BGE seeks rate increase adding $8 on average to monthly electric bills — The Baltimore Sun

‘Is this a prank?’: Bon Jovi plays secret shows in Baltimore ahead of world tour — The Baltimore Banner

Maryland’s first ‘human composting’ facility is open for business — Maryland Matters

2nd annual Catonsville ice cream eating contest to benefit local charity — WMAR

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore: How to improve young men’s mental health — STAT

Baltimore’s Top of the World observation level will remain open to the public even though its lease with the State of Maryland has expired.

June 30 was the final day of a lease extension negotiated last year between the City of Baltimore, the tenant, and the State of Maryland, which owns the building the attraction occupies.

The Top of the World observation level is located on the 27^th floor of the World Trade Center Baltimore at 401 E. Pratt St. It’s Baltimore’s equivalent of the observation level at the Empire State Building in New York City and other tall buildings around the country. It shares the space with the indoor component of the 9/11 Memorial of Maryland, which has an outdoor component on the plaza below.

Linzy Jackson III, director of the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment (MOACE), said in late June that a request to approve a new lease for the Top of the World would be on the July 1 agenda of the Board of Estimates, the city’s spending panel. But no items involving the Top of the World or the World Trade Center were considered by the board during its July 1 meeting.

Jackson said in an email message on Wednesday that a new lease agreement is in the works and the Top of the World venue will operate as usual until it is approved. The next regular meeting of the Board of Estimates is scheduled for July 15.

“The Top of the World agreement is currently moving through the approval process,” Jackson said in his message. “There will be no interruption to operations at Top of the World, and the City and State are working together to ensure a smooth transition.”

Jackson declined to disclose the terms of the new lease.

“At this point, I can’t discuss or confirm any of the lease terms until the process is fully complete,” he said. “Once everything has been finalized, we’ll be happy to share those details.”

Panoramic views

The City of Baltimore has occupied the 27^th floor of the World Trade Center since the five-sided, 30-story building was completed in 1977.

According to former city officials, the State of Maryland provided the space at the request of then-Mayor William Donald Schaefer, who asked state leaders to let the city use one floor of the building in return for the city’s agreement to sell the valuable waterfront property on which the World Trade Center was built. They say Schaefer, who died at the age of 89 in 2011, wanted Baltimore to have an observation deck comparable to visitor attractions in New York, Chicago and other cities, and believed the state-owned office tower, with its panoramic views of the city and its harbor, was the perfect place for it.

Although specific documentation is not recorded in public land records, officials say state leaders at the time agreed to allow the city to use the 27^th floor in perpetuity, and that’s how the Top of the World came to be. Some current public officials, including City Comptroller Bill Henry, have speculated that the plan may have started as a handshake agreement between city and state officials in the 1970s and that it has been honored by subsequent administrations.

The city has occupied the 27^th floor under a series of long-term leases with the state and then worked with an affiliate to operate the Top of the World as a public attraction featuring 360-degree views of Baltimore. It also has been used for a variety of events, including art exhibitions, receptions, arts and author talks and mayoral press conferences.

Create Baltimore and its predecessor, the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA), have been the operators for more than a decade. Create Baltimore’s one-year contract to serve as Baltimore’s “arts agency” also expired on June 30, the end of fiscal 2026 for the city.

The Top of the World’s last long-term lease was negotiated in 2015, when Bill Gilmore headed BOPA, and was set to expire after 10 years, on May 31, 2025.

‘The state wants the space back’

On Jan. 16, 2025, with fewer than five months to go to on the lease, BOPA/Create Baltimore CEO Robyn Murphy told her board that state officials notified the city that they did not intend to renew the city’s lease for the 27^th floor and that the Top of the World attraction would have to close.

“Unfortunately, at the end of the lease, the state wants the space back and we are in the process of terminating the lease,” she told the board.

Murphy’s disclosure drew widespread opposition from civic leaders, public and private, who argued that the Top of the World is a valuable city asset and that shutting it down would be a setback for local tourism efforts. They also asked how closing the Top of the World would affect the 9/11 Memorial of Maryland on the same floor and whether it would have to close or be relocated. Some brought up the undocumented agreement with Schaefer that paved the way for the observation deck to open, and the promises made when he was mayor.

State leaders reconsider

Facing strong opposition to their plan not to renew the city’s lease, state leaders reconsidered and agreed to allow the Top of the World to stay in place. In June of 2025, the city reached agreement with the state to keep the Top of the World open until Nov. 30, 2025, under an amended lease agreement. Officials said the amended lease would give city and state officials time to explore keeping the attraction open even longer.

On Oct. 27, 2025, Murphy announced that the city and state had reached an agreement to allow the Top of the World to stay on the 27^th floor beyond Nov 30. She made the announcement at the World Trade Center during a press conference attended by Mayor Brandon Scott; Baltimore City Councilman Zachary Blanchard and representatives from the Maryland Port Administration, which manages the building for the State of Maryland.

‘For years to come’

The event had been scheduled to announce BOPA’s name change to Create Baltimore, and Murphy used it to also provide an update about the lease talks affecting the Top of the World.

Although she didn’t provide specifics, Murphy said the new contract would not be a short-term lease extension like the six-month agreement approved that June. She said the lease would be presented to the Board of Estimates for its approval, as past leases have been, and that Create Baltimore would operate the space in collaboration with the Living Classrooms Foundation, producer of the SAIL250 Maryland and Air Show Baltimore extravaganza.

“We have reached an agreement in principle with the state of Maryland to continue to operate this space,” Murphy said at the Oct. 27 press conference. “The Top of the World belongs to everyone, and we are thrilled to ensure that it will remain open to the public for years to come.”

Scott thanked Gov. Wes Moore and others for their efforts to keep the observation level open.

“This space is a valuable resource to the City of Baltimore as a source of nostalgia for many, including me, who traveled here on field trips to spend a day at the harbor,” Scott said. “This is exactly the kind of space that Create Baltimore was meant to support, a place where folks can learn, gather and reflect on everything that Charm City has to offer.”

“Living Classrooms Foundation and our Historic Ships team are honored to join forces with Robyn and the Create Baltimore team to bring new energy to the Top of the World, advancing education, workforce development and heritage tourism for the greater good of our community, city and state,” said foundation President and CEO James Piper Bond.

Another extension

On Nov. 19, 2025, the Board of Estimates approved a memorandum that kept the Top of the World open until June 30, 2026. Officials said that extension would give city and state representatives time to draft a second agreement that would enable the attraction to remain in the state-owned office tower even longer, consistent with Murphy’s announcement on Oct. 27.

Murphy said after a November 2025 board meeting that the second agreement would be presented to the Board of Estimates well before June 30, 2026. She told her board during its November meeting that previous leases for the Top of the World space have been up to 20 years long.

Since then, Jackson and Create Baltimore have provided assurances that the new long-term lease agreement would be presented to the Board of Estimates for approval before the end of June.

Jackson’s message on July 1 was confirmation that city and state officials are working to keep the Top of the World venue open, even though the city’s lease with the state has expired.

On Wednesday, the attraction was open to the public as usual. According to a staffer, the Top of the World drew more than 1,000 visitors during the recent SAIL250 Maryland and Air Show Baltimore events in and around the Inner Harbor.

Admission costs $8 for adults; $6 for seniors (60 and over) and visitors with a military ID, and $5 for children aged 3 to 12. It’s free for children under 3. Hours are: Wednesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ticket sales and entry end 30 minutes before closing.

Termination notices are set to resume for BGE customers who have past-due balances on their accounts beginning on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.

The possibility of losing power due to non-payment poses significant concerns in the throes of a massive heat wave in mid-July. However, a BGE spokesperson confirmed to Baltimore Fishbowl that during the summer, they do not do service shut-offs during high heat conditions. High heat conditions are defined as either a 3-day forecast with a 95°F heat index threshold, or National Weather Service/Maryland Department of Health declared heat emergencies.

For those facing service cut-off due to non-payment after July 15, Marylanders have multiple avenues of assistance.

“These power cutoffs will cause major problems for many people in the Baltimore region, especially seniors living on fixed incomes who simply cannot afford their energy bills,” said Laurel Peltier, chair of the Maryland Energy Advocates Coalition. “The good news is that many Marylanders qualify for programs to help them pay their energy bills – but they must act soon to keep their power on. In 2025, only about 30% of the eligible households applied for energy assistance grants.”

Peltier suggested the following means of assistance for customers seeking help paying or reducing their energy bills:

1. The Maryland Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP) provides grants for income-eligible households. A five-minute video guides customers through the process, and the site has information, forms, FAQs, and other sections to help customers at risk of cut-offs.
2. Customers can subscribe to energy efficiency programs, like free HVAC tune-ups and Quick Home Energy Checkups to ensure their systems are not costing more money than they should.
3. Subscribing to a solar farm is another option, like Community Solar, which allows customers to save money on energy without having to install solar panels on their roofs.

BGE’s spokesperson told Baltimore Fishbowl that customers will only be disconnected from service if they do not pay their bill. They have taken several proactive measures to help customers prepare for the moratorium lift. They have notified customers that turn-off notices would be mailed to customers this week, they have had a banner on their website for several weeks that disconnections for nonpayment would resume after July 15, and they are making phone calls to customers who have not paid their bills to try to make payment arrangements and other help.

In addition to the OHEP assistance mentioned above, BGE is expanding other customer support options. Those include:

1. Extended payment arrangements of up to 18–24 months 
2. No deposit requirements for customers in arrears seeking to maintain or restore service  
3. Continued promotion of assistance programs, including OHEP and the Fuel Fund of Maryland.

BGE customers can get financial assistance through state programs, find information on BGE’s self-service Assistance Finder, make payment arrangements or get due-date extension eligibility information on the utility’s website. Most of these resources can be found on BGE’s “Here to Help” page.

In December 2025, the Public Service Commission (PSC) ordered a six-month moratorium on bill-collecting from customers with unpaid bills because BGE had issues with its customer service call center. Average wait time in December was clocked at 546.6 minutes – over nine hours. By February 2026, that wait time number had been reduced to 7.1 minutes, according to BGE’s petition. Average Speed of Answer had been reduced by more than half, dropping from around 14 minutes to six minutes in the same period.

On May 15, the PSC ruled the moratorium could be lifted starting on July 15. In its ruling, however, the PSC noted that the improvements could be partially attributed to the moratorium itself, and expressed concern that they could be maintained once bill-collecting resumed. BGE must report its call center statistics back to the PSC monthly for the next three years.

“BGE attributes these gains to comprehensive operational reforms, which include increasing its call center staffing from 186 to 237 agents, expanding overtime opportunities, implementing a “Second Chance” callback pilot, and prioritizing customers waiting more than 40 minutes by moving them to the top of the queue,” read the PSC’s order lifting the moratorium.

Though it has been in place for a year, the large, colorful sign on the north side of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History and Culture jumped out at me only recently:

“Protecting Black History,” it says in bold black letters against red, yellow and white backgrounds on the rear of the museum at Pratt and President streets.

“Protecting” is the key word.

Indeed, with Donald Trump in the White House, American history — and especially Black history — needs protecting from his administration’s sprawling attempt to erase much of it, mostly the hard truths.

Trump’s executive order 14253 of March 2025 called for the removal of many references to slavery in exhibits at national parks and museums. References to Native Americans, to women’s rights, to immigrants and to LGBTQ+ history were also deemed inappropriate. 

The Center for American Progress conducted a review of censorship under Trump’s executive order and reported what it found just this week: The administration “is attempting to rewrite American history by censoring the stories of marginalized groups. … Nearly half of all national parks — 82 of the 171 — were flagged for Black history content, making it the most heavily targeted category, followed by Indigenous history (74), science content (55), women’s history (20), labor (10), immigrant history (11), and LGBTQ+ history (3).”

Trump’s executive order, entitled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” claimed that objective facts had been replaced by “a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth.” It asserted that a revisionist movement had portrayed American history as “inherently racist, sexist, oppressive or otherwise irredeemably flawed.”

The executive order said facts about slavery and the treatment of indigenous people would be removed because they “foster a sense of national shame, disregarding the progress America has made and the ideals that continue to inspire millions around the globe.”

The Lewis Museum in Baltimore, established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1998 and partially funded by the state, is not a federal institution. Therefore, it was not subjected to Trump’s executive order. Nevertheless, the sign on the museum’s north-facing wall made its position clear.

“In addition to our mission to interpret, collect and preserve history, we now must protect it,” said the Lewis’ president, Terri Lee Freeman, when I inquired about the sign. “The stories of Black Marylanders are precious assets that must be safeguarded and stewarded against those who, at best, want to discount those stories and, at worst, rewrite history. 

“The very beginning of Black history in this country is based on the original sin of America — slavery. It cannot be denied. And the narrative around slavery is brutal and tragic. The very idea that any human would own another is anathema to the human rights we, as a nation, say we cherish.” 

But Trump has a different view of it. Last August, he ordered a review of 21 Smithsonian museums, claiming their exhibits were “woke” and too focused on “how bad slavery was.” Big changes were needed, he declared, in time for the nation’s 250th anniversary this Fourth of July.

His executive order reflected Trump’s personal discomfort with the nation’s brutal early history:  “Museums in our Nation’s capital should be places where individuals go to learn — not to be subjected to ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives that distort our shared history.”

He promised to “ensure that all public monuments, memorials, statues, markers or similar properties within the Department of the Interior’s jurisdiction do not contain descriptions, depictions or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living and instead focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people.”

That was then, this is now. 

Things have not been going the administration’s way on the censorship front. 

In February, a federal judge ordered the Department of the Interior to restore an exhibit on people enslaved by George Washington at a site on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. The judge said the federal government does not have the power “to dissemble and disassemble historical truths.”

Last month, another federal judge ordered the administration to restore all sites changed under the executive order and end further attempts “to rewrite the Nation’s history with a white-out pen.”

Sitting in Boston, U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley said: “History cannot be faithfully told while excluding the experiences of communities whose contributions, struggles and achievements form an important part of our Nation’s story.”

To appreciate that story — on the Fourth of July or any day — we must consider all of it, however uncomfortable or conflicted it makes us. Whole truth is better than half-truth. History is best left to historians, not to politicians, especially those who engage in prevarication every day. In an age of misinformation and lies, the role of historians and curators is hugely important.

Says Terri Lee Freeman: “We are proud to tell the stories of triumphs and tragedies that make up the human narratives binding communities, neighborhoods and counties in the state of Maryland. Black people have been central to the Maryland story. The Lewis will continue to protect that history for generations to come.”

Dan Rodricks writes his column weekly for Baltimore Fishbowl. He can be reached via danrodricks.com

A newly released assessment of the Chesapeake Bay blue crab population found the species has experienced significant long-term declines over the past two decades, raising concerns among fisheries managers and conservation groups about the health of the Bay’s signature species.

The Chesapeake Bay Program released its long-awaited blue crab stock assessment in June, analyzing more than 20 years of population data to provide a comprehensive look at trends affecting blue crabs throughout the estuary.

The report found that the Bay’s blue crab population in 2023 was about 50% lower than it was in 2011. Declines were observed across female, male and juvenile crab populations, pointing to an overall downward trend despite annual fluctuations.

Researchers examined several possible factors contributing to the decline, including predation by invasive blue catfish, low-oxygen “dead zones” and habitat loss. The assessment did not identify a single primary cause but concluded the species is facing multiple environmental pressures.

Maryland and Virginia conduct annual winter dredge surveys to estimate blue crab abundance. Because blue crabs typically live only a few years, population estimates often vary significantly from one year to the next.

The 2026 winter dredge survey, released earlier this year, showed a modest increase in blue crab numbers after the population saw a record low in 2025. While the increase offered encouragement, scientists said the overall long-term decline is still a concern.

The assessment recommends continuing efforts to improve water quality by reducing pollution from wastewater, stormwater and agricultural runoff, restoring critical habitat such as underwater grasses, marshes and oyster reefs, and addressing the expanding population of invasive blue catfish.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation said the report underscores the need for continued investment in restoring the Bay’s ecosystem.

“Blue crabs need our help,” said Chris Moore, the foundation’s Virginia executive director, in a statement. “To support a strong blue crab population, we must first support a healthy Bay.”

Moore said reducing pollution, restoring habitat and addressing the threat posed by blue catfish will be critical to improving the species’ long-term outlook.

“Blue crabs are sending us warning signs,” Moore said. “The bigger picture trends are bleak, and there’s still great uncertainty as to why blue crabs continue to struggle. We’ll be working with fisheries managers and leaders across the Bay to chart a brighter course for blue crabs. It’s not too late to reverse course.”

The report is not expected to trigger immediate changes to harvest regulations. Fisheries managers in Maryland and Virginia plan to spend the next year reviewing the findings and determining how to incorporate the assessment into future blue crab management.

The full report can be found here.

The state dismissed all charges against Maliq Shelman, 19, on June 30 after they became unable to track down an essential eyewitness for testimony. 

On Tuesday, the state told Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Anthony F. Vittoria that they believed their eyewitness was deliberately avoiding testimony. The technology the state had been using to track the witness’ location had reportedly become damaged and stopped working. 

Sherman was originally charged with 15 counts, including attempted murder, assault, firearm use, possession of a firearm as a minor and reckless endengarment. 

Read more at Baltimore Witness.

Celebrate Fourth of July with events across the city, plus enjoy some fun by the campfire, a seafood and bluegrass festival, and more.

Check it all out in our weekend events roundup:

Carín León, Thursday, July 2, doors open at 7 p.m., event begins at 8 p.m., CFG Bank Arena. Grammy and Latin Grammy award-winning singer Carín León is coming to Baltimore as part of his tour called “De Sonora Para El Mundo,” or “From Sonora to the World,” which is a tribute to his hometown of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.

250th Anniversary Celebration, Friday, July 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Fire Museum of Maryland. Raise the flag, meet Ben Franklin, enjoy local food trucks, paint a patriotic fire hydrant, and take a ride on a horse-drawn fire hose wagon at this free, family-friendly event.

Nature by the Fire, Friday, July 3, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Irvine Nature Center. Warm up by the campfire, roast some marshmallows, and join Naturalist, Ash, for nature themed fun, including a visit from one of Irvine’s animal ambassadors.

Maryland Opera – First Fridays at Boordy Vineyards, Friday, July 3, 7 p.m., Boordy Vineyards. Enjoy a glass of wine and a meal from a local food truck as you experience opera in the great outdoors.

Star Spangled 250, Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4, 8 p.m., Oregon Ridge. Pack a picnic, gather friends and family, and enjoy fireworks as the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

Red, White & Zoo, Saturday, July 4, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Maryland Zoo. Celebrate Independence Day at the Zoo with a day full of animal encounters, themed enrichment activities, and special anniversary surprises.

250th All-American Bash, Saturday, July 4, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., B&O Railroad Museum. Enjoy live music, lawn games, kids’ activities, free two-stepping lessons, and a rare chance to see the B&O Railroad Museum’s American Freedom Train No. 1 Engine. Train rides include free ice cream, and craft beers and BBQ will be available for purchase.

Summer Seafood & Bluegrass Festival, Saturday, July 4, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House. This summer celebration will feature a two-hour all-you-care-to-eat seafood feast, live bluegrass music, and a select discounted menu of Guinness brews.

The Cherry Hill Arts & Music Waterfront Festival, Saturday, July 4, 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., Middle Branch Park. Celebrating 10 years, this free, family-friendly festival will feature children’s activities, art making, and a lineup of local, regional, national, and international music acts.

Fourth of July: Park & Relax at the BMI, Saturday, July 4, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Baltimore Museum of Industry. The BMI will open their waterfront lot for ticket holders to enjoy live music by John Lamkin Favorites Jazz Quintet, outdoor games and activities, and spectacular views of the city’s fireworks display.

Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater announced two executive orders to freeze data center development and foster transparency.

The Thursday announcement comes a day after the Maryland Supreme Court shut down a voter-led referendum on data centers. More than 21,000 Frederick residents signed a petition against a 2,600 acre critical digital infrastructure overlay zone the county council created in December.

Also known as the CDI-OZ, or overlay zone, it was designed to limit the industry to a single location north of Adamstown and prevent urban sprawl. The zone is located on top of the former East Alcoa Aluminum Smelting Plant due to the land having much of the needed infrastructure.

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.

The Daily Dispatch Quiz offers a fun way to test your knowledge of local news.

Just ask Copper2019, the winner of the quiz’s June contest (and the proud new owner of the first awarded DDQ coffee mug!):

Each day brings 6 new questions that take less than 90 seconds to answer.

Today’s topics include:

• Trash Wheel’s triumphant harbor return
• Columbus statue’s unexpected replacement choice
• Maryland’s new end-of-life option

See how you stack up against other quiz-takers on the leaderboard.

Brag – or lament – about how much you really know in the comments below.

And best of all, you’ll be in the running for a free DDQ coffee mug, which is awarded to each month’s Leaderboard winner, as well as anyone who refers at least three people to become subscribed players.

The Daily Dispatch Quiz has an app, too. Download it by clicking the Dispatch logo at the end of the quiz.

City and state are investing millions to decrease vacant properties in Baltimore – CBS Baltimore

Towson fireworks show postponed due to staffing issue – WBAL News Radio

Baltimore trash and recycling schedule changes due to extreme heat – WBAL-TV

Baltimore County DPW workers staying safe in dangerous heat – WMAR-TV

Maryland’s exhibit at the Great American State Fair falls short for some – Baltimore Banner

State officials push back on decline in Maryland’s education ranking – FOX Baltimore/WBFF-TV

Maryland drivers with out-of-state tags have until Oct. 1, 2026 to register their vehicles properly in the state, and the MVA has launched the “Plate Where You Live” campaign to help.

The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) started the “Plate Where You Live” effort to help residents before new enforcement measures authorized by Senate Bill 111 go into effect. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Wes Moore and expands the ability of MVA and local law enforcement to fine residents who don’t register their vehicles in the state in which they live.

“Proper vehicle registration is fundamental to road safety. Our goal is to help more Maryland drivers get into compliance for the well-being of everyone on our roads,” said Chrissy Nizer, Motor Vehicle Administrator. Nizer also serves as Governor Wes Moore’s Highway Safety Representative.

“When drivers don’t register their vehicles properly, there is no guarantee those vehicles are safe and have the necessary insurance, putting everyone at risk of death or serious injury,” Nizer said. “We look forward to working with drivers, and our government partners to make Maryland roads safer for everyone. Safety is a everyone’s responsibility.”

The “Plate Where You Live” campaign aims to teach Marylanders about vehicle registration requirements and give them the chance to fix any registration issues before the Oct. 1 deadline. There is a dedicated webpage with resources and tools that help drivers new to the state or who want to maintain vehicle registrations in other states.

Maryland state law gives vehicle owners 60 days to either register their vehicle, secure a nonresident vehicle permit, or provide proof the vehicle is not required to be registered in the state.

Starting on Oct. 1, owners who have not done these things will be given a 60-day warning to bring their vehicle into compliance with state law or get proper documentation explaining why they are exempt. After that, if their vehicles remain out-of-compliance, the owner will be fined $7 for each day it remains that way for up to 60 days, or $420. If after 120 days the vehicle is still not in compliance, the MVA will notify the local jurisdictions for more penalties, which may include civil action, booting, towing, vehicle impoundment, and seized out-of-state plates.

Maryland residents who need to register or re-register a vehicle can visit the MVA’s dedicated “Plate Where You Live” page for step-by-step instructions, tools, and resources to help them complete the process. The MVA urges drivers to meet the requirements before the new law takes effect on Oct. 1, 2026. Additional assistance is available through ContactMVA or by calling 410-768-7000.

This Fourth of July weekend, people across the country will commemorate 250 years since the founding of the United States of America.

In the Baltimore area, residents and visitors will mark the occasion with fireworks, a drone show, musical performances, and other celebrations.

Inner Harbor Festivities and Fireworks Display

Inner Harbor festivities will kick off Saturday, July 4, at 6 p.m. at the Amphitheater. The band Avenue 66 will perform at 7 p.m. on the promenade. Then, round out the night by watching the fireworks show over the harbor around 9 p.m. (There will also be a drone show at 9:30 p.m. at Middle Branch Park; details below.)

Cherry Hill Arts & Music Waterfront Festival

Celebrating its 10th year, the Cherry Hill Arts & Music Festival will return Saturday, July 4, from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Middle Branch Park, located at 3301 Waterview Ave.

The festival will feature a plethora of musical performances, from hip hop to jazz to Latin music and more. There will also be vendors, art workshops, a Kids Zone, cultural heritage education opportunities, and more.

The headliners will be soul/R&B singer Deborah Bond, Baltimore club & house artists Mighty Mark & Spitcam University, and reggae performers Mykal Rose & Subatomic Sound System. But there will be a variety of artists throughout the day.

The Cherry Hill festivities will culminate in a drone show at 9:30 p.m.

In addition to Middle Branch Park where the festival is happening, the drone show can also be viewed from West Covington Park at 101 W. Cromwell St.

Start-Spangled 250

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will perform two nights of Star-Spangled 250 concerts at Cockeysville’s Oregon Ridge Park on Friday, July 3, at 8:30 p.m., and Saturday, July 4, at 8 p.m.

Under Music Director Jonathon Heyward, BSO musicians will perform selections important to America, from “The Star Spangled Banner” to “Amazing Grace” to the main title from “Star Wars” and culminating with the “1812 Overture” that will be accompanied by a fireworks show.

Pratt Street Night Market

The Pratt Street Night Market will return Saturday, July 4, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at McKeldin Square, where folks can purchase various foods from local vendors.

Red, White & Groove Silent Disco

At the Red, White & Groove Silent Disco on Saturday, July 4, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., guests can grab some wireless headphones and dance to their favorite DJ-curated tunes without being disturbed by anyone else’s music selections. The silent disco will take place at 1201 Point St.

Red, White & Zoo

Are you wild about America turning 250? Celebrate with the animals at the Maryland Zoo during this Red, White & Zoo event on Saturday, July 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day will include animal encounters, themed enrichment activities, and special anniversary surprises.

250th All-American Bash

Come out to the 250th All-American Bash on Saturday, July 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the B&O Railroad Museum. There you can enjoy live music, lawn games, kids’ activities, free two-stepping lessons, and a rare chance to see the B&O Railroad Museum’s American Freedom Train No. 1 Engine. Train rides include free ice cream, and craft beers and BBQ will be available for purchase.

Fourth of July: Park & Relax at the BMI

Park at the Baltimore Museum of Industry and unwind with a relaxing afternoon of Fourth of July festivities. On Saturday, July 4, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., ticket holders can enjoy live music by John Lamkin Favorites Jazz Quintet, outdoor games and activities, and spectacular views of the city’s fireworks display.

250th Anniversary Celebration

The Fire Museum will host a 250th Anniversary Celebration on Friday, July 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees of this free, family-friendly event can raise the American flag, meet Benjamin Franklin, enjoy local food trucks, paint a patriotic fire hydrant, and take a ride on a horse-drawn fire hose wagon.

A memorial to Italian immigrant families wasn’t the only idea considered for replacing the Christopher Columbus statue that was thrown into Baltimore’s harbor on July 4, 2020.

According to the Italian American group that raised more than $200,000 for a new memorial on the pedestal where the Columbus statue had been, ideas included monuments to Amerigo Vespucci, Mother Cabrini and the D’Alesandro family of Little Italy.

But in the end, the members of Italian American Organizations United decided to erect the Anonymous Italian American Family Memorial on the public plaza where the Columbus statue was — at South President Street and Eastern Avenue, just west of Baltimore’s Little Italy neighborhood.

“This memorial honors the courage, sacrifice and dreams of generations of Italian immigrants who came to America seeking opportunity – and built the Little Italy we know today,” reads a description prepared by the organizers. “Their journey became our story.”

More than 60 people gathered on the former Columbus plaza just before noon on Wednesday to hear about the memorial and when it will appear. The gathering took place almost exactly six years after a mob lassoed the Columbus statue and threw it into Baltimore’s harbor shortly before the Fourth of July fireworks show at the Inner Harbor.

John Pica, the president of Italian American Organizations United, told the gathering that his group has raised more than $200,000 to create a new memorial to go on top of the pedestal where the Columbus statue stood from 1984 until it was toppled in 2020, including $140,000 from the state of Maryland.

The original statue was dedicated on Oct. 8, 1984, in a ceremony led by former President Ronald Reagan and then-Mayor William Donald Schaefer. It was vandalized as part of a wave of protests around the country following the death of George Floyd, a Minneapolis resident who died after a police officer knelt on his neck and back for more than nine minutes. No one was ever arrested in the Baltimore incident.

The replacement memorial will depict an Italian immigrant husband alongside his wife holding their infant child. Measuring seven feet tall, three feet wide and four feet deep, it will be made of Italian Carrara marble, shipped from Italy and carved by sculptor Sebastian Martorana of Atlantic Custom Carving LLC in Baltimore. The figures will face Little Italy. Pica said his group is aiming for the memorial to be installed by the fall of 2027.

The Italian Americans previously had decided not to put another Columbus statue on the pedestal, given what happened to the first one. The group commissioned a replica by Eastern Shore artist Will Hemsley and it has been placed outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D. C. where it’s “under the protection of the Secret Service,” Pica said.

Pica and others said on Wednesday that their group considered a variety of ideas for a new memorial, including tributes to Vespucci (1454 to 1512), an Italian explorer and navigator who participated in voyages to the “New World” between 1499 and 1502 and is considered by many the first European to recognize the Americas as a separate continent (the tall ship from Italy that recently visited Baltimore is named after him), and Mother Cabrini (Frances Xavier Cabrini, 1850 to 1917), a prominent Italian-American religious sister in the Catholic Church and the first American to be recognized by the Catholic Church as a saint.

Pica said members wondered whether anyone would criticize a statue of Vespucci and “wanted to …more or less avoid an explorer.” While Mother Cabrini was “a close second,” he said, the idea of paying tribute to an Italian immigrant family had the most support.

“It demonstrates the determination and resiliency of the Italian American community while at the same time it preserves legacy that younger Italian Americans and others can admire,” Pica said.  

Although having two adult figures and a baby rather than one figure would potentially take up more space on top of the existing pedestal, Martorana said he was confident he could make the adult figures fit given the pedestal’s dimensions.

In addition to the stone memorial, three plaques will be placed on the fence around the pedestal. They will recognize the donors and public officials who have made the memorial possible, the ethnic groups that lived in the area before the arrival of Italian immigrants, including Jewish and African American residents and members of two Native American tribes, and members of the D’Alesandro family of Little Italy, including former Baltimore mayors Thomas D’Alesandro Jr. and Thomas D”Alesandro III, and Nancy Pelosi, former Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives and daughter of Thomas D’Alesandro Jr.

Other details discussed on Wednesday:

Funding: Funds have been raised from 30 individual donors and more have made pledges. The ‘baseline’ donation was $2,000. Pica thanked Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson for helping the group secure $140,000 from the Maryland General Assembly as “seed money” to get its fundraising effort started.

Italian Carrara marble: The marble is coming from the Cannalina Quarry in Italy’s Carrara basin. It’s being shipped to Baltimore in one piece, weighing 10 tons. When the stone is chipped away, the artist said, the memorial will weigh between two and three tons. The Columbus statue, by contrast, was created in Italy by sculptor Mauro Bigarani and shipped to Baltimore.

Design review: The memorial will be owned by the Italian American Organizations United, which also owns the pedestal. It will be located on land owned by the City of Baltimore. Pica said the memorial has been approved by Reginald Moore, the Director of Baltimore’s Department of Recreation and Parks.

Pica said he has no plans to take it to the city’s Public Art Commission, which by law is authorized to review and approve plans for any sculpture, monuments, memorials or statuary planned for city property. “We’re not going to them. We don’t need them,” he said.

Major commission: Martorana has had work on view at the Walters Art Museum and the Smithsonian Institution, as well as in numerous private buildings and collections, including the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. He is one of two sculptors, along with David Hess, who designed a memorial honoring John Waters’ muse, Divine. It would have gone on the side of a house in Mount Vernon near where Divine had a key scene in “Pink Flamingos,” the scene where he eats dog droppings.

The Divine memorial was approved by Baltimore’s Public Art Commission under then-Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake, but it never materialized. One holdup was that questions were raised about who would clean up any trash that might be left behind if fans made the Divine memorial a pilgrimage spot. Another sticking point was that Waters didn’t support it because he didn’t think Divine, who died in 1988, would have wanted to be remembered for that scene in his movie.

Martorana said the Italian immigrant memorial is one of his largest commissions to date. He’s known for sculpting everyday items in marble, such as a bath towel hanging on a towel rack. His everyday item in this sculpture is a 1900s-vintage suitcase, not today’s rolling luggage with spinner wheels, made out of marble and positioned on the ground next to the adult male.

Martorana said he plans to have models pose for the figures, but he hasn’t selected them yet. He said the clothes on the figures will be representative of what immigrants would have worn between 1880 and 1920. Pica jokingly volunteered to model for the male figure.

Martorana said he considers it an honor to be selected as the sculptor. “I’m excited to start on this,” he said. “I’m the product of immigrants like, I’m going to guess…everyone standing here.”

Some immigrants “rolled the dice” and “made a long trip to do work that they didn’t want to do,” he said. Generations later, “I get to do work that I want to do, every day.” He said it’s fitting that the marble is coming from Italy because that means the stone is “an immigrant too.”

Security concerns: Questions were raised about the security of the replacement memorial and what precautions the group may be taking to prevent a repeat of what happened before.

The organizers said the Columbus statue wasn’t mounted securely on the pedestal and that made it easy to take down. They said the immigrant memorial will be attached to the pedestal with steel rods.

Pica said there will be surveillance cameras operating 24 hours a day and a security fence around the pedestal, which wasn’t present in 2020. One big difference between 2020 and 2026, Pica said, is that the city has a different police chief and a different state’s attorney than it did in 2020.

“If you try to deface and damage that statue, no matter how tall you are or how short you are, you will pay and be prosecuted,” he said.

When the Columbus statue was torn down in 2020, he said, “about 20 police officers from the Baltimore City police department watched,” he said. “We have a different police commissioner now. I don’t think Commissioner [Richard] Worley will tolerate that.”

He also chided the protestors who took down the Columbus statue.

“I hope those kids that did this six years ago have had a chance to mature and appreciate how stupid and ignorant they were,” he said.

What happened to pieces of the Columbus statue that were fished out of the harbor: Members of the Italian American group salvaged as many fragments as they could, including parts of the head and torso, but it wasn’t enough to reassemble Bigarani’s statue.

The salvaged pieces are in storage on the Eastern Shore. Board member Bill Martin said one idea is to display them with the replica statue or perhaps exhibit them in a museum to tell the story of the 1984 statue and what happened in 2020.

Another idea, Martin said, is to sell fragments of the statue as a way of raising funds for the replacement memorial or other projects, the way the Getty Center in Los Angeles sold souvenir blocks of limestone as paperweights to raise money. For now, he said, the fragments will remain locked in storage until the group decides what to do.

Professor Trash Wheel has been on a short sabbatical, but she returns to the Baltimore Harbor on Thursday, July 2, and she will be accompanied by a very special teaching assistant: Katie Pumphrey.

After several weeks away for repairs, Professor Trash Wheel will resume her post with the help of Pumphrey, an ultra-marathon open-water swimmer, artist, and founder of Baltimore Open Water Swimmers. This will be a one-of-a-kind moment bringing together two of Baltimore’s most iconic clean-water champions.

Professor Trash Wheel is a beloved member of Baltimore’s Trash Wheel Family, stopping litter and debris from flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. The professor performs her duties in Harris Creek in Canton. She is not a fan of low tides, heavy winds, or the patriarchy, so men who approach her for conversation should not be full of hot air. Unsurprisingly, Professor Trash Wheel does like women in science (colleagues, after all), Beyoncé, Eleanor Roosevelt, and sea otters. She is also cool with Thomas Dolby.

Pumphrey is a three-time English Channel swimmer and Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming finisher. She has become a leading voice in the movement to expand access to swimming to urban areas, and she serves as Sports Ambassador for the global Swimmable Cities alliance. Last year she traveled to Rotterdam to speak at the inaugural Swimmable Cities Summit. She founded Baltimore Open Water Swimmers to build an inclusive community of open water swimmers and to promote safe, healthy, and accessible waterways for all.

City schools may be on break, but students of all ages can welcome Professor Trash Wheel back to her trusty post as she resumes her job teaching litter a lesson. She and Pumphrey swim into Canton on Thursday, July 2 at 3 p.m. Boston Street Pier Park is located at 1200 Anchorage View Court.

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