bands at nine different outdoor and indoor venues.

"There's something amazing to say about each and every band," said Jeni Porter, one of the festival's organizers.

Porter said the festival committee received over 2,500 applications from unsigned bands around the Mid-Atlantic region who wanted to participate, but had to narrow the list down to less than 100.

"We toiled over so many good musicians," said Porter. "I think it's nice that bands are seeing this as 'I want to play this event.'"

This is the second year that the Main Street Music Festival will coincide with Ellicott City's Fall Fest. In addition to the music, the event features outdoor beer gardens, local food, and kids' events like a moon bounce and face painting.

The event is sponsored by local breweries—Heavy Seas, Union Craft, Ellicott Mills and Loose Cannon—all of which will be selling their beer at the Main Stage as well as at their sponsored stages.

There will be indoor and outdoor venues up and down Main Street. La Palapa, Cacao Lane, The Phoenix, Judge's Bench and Diamondback will host indoor venues; while The Wine Bin, Ellicott Mills Brewery, Tiber Park and Lot D—the large parking lot behind the tourism building—will have outdoor stages. 

The main stage, where visitors can see headliners like Bad Sea Rising is located at Lot D. The Homegrown Stage at The Wine Bin features popular blues band The Kelly Bell Band.

The full lineup and set times can be found here.

The event begins on Main Street at noon and is scheduled to run until 10 p.m.

And, not to forget one of the best parts, it should be a beautiful day.

The National Weather Service predicts a mostly sunny day with a high of 74. 

"It couldn't be better," said Porter.