There won’t be a Triple Crown winner in 2026, but Preakness 151 will still be one for the books. For the first time, the middle jewel was held at Laurel Park—30 miles south of its traditional home in Park Heights—while Pimlico Race Course undergoes renovations.

On one hand, it was an iconic weekend for the underdog Anne Arundel County track, which has been around for 114 years. Pastel-clad fans in the sold-out grandstands watched as Napoleon Solo charged to victory while sipping cherry-garnished Black-Eyed Susans. But it was also bittersweet for regulars, as the facility prepares to transition into a training headquarters and cease live racing for good next year.

That being said, the scaled-down festivities (crowds were capped at 4,900 with no InfieldFest concert) marked Laurel Park’s first and last Preakness.

Contributing photographer J.M. Giordano was on the ground to capture all of the pageantry and nostalgia on film (and an early digital camera) as the day went on.

This time last year, a three-year-old colt named Journalism charged to victory at Pimlico Race Course, as the reality that it would be the last Preakness in Park Heights before the existing Old Hilltop buildings would be torn down—to make way for renovated facilities in 2027—hung over attendees.

This year, Laurel Park, the much smaller racing complex located about an hour south in Anne Arundel County, will become the temporary home to the Triple Crown’s middle jewel as Pimlico upgrades continue.

For Laurel regulars, it’s going to be a bittersweet weekend. On one hand, they’ll see the typically quiet track come alive for the festivities. But it will also mark the course’s first and last Preakness, as it’s expected to cease live racing and transition into a training facility next year.

Though it might be lesser-known, there’s not much like the 115-year-old Laurel—with clouds cascading across it’s bright skylight windows and horses thundering down the track on a crisp day. Racing is not static. It’s great blurs of color as the horses and jockeys in blazing silks pass by like a LeRoy Neiman painting.

This was the track experience I sought to capture throughout the past year. The colorful silks and the colorful people. Winners, losers, women in their best hats, men in suits that make you think you’ve traveled back in time. And I wanted to do all on film (using several vintage Nikon cameras and lenses, Kodacolor and Kodak Ultramax film, and even 20-year-old expired Fuji Industrial 100 film made to highlight reds and blues) like “the old days.” Even during the coldest races, as seen in a few winter shots, the pageantry is still there.

Salted streets and crumbling mounds of icy snow leftover from last week’s storm made for a grimly metaphorical setting at Hopkins Plaza Friday, as hundreds of Baltimoreans gathered holding signs (“Melt ICE” and “ICE Out”) demanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement stand down and leave the city.

The demonstration was aligned with a National Shutdown that called for activists to boycott school, work, and shopping in objection to the Trump Administration’s ICE crackdowns happening across the country, especially in Minneapolis—where the killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, among others, have rattled the nation.

While some local businesses and art galleries closed Friday to show their solidarity, others, like Chuck’s Trading Post in Hampden, demonstrated their support by offering free warm meals to protestors or donating a percentage of sales to organizations like CASA, which works to improve the quality of life for immigrant communities.

Similarly, Maillard Pastries in Hampden and Lauraville is donating 100 percent of hot drink sales to the Immigration Law Center of Minnesota this weekend. Throughout the past week, Greedy Reads in Remington and Fells Point has also been donating a portion of sales to the same organization. Other business owners have followed suit, as well.

Friday’s protest began at 2 p.m. and saw a procession march around the federal courthouse, where many detainees are currently being held. Below, contributing photojournalist J.M. Giordano captures the scene.

In its third year, Baltimore Public Media’s New/Next Film Festival (Oct. 2-5), reached new heights, welcoming more than 350 filmmakers—a record for Baltimore, according to co-founder and organizer Eric Allen Hatch—including some local, and some from as far as Cuba and Europe. 

Throughout the fest’s four nights, an estimated 3,500 attendees headed to The Charles Theatre for more than 150 screenings. Highlights this year included the first Maryland showing of OBEX, written and directed by Baltimore’s Albert Birney, who premiered his black-and-white fantasy at Sundance. Another big moment: Greektown local-turned-comedic legend Stavros “Stavvy” Halkias hosted a revival of the 1985 Arnold Schwarzenegger film Commando.

But the festivities didn’t stop when the credits rolled. Per tradition, festival-goers stuck around the Station North Arts & Entertainment District for after-parties celebrating all of the featured work. This time around, DJs Amy Reid and Dan Deacon hosted post-show gatherings at Metro Baltimore and Baltimore Improv Group (BIG), respectively.

Photojournalist J.M. Giordano stayed out late with filmmakers and fans as they mingled and recapped their favorite screenings. Below, he captures all of the energy and enthusiasm on his Kentmere 400 and an Olympus Stylus—out of respect for the medium of film, of course.

Over the course of a few days during the Maryland State Fair’s current run, contributing photographer J.M. Giordano strolled the hallowed grounds in Lutherville-Timonium, lifting the lenses of his circa-1985 Nikon L35AD and Nikon F-301 cameras to capture the spirit of the annual end-of-summer tradition.

Developed on film, his photos showcase what fairgoers have loved about the event for nearly 150 years—from the fun food to the animals and horseracing to the neon-lit rides and games.

Scroll through the highlights, below, and be sure to catch the fair’s final weekend Sept. 4-7 to squeeze in every last drop of summer nostalgia.

For the third year at Druid Hill Park, the 44th-annual Baltimore Washington One Carnival (long held on the east side at Clifton Park) drew in thousands who braved the heat to celebrate the city’s many Caribbean communities. As always, the three-day fest—filled with authentic food and live music—featured its three-hour parade of vibrant dancers, DJs, floats, performers, and paint partiers who marched from the Park Heights neighborhood into the park, where more festivities awaited.

Here’s a look at all of the color, costumes, and culture through the lens of contributing photojournalist J.M. Giordano.

Despite severe storms that rolled through the city, a few dozen friends, neighbors, colleagues, and family members of arabber Bilal “B.J.” Abdullah gathered in Upton, on the 600 block of Smithson Street, with candles and balloons to remember a man who was a fixture in the West Baltimore community.

“I’ll miss him,” said Lawrence Mack, a fellow arabber and longtime friend. “We’ve been arabbers our whole lives. We’re a part of the city. You hear the bell, you’ll stop and buy something. [B.J.] was one of the best.”

First reported by the Baltimore Beat, Abdullah died in Shock Trauma following an altercation with the Baltimore Police Department at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Laurens Street in Upton on Tuesday, June 17. A statement released by BPD alleges that when officers approached Abdullah, who they believed to be armed, he pulled a gun and shot an officer in the foot, before three officers returned fire. The incident is now under review by the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.

Few at the vigil believe the police’s story: “They killed [B.J.] for nothing,” said Tawanda Jones, an anti police-brutality activist whose family is sadly familiar with this type of grief. Her unarmed brother Tyrone West died in police custody following a routine traffic stop in 2013 in Northeast Baltimore. “The cops fired 20 times. I think they shot that cop in the foot. The reason they haven’t released the video [right away] is they’re trying to cover it up.”

As of Friday morning, the family was still waiting for the police bodycam footage to be released. “People will see that [B.J.] didn’t shoot anyone,” Jones said. “It’s happening again, just like my brother.”

Shiny blue and black balloons released at the vigil were blown into trees by the passing storm. White tea candles that spelled out “BJ” and formed a heart rarely stayed lit due to the high winds. But that didn’t deter family members from celebrating the memory of an arabber and friend who looked out for his community.

“The neighborhood’s response has been pretty supportive of the family,” said Abdullah’s cousin Michaela Dutchess Brown, founding director of Organizing Black, a grassroots organization dedicated to Black liberation. “I’ll always remember him as carrying on in the footsteps of his father. My uncle was an arabber first, he used to be part owner of a stable up on North Avenue. And so it was a blessing to watch my cousin keep a long Baltimore tradition alive.”

A march for those demanding justice for Abdullah is planned this for Friday, June 20 at 6 p.m., starting at the corner of Pennsylvania and North avenues.

Baltimore got a bright, 85-degree day for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes—a sunny sendoff for the spring tradition, which will head to Laurel Park next year while Pimlico Race Course undergoes highly anticipated upgrades. Still, photojournalist J.M. Giordano—who spent the day capturing and interviewing Preakness’s many personalities, from bettors and buglers to infield partiers and veteran photographers—shot in black and white.

“I like the way the light falls on everything,” Giordano explained from the paddock area, just before snapping the image below on his Nikon Zf. “I really think that black and white makes you look at the subjects, the people and the horses, more so than the hats and the colors.”

The images that follow, taken throughout Preakness weekend, are clear examples of Giordano’s vision. While they holistically showcase the pomp and pageantry of one of Baltimore’s most time-honored traditions, looking deeper at each portrait reveals the heart of the event—the people.

For its 15th anniversary this year, the Pratt Contemporaries Black and White Party—easily the most popular fundraiser organized by the library’s young professional arm—took on the theme of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Per tradition, a sold-out crowd came dressed in black and white, but this year they tailored their oceanic outfits with inspiration from the sci-fi story. The space was decked out, too, featuring a 36-foot-long, 1,300-pound whale designed by the crew at Event Pro. The massive sculpture’s tail moved as if it were swimming far beneath the waves.

Here’s a look at the evening, in photos:

Year two of the New/Next Film Fest at The Charles Theatre—which began as a placeholder while the Maryland Film Festival was on hiatus in 2023—kicked off with a packed house for a screening of Alexi Wasser’s film Messy, followed by a filmmakers’ party at Metro Gallery on Thursday night. There, directors, stars, film fans, and John Waters hung out until after midnight with New York DJs The Ion Pack. With help from local arts icons James Nasty and Dan Deacon, the weekend’s after parties continued at the Baltimore Improv Group space Friday and Saturday nights, respectively.

Here’s a look at the filmmakers, collaborators, and attendees who celebrated the festival’s return in Station North, captured on film.

Rain? What rain? Despite storms that closed Artscape proper (and cancelled anticipated headliners Chaka Khan and Sheila E.) on Friday and Saturday nights, dance floors throughout Station North were packed into the early hours of Sunday morning in celebration of the fest’s 40th anniversary.

Spots including Metro Baltimore, 1722, The Royal Blue, Club Car, Mobtown Ballroom, and The Crown—which sadly celebrated its final Artscape before it closes for good later this month—kept revelers busy with everything from drag shows and all-night DJ dance parties to experimental bands and metal acts performing in conjunction with Subscape.

Check out scenes from the Station North clubs after dark, below:

The race is one thing, but, at its core, Preakness is really about the people. Whether they’re interested in placing bets, sipping Black-Eyed Susans in the grandstand, or partying in the infield, visitors from near and far who descend on Pimlico Race Course every year have one thing in common—they’re ready for a good time.

That was especially true this year, despite the soggy forecast. Below, contributing photographer J.M. Giordano captures the spirit of the Triple Crown’s prestigious middle jewel on film.

Before the collapse of the landmark Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Maryland was a place made up of towns and neighborhoods. But after the Dali cargo ship struck the 47-year-old structure, causing it to crumble in mere seconds, residents from throughout the state united to form one community—Baltimore.

Only hours after the crash, people began to mobilize to support the network of first responders from various counties, making sure that divers, fire personnel, police officers, and EMTs were taken care of.

For those who waited to hear news of loved ones lost when the bridge came down, churches in Turner Station and Dundalk opened their doors to all—including Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski Jr., and both city and county council members.

All the while, members of the North Point Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department worked around the clock to collect goods for rescue teams and redistribute more items to surrounding fire houses.

Businesses like Hard Yacht Cafe became a hub for refueling boats taking divers and other authorities out onto the water, as media from all over the world watched from the base of the former bridge site.

We’re looking at what could be a years-long recovery, but judging by the first two days, no one is going to be alone.

Above: Rose Duckworth and other volunteers collect community donations at the North Point Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department.

Above: Volunteers at the North Point Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department receive goods from the community which will be redistributed to first responders working at the site of the Key Bridge; Volunteer EMT Madee Andrada loads donated goods bound for Baltimore City fire houses.

Above: Mt. Olive Baptist Church of Turner Station organist and Baltimore School for the Arts student Antonio McLeod readies the church organ for a neighborhood vigil and mass; Mt. Olive pastor Reverend Rashad A. Singletary and Mayor Brandon Scott bow their heads in prayer; Baltimore City Councilman Zeke Cohen bows his head; Singletary leads the community in prayer.

Above: The stern of the Dali, the ship that sank the Key Bridge looms like a wall of cargo at the end of a service road; community members gather Tuesday to take in the scene after the catastrophe; Road to Nowhere: the truncated terminus of I-695 where the Key Bridge used to span.

Station North lit up with Artscape after parties following a killer set by Anderson .Paak—aka DJ Pee Wee—on the festival’s main stage last Friday night.  To celebrate the return of the city’s beloved arts and culture festival after three years off, Metro Gallery fittingly held a Disco Tropico party with DJs Emily Rabbit and James Nasty. Just around the corner, The Royal Blue hosted DJ Uncle Quincy to another packed house, while post-Artscape staples like Mount Royal Tavern, Club Charles, and The Depot hosted rain refugees. Even those who chose not to enter the clubs danced in the streets.

Check out our photo coverage of the after-hours scene in black and white, below.