Bringing shade to the Inner Harbor with PNC & Waterfront Partnership

Volunteers from PNC planted native plants at the pergolas to add greenery and extra shade

The Inner Harbor Amphitheater is an important place in our waterfront district- a stage for outdoor concerts, a meeting place for community groups, and an iconic harbor viewpoint. With so much activity gravitating to this spot, we realized it was lacking one important thing for an events season- a place to relax, particularly in the shade!

That’s why we were thrilled to partner with PNC Bank to bring these new Shade Stations to the amphitheater. In addition to seating and shade, these Shade Stations feature native plants, including grasses and flowers that attract pollinators and provide pretty greenery.

The plants at the Shade Stations are an example of bayscaping- a type of landscaping specific to the Chesapeake Bay region that utilizes plants that are native to the bay region. The goal of Bayscaping is to protect clean air and water, attract wildlife, and promote plant diversity. Learn more about bayscaping here.

With tremendous help from our PNC Bank volunteers, we decorated the Shade Stations with a variety of native plants, from grasses to a serviceberry tree. Baltimore nursery Herring Run Nursery helped us choose the perfect native plants to feature at the Inner Harbor.

With our summer events season underway, tons of visitors to the waterfront have had a chance to relax in the Shade Stations! The Adirondack chairs are the perfect place to sit back and take in live performances, from Baltimore by Baltimore to Harborplace’s Summer Sunday concerts.

Thank you to our partners at PNC for helping us create a cool, green space on the Inner Harbor with these Shade Stations! Be sure to stop by and check them out the next time you’re down at the waterfront.