Long held along the Inner Harbor waterfront, the Baltimore Book Festival moved to the Waverly neighborhood this year, where many bookstores have set up shop.

Readers, writers, and literature-lovers of all sorts came out to celebrate the festival’s return, after the event was last held in 2019.

From author talks to bookworms scouring the shelves for their next literary favorite, check out scenes from the festivities in this photo gallery:

Maryland State Fair visitors enjoyed adrenaline-pumping rides, ate their favorite carnival foods, and made cherished family memories.

This past weekend was the final weekend for this season of the Maryland State Fair.

Relive the festivities — and excitedly await the fair’s return next year — with this photo gallery.

Baltimore celebrated its 295th year with a birthday bash at the Inner Harbor on July 26.

A few years shy of its tricentennial, Baltimore has come a long way since July 30, 1729, when Charles Carroll petitioned the Maryland General Assembly for a town north of the Patapsco River.

Later that year, Gov. Benedict Leonard Calvert signed a bill into law establishing Baltimore as a town on Aug. 8, 1729. (Aug. 8 is now known as Baltimore Day.)

To mark the occasion, we asked community members what they wish for Baltimore this year. Here’s what they said:

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What is YOUR birthday wish for Baltimore?

Baltimoreans tasted Asian cuisine, like Thai slushies and Chinese tanghulu (candied fruit), and experienced other parts of Asian cultures at the Asia in a Bite Festival this past weekend.

The Asia in a Bite Festival is held at Rash Field Park on the last Saturday of every month from April to September.

There are still two festivals coming up this year: Aug. 31 and Sept. 28, both from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Check out this photo gallery from Saturday’s event:

The Baltimore region is a lush paradise during the summer months, filled with greenery, waterfront activities, and refreshing places to swim. To get you through this heat wave, here is a list of the best outdoor activities Baltimore has to offer:

Go for a swim at a state park

Stop by Patapsco State Park (pictured above), Hammerman Beach, North Point State Park, Kilgore Falls, or Greenbrier State Park (about 10 minutes away from Crystal Grottoes Caverns) for a refreshing swim, averaging $2-5 per person.

Tube along Gunpowder Falls State Park

Spend the day floating on Gunpowder’s lazy river. If you don’t have a tube, stop by Monkton Bike Rentals and rent one for $15/day for small children and $30/for everyone over 100 pounds. You can even rent a smaller tube for your cooler so you can stay refreshed on the river.

Take a trip to Ladew Topiary Gardens

Pack a picnic and spend the day amongst 22-acres of gardens, a seasonal butterfly house, and trails at Ladew Topiary Gardens. The Monkton property also features a café open daily.  Ticket prices range from $5-$20 depending on age; children under two are admitted for free.

Pick your own fruit at Peachberry Farms

Pick fresh blueberries and blackberries for the remainder of July. Then, come August, peaches will be ready. You can also pick your own sunflowers, snapdragons, zinnias, celosia, marigolds, ageratum, and black eyed Susans until October!

Visit Star Bright Farm

Pick your own lavender and blueberries at this scenic Monkton farm. You can also shop at The Barn Market, enjoy an outdoor concert and cocktail, or grab a bite to eat at The Shooting Star Café. 

See an outdoor movie

Spend the evening outside at one of the following outdoor movie screenings:

Flicks from the Hill at the American Visionary Art Museum:

• Princess and the Frog, July 18
• Young Frankenstein, July 25
• Raiders of the Lost Ark, Aug. 1

Rhythm and Reels at various parks:

• Dog Gone, Eager Park, July 19
• Barbie, Leakin Park, Aug. 8
• Wish, Eager Park, Aug. 9
• Friday the 13^th (Silent Movie), Canton Waterfront Park, Sept. 13
• Across the Spider Verse, Herring Run Park, Sept. 20

Summer Saturday Family Flicks at The Rotunda:

• The Super Mario Brothers Movie, July 20
• Trolls World Tour, Aug. 17

Go to a vineyard

Sip on local wine at Boordy Vineyards, which spans 240 acres and features beautifully manicured vineyards and a historic 19th-century Bank Barn that houses the tasting room, retail store, and event spaces. Just up the road is DeJon Vineyard, a family-owned and operated winery set on a former cattle farm.

After an incredible 24-mile journey, Katie Pumphrey completed her swim from the Bay Bridge to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor on Tuesday afternoon.

Pumphrey began her swim around 3 a.m. at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, near the Bay Bridge. Fourteen hours later, she arrived at the Inner Harbor wall at about 5:13 p.m.

Along the way, family members sailed alongside Pumphrey and cheered her on.

And upon her arrival at the Inner Harbor waterfront, Pumphrey was met with an even larger crowd of supporters.

View the action in this photo gallery:

During Maryland Fleet Week, residents and visitors got the chance to see a variety of water vessels up close and learn about maritime operations.

Check it out in this photo gallery:

Members of Baltimore’s LGBTQ+ community and their allies marched down Charles Street on Saturday in the 2024 Baltimore Pride Parade.

Participants included community organizations, faith groups, sports teams, elected officials, businesses, and other supporters.

Before the parade, a high heel race kicked off Saturday’s festivities as attendees stomped down the street in stilettos, wedges, and any other heeled shoe they could navigate.

After the parade, a block party featured vendors and performers, including headliner Saucy Santana — though the night’s fun was cut short by a gas that was released and caused a stampede.

See some of the scenes from Baltimore Pride 2024 in this photo gallery:

Pedestrians walked freely down Charles Street this past Saturday, as Baltimore City closed off the roadway to vehicle traffic for the sixth Charles Street Promenade event since the beginning of the pandemic.

Community members were able to shop from vendor tents, dine at local restaurants, dance along to live music, and simply enjoy being outside without the worries of cars.

Charles Street was closed to vehicles between Saratoga Street and North Avenue.

Check out this photo gallery from the day’s event:

Baltimore kicked off Pride Month on Saturday with a fundraiser for Unmatched Athlete, a Maryland-based nonprofit that encourages LGBTQ+ youth and allies to play sports.

The event was held in partnership with Union Collective, and featured opportunities for exercise, expression, and entertaining performances.

Unmatched Athlete partnered with Movement Hampden to offer climbing opportunities for youth.

An open mic segment featured stories centered on the theme “High School: Let’s Talk About It.”

Rounding out the afternoon, drag performers entertained audiences with lip sync performances.

Founded in 2020, Unmatched Athlete organizes sports games and other activities for youth ages 5-18 years old, welcoming LGBTQ+ youth and allies alike.

“Sports is one of those avenues where I truly believe has an impact on culture and can be that domino piece and cultural change,” Unmatched Athlete founder and president Olanrele Oni told Baltimore Fishbowl last week.

Unmatched Athlete currently hosts consistent programming in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, and Montgomery County. However, they hope to eventually expand their event offerings to all 24 jurisdictions in Maryland — then across the country and even the world.

The funds raised through Saturday’s event will help support the nonprofit’s efforts to expand their footprint and hire more coaches.

[Read more about Unmatched Athlete in this Baltimore Fishbowl article.]

As planning continues for the redevelopment of Harborplace, a walk along the Inner Harbor Promenade highlights efforts to attract more visitors to Baltimore’s waterfront in the meantime.

“Shade stations” were recently installed near the Inner Harbor Amphitheater to give respite on hot days. The shade stations were purchased and installed by Waterfront Partnership, with funding from PNC Bank.

This week, Inner Harbor visitors relaxed on the Adirondack chairs that sit under wooden pergolas. The structures are also bordered by Chesapeake Bay native plants.

Down the promenade, one will find businesses that have joined Harborplace as tenants within the past year.

Visitors can shop for souvenirs at Life in Charm City, buy some local products at Made in Baltimore, and sip on an ethically sourced beverage from Matriarch Coffee, among other businesses in the area.