Light City In Baltimore: Hours, Parking, Attractions

BALTIMORE, MD — The free festival featuring dozens of large-scale light installations is back in Baltimore.

Organizers said it attracted more than 400,000 people in its first run, and now Light City is back and even bigger.

Started by the Baltimore Office of Promotion and The Arts in 2016, Light City is a self-guided tour between the Maryland Science Center and Harbor East.

This year more of Charm City is getting in on the action; there are additional events and installations incorporated around Baltimore away from downtown.

When To Go

Light City runs from Friday, March 31, to Saturday, April 8. It is a rain-or-shine event.

The festival is open from 7 to 11 p.m. nightly (and until midnight on Friday and Saturday). A parade with a different theme will be held each day; see the parade route. A finale of fireworks is planned for Saturday.

Organizers say that the busiest times to go will be on the weekends and Monday, April 3, when there will be a "Star-Spangled Baltimore" event celebrating the city's claim to fame as the birthplace of the national anthem.

How To See It

As in its inaugural run, Light City will incorporate a main path. The BGE Light Art Walk will feature more than 50 attractions along the Inner Harbor, including an LED ferris wheel. Back by popular demand is the crowd favorite: the peacock.

There will also be a children's area, musical guests and food vendors along the way. Performers showcasing everything from wearable art to shadow puppets to circus acts are incorporated too.

See the festival map for an idea of what's in store. There is also a Light City app to help people navigate.

Want more guidance? Organizers crafted a guide with different routes for couples, parents and techies.

Where To Park

The Baltimore City parking guide offers information about spots and allows people to pay in advance.

Festival-goers can also take public transportation. The Charm City Circulator is free. The light rail (closest stop: Convention Center) and metro (closest stop: Baltimore at Charles streets) will run one hour past the time the festival closes each night and require fare.

How To Find Light City In Neighborhoods

Outside of the Inner Harbor, eight neighborhoods around Baltimore are also participating. They were selected as destinations for special artworks in a program called "Neighborhood Lights."

Coldstream Homestead Montebello, Greater Mondawmin, Hamilton-Lauraville, Hampden, Little Italy, Sandtown-Winchester, Station North and Waverly are hosting installations. These range from an inflatable elephant by Lake Montebello to a glow-in-the-dark storytelling session incorporating visual projections, sound bytes and roller-skaters. Each exhibit has community events associated with it.

Main image is House of Cards at Jerusalem Light Festival in 2014 by OGE Group. Photo by Perry Mandelboym. At Light City in Baltimore, the installation is located off Light Street near Pratt Street.