Blob’s Park is closing in less than one month. And I for one am going to miss its unique attributes. Where else could you go to get authentic German food, listen to live music, go waltzing across a dance floor and feel as if you’d stepped back in time to the 1960s?
In recent years, probably my husband Peter and I have not gone there nearly enough— but oh the memories!. A trip to Blobs Park, for many patrons means polka dancing. But there was so much else. I remember visiting Blobs for an evening of dinner and dancing in the 1990’s and marveling at the wide variety of patrons. There would be women with beehive hairdo’s, men with rolled up short sleeves and crew cuts and entire wedding parties and anniversary parties set up at the various long banquet tables. Men and women still spry in their 80’s would be doing the jitterbug and the Lindy hop. Often I’d see small children sitting at some tables earlier in the evening, ready to dance along with Mom and Dad or not waiting and making up dances of their own. On a Sunday afternoon there might be a band with an accordion playing a variety of German and Polish folk dances and lots of folks out on the dance floor who knew all the patterns and steps.
Max Blob, opened Blob’s Park in 1928 as a private gathering place (think Speakeasy) It opened to the public in 1933. He was known affectionately as “Onkle Max. “ In recent years Blobs has hosted Latin Bands, Country Music, and last Friday night it was a 1940s style Swing Band. Unfortunately, despite the good music, the hall has become increasingly empty.
But that’s not why they are closing.
December 2012 and January 2013, 29 acres of Blobs Park land was sold to the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore. The plan is for a church and school to be built on the land but the current owner/manager Max Eggerl, who is a grandson of Max Blob, the original founder , thought he had a verbal agreement to keep occupying the Hall for a few more years. Evidently that is not to be. Blob’s Park will be closing at the end of the month. The last event at the hall that has seating for 1000 people, will be “Our Last Polka and will feature Mike Surratt and The Continentals on March 30th
In the last few remaining weeks that Blob’s Park remains open, make a pilgrimage and walk around the place. A bit of the spirit of “Onkle Max” still remains.
Blobs Park is located at the Intersection of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Route 1765 in Jessup, Maryland; just a short drive down the highway from the entrance to Fort Meade. As the western part of Anne Arundel County continues to grow in density, another little piece of history is lost.
Nadja Maril, Writer & Author 