This Saturday, approximately 15,000 runners are set to take part in the Baltimore Running Festival, which includes events such as a marathon, half-marathon, 10K, and 5K races.
With these exciting athletic competitions comes the necessity for several road closures to accommodate the festival. From Thursday evening through Saturday, there will be significant traffic and parking alterations in and around the venue.
To help you navigate the area and avoid congested roads, it’s essential to be aware of the closures and their timing.
Starting at 10 a.m. on Thursday, the left lane of southbound Light Street—between Pratt and Conway streets—will be closed for preparations.
On Friday, all lanes of Pratt Street, from Charles to Light streets, will be closed beginning at 9 a.m. This section of the road will remain inaccessible until late Saturday afternoon when the festival concludes.
Additionally, at 6 p.m. on Friday, parking restrictions will kick in on Charles Street between Pratt and Lombard streets (only on the west side). These restrictions will last until 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Multiple other parking restrictions will also commence at 8 p.m. on Friday and will remain in effect through 6 p.m. on Saturday:
- Linwood Avenue between O’Donnell and Madison Streets
- Madison Street between Linwood Avenue and Washington Street (north side only)
- Washington Street from Madison Street to Sinclair Lane
- Eastern Avenue between Linwood and Patterson Park Avenues (north side only)
- Boston Street between Aliceanna Street and Lakewood Avenue (north side only)
- Lancaster Street between President Street and Central Avenue
- 33rd Street from Hillen Road to Guilford Avenue
- 28th Street between Howard and St. Paul Streets
- St. Paul Street from 28th to Baltimore Streets
- Maryland Avenue/Cathedral Street/Liberty Street/Hopkins Place/Sharp Street between 29th and Pratt Streets
- Camden Street between Howard and Paca Streets
- Baltimore Street from President Street to Patterson Park Avenue (south side only)
- Key Highway between Light and Lawrence Streets
- Fayette Street between Calvert and Gay Streets (south side only)
- Hillen Road between Harford Road and 33rd Street (east side only)
- Harford Road from St. Lo Drive to Hillen Road (east side only)
- Hillen Road from 33rd Street to the Mervo High School entrance
- Calvert Street between Pratt and Fayette Streets
- Druid Park Lake Drive access road from Lakeview Avenue to Mt. Royal Terrace
- Charles Street from North to Lafayette Avenues
- Lafayette Avenue between Charles Street and Maryland Avenue
- McCulloh Street from Paca Street to Druid Park Lake Drive (east side only)
- Remington Avenue between Wyman Park Drive and 31st Street
- 31st Street between Remington Avenue and Wyman Park Drive
- Howard Street between 29th and 28th Streets
- Patterson Park Avenue between Baltimore Street and Eastern Avenue (east side only)
- Aliceanna Street between Caroline and Boston Streets
- O’Donnell Street from Lakewood to Linwood Avenues
- Guilford Avenue between 33rd and 29th Streets
- 29th Street from Guilford to Maryland Avenues
- Point Street between Central Avenue and Wills Street (south side only)
- Point Street from Wills Street to Caroline Street
- Caroline Street between Point and Aliceanna Streets
- Light Street from Pratt to Lee Streets (west side only)
- Light Street between Lombard and Pratt Streets (east side only)
- Central Avenue between Dock Street and Point Streets (west side only)
- East Coast Greenway between Lee and Barre Streets (east side only)
If you have any errands that cannot wait, it is advisable to take care of them during the week, as the bulk of the road closures will commence early Saturday morning.
6:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. closures:
- Russell Street from Lee to Paca Streets 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
- Camden Street from Paca to Howard Streets 6:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Eutaw Street from Pratt to Camden Streets 6:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Russell Street at Hamburg Street 6:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Paca Street from Camden to McCulloh Streets 6:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
- Key Highway from Light Street to Key Highway Extension 6:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Conway Street from I-395 to Light Street 6:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
7:00 a.m. closures:
- Northbound Light/Calvert Streets from Key Highway to Lombard Street
- Charles Street between Conway and Pratt Streets until 9:30 a.m.
- McCulloh Street between Paca Street and Gwynns Falls Parkway until 10:00 a.m.
- Gwynns Falls Parkway from McCulloh Street to Mansion House Drive until 10:00 a.m.
- Beechwood Drive, Safari Place, Mansion House Drive, and East Drive within Druid Hill Park until 10:00 a.m.
- Russell Street at Hamburg Street until 10:00 a.m.
- Wyman Park Drive between East Drive/Druid Hill Park and 29th Street until 11:00 a.m.
- Remington Avenue between Wyman Park Drive and Wyman Parkway/Howard Street until 11:00 a.m.
- Howard Street between 29th and 28th Streets until 11:00 a.m.
- 28th Street between Howard and St. Paul Streets until 11:00 a.m.
- Calvert Street between Pratt and Baltimore Streets until 1:00 p.m.
- Pratt Street between Greene and Eutaw Streets (until the marathon and half-marathon clear the area) until 1:00 p.m.
- Pratt Street between Howard and President Streets until 6:00 p.m.
- Hamburg Street Bridge between Russell and Leadenhall Streets until 1:00 p.m.
7:30 a.m. closures:
- Druid Park Lake Drive between McCulloh Street and Lakeview Avenue until 10:00 a.m.
- Druid Park Lake Drive access road between Lakeview Avenue and Mt. Royal Terrace until 10:00 a.m.
- Lakeview Avenue between Druid Park Lake Drive and the Druid Park Lake Drive access road until 10:00 a.m.
- Mt. Royal Terrace between Druid Park Lake Drive and North Avenue until 10:00 a.m.
- North Avenue (eastbound) between Mt. Royal Terrace and Charles Street until 10:00 a.m.
- Charles Street between North and Lafayette Avenues until 10:00 a.m.
- Lafayette Avenue between Charles Street and Maryland Avenue until 10:00 a.m.
- St. Paul Street/Light Street (southbound) between 28th and Lombard Streets until 11:30 a.m.
8:00 a.m. closures:
- Key Highway Extension between Key Highway and Haubert Street until 12:00 p.m.
- Light Street (southbound) between Lombard Street and Key Highway until 12:00 p.m.
- Light Street (northbound) between Henrietta Street and Key Highway until 12:00 p.m.
- President Street (southbound) between Pratt and Lancaster Streets until 1:00 p.m.
- Lancaster Street between President Street and S. Central Avenue until 1:00 p.m.
- S. Central Avenue between Lancaster and Point Streets until 1:00 p.m.
- Point Street between S. Central Avenue and S. Caroline Street until 1:00 p.m.
- S. Caroline Street between Point and Aliceanna Streets until 1:00 p.m.
- Aliceanna Street between S. Caroline and Boston Streets until 1:00 p.m.
- Boston Street between Aliceanna Street and Lakewood Avenue until 1:00 p.m.
- Lakewood Avenue between Boston and O’Donnell Streets until 1:00 p.m.
- O’Donnell Street between Lakewood and Linwood Avenues until 1:00 p.m.
- Linwood Avenue between O’Donnell and Madison Streets until 1:00 p.m.
- Jones Falls Expressway (I-83) Southbound Exit Ramp to 28th Street until 12:00 p.m.
- Jones Falls Expressway (I-83) Southbound Exit Ramp to North Avenue until 12:00 p.m.
8:30 a.m. closures:
- Madison Street between Linwood Avenue and Washington Streets until 2:00 p.m.
- Washington Street/St. Lo Drive between Madison Street and Harford Road until 2:00 p.m.
- Harford Road from St. Lo Drive to Hillen Road until 3:00 p.m.
- 33rd Street, Whitman Drive, and Curran Drive at Lake Montebello until 3:00 p.m.
- 33rd Street (westbound) between Hillen Road and Guilford Avenue until 3:00 p.m.
- Hillen Road (northbound) from Harford Road to 33rd Street until 3:00 p.m.
- Hillen Road between 33rd Street and Kennewick Road until 3:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. closures:
- Baltimore Street between President Street and Patterson Park Avenue until 1:00 p.m.
- Fayette Street between President and Calvert Streets until 1:00 p.m.
- Patterson Park Avenue between Fayette Street and Eastern Avenue until 1:00 p.m.
- Eastern Avenue from Patterson Park to Linwood Avenues until 1:00 p.m.
- Guilford Avenue from 33rd to 29th Streets until 4:00 p.m.
- 29th Street between Guilford and Maryland Avenues until 4:00 p.m.
- Maryland Avenue/Cathedral Street/N. Liberty Street/Hopkins Place between 29th and Pratt Streets until 4:00 p.m.
- Pratt Street between Howard and Light Streets (until the marathon and half-marathon clear the area) until 4:00 p.m.
The 5K race is scheduled to commence at 7:30 a.m. at McKeldin Square, located at the intersection of Light and Pratt streets.
Following this, wheelchair athletes will officially start the marathon at 7:55 a.m. from the Brooks Robinson statue positioned at Paca and Camden streets.
The main group of marathon runners, alongside 10K participants, will set off at 8 a.m., also from the Brooks Robinson statue. The marathon will conclude on Pratt Street between Charles and Light streets.
At 9:30 a.m., runners participating in the half-marathon will depart from Pratt and Calvert streets.
By 3 p.m., all courses will be closed, marking the end of the event.
Ambitious participants can attempt the Baltimoron-a-thon, which challenges them to finish both the 5K (within one hour) and the half-marathon (within five hours) on the same day.
For those who prefer shorter distances, there is the iconic .05K—measuring precisely 162 feet—sponsored by 98 Rock.
Runners can also use the Baltimore Running Festival to complete the first segment of the Chessie Challenge. Following this event, challengers must participate in the Ocean City Running Festival on November 14.
To qualify for the Black-Eyed Susan Challenge, participants need to have completed both the Frederick Running Festival in May and the Baltimore Ten Miler in June.
