🔥 Celebrate We Will Towson!

Around 8:30 p.m. on Delaware Avenue, in front of Bread & Circuses Bistro, beneath a bright moon and on a picture-perfect summer night, the Matthews Dave Band delivered a serendipitous exclamation point to an already wonderful day in Towson. After a day filled with games, great live music, delicious food and a celebration of all that makes Towson special, the band launched into its version of Dave Matthews’ “Two Step”, helping bring the evening, the celebration, and Summer of 2026, to a memorable close.

Celebrate we will
'Cause life is short but sweet for certain
We climb on two by two
To be sure these days continue

It was, in many ways, the perfect ending to the first annual Server Games, a day that managed to feel like a neighborhood block party, a music festival, a sporting event and a giant thank-you note to the people who make Towson what it is.

The day began at noon with a welcome from event host and MC Jimmy Mathis and a live trumpet rendition of the national anthem, which flowed directly into the first band of the day, Homestead. Their brand of Southern rock seemed perfectly matched to the beautiful weather and celebratory mood. From the start, there was a sense that this was something different: a summer afternoon built around Towson itself.

Then, at approximately 12:45 p.m., the Server Games officially began.

About 30 competitors representing the area's hospitality community lined up for the first round of competition. Servers, carrying trays loaded with drinks and glasses, were challenged to navigate an obstacle course of tables, chairs and tires — a tongue-in-cheek but fitting test of the speed, balance, coordination and composure required to work a busy restaurant floor.

The course, provided compliments of Brooks Huff Automotive, quickly turned the crowd into spectators. Fast times mattered, but so did the laughs, cheers and good-natured competitiveness. The fastest men and women would earn their places in the finals later in the day.

And that was really the spirit of the event. The competition was fun, but the bigger idea behind it was community.

Steve Fox, owner of Bread & Circuses Bistro and the driving force behind the Server Games, had envisioned an event that would shine a spotlight on restaurant workers while giving everyone else a reason to come downtown, stay awhile and celebrate Towson. Working alongside Jimmy Mathis and an impressive collection of community partners, Fox turned that idea into something tangible.

By the afternoon, Delaware Avenue had become a gathering place for a remarkable cross-section of the community.

There was something of a Towson who's who on hand, including Nancy Hafford of the Towson Chamber of Commerce, Baltimore County Councilman Mike Ertel, State Delegate Cathi Forbes, Paul Manna of Trifecta and Recher Theater fame, Maryanne from Sponsor 98 Rock, comedian Mickey Cuccella and Zach Merrick of Towson's own All Time Low.

The Baltimore Blast were represented as well, while Towson Athletics brought Doc the Tiger and members of the Towson cheerleading squad into the celebration. It was a wonderfully eclectic mix of local business leaders, musicians, athletes, entertainers, families, restaurant workers and residents — all sharing the same stretch of Towson on a beautiful Sunday.

And then there was the music.

Crushing Day brought an electric performance that raised the energy level yet again, while the festival's production team, led by Simon from Baltimore Premiere Events Solutions Group, created a professional concert atmosphere that seemed almost impossible for a first-year event. Two stages kept the music moving, while the production, lights and giant visual elements gave Delaware Avenue the feel of a much larger festival.

Throughout it all, DJ Korey with a K served as the heartbeat of the event. His sets kept the energy moving between performances and activities, filling the gaps and turning transitions into celebrations of their own. Whether people were competing, eating, watching the bands or simply catching up with friends, there was always a pulse running through the festival.

That may have been the secret to the Server Games: there was always something happening, but nothing felt forced.

The event was built by people who genuinely want great things for Towson. Fox provided the vision and the home base. Mathis brought his years of broadcasting experience and his unmistakable Baltimore personality. Bread & Circuses provided the gathering place and spirit. Baltimore Premiere Events Solutions brought the production muscle. Local businesses, community organizations, musicians, media partners and volunteers all contributed pieces of the puzzle.

Together, they created something that felt bigger than a single event.

By the time the Matthews Dave Band took the stage, the sun had disappeared and the moon had taken its place above Delaware Avenue. The day's competitions were finished. The music had carried the crowd through the afternoon and evening. Friends and neighbors lingered, and the energy that had been building since noon had settled into something warmer and more reflective.

Then came “Two Step.”

It was the kind of ending that organizers can't manufacture. The song, the night sky, the crowd and the setting seemed to come together at exactly the right moment.

And with that, the first Server Games came to an end.

For a community that is constantly talking about the future of Towson, Sunday offered a glimpse of what that future can look like when people decide to simply make something happen: local businesses supporting one another, restaurants celebrating their workers, musicians filling the streets, families enjoying their town and neighbors gathering together.

The first Server Games were a celebration of hospitality, music and community.

More importantly, they were a celebration of Towson.

And if the organizers get their wish, this was only the beginning.

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