2024 in 24 Photos
It may be halfway through January, but we’re not quite finished reminiscing on last year…that’s what happens when you have a year as full of excitement and growth as the past 12 months were.
2024 was an era to remember on the waterfront- one that made history and celebrated our great city in unparalleled fashion. From Harbor Splash to Holiday Makers market, food festivals to volunteer gardening, here are just some of the highlights that made last year so special. Read on to experience 2024 in 24 Photos- just some of the many moments that made up an incredible year.
Our waterfront music and makers festival, Baltimore by Baltimore, returned for its third year in 2024 with five unique shows representing fiive different creative communities in the city. The shows this year were In the House with Maya Gilmore, Harbor Hootenanny with Brad Kolodner, Groove in the City with John Tyler, Dancing Through Life with CJay Philip, and Voting is a Vibe with Black Girls Vote & Baltimore Votes.
As a bonus during the BxB season, we also had a mini Birthday by Baltimore show at Live Baltimore’s Birthday Bash, with sets organized by BxB alum Fred Watkins, Yesenia Mejia Herrera, and Keith Colston.
Every BxB lit up the Inner Harbor with dance, music, art, and community a colorful and successful third season.
Rash Field Park saw another year of activation and celebration, starting off with Jake’s Day in April. This free kids skate event led by local pro skater Joey Jett kicked off another season of monthly classes in the skate park. Our series of Wildlife Gardening workshops also began in the spring, with monthly classes like The Great Snake Hunt, Birding in Birdland, and more. Asia in a Bite, a new food festival, brought hundreds of visitors out to Rash Field monthly from May to September. Our free weekly concert series, Sunset Jams, returned in September & October with a fresh lineup of local performers. The park’s season culminated with Harbor Harvest, our annual children’s fall festival that brings pumpkins, ponies, and more out to Rash Field.
Thanks to a generous sponsorship from PNC, we were able to bring all new shade structures to the Inner Harbor Amphitheater in advance of the hot summer events season! The PNC Pergolas offered some much-needed shade to waterfront visitors, plus a pop of green from the native plants our PNC volunteers planted. Attendees at all our summer events enjoyed the new pergolas!
A snowy waterfront makes for a picturesque scene, but it’s important to be safe- and that’s where our WPB Guides come in. From clearing walkways after weather events to helping district businesses prep for festivals to welcoming tourists to the city, our waterfront district wouldn’t be the same without our awesome team of guides.
2024 was a banner year for water recreation in the harbor! In June, the fun never stopped: the month began with our annual Floatilla paddling event, complete with a live band performing on Mr. Trash Wheel; we hosted our first ever Harbor Splash to widespread excitement and attention, with over 150 Baltimoreans taking the plunge, including elected officials and reporters; then just a few days later, ultramarathoner Katie Pumphrey completed her historic Bay to Baltimore swim, with Mr. Trash Wheel joining her for the big finish at the Inner Harbor.
Cheers to our volunteers! Our wildlife gardening volunteer groups helped us maintain gardens on the waterfront, including constructing new insect hotels and adding native plants. And our oyster gardening volunteers helped us grow hundreds of baby oysters in the harbor, which were then “planted” in the bay to help restore their population.
Mr. Trash Wheel- and his fans- celebrated his 10th birthday this past Earth Day with a very special Night at the Trashseum! The Public Works Experience transformed into a collection of trashy artifacts from the past decade, including a social media hall of fame and some of the weirdest things Mr. Trash Wheel has eaten.
Boats brought people out to the Inner Harbor all year long, whether they were visiting naval ships or decorated yachts in the Lighted Boat Parade. And they got people onto the harbor as well! During August’s BxB, we had our first on-water activation thanks to a partnership Living Classrooms, and festival goers got to experience a sail around the harbor during the event.
This season of events concluded with the return of our Holiday Makers Market! This festive marketplace took over Harborplace’s Light St Pavilion with 40+ local artists and vendors; plus drag bingo, live music, art installations, and lots of holiday cheer.
To stay up to date on the exciting events and programs coming up in 2025, be sure to follow us on social media!
