BALTIMORE, MARYLAND August 10, 2015 – The War Memorial Arts Initiative of the City of Baltimore’s Department of General Services is hosting Baltimore Fashion Week as it ushers in its 8th annual fashion show on August 11-16, 2015, and tickets are now on sale for the kick-off party, gala, and runway shows.

Baltimore Fashion Week is an annual fashion-showcasing event that provides a runway setting for designers to present collections to buyers, boutique owners, clients, and fashion trendsetters. Over the years, Baltimore Fashion Week has showcased its groundbreaking fashions in a variety of settings. During its upcoming 8th annual show, it is returning to its roots and will combine fashion and Baltimore’s history at the War Memorial located in the heart of Baltimore.

Tickets for Baltimore Fashion Week’s events the Kick-Off Party on August 11, 2015 and THE GALA on August 13, 2015 can be purchased on the website at http://www.baltimore-fashionweek.com/tickets. Online ticket sales for the runway shows have been extended on Groupon until August 12, 2015. This year, tickets purchased online will have chair name-tags so that guests will know where to sit. This will also ensure that guests who purchase multiple seats can sit together without encountering issues.

“We always have our eyes on the future,” said the show’s producer, Sharan Nixon. “Each year, we want to be better. Push fashion further. Ensure that our guests have a more enjoyable experience.”

This year also marks the debut of Elite Runway seating, which is for the first two rows. Guests who purchase an Elite Runway ticket and “special invited” guests will receive a special pass, swag bag, and also gain entry into a private catered reception where guests get to meet the designers showcased that night.

“This year promises to be interesting,” Nixon further says. “Our theme is Alice in Wonderland because we want to evoke a sense of wonder and magic with our showcase. We want to combine that sense of awe with the majesty of the War Memorial.”

“The War Memorial Arts Initiative is pleased to be able to offer our resplendent venue for this important community event,” said Jackson Gilman-Forlini, Historic Properties Program Coordinator for the Department of General Services. “Baltimore Fashion Week was originally held at the War Memorial in its inaugural year, and so we are happy to offer it a ‘homecoming.’”

The War Memorial Arts Initiative presents a broad spectrum of music and the arts in downtown Baltimore. Featuring mostly local artists, it serves to strengthen the neighborhoods surrounding the City Hall Campus by promoting civic engagement through shared culture while honoring and serving veterans. Baltimore's Department of General Services operates the arts initiative and maintains the War Memorial on behalf of the War Memorial Commission.