Charles Street Promenade will Turn Baltimore’s Iconic Street into a Pedestrian Haven

October 16, 2020

Older couple walking arm in arm down city street in Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore

On October 17, Baltimore’s most historic street will become a pedestrian mall for a day of outdoor shopping and dining between the 300 & 1700 blocks.

BALTIMORE – Downtown Partnership of Baltimore has announced a one-day closure of Charles Street, between Saratoga Street and North Avenue, to facilitate socially distanced shopping, dining, and strolling.

The pandemic has hurt businesses, including the small independent shops and restaurants that line Charles Street. It has also changed the way we think about engaging with public space. The Charles Street Promenade will address both these issues by encouraging patronage at local businesses and creating a better balance between people and automobiles, even if just for one day.

People will be able to shop at dozens of local boutiques and galleries, and dine in one of several outdoor parklets. Social distancing rules will be in place and masks will be required and all current Baltimore City COVID guidelines about group size will be in place.

The list of participating restaurants and retailers is growing daily. The full list of businesses and other details about the Charles Street Promenade may be found at: www.CharlesStreetPromenade.com

Several organizations teamed up with Downtown Partnership to make the Charles Street Promenade happen, including the Central Baltimore Partnership, Charles Street Development, Midtown Community Benefits District, Mt. Vernon Belvedere Association, and the Mt. Vernon Place Conservancy.

Downtown Partnership of Baltimore is a non-profit corporation creating a more vibrant Downtown community for businesses, property owners, residents, and employees. Through its many initiatives, Downtown Partnership improves Downtown’s quality of life by increasing investment, retaining business, solving transportation challenges, improving parks and green space, and creating workforce development opportunities. For more than 30 years, these programs have been good for Downtown and good for Baltimore.