From a pop-culture perspective, sharks have been massive this summer. June 20 marked the 50th anniversary of Jaws, prompting special screenings and events all over the country in celebration of Steven Spielberg’s cinematic classic.
Here in Charm City, JHU hosted a lecture on the movie’s legacy and shark science; the BSO performed the iconic score (duh-dun, duh-dun) live as the film rolled; and theaters and outdoor movie nights all over town have been hosting viewings for fans to relive all of the action and nostalgia. (Snag tickets for The Senator’s showings scheduled August 28-Sept. 4, here.)
All of the Jaws buzz has undoubtedly gotten people more excited for Shark Week, Discovery Channel’s annual week of programming dedicated to the fascinating, fierce, big-finned fish. Through Saturday, July 26, local establishments are riding the wave with creative food items and killer drink specials (gear up for gummy sharks and grenadine), as well as community events. (Among them: In honor of Shark Week, the Baltimore Hunger Project is hosting a canned tuna drive to help feed local kids in need.)
Hoping to celebrate with other enthusiasts? Pull out your binoculars and look no further than the spots below:
The Bus Stop: The Shark Week special at this Upperco dessert destination is just about as Instagrammable as it gets. Step up to the window to order your own fishbowl filled with a blue raspberry snowball, Nerds, Sour Patch Kids, gummy sharks and fish, and even a peach ring lifebuoy for good measure. Each bowl also comes with a Tiger’s Blood flavor shot to pour on top.
Cake by Jason: Headed to a watch party? A six-pack of aqua-themed cupcakes from chef Jason Hisley’s Timonium bakeshop is the perfect potluck pleaser. Fun flavors—all decorated with underwater-inspired frosting, sprinkles, and toppers like edible fins—include lemon, sea-salt caramel, chocolate with marshmallow filling, marble with cherry filling, and coconut with pineapple filling.
CVP Towson: Belly up to one of the many bars at this convivial Towson spot—free from the college crowd during the summer—to snack on an entire menu of jaw-some offerings. Start out with the Shark Attack margarita (topped with a float of grenadine, of course) before moving on to an order of rockfish “shark” bites; a blackened ahi tuna Sharky Snack Wrap; or The Megalodon sandwich piled with pit beef and turkey, a special “Shark’s Blood” sauce, and all of the fixins’. If you’re with a group, go for the Feeding Frenzy platter, which comes with shark bites, crab balls, fried shrimp, Old Bay fries, and house slaw.
EC Diner: Unsurprisingly, the over-the-top milkshake menu at this Howard County staple features an aquatic addition this week. The glass arrives filled with a blue vanilla shake with strawberry drizzle and a sandy graham cracker rim. But the true masterpiece is the topper—an inverted cupcake hand-decorated with blue icing and fondant to resemble a shark’s head, complete with frosting waves and a Swedish Fish.
Frazier’s: Per tradition, the dive on the Avenue in Hampden is a home base to enjoy the fun, with specials including beer-battered ahi tuna bites, fish tacos with citrus cabbage and avocado cream, and salmon cake sliders with lemon-dill tarter.
Jimmy’s Famous Seafood: Don’t be surprised if you spot an inflatable blue shark mascot swimming around the dining room at this Dundalk mainstay this week. Ask for a seat near a screen to catch up on the shark shows while sipping an icy blue Shark Attack cocktail, which comes with a grenadine shot you pour yourself from a plastic shark. Other specials on deck include crispy blacktip shark tenders with fries and blacktip tacos with slaw.
Old Major: In Pigtown, gather with other fans of the popular predators for a screening of the 2012 film Shark Week, on Saturday, July 26. Settle in with some food and a drink from the bar to watch as a group of strangers navigate shark attacks while isolated on a deserted island.
Pink Flamingo: The new Remington hotspot is going all out for its first-ever Shark Week, highlighting a menu of snacks, pastas, desserts, and cocktails (some in shark-shaped vessels) with 10 percent of proceeds being donated to the National Aquarium. On the drink side, bartenders will be shaking up the rum-based Sharknado (maraschino, falernum, absinthe, citrus, and passionfruit-cranberry grenadine) and Deep Blue Sea (rum, gin, pineapple amaro, blue curacao, lime, and mint), while also pouring Kona Big Waves.
The food menu is just as inventive, with options ranging from a fried calamari “Chum Bucket” and squid ink pasta with crab to blood sausage and a vegetarian “Fish are Friends” roll with hearts of palm and furikake. Find your second stomach for dessert—a blood orange semifreddo with charred coconut, shortbread crumble, and pineapple caramel.