Fourth Of July Fireworks, Celebrations Return To The Inner Harbor This Year
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- After two years, festivities and fireworks are returning to Baltimore's Inner Harbor on the Fourth of July, Mayor Brandon Scott announced Friday.
Scott's office, the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore are partnering to bring the celebrations back bigger and better than ever before.
To bring the Independence Day event back in style, the city is also partnering with several Baltimore institutions including the Baltimore Orioles, American Visionary Arts Museum, the National Aquarium and last, but not least, media partner WJZ.
"A huge thanks to BOPA, the Waterfront Partnership, BSO, and PNC Bank for making this event possible, and special thanks to the Downtown Partnership, Baltimore Orioles, National Aquarium, American Visionary Arts Museum, and WJZ for partnering to add to the day's festivities," Mayor Scott said. "It has been an extremely long two years, and I am thrilled to welcome residents and visitors from all over the region back to the world-famous Inner Harbor for a fun-filled day celebrating our nation's independence."
Several events, like the American Visionary Art Museum's pet parade, are returning for Independence Day.
Wondering about parking? The Baltimore Orioles have extended their stadium parking through the evening at no extra cost after their home game against the Rangers, which begins at 1:05 p.m.
Members of the BSO will deliver a special performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Oriole Park to kick off the ball game.
Timeline
8:30 a.m. Pet registration for AVAM's Pet Parade and Animal Talent Show opens. The costumed parade, which is returning after several years, begins at 9 a.m. Learn more here.
1:05 p.m. Orioles Vs. Rangers! The national anthem will be performed by the BSO.
3 p.m. A Picnic at West Shore Park, featuring food trucks, a DJ, family yard games, an alcohol and mocktail bus, and picnic blankets and baskets
4:00 p.m. The event will kick off with a performance by the United States Navy's oldest band, the Navy Band Commodores, at the Inner Harbor Amphitheater. The traditional performance will last about two and a half hours.
6:30 p.m The concerts will be punctuated by street performers and events along the Inner Harbor promenade.
7:30 p.m. Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Artistic Partner and Baltimore-native Wordsmith will deliver a spoken word performance of Frederick Douglass' "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" from the BGE Pavilion mainstage in Rash Field Park
8:00 p.m. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will host a Star-Spangled Celebration concert under the baton of Assistant Conductor Jonathan Rush at the BGE Pavilion in the newly renovated Rash Field Park.
9:30 p.m. The BSO's performance will culminate with a 13-minute fireworks display produced by fireworks company Pyrotecnico.
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts said the best views for the fireworks are:
- Along the Inner Harbor promenade
- Canton
- Federal Hill
- Fells Point
- Harbor East
- Locust Point
"WJZ has a strong history of supporting the local communities we serve," said WJZ Vice President and General Manager Kathy Hostetter. "We couldn't be more excited about the opportunity to bring together our sports, cultural arts, and downtown partnership communities in this very fun-filled and patriotic way."
