Annual Charles Street Promenade returns on Saturday

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Charles Street Promenade, a one-day closure of Charles Street to facilitate shopping, dining, and strolling will return Saturday, June 3, the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore said.

Historic Charles Street will once again become a pedestrian mall for a day of outdoor shopping, dining and strolling, this time on the first Saturday of June from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The event will be located between Saratoga Street and North Avenue, so 15 blocks of Charles Street will be closed to cars. Only those traveling by foot, bike, roller skates and scooters will be permitted on the stretch.

The now-annual promenade, which began in 2020, originally began to benefit small and independent shops and restaurants hurting from COVID shutdowns.

Visitors will be able to shop at dozens of local boutiques and galleries and dine in one of several outdoor parklets.

"The Charles Street Promenade provides locals and visitors the opportunity to roam one of the oldest thoroughfares in North America freely. The history, the artistic expression and the people are what make this corridor magical and authentically Baltimore," said Shelonda Stokes, President of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore. "This event has evolved from a survival tactic for Downtown businesses, into an annual celebration that invites all to come out and support local businesses as they emerge from the lasting hardships imposed by the pandemic.  

The full list of businesses participating and other details about the Charles Street Promenade may be found at the event's website.