The Harbor Splash will return this summer with even more participants, following the public swimming event’s success last year.
Swimmers will jump into Baltimore’s Inner Harbor on June 21 from the Bond Street Wharf in Fells Point during the second annual Harbor Splash. The event will be able to accommodate 200 participants, up from about 150 people in its first year.
Registration will open on May 28 – but you better be quick because slots filled up within 10 minutes for last year’s event.
“Harbor Splash is more than just a swim, it’s a moment that proves what’s possible when bold goals are matched with sustained action,” said Michael Hankin, president and CEO of Brown Advisory and chair of the Healthy Harbor Initiative. “Fifteen years ago, swimming in the Harbor was a radical idea. Today, we’re seeing that vision come to life, and it’s thanks to the determination of countless partners, advocates and volunteers who believed in it.”
Partners of the Healthy Harbor Initiative will lead a ceremonial jump into the harbor at 9 a.m. Then, participants will enter the water in eight timed swimming sessions.
Ultimate Watersports will monitor the event for safety.
To participate, swimmers must be age 18 or older.
“We were blown away by the response last year and are proud to bring this event back for a second time,” said Adam Lindquist, vice president of Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore. “It’s a celebration of progress and a reminder that this vision only works when the entire community comes together.”
Last year, Lindquist told Baltimore Fishbowl that in addition to the return of Harbor Splash, the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore is also planning a half-mile swim across the harbor and stand-up paddleboard races.
“This event is just the beginning,” Lindquist said in his statement with this year’s Harbor Splash announcement. “From competitive races to family-friendly water activities, we’re looking forward to a future where the Harbor is a destination for recreation as much as restoration.”
This year’s Harbor Splash will come about one month after marathon swimmer Katie Pumphrey’s second attempt at her Bay to Baltimore swim.
In 2024, Pumphrey became the first person to swim from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to the Inner Harbor wall, logging a time of 13 hours and 54 minutes. Pumphrey set out to complete the 24-mile swim again on Tuesday, but high winds and inclement weather forced her to abort the journey.
Still, Pumphrey had a positive outlook.
“This swim was never just about the 24 miles — it’s always been about something bigger,” she said in a statement Tuesday. “Open-water swimming demands flexibility, and nature doesn’t always go according to plan. I’m still excited to swim in our Harbor and highlight the progress we’ve made toward a cleaner, healthier waterfront. I’m incredibly proud of everything we’ve accomplished so far.”
The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, which oversees the Healthy Harbor initiative, organized the first Harbor Splash after determining that the Inner Harbor’s waters are safe for swimming — under the right conditions, such as official supervision and waiting at least 48 hours after rainfall, among other provisions.
“Events like Harbor Splash and Katie’s swim are a powerful signal that our vision for a swimmable, fishable Baltimore Harbor is not only achievable, but it’s happening,” said Laurie Schwartz, president of Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore. “The demand and excitement from last year proved that the public is ready to engage with the water in a whole new way.”
