Artscape 2019: Parking, Music, Map, Cooling Stations

BALTIMORE, MD — Artscape, the largest free arts festival in the nation, is drawing thousands to midtown Baltimore this weekend. More than 350,000 people are expected to attend.

The theme for 2019 is "Discover," inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon. Organizers encourage festival-goers to discover new experiences, artworks, tastes and friends.

New this year, the festival has shifted its footprint, which will center around Charles Street rather than Mount Royal Avenue. The Artists' Market will be located on Charles Street, with more than 100 vendors.

The festival will span parts of Mount Royal Avenue, Cathedral Street, Charles Street, Bolton Hill and the Station North Arts & Entertainment District. It will not extend north of the light rail tracks on Mount Royal as it had in previous years.

Here's the map.

It is going to feel like 115 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service, which issued an excessive heat warning for Saturday and excessive heat watch on Sunday. Baltimore's health commissioner declared a code red heat alert, and officials advise people who are outside to stay hydrated, wear light and loose-fitting clothing and take frequent breaks in the shade or air-conditioning.

Cooling Stations

There are multiple cooling stations available at Artscape, including buses people can board that are air-conditioned.

• Misting station at Lanvale and Charles streets
• MDOT MTA cooling bus on Preston Street near Kidscape
• Baltimore City Fire Department truck on Maryland Avenue at Mount Royal
• MDOT MTA cooling bus Mount Royal between St. Paul and Charles streets

Indoor Activities

• Gamescape — 1915 Maryland Avenue
• Teenscape at Motor House — 120 West North Avenue
• Film at Artscape at Parkway Theatre — 5 West North Avenue
• Modell Performance Center at the Lyric — 140 West Mount Royal Avenue (Saturday only)
• UB Student Center, Wright Theater — 21 West Mount Royal Avenue (Saturday only)
• LOL@Artscape at The BIG Theater — 1727 North Charles Street (after 7 p.m. Saturday)

Musical Performances

• R&B group SWV (Sisters With Voices): 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 19
• James Brown Dance Party featuring Fred Thomas & special guests: 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 20
• '80s icon ska band English Beat at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 21
• Squonk opera performances throughout the weekend

Artscape Hours

• Friday, July 19: 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
• Saturday, July 20: 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
• Sunday, July 21: 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

See the full schedule of events for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Parking

• Fitzgerald Garage, 80 W. Oliver Street
• Meyerhoff Garage, 1311 Cathedral Street
• University of Baltimore’s Maryland Avenue Garage, 1120 Maryland Avenue
• Penn Station Garage, 1500 N. Charles Street

Street parking may be available around the festival grounds. The above garages are the official Artscape garages.

Organizers advise those putting a location for Artscape in their GPS to use the Lyric as their landmark at 140 West Mount Royal Avenue.

Other Modes Of Transportation

• Amtrak
• MTA bus: Gold, Green, Lime, Silver and Yellow, and LocalLinks 51, 53, 54 and 94
• Light Rail: University of Baltimore/Mt. Royal Avenue stop (center of Artscape) or Cultural Center stop on Howard Street
• Charm City Circulator
• Bike parking is on Maryland Avenue between Mount Royal and Preston Street

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Artscape Road Closures, Detours

These streets will be closed until 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 23:

• Cathedral Street between Mount Royal Avenue and Preston Street: Local traffic to the Cathedral Street Garage will be maintained. A temporary two-way traffic pattern will be implemented along this portion of Cathedral Street for garage access.
• Mt. Royal Avenue between Dolphin and St. Paul Streets. The exit ramp from the Jones Falls Expressway to Mount Royal Avenue will also be closed. Local traffic along Mt. Royal Avenue from North Avenue to Dolphin Street will be maintained.
• Oliver Street between Mt. Royal and Maryland Avenues. Local traffic to the Fitzgerald Garage will be maintained.
• Preston Street between Cathedral and North Howard Streets
• Preston Street between Maryland Avenue and Cathedral Street. (Local traffic to the Symphony Center Garage will be maintained.)
• Charles Street between Preston Street and North Avenue. The I-83 ENTRANCE RAMP WILL ALSO CLOSE AT THIS TIME; but a special traffic chute will be set up along Penn Drive so drivers can take the I-83 ramp (see below). Local access will be maintained along Charles Street between Biddle and Preston Streets.
• Lafayette Avenue between Maryland Avenue and St. Paul Street (Local access to the gas station and Schuler School will be maintained).
• Lanvale Street between Maryland Avenue and Lovegrove Street (access to the Amtrak parking lot will be maintained).

Special Penn Drive Traffic Chute:

Traffic cones during non-festival hours will allow vehicles from Penn Drive to gain access to the I-83 ramp. Right turns onto Charles Street will still be restricted during these times.

Here's when the special Penn Drive traffic chute will be open:

• Saturday, July 20, from 12 to 9:30 a.m.
• Sunday, July 21, from 12 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
• Monday, July 22, from 12 a.m. to Tuesday, July 23, at 4 p.m.

These streets will be closed through 6 a.m. on Monday, July 22:

• Maryland Avenue between Preston Street and North Avenue, including the bike lane (Local traffic to the Fitzgerald Garage will be maintained. A temporary two-way traffic pattern will be implemented along Maryland Avenue from Oliver Street to North Avenue for garage access)
• Falls Road between Lafayette and Maryland Avenues (A temporary two-way traffic pattern will be implemented along the 100 block of W. Lafayette Avenue to allow access to city yards and local businesses)
• North Avenue curb lane between Charles and St. Paul Streets
• Park Avenue/Biddle Street between Howard and Cathedral Streets (behind the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. A temporary two-way traffic pattern will be implemented along Park Avenue for access to the Symphony Center Garage)

A special traffic pattern along Maryland Avenue for Sunday morning church services will be in effect: Maryland Avenue will be converted to a two-way traffic pattern from Preston Street to Mt. Royal Avenue for morning church services, from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, July 21. Congregation members trying to access the church should follow St. Paul Street to Preston Street, then turn the opposite way onto Maryland Avenue to the parking lot.