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The Baltimore Old Time Collective is the hub for Baltimore's vibrant and thriving Old Time community offering jams, shows, dances, festivals and connection.
The Jam That Started It aLL
In the spring of 2013, the Baltimore Old Time Jam began as a bi-weekly public gathering at Liam Flynn's Ale House, a beloved neighborhood pub in Station North. The response was immediate and, frankly, overwhelming. Nearly 60 musicians showed up! Musical relationships and friendships formed, and a regular place to jam became a cornerstone of the city’s roots music scene. As the jam grew, it evolved. Slow jams were introduced to support newer players. Tune lists, playlists, and newsletters helped folks feel prepared and included. The goal has always been inclusivity — it's all about participation as a player or simply a fan of the music.
That jam remains at the heart of the community today, now held every other week at the Green Room in Hampden.
A Bustling Scene
As the jams hummed along at Liam Flynn's, a raucous scene emerged in the back of the bar - square dancing! What began as pop-up dances during the jams evolved into full-fledged dances at Mobtown Ballroom. The Baltimore Square Dance launched in the fall 2013 with three basic principles: no experience needed, come as you are, and have fun. Hundreds showed up. The dances quickly became joyful, intergenerational gatherings — often introducing people to old-time music for the first time. The dances are still going strong.
House Concerts at Brad's followed, offering intimate listening spaces where traveling musicians could perform in an intimate, acoustic setting and audiences could connect deeply with the music and each other.
Together, these events created a spirit of participation — playing, dancing, listening — that sustains and grows the community year after year.
The Festival Takes Shape
By 2018, the foundation was strong enough to support something larger. So, we started to dream big. How can we tie together the various elements of the community and shine a spotlight on Baltimore? The Baltimore Old Time Music Festival was born. In 2019, inaugural festival at Creative Alliance brought together concerts, workshops, jams, and a square dance under one roof. It sold out in its first year.
After pandemic disruptions and major growth, the festival found a new home at the Baltimore Museum of Industry in partnership with the Center for Cultural Vibrancy. In 2024, we welcomed 1,500 attendees from 26 states, becoming the largest festival of its kind in the country. The festival continues to grow.
The festival is not the start of the story — it’s the result of years of intentional community-building.
Behind the scenes
The Collective's instigator and schemer is Brad Kolodner. A full-time musician who performs with Charm City Junction and Ken & Brad Kolodner, Brad is the primary mover-and-shaker behind these events. Born and raised in Baltimore, Brad is on a mission to share the joy of Old Time and Roots music with the local community and shine a spotlight nationally on this bustling scene. To learn more about Brad's music, visit his website: www.bradkolodner.com
