BALTIMORE, MD (Thursday, December 11, 2025) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott was joined by Councilwoman Odette Ramos; Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Fire Chief James Wallace; Office of Emergency Management Deputy Director Thea King; Mayor's Office of Arts, Culture and Emergency (MOACE), Director Linzy Jackson; Assistant Deputy Mayor Samuel Johnson; and CEO Robyn Murphy (Create Baltimore) to announce the 2026 dates for Baltimore's major cultural festivals and citywide special events.

"Baltimore is home to the best festivals and events in the entire country, and this year will be even bigger and better," said Mayor Scott. "I want to thank our partners, both from our city agencies and the community, who work with us to make these events a success. I hope to see all of Baltimore joining us all year long to uplift local artists, enjoy great music, and come together to celebrate everything that makes us Charm City."

The festival dates are as follows

• Artscape will take place Memorial Day Weekend on Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24, 2026.
• AFRAM will occur Friday, June 19 through Sunday, June 22, 2026, celebrating its 50th Anniversary and aligning with the Juneteenth holiday weekend.
• The Baltimore Caribbean Carnival will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2026, and Sunday, July 12, 2026.
• The Baltimore Book Festival will take place on Saturday, September 12, 2026, and Sunday, September 13, 2026.
• Charm City Live will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026.

More details on all five of these festivals will be released in 2026.

Mayor Scott also announced the launch of a New Year's Eve Spectacular at the Inner Harbor, featuring fireworks, entertainment, vendors, ice skating, and family-friendly programming beginning at 6:00 PM and continuing through midnight. Festivities will also include live and local entertainment at the Harbor. Fireworks barges will be positioned between Point Park and Domino Sugar and in the Inner Harbor Channel to ensure optimal views for attendees at both the Inner Harbor and Federal Hill.

To support organizers planning ahead for these major events, the City will launch its updated public-facing special events calendar on January 1, 2026. The new system introduces designated Non-Permit Dates to help organizers align events with City service availability.

In addition to these large-scale celebrations, the Mayor's Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment and Charm TV are partnering with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to present special celebration and performance in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 19, 2026, at 7:30pm at the historic Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Led by BSO Music Director Jonathon Heyward, this special program honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and features a powerful collaboration with the renowned Morgan State University Choir under the direction of Dr. Eric Conway.

Organizers are also reminded that 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States, with Baltimore playing a significant role in national commemorations. This period includes SAIL250 Maryland & Air Show Baltimore, scheduled for June 26-July 4, 2026. A full list of busy dates and the updated calendar will be available on the City's website beginning January 1.

As part of the City's ongoing cultural programming, applications are now open for the 2026 Black History Month Parade, taking place on President's Day. Next year also marks 100 years of Black History Month celebrations nationwide.

Application details are available at https://www.baltimorecity.gov/bhm2026