Downtown Baltimore will be bustling with activity this weekend as two huge events converge: The 25th annual Baltimore Running Festival and Baltimore Comic-Con. This will significantly impact traffic with temporary lane and road closures, but there’s no need to fear! Baltimore Fishbowl is here!
COMIC-CON
Baltimore Comic-Con takes place over three days, from Oct. 17–19, 2025, and is held at the Baltimore Convention Center on West Pratt Street. The organizers have been working with the Running Festival and the City of Baltimore to come up with the best travel guidance for its attendees. They urge folks attending Comic-Con to use mass transit as much as possible, and if driving, to pre-purchase a parking spot using Spot Hero.
For mass transit, they recommend Baltimore’s light rail system to the Pratt Street (Convention Center) stop, or the MTA’s Metro SubwayLink from Owings Mills to Downtown Baltimore. Closest stations to the Baltimore Convention Center are Lexington Market and Metro Charles Center West.
BALTIMORE RUNNING FESTIVAL
The Baltimore Running Festival will be held on Saturday, Oct. 18, and over 14,000 runners are expected to participate. The full 26.2-mile marathon begins at Paca and Camden Streets at 8 a.m. There is also a CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Half-Marathon, a 5K race and a Pandora 10K race. Those begin at various times and locations, listed below:
- 7:30 a.m. – 5K race begins at Light & Pratt Streets / McKeldin Square
- 8 a.m. – Marathon & 10K begin at Paca & Camden Streets / Brooks Robinson Statue
- 9:30 a.m. – Half-Marathon begins at Pratt & Calvert Streets
- 3 p.m. – All courses closed
The Baltimore City Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued guidance regarding the temporary road and lane closures along with parking and commercial vehicle restrictions in effect for the Running Festival and its events. The DOT advises that driving anywhere from inside the footprint of the race to outside the race borders (and vice versa) will be extremely difficult throughout the day. They should expect traffic stops – implemented to keep festival participants and drivers safe – to cause significant delays.
Residents and visitors in many city communities should plan for these delays, allowing additional time for travel. Use alternate routes entirely outside of the race footprint, including roadways north of 33rd Street, south of McComas Street, west of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and east of Highland Avenue. People inside the footprint of the race are advised to travel before the races begin or after the event ends to reduce chances of delays.
The DOT created an interactive map to help residents and visitors plan their travel on race day. They urge everyone to pay close attention to posted parking restrictions, as vehicles in violation will be ticketed and towed. Motorists with questions about the location of their vehicles should call 311.
Use of public transportation is encouraged strongly during race day. The MTA Metro SubwayLink offers a great option for traveling around Baltimore City, as it will not be affected by the marathon. The Charm City Circulator’s Orange, Green, Purple and Banner routes will not be in operation from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. Service will resume on race day from 4 p.m. until midnight. The Cherry route will operate regular service hours south of Henrietta Street.
To prepare for the Baltimore Running Festival, there will be the following restrictions will be in effect:
Street and lane closures before the event:
- Left lane closure (next to median) of southbound Light Street from Pratt to Conway Streets begins at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025.
- Full closure of Pratt Street from Charles to Light Streets begins at 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. This portion of Pratt Street will remain closed until the event clears late Saturday afternoon.
Parking restrictions, in effect from 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17 through 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18:
- Linwood Avenue between Eastern Avenue and Madison Street
- Madison Street between Linwood Avenue and Washington Street (north side)
- Washington Street between Madison Street and Sinclair Lane
- Eastern Avenue between Linwood and Patterson Park Avenues (north side)
- Boston Street between Aliceanna Street and Lakewood Avenue (north side)
- Lancaster Street between President Street and Central Avenue
- 33rd Street between Hillen Road and Guilford Avenue
- 28th Street between Howard and St. Paul Streets
- St. Paul Street between 28th and 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)
- Key Highway between Light and Lawrence Streets
- Fayette Street between Calvert and Gay Streets (south side)
- Hillen Road between Harford Road and 33rd Street (east side)
- Harford Road between St. Lo Drive and Hillen Road (east side)
- Hillen Road between 33rd Street to Mervo High School entrance
- Calvert Street between Pratt and Fayette Streets
- Druid Park Lake Drive Access Road between Lakeview Avenue and Mt. Royal Terrace
- Charles Street between North and Lafayette Avenues
- Lafayette Avenue between Charles Street and Maryland Avenue
- McCulloh Street between Paca Street and Druid Park Lake Drive (east side)
- Howard Street between 29th and 28th Streets
- Patterson Park Avenue from Baltimore Street to Eastern Avenue (east side)
- Aliceanna Street between Caroline and Boston Streets
- O’Donnell Street between Lakewood and Linwood Avenues
- Guilford Avenue between 33rd and 29th Streets
- 29th Street between Guilford and Maryland Avenues
- Point Street between Central Avenue and Wills Street (north side)
- Point Street between Wills Street and Caroline Street
- Caroline Street between Point Street and Aliceanna Street
- Light Street between Pratt and Lee Streets (west side)
- Light Street between Lombard and Pratt Streets (east side)
- Central Avenue between Dock and Point Streets (west side)
- Charles Street between Pratt and Lombard Streets (west side) – parking restrictions along Charles Street begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, October 17th
In addition, the following streets will be SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED (part of the running route) AND/OR CLOSED on Saturday, October 18, 2025:
6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. closures:
- Russell Street from Lee to Pratt Streets 6 a.m. – 10 a.m.
- Camden Street from Paca to Howard Streets 6 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Eutaw Street from Pratt to Camden Streets 6 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Paca Street from Camden to McCulloh Streets 6:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.
- Key Highway from Light Street to the Key Highway Extension 6:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
7 a.m. closures:
- Charles Street from Conway to Pratt Streets until 9:30 a.m.
- McCulloh Street from Paca Street to Gwynns Falls Parkway until 10 a.m.
- Gwynns Falls Parkway from McCulloh Street to Mansion House Drive until 10 a.m.
- Beechwood Drive, Safari Place, Mansion House Drive, and East Drive within Druid Hill Park until 10 a.m.
- Russell Street at Hamburg Street until 10 a.m.
- Wyman Park Drive from East Drive/Druid Hill Park to 29thStreet until 11 a.m.
- San Martin Drive between Wyman Park Drive and Wyman Parkway/Howard Street until 11 a.m.
- Howard Street from 29th to 28thStreets until 11 a.m.
- 28th Street from Howard to St. Paul Streets until 11 a.m.
- Calvert Street from Pratt to Baltimore Streets until 1 p.m.
- Pratt Street from Greene to Eutaw Streets (until the marathon and half-marathon clear the area) until 1 p.m.
- Pratt Street from Howard to President Streets until 6p.m.
- Hamburg Street Bridge from Russell to Leadenhall Streets until 1 p.m.
7:30 a.m. closures:
- Druid Park Lake Drive from McCulloh Street to Lakeview Avenue until 10 a.m.
- Druid Park Lake Drive access road from Lakeview Avenue to Mt. Royal Terrace until 10 a.m.
- Lakeview Avenue from Druid Park Lake Drive to the Druid Park Lake Drive access road until 10 a.m.
- Mt. Royal Terrace from Druid Park Lake Drive to North Avenue until 10 a.m.
- North Avenue (eastbound) from Mt. Royal Terrace to Charles Street until 10 a.m.
- Charles Street from North to Lafayette Avenues until 10 a.m.
- Lafayette Avenue from Charles Street to Maryland Avenue until 10 a.m.
- St. Paul Street/Light Street (southbound) from 28th to Lombard Streets until 11:30 a.m.
8 a.m. closures:
- Key Highway Extension from Key Highway to Haubert Street until 12 p.m.
- Light Street (southbound) from Lombard Street to Key Highway until 12 p.m.
- Light Street (northbound) from Henrietta Street to Key Highway until 12 p.m.
- President Street (southbound) from Pratt to Lancaster Streets until 1 p.m.
- Lancaster Street from President Street to South Central Avenue until 1 p.m.
- S. Central Avenue from Lancaster to Point Streets until 1 p.m.
- Point Street from S. Central Avenue to South Caroline Street until 1 p.m.
- South Caroline Street from Point to Aliceanna Streets until 1 p.m.
- Aliceanna Street from Caroline to Boston Streets until 1 p.m.
- Boston Street from Aliceanna Street to Lakewood Avenue until 1 p.m.
- Lakewood Avenue from Boston to O’Donnell Streets until 1 p.m.
- O’Donnell Street from Lakewood to Linwood Avenues until 1 p.m.
- Linwood Avenue from O’Donnell to Madison Streets until 1 p.m.
- Jones Falls Expressway/I-83 Southbound Exit Ramp to 28th Street until 12 p.m.
- Jones Falls Expressway/I-83 Southbound Exit Ramp to North Avenue until 12 p.m.
8:30 a.m. closures:
- Madison Street between Linwood Avenue and Washington Streets until 2 p.m.
- Washington Street/St. Lo Drive between Madison Street and Harford Road until 2 p.m.
- Harford Road between St. Lo Drive and Hillen Road until 3 p.m.
- 33rd Street, Whitman Drive, and Curran Drive at Lake Montebello until 3 p.m.
- 33rd Street (westbound) between Hillen Road and Guilford Avenue until 3 p.m.
- Hillen Road (northbound) between Harford Road and 33rd Street until 3 p.m.
- Hillen Road between 33rd Street and Kennewick Road until 3 p.m.
9 a.m. closures:
- Baltimore Street between President Street and Patterson Park Avenue until 1 p.m.
- Fayette Street between President and Calvert Streets until 1 p.m.
- Patterson Park Avenue between Fayette Street and Eastern Avenue until 1 p.m.
- Eastern Avenue between Patterson Park and Linwood Avenues until 1 p.m.
- Guilford Avenue between 33rd and 29th Streets until 4 p.m.
- 29th Street between Guilford and Maryland Avenues until 4 p.m.
- Maryland Avenue/Cathedral Street/N. Liberty Street/Hopkins Place between 29th and Pratt Streets until 4 p.m.
- Pratt Street between Howard and Light Streets (until the marathon and half marathon clear the area) until 4 p.m.
Commercial vehicle restrictions
The commercial vehicle restrictions will be in effect on Saturday, Oct. 18 from 2 a.m. through 4 p.m. in downtown Baltimore. Commercial vehicles, including tanker trailers, will not be allowed in the downtown/Inner Harbor areas of the city. This restriction, however, excludes cabs, buses, and other mass transportation vehicles.
The streets impacted by the commercial vehicle restrictions are listed below:
- Fayette Street from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard (MLK) to President Street (no commercial vehicles will be allowed to travel on or south of Fayette Street)
- President Street from Aliceanna to Fayette Streets (no commercial vehicles will be allowed to travel on or west of President Street)
- Light Street from Pratt Street to Key Highway
- Key Highway from Light to McComas Streets
- Hanover Street from McComas to Montgomery Streets (no commercial vehicles will be allowed on or north of McComas Street, including Hanover Street)
- Pratt and Lombard Streets from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to President Street
