We kicked off Earth Week with Spring Into Action!

We kicked off Earth Week with Spring Into Action!

A big thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the start to Earth week with us here in Patterson Park!

Every year we kick off our stewardship activities for the year with a volunteer extravaganza that combines all of our individual stewardship teams into one big Earth Day celebration! At Spring Into Action on Saturday, we planted 19 beautiful trees on the southwest corner of the park, did a park-wide trash cleanup, picked up trash from the boat lake, weeded the Cedar House gardens, and completely cleared the brick path between the Friends of Patterson Park office and the Observatory!

Kicking off the morning, before Spring Into Action, we had our first annual Earth Day 5k which raised over $25,000 for Friend’s of Patterson Park’s stewardship programs! You can learn more about that part of the morning here.

We are only able to do what we do in the park with the support of the community, and the community really showed up to care for Baltimore’s Best Backyard.

Would you like to get news about all of our upcoming stewardship opportunities in the park? Visit our volunteer page HERE and sign up to get our weekly newsletter with all upcoming events and news HERE.

1st Annual Earth Day 5k, Fun Run, & Kids’ Dash!

1st Annual Earth Day 5k, Fun Run, & Kids’ Dash!

A big thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate Earth Week with us here in Patterson Park this last weekend!

We started off the day with our first annual Earth Day 5k, Fun Run, & Kids’ Dash, followed by our Spring Into Action volunteering!

This event was about celebrating and caring for this amazing city park that brings so much joy to the community, Baltimore and countless visitors.

Thanks to all the amazing runners, walkers, and in-betweeners, we hit our goal of raising $25,000 that will go go towards supporting Friends of Patterson Park’s stewardship programs that keep this historic green space thriving!!

A huge thank you also to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medial Center - our Green Champion Sponsor, Nutty B’s Fun Run & Kids’ Dash Sponsor - Leftover Love, and our Acorn Sponsor - Fit You Studio.

Would you like to get news about all of our upcoming events and opportunities in the park? Sign up to get our weekly newsletter with all upcoming events and news HERE.

The Big Baltimore Kite Fest 2026 Wrap Up

The Big Baltimore Kite Fest 2026 Wrap Up

Thank you for another WONDERFUL Big Baltimore Kite Fest put on by the Friends of Patterson Park and Creative Alliance! We loved seeing so many kite flyers in the park and it reminded us that Spring is officially here!

We want to thank everyone who came out throughout the day for some amazing food, art & crafts, and kite flying! The Big Baltimore Kite Festival filled the sky with vibrant colors and celebrated the broad spectrum of cultures that make up Baltimore! We would also like to thank all our volunteers that came to help out like our amazing kite doctors, musicians, and so much more!

Click through below to see some of the photos from this year’s kite fest.

Winter Lights at the Observatory Wraps Up 2025 for the Friends of Patterson Park

Winter Lights at the Observatory Wraps Up 2025 for the Friends of Patterson Park

We had an amazing time at the 11th annual Winter Lights event in Patterson Park last weekend! We were joined by amazing food and craft vendors, holiday characters, activity partners and musical performers who delighted all who came to the park to enjoy the festivities and the lighting of the Patterson Park Observatory.

Thats to all of the volunteers and members who supported the event, and to everyone who came out to enjoy the festivities. A special thanks to our sponsors who make this event possible, including Stage & Light Sponsor GAF, Fountain Sponsor Autani, and Window Sponsors Spa Adagio, Bike Powered Events, Snake Hill Baltimore. Patterson Park Academy of Music, and The Exchange Club of SE Baltimore.

The lights will remain up through January...be sure to get out to see them!

This event marks the end of our 2025 park calendar. Thank you to everyone who came out to the park this year to take a walk, a run, a bike ride, to play a sport or have a picnic, to enjoy the boat lake or attend an event, to visit the Observatory or anything in between! Keep an eye on our park calendar for upcoming programs and events in the park at pattersonpark.com/parkcalendar!

Check out our photo wrap up below!

Photos by Michael Ivan Schwartz

BCRP UPDATE: Mimi DiPietro Skating Center

BCRP UPDATE: Mimi DiPietro Skating Center

(Español Abajo)

According to an official statement from Baltimore City Recreation and Parks regarding recent news about the Mimi DiPietro Skating Center in Patterson Park:

"Mimi DiPietro Skating Center is currently closed due to concerns about the structural integrity of the wall that houses the rink’s ammonia refrigeration system. Baltimore City Recreation and Parks (BCRP) has determined that, if repairs are successful, the rink will reopen briefly for the 2025–2026 season only [the earliest estimated reopening is late December 2025 or early January 2026]. After this season, the facility will close permanently due to its age and overall structural condition."

"Mimi DiPietro [Skating Center] has served the community for 39 years [or 58 years, including before the dome was added], but long-standing structural issues— including foundation concerns, dome integrity, and soil movement—were identified as far back as the 1998 Patterson Park Master Plan.

A new, structurally sound ice rink would cost $5–10 million, and given the City’s broader infrastructure demands, BCRP has reached the limits of what maintenance can safely support. Therefore, the 2025–2026 season will be the final operating season before long-term closure."

Please read the full statement below for more details. We expect more updates and will share them as they become available. Updates are also expected to be posted at bcrp.baltimorecity.gov.

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Aquí compartimos la declaración oficial completa del Departamento de Recreación y Parques de la Ciudad de Baltimore sobre el centro de patinaje Mimi DiPietro Skating Center en Patterson Park. Compartiremos cualquier noticia a medida que esté disponible. También se espera que más detalles y información se publiquen en bcrp.baltimorecity.gov.

«El Centro de Patinaje Mimi DiPietro está cerrado actualmente debido a preocupaciones sobre la integridad estructural de la pared que alberga el sistema de refrigeración por amoníaco de la pista. El Departamento de Recreación y Parques de la ciudad de Baltimore (BCRP - Baltimore Recnparks) ha determinado que, si las reparaciones tienen éxito, la pista volverá a abrir brevemente solo para la temporada 2025-2026 [ la reapertura más temprana estimada es a finales de diciembre de 2025 o principios de enero de 2026.]. Después de esta temporada, el edificio cerrará definitivamente debido a su antigüedad y al estado general de la estructura».

«Mimi DiPietro [Skating Center] ha prestado servicio a la comunidad durante 39 años, pero ya en 1998, en el Plan Maestro de Patterson Park, se identificaron problemas estructurales, entre ellos, problemas con los cimientos, la integridad de la cúpula y el movimiento del suelo. Una nueva pista de patinaje con una estructura sólida costaría entre 5 y 10 millones de dólares y, dadas las amplias necesidades de infraestructura de la ciudad, el BCRP ha alcanzado el límite de lo que el mantenimiento puede soportar de forma segura. Por lo tanto, la temporada 2025-2026 será la última antes del cierre definitivo».

Para más detalles, lea la declaración completa (por el momento solo disponible en inglés) a continuación.

2025 Brewfest Wrap Up

2025 Brewfest Wrap Up

Thanks for coming out on such a picture perfect Fall day to celebrate our 8th Annual Patterson Park BrewFest! The event was a great hit and completely sold out! You helped us raise over $25,000 that goes towards Friends of Patterson Park and all that we do! Thanks to our attendees, breweries, vendors, sponsors, and volunteers who made it such a success!!

Special thanks to our amazing sponsors Window Nation, Wow Your Closet, Serve on Spring, and Capital Remodeling Inc!!

Thank you to our participating breweries for doing such an amazing job and bringing the brews to the park: Checkerspot Brewing Company, Mobtown Brewing Company, Oliver Brewing Company, UNION Craft Brewing, Raven Beer, M8 Beer, and Mystique Barrel Brewing and Lager House!!

Thanks to our awesome food vendors: Bmore Greek Grill, Taco Bar Food Truck, Diner on the Boulevard, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood. As well as our craft vendors: Jewish Jerky Brand, Ellicott City Sauce Co, Art by Barton, and with an X art!!

Look out for our save-the-date for next year’s 9th Annual Patterson Park BrewFest!!

Thanks to our Sponsors: