Baltimore Beat’s annual Summer Jam fundraiser has quickly become a highlight of the season for Beat staff. It usually lands at the end of July, just before our summer printing break — a moment for us to rest, recalibrate, and refocus for the second half of the year.
This year, Summer Jam took place at Current Space on Saturday, July 26. Current Space is home of our Conversations with the Beat series, and with its lush outdoor garden bar, it is the perfect venue to celebrate another year of storytelling, growth, and community care.
Since our last Summer Jam in 2024, the Beat has grown — both in size and in impact.
We pared down this year’s lineup to spotlight local artists who keep Baltimore moving with their unique sounds and styles. Sounds by Seven kicked things off with a set of house and dance favorites. Plant Dad followed with the only live band performance of the evening, including their new hit “I Can Be Ur Lady.” DJ Amsies, Tromac, and DJ Dolla closed out the night with DJ sets that kept the energy high.
These photos, captured by Jarett Loeffler — who’s been photographing Summer Jam for the past two years — are full of joy, sweat (it was so humid), bubbles (thanks, Eze), and the radiant smiles of dancers, staff, and attendees.
We’re grateful to our vendors: Celestial Spaces, SAN NUL, Glizzy’s Hot Dogs, and NAMI. Fundraisers like this help us keep our coverage free for everyone. Thank you to everyone who bought a ticket, donated, performed, danced, staffed, and showed up with love.
Baltimore, we see you — and we appreciate you. (Teri Henderson)
