Letter from the editor – Issue 74
I began this year very afraid. Because I run a nonprofit newsroom, I was worried about the way the incoming Trump administration would make my work harder and less sustainable. Because I am the parent to two young people in high school, I worried about the way the administration would attack public schools. As a…
Beat’s Best of Baltimore
Best Of 2025: News
The best and worst of what made headlines this year.
Best Of 2025: Arts & Culture
The best of Baltimore’s arts scene this year.
Best Of 2025: Food & Drink
The best of what to eat and drink in Baltimore this year.
Best Of 2025: Sports
The best and worst of Baltimore sports this year.
Best Of 2025: For the Culture
The people and organizations who showed up for us this year.
The Best Films of 2025
A highly subjective sampling of the most must-see motion pictures of the year.
The year in photos: 2025
Baltimore Beat photographers worked hard in 2025 to capture some of this year’s most important moments. From protests to festivals to what residents are eating and drinking, we published images that captured grief, joy, and community all over the city.
News
Bry Reed: The Dangerous Road Before Us All
Until our engagement with U.S. politicians transcends identity reductionism, we are doomed to confuse storytelling with political strategy, writes Bry Reed.
Baltimore Beat Gift Guide 2025
We’ve compiled a list that includes important new books from local authors, suggestions on places to find products that will help you look and feel good, unique and interesting local clothing designers and retailers, and suggestions for the different kinds of friends and loved ones in your life.
Our House introduces a new space where play meets community
Founded by early childhood expert Dr. Maureen Nicol, Our House fosters creativity, community, and care for kids and parents alike.
Hopkins police accused of union busting as Baltimore organizers push for city oversight
Students, faculty, and community groups say the Johns Hopkins private police force intimidates union members and suppresses protest. They’re demanding the City Council hold the first public hearing into the department’s powers.
Baltimore Officer charged with attempted murder after viral video shows him trying to run man down
“If I was a regular citizen on the street doing that to another citizen, I’d be locked up for attempted murder immediately,” the man said.
The practice of Baltimore police officers using their cars as weapons is nothing new
“That’s not what we teach our officers to do,” Commissioner Richard Worley said. Though weaponizing vehicles is not part of the department’s official training, long-standing practices within BPD may, in fact, contribute to such incidents.
Arts & Culture
John Akomfrah’s “Hour of the Dog” at the BMA explores the way apathy halts progress
Sir John Akomfrah’s “The Hour of the Dog: Five Parables on Fugitivity and Trespass” at the BMA takes images we think we know and complicates them.
Behind the bar: Meet a few of Baltimore’s visionary bartenders and cocktail creators
Across Baltimore, a handful of bartenders have truly honed their craft, redefining the latest in cocktail culture and laying the foundation for a new era of hospitality. It feels more personal now: drinks built like dishes, menus that include everyone at the table, and cocktails that contain bits of their makers’ stories.
Look good, feel good: the philosophy behind Gabrielle Elise’s styling company
A new entrepreneur, Elise says she wants to dress the everyday person for every version of themself.
‘Hedda’ is rapturous soap opera
Nia DaCosta rebounds from a corporate flop with this sexy chamber piece.
Epically, ecstatically, and sublimely Black: A reflection on Amy Sherald’s mid-career retrospective at the Baltimore Museum of Art
Staring across the expanse of ‘American Sublime,’ you could feel a polyrhythmic broadening of our collective consciousness and chests.
Best Beats 11/19/25 – 12/3/25
Best Beats highlights some of the best local music that has caught the attention of Baltimore Beat’s staff.
December 2025 Tarotscopes
Find out what’s in store for you this December with Iya Osundara’s Tarotscope forecast. Take what resonates and leave the rest.
Black Crossword Puzzle: November 26, 2025
Black Crossword is a free mini crossword puzzle that places emphasis on terms and clues from across the Black diaspora.
OP-ED: Tenants Building Power in a Broken System
“When tenants come together, slumlords lose their ability to intimidate. The truth is simple: they need us far more than we need them,” organizers from Baltimore Renters United write.
Pulse
Baltimore Beat publishes poems from participants in the group Writers in Baltimore Schools, which offers programming that builds skills in literacy and communication while creating a community of support for young writers.
Baltimore Government and Community Events 12/3/25-12/17/25
Here’s our list of government and community events around the city.
Baltimore Arts and Culture Events 12/3/25-12/17/25
Here’s our list of arts and culture events around the city.
Community Resources
This Baltimore Beat section aims to help the community with resources and support they may not know are…
Want to get the new issue delivered to your inbox?
Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.