When four members of the Harbor City Music Company decided to dress as "Bawlmer hons" and head to Honfest for the first time June 14, they thought they would meet a few people and pass out some business cards in an effort to drum up new business and members.

What they found exceeded their expectations, and now they said they hope to return to the annual kitschy celebration of Baltimore and its "hons," originally a term of endearment bestowed historically by working women that now represents the women themselves. Hons dress in colorful dresses with beehive hairdos, cat-eye glasses and lots of makeup.

At...