Bowie-Crofton Camera Club 

Promoting Photographic Skill and Enjoyment
Throughout Central and Southern Maryland.

B-CCC Field Trip on September 2 to the Maryland State Fair

B-CCC Field Shoot — Maryland State Fair, 9/2/2017

 


   Carl Lancaster will be leading a B-CCC field shoot at the Maryland State Fair (MSF) on Saturday, September 2nd.   The shoot will provide an opportunity to capture memorable images of the sights at the MSF during the late afternoon and through the magical blue-sky period immediately following sunset.

 

   If you decide you’d like to participate, please email Carl at carl.lancaster@gmail.com so he can add you to the list of participants. 

 

   While B-CCC’s MSF Field Shoot participants may arrive and depart from the MSF at a time of their own choosing, the Field Shoot participants will meet at the Exhibition Hall’s entrance door on the front of the building that is closest to the Horse Racing Arena at 5:00 p.m.  This will provide an opportunity for everyone to discuss and coordinate their plans for the rest of the field shoot and even have a bite to eat if they wish.  Sunset on September 2nd is 7:38 p.m. and dusk is 8:05 p.m.

 

   The MSF is held annually at the Maryland State Fairgrounds located on the northwest corner of the intersection of York Road and W. Timonium Road in Timonium, MD.

 

   The MSF is scheduled for August 24th – September 4th. September 2nd is the last Saturday of the Fair and, weather permitting, that Saturday may provide a slightly more comfortable temperature than is expected in the Fair’s opening days.

 

   MD’s State Fair offers a broad variety of activities:

·         A Main Midway of rides and other entertainment attractions.

·         An Exhibition Hall with various exhibits and demonstrations.

·         A Kiddie Land Rides area.

·         A live concert stage.

·         Thoroughbred horse racing in the arena  — 1st race post time is 1:05 p.m.

·         Horse demonstrations in the Horseland area just outside the arena.

·         Numerous events in the Fairground’s Cow Palace: Cow Milking Lessons, U-Learn Farm, Birthing Center, Agricultural Tours and more.

·         Horse Sales Pavilion.

·         Sheep & Swine Building.

·         Mosner Miller Building with these exhibits: MSF Museum, Dept. of Natural Resources and Maryland Vietnam Veterans.

·         4H/FFA Home Arts Building.

·         Chainsaw carving.

·         U-Learn Food.

·         Dairy Bar in a section of the Cow Palace.

·         A Maryland Foods Pavilion.

 

   As you can see, there are lots of opportunities for taking interesting and attractive photographs. 

Extremely popular are photos taken during the period between sunset and full dark.

 

 

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Admission to the MSF:

            Children (6-11): $3

            Adults (12-61): $8

            Seniors (62 & up): $6

 

   Tripods are allowed in the State Fair.

   Parking:  Limited parking is available on the fairgrounds for $5. (See the Parking info on the State Fair Info webpage – see link in Internet Resources.)

 

   Individuals planning to drive and hoping to find a parking place on the fairgrounds are advised:

·         MD State Police will allow ONLY vehicles traveling SOUTH on York Road to turn right into the Fairgrounds. 

·         Additionally, MD State Police will only allow vehicles traveling WEST on Timonium Road to turn right into the Fairgrounds. 

·         NO LEFT TURNS into the Fairgrounds will be allowed!

 

 

 

ACCESS VIA

THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM

   The Light Rail transportation system is an option as the Timonium Fairgrounds Light Rail Stop is right by the Fairground’s Cow Palace.  Two benefits of using the Light Rail system are that you will avoid the traffic jams in the Timonium Road / York Road area and you won’t have to worry about finding a parking space at the Fairgrounds.

 

   Carl suggests that you strongly consider taking Light Rail:

·         from a station south of Baltimore through Baltimore City and get off at the Timonium Fairgrounds Station, OR

·         from a station in the northern section of Baltimore north to the Timonium Fairgrounds Station.

 

   NOTE: As best Carl can determine, the LAST Light Rail train leaving the Timonium Fairgrounds station going south departs at 12:14 a.m. Sunday morning, September 3rd.

 

   NOTE: While certain Light Rail Stations have NO vehicle parking spaces, fully interconnect with the bus system and foot traffic, they are NOT included in the following lists.  The stations listed below DO HAVE PARKING SPACES for riders.

 

 

 

From South of Baltimore —

   Traveling north from the Bowie/Crofton area, the stations that have some surface parking spaces for rail passengers are listed from southernmost station to the northernmost.   The satellite map views will show the surface parking available at the various Light Rail stations.

 

Cromwell / Glen Burnie Station:

                                             (749 parking spaces)
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1717903,-76.6354027,1229m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

North Linthicum Station: (313 parking spaces)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cromwell+Station+%2F+Glen+Burnie/@39.2139831,-76.6457014,614m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b7fd2925fe9937:0xee2705b970fe2864!8m2!3d39.1718597!4d-76.6328808

 

Nursery Road Station: (33 parking spaces) https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cromwell+Station+%2F+Glen+Burnie/@39.2214402,-76.6416387,373m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b7fd2925fe9937:0xee2705b970fe2864!8m2!3d39.1718597!4d-76.6328808

 

Baltimore Highlands Station:

                                               (46 parking spaces)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cromwell+Station+%2F+Glen+Burnie/@39.2353271,-76.6331024,307m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b7fd2925fe9937:0xee2705b970fe2864!8m2!3d39.1718597!4d-76.6328808

 

Patapsco Station: (187 parking spaces) https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cromwell+Station+%2F+Glen+Burnie/@39.2422752,-76.6300577,445m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b7fd2925fe9937:0xee2705b970fe2864!8m2!3d39.1718597!4d-76.6328808

 

From Northern Baltimore —

These stations are in the northern part of Baltimore and have some surface parking spaces for personal vehicles.  Again,  they are listed from the southernmost station to the northernmost:

 

Mt. Washington Station: (73 parking spaces)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Camden+Yards/@39.3677104,-76.6514118,306m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x89b7fd2925fe9937:0xee2705b970fe2864!2sCromwell+Station+%2F+Glen+Burnie!8m2!3d39.1718597!4d-76.6328808!3m4!1s0x89c8035d94c2a231:0x7fd216c7d3d4d055!8m2!3d39.2829804!4d-76.6195234

 

Falls Road Station:          (191 parking spaces)

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Camden+Yards/@39.3755085,-76.649744,371m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x89b7fd2925fe9937:0xee2705b970fe2864!2sCromwell+Station+%2F+Glen+Burnie!8m2!3d39.1718597!4d-76.6328808!3m4!1s0x89c8035d94c2a231:0x7fd216c7d3d4d055!8m2!3d39.2829804!4d-76.6195234

 

Lutherville Station:        (315 parking spaces)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Camden+Yards/@39.4292342,-76.6243183,887m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x89b7fd2925fe9937:0xee2705b970fe2864!2sCromwell+Station+%2F+Glen+Burnie!8m2!3d39.1718597!4d-76.6328808!3m4!1s0x89c8035d94c2a231:0x7fd216c7d3d4d055!8m2!3d39.2829804!4d-76.6195234

 

 

 


Here is a view of the

Timonium Fairgrounds Station —

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Camden+Yards/@39.4475038,-76.6325874,442m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x89b7fd2925fe9937:0xee2705b970fe2864!2sCromwell+Station+%2F+Glen+Burnie!8m2!3d39.1718597!4d-76.6328808!3m4!1s0x89c8035d94c2a231:0x7fd216c7d3d4d055!8m2!3d39.2829804!4d-76.6195234

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTERNET RESOURCES

Maryland State Fair primary website:
            http://www.marylandstatefair.com

State Fair Information:
            http://www.marylandstatefair.com/state-fair/state-fair-info

Directions:
            http://www.marylandstatefair.com/general-info/directions

Map of the State Fairgrounds
            http://www.marylandstatefair.com/uploads/files/2016%20MSF%20Final%20Map(1).pdf

MD Transit Administration (MTA) Transit Information Overview:
            https://mta.maryland.gov/content/transit-information

Light Rail Route Map:
            https://mta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/Bus%20and%20Rail%20Connections%20Map%20-%2007.14.2017.pdf

Light Rail Fares:
            https://mta.maryland.gov/light-rail

 

Background image by George Smyth