Baltimore is getting ready to experience the Preakness Stakes in a brand-new way.The second leg of the Triple Crown is kicking off with the inaugural Preakness Festival, with the hopes of reaching beyond the equestrian community and into the heart of Baltimore."We have the second leg of the Triple Crown here in Baltimore, and we want the world to know that," said Shelonda Stokes, the president of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore.The festival kicks off this week with an entire lineup of events across the city, leading up to the 150th running of the Preakness. "It starts on Saturday in Park Heights with the Park Heights Renaissance Festival (with) MC Lyte, Doug E. Fresh. You get a family fun, everybody's there," Stokes told 11 News.The Park Heights event is free, and Stokes said the goal is for everyone from all walks of life to be able to feel and experience the Preakness. "Sunday, a Mother's Day event. Monday, a golf tournament. Tuesday, we are (going to) be down here at Harborplace for Wine Village. Wednesday, you know D-Nice is coming to town. Thursday, we are doing a fundraiser at Government House. Then, it's the Preakness. So, it's a whole week of events," Stokes told 11 News.The event, created by Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore, is meant to turn a $40 million economic impact from the Preakness into a $400 million impact, like the Kentucky Derby, by bringing in small, minority and locally owned businesses and creating connectivity."It's really her vision around how you take this gem that we have and build community around that, so that everybody is continuing to win. Everybody is continuing to thrive," Stokes told 11 News.Baltimore's own TSU Dance Crew hits the stage Saturday at a "Boots on the Ground" dance lesson ahead of the song's creator performing at Club Quarantine with DJ D-Nice on Wednesday. "I need to learn a new move and dance crew. And so, I think Preakness Fest is doing that, it's giving opportunities for our local talent to really show up in a big way and help us go viral at the same time," Stokes told 11 News."It's an amazing opportunity for the stages to keep getting bigger and bigger. It feels great for us," said Terry Wedington, a member of the TSU Dance Crew.TSU Dance Crew's videos have been viewed millions of times, and the Baltimore-based crew said performing at the Preakness Festival is a great opportunity to highlight the city, their skills and the positive impact."What that means is that important people are paying attention, and they say, 'OK, hey, we need you guys to come here and give out your positive light to the crowd, your great energy.' So, when people like her see it, that means the world to us actually," Wedington told 11 News.Some events are already sold out. For more information on all the events and to get tickets, visit the following website.