Charm City Live music festival to shut down Inner Harbor access on same day of Orioles night game at Camden Yards

It could’ve been a crush but now Charm City Live attendees will have plenty of space to spread out when the music festival takes place at the end of the month.

But what will that mean for Orioles fans?

Instead of being held at War Memorial Plaza, this year’s music festival is taking over the Inner Harbor, relocating to “the heart of Baltimore, at the intersection of Market Place and East Pratt Street in the Inner Harbor, to offer guests an unforgettable live musical experience,” city officials said Wednesday in a news release.

The free, one-day music festival will be held Saturday, Aug. 26, from noon to 8 p.m., ending just after the Orioles settle into a 7:05 p.m. start against the Colorado Rockies at Camden Yards. It’s also Félix Bautista Bobblehead night, part of a popular promotional giveaway that goes to the first 20,000 fans 15 and older and draws crowds.

The relocation of the festival will require the temporary closure of several downtown streets. Residents can expect Pratt Street to be closed between Gay and President streets as preparations are being made in advance of the festival, including Friday, when the Orioles open the three-game series against the Rockies.

Then at 3 a.m. Aug. 26, the Pratt Street closure will be extended from President to Light Street and will remain that way until 9 p.m. All eastbound traffic will be redirected to East Baltimore Street and westbound traffic will use East Lombard Street. During this time, access to the corridor from intersecting streets will also be restricted.

The closure between Gay and President streets will continue until noon Aug. 27.

“This new location is the perfect place for us to highlight our uniqueness, our small businesses, and all our city has to offer,” Mayor Brandon Scott said in the news release.

Charm City Live, now in its second year, also announced an expanded lineup with R&B singer Donell Jones and MC Lyte joining the previously announced headliner, Grammy-winning artist H.E.R.

The festival will also feature a kid zone, food from local eateries, community resources and more. The city is partnering with Port Discovery and the National Aquarium.

As part of the festival, timed admission tickets to the National Aquarium will be free from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. but will require online pre-registration prior to Aug. 26. No tickets will be available for walk-up visitors on the day of the event. A spokesperson said the aquarium expects the tickets to sell out quickly and more details will follow at the Charm City Live festival website.

Food, retail and art vendors can participate in Charm City Live by submitting an application by Aug. 11.

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