Kinetic Art; art in peaceful silent motion.

Once upon a time we lived about 45 minutes north, of our current home, in Frederick, Maryland. It’s a beautiful mid-size city with a population of about 70,000. It was our home for nearly three years and it’s where we were living when we sold our house and bought one-way tickets to Europe. But, that’s another story.

Beans & Bagels

We still have a few ties to Frederick, so maybe two or three times each year we find a need to return to Frederick. We love the downtown historic core where we usually start our visit with a stop at Beans and Bagels, our favorite little breakfast eatery.

On this particular day we took care of business and then set off to take our favorite walk. We start at one end of the Carroll Creek Canal, which is a planned flood project, and walk to the far end which leads us in to Baker Park, a 58-acre park in the center of the city. It’s lovely. Although, as you’ll see in our photos and video, it was mid-February so very little green. You’ll just have to trust me about how pretty it is in spring and summer, and for that matter in the fall. Better yet, if you find yourself in/near Frederick, park your car at the impressive visitors’ center and take a walk.

Kinetic Art Promenade

We took the long way around to reach a far portion of the canal in order to add steps to our walk. Because we’re participating in the Hiker’s 365 Challenge, we’re always looking to add mileage. Once we reached the start of the paved path and started walking along the canal, we were delighted to find a Kinetic Art installation, new to us since the last time we were in Frederick.

There are seven sculptures, Kinetic Art, moving peacefully and silently in the gentle breeze of the day. An added view of the sculptures included portions of the canal which were frozen. The ice lent itself to wonderful frozen reflections of the sky as the sculptures moved.

Sailing Through the Winter Solstice

It’s a rare thing for us to be in Frederick at night, so we’ve yet to see the actual lights shining brightly, but maybe one holiday season we’ll make it happen. In the meantime our timing was such that the boats of Sailing Through the Winter Solstice were still on display in the waters of the canal. Unlike the Kinetic Art Promenade, the boats are stationary. Even in the daylight, they are still fun to see. I especially liked the tiny little pirate at the helm of the ghost ship. The floating lights are an annual tradition on display from November – March.

• To watch the Kinetic Art in motion, and the boats of “Sailing Through the Winter Solstice”, just click the watch on Youtube button and don’t forget to subscribe!

Kinetic Art

The canal continues on and through Baker Park, but once in the park it becomes a free flowing creek without flood control measures. It’s peaceful, it’s lovely. The paved path borders the perimeter of the park and walkers can enjoy a full loop of walking. A city park, it offers locals a public swimming pool complex, tennis courts, a brand new bocci ball court, playgrounds, picnic areas and of course a multitude of ducks and geese during the warm spring and summer months. Maybe best of all is an old-school band shell for concerts in the park.

Always a Reason to Return

There’s always a reason to return to Frederick. For a somewhat small city, there is always something new to discover, or just revisit favorite spots. Whether it be antique shopping, walking the Carroll Creek Canal and through Baker Park, enjoying the plethora of eateries, Frederick is rapidly becoming a foodie destination, or just taking a drive along the backroads of Maryland, it’s well-worth the time and effort to make it happen.

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