Chesapeake Bay > Appendices > Annual Events

Annual Events

GENERAL

• Maryland Renaissance Festival, Crownsville, MD. Re-creation of a sixteenth century village draws thousands. Performers, combat jousting, craft shops, food. Weekends, Labor Day weekend through the end of Oct. Phone (800) 296-7304.

JANUARY

• Heritage of the Bay Festival, St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds, Leonardtown, MD. All you can eat oysters and clams. Phone (301) 769-4951.

FEBRUARY

• February Freeze, Cape Charles, VA. A plunge into the frigid winter waters of the Chesapeake Bay benefits the Shore Habitat for Humanity. Bonfire, pig roast, chili. Phone (757) 331-2304.
• National Outdoor Show, Golden Hill, MD. A tribute to watermen, hunters, and trappers. Contests for muskrat skinning, trap setting, log sawing, duck and goose calling, crab picking, and oyster shucking. Food and exhibits. Phone (800) 522-TOUR.

MARCH

• Artists of the Chesapeake Annual Art Auction, Centreville, MD. Auction to benefit Queen Anne’s County art organizations. Phone (410) 758-2520.
• Decoy Waterfowl Show and Auction, Bel Air, MD. Decoy and waterfowl artists, benefits American Red Cross. Late Mar. Phone (410) 838-4568.

APRIL

• Chincoteague Island Easter Decoy and Art Festival, Chincoteague, VA. Carvers and artists compete for awards and sell their work. Easter weekend. Phone (757) 336-6161.
• Easter Sunrise Service, Hampton, VA. Watch the day dawn on the Chesapeake Bay at Fort Monroe’s Continental Park. Phone (747) 727-2611.
• Easter Sunrise Service, Norfolk, VA. Ocean View Beach Park. Phone (757) 441-2345.
• Maryland Hunt Cup Race, Tufton Avenue, Glyndon, MD (Baltimore County). Oldest and most difficult steeplechase race in the country. Phone (410) 833-4188.
• Virginia Waterfront International Arts Festival, Newport News, VA. Held at various locations. Phone (757) 664-6492.
• My Lady’s Manor Steeplechase Races & Champagne Reception, Monkton, MD. One of Maryland’s best timber races. Fund raiser for Ladew Topiary Gardens. Phone (410) 557-9466.
• Waterfront Festival, Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD. Food, music, family entertainment. Late Apr. Phone (410) 837-4636.
• Nanticoke River Shad Festival, Vienna, Dorchester County, MD. Traditional shad planking, music, food, canoe and kayak races, and Activities for children to celebrate the restoration of the spring run of shad. Sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Phone (800) 522-TOUR.
• Nanticoke River Canoe/Kayak Classic, Vienna, Dorchester County, MD. An 8-mile canoe and kayak race down Barren Creek. Phone (800) 522-TOUR.
• Historic Garden Week on the Eastern Shore, Cape Charles, VA. Visit historic homes and landmarks on the Eastern Shore of Virginia on the garden tour. Phone (757) 331-2304.
• Downtown Hampton Boat Expo, Hampton, VA. Watercraft displays, seminars, demonstrations, seafood. Phone (757) 727-6429.
• Delmarva Birding Weekend, Snow Hill, MD. Worcester and Somerset counties celebrate the arrival of migrating shorebirds, waterfowl, and many nesting birds. Boat and canoe trips, guided tours. Last weekend in Apr. Phone (800) 852-0335 for Worcester County or (800) 521-9189 for Somerset County.

MAY

• Seafood Festival, Chincoteague, VA. Seafood-lovers’ event on Assateague Island National Seashore. First Wednesday in May. Phone (757) 787-2460.
• International Migratory Bird Celebration, Chincoteague, VA. Workshops, nature walks, bird-watching, drawing thousands to the wildlife refuge. Phone (757) 336-6122.
• Decoy, Wildlife Art and Sportsman Festival, Havre de Grace, MD. Wildfowl carvers and artists, decoy carving competitions, live decoy auction. Sponsored by the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum. Phone (410) 939-3739.
• Lock House Days, Havre de Grace, MD. Festival, entertainment, historical presentations, health screening, sponsored by the Susquehanna Museum. Late May. Phone (410) 939-5780.
• Preakness Celebration, Baltimore, MD. Week of events leads up to the Preakness, one of Triple Crown’s thoroughbred races, on the third Saturday of May. Phone (410) 837-3030 or (410) 542-9400.
• Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Spring Fling, Cambridge, MD. Nature walks and bird walks, turtle races, storytelling, carriage rides, children’s Activities, book signings. Refuge tours by bus, bike, or canoe. Phone (410) 228-2677.
• Hampton Roads Regional Chili Cook-Off, Hampton, VA. Cooks from all over the country vie for the right to represent Hampton Roads on the national level. Live music. Phone (757) 72706429.
• Chestertown Tea Party Festival, Chestertown, MD. Reenactment of the merchants’ revolt against the British Tea Act, parade, arts and crafts, food booths, Chestertown Classic Long Distance Run. Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Phone (410) 778-0416.
• Bay Bridge Walk, Stevensville, MD. Sunday-morning walk in early May across the 4.3-mile Bay Bridge. Craft exhibits, food, music. Phone (410) 228-8405 or (410) 643-8530.
• The Kent Island Day, Kent Island, MD. Costumed craftspeople commemorate the culture and heritage of Queen Anne’s County. Historic buildings and homes tours. Coincides with the Spring Art Fair. Mid-May. Phone (410) 643-1690 or (410) 604-2100.

JUNE

• National Trails Day, Susquehanna State Park, Jarrettsville, MD. Early June. Phone (410) 557-7994.
• Scottish Festival, Steppingstone Museum, Havre de Grace, MD. Scottish clans, vendors, pipe band music, dancers, sheep herding, storytelling. Mid-June. Phone (410) 939-2299.
• Rockfish Tournament, Rock Hall, MD. Rockfish anglers vie for large prizes. Phone (410) 778-0416.
• Blackwater Eagleman Triathlon, Cambridge, MD. One of 14 qualifiers for the Iron Man Triathlon. Includes a 1.2-mile swim, a 13.1-mile run and a 56-mile bike ride. Phone (410) 964-1246 or (800) 522-TOUR.
• Eastern Shore Chamber Music Festival, Easton, MD. Two-week event at Easton’s Avalon Theatre. Phone (410) 819-0380.
• Hampton Jazz Festival, Hampton, VA. Top blues, soul, pop, and jazz musicians perform at the Hampton Coliseum. Phone (757) 838-4203.
• Waterman’s Festival, Kent Narrows, MD. Celebrates the waterman and the Chesapeake Bay seafood industry. Competitions include docking, anchor throwing, preparing crab soup. Phone (410) 604-2100.
• Tilghman Island Seafood Festival, Tilghman, MD. Seafood, live music, arts and crafts, crab race, crab-picking contest, firefighters’ parade. Phone (410) 822-4653.

JULY

• Heritage Fair, Dundalk, MD. Three-day fair, parade, and fireworks. Phone (410) 284-4022.
• Fourth at the Fort, Hampton, VA. Celebrate Independence Day with food, music, and fireworks at Fort Monroe on the Chesapeake Bay. Live music includes the Continental Army Band. Phone (757) 727-2312.
• Screwpile Lighthouse Challenge, Solomons, MD. One of many racing events sponsored by the Southern Maryland Sailing Association. Mid-July. Phone (410) 326-4364 or (301) 862-3100.
• Unlimited Hydroplane Races, Norfolk, VA. Virginia Is For Lovers Cup held at Willoughby Bay at Norfolk Naval Air Station. Phone (800) 368-3097.
• Yacht Club Sailing Regatta, Rock Hall, MD. Phone (410) 778-0416.
• Bay Country July 4th Festival, Cambridge, MD. Four-day festival at Sailwinds Park on the Choptank River. Carnival, food, games, live outdoor entertainment, fireworks. Phone (800) 522-TOUR.
• Down River Race, Chestertown, MD. This Chester River race begins at the Chester River Yacht and County Club. Phone (410) 810-0707 or (800) 380-8614.

AUGUST

• Drums Along the Bay, Hampton, VA. Competition among internationally ranked drum and bugle corps. Phone (757) 728-3200.
• Eastern Shore Music Festival and Chili Cook-off, Cape Charles, VA. Blues, rhythm and blues, country, and rock music with legendary performers. Phone (757) 442-5175.
• Havre de Grace Seafood Festival, Havre de Grace, MD. Crabcake challenge, crab calling contest. Mid-Aug. Phone (410) 939-1525.
• Hampton Cup Regatta Power Boat Race, Hampton, VA. The oldest continuously run powerboat race and the largest inboard hydroplane race in the country, between Mercury Boulevard Bridge and Fort Monroe. Free. Phone (800) 800-2202.
• Governor’s Cup Yacht Race, St. Mary’s City, MD. Overnight sailboat race from Annapolis to St. Mary’s College. Phone (301) 862-0380.
• Calvert County Jousting Tournament, Port Republic, MD. Oldest tournament of Maryland’s official state sport. Last Saturday in Aug. Phone (410) 586-0565.
• Seafood Feast-I-Val, Cambridge, MD. All-you-can-eat seafood feast at Sailwinds Park. Boat tours, live entertainment. Phone (800) 522-TOUR.
• Cambridge Classic Power Boat Regatta, Cambridge, MD. Races between power boats include classes of hydroplanes, jersey skiffs, and flatbottoms. Phone (800) 522-TOUR.
• Party on the Bay, Rock Hall, MD. Visitors arrive by land and sea on the third Saturday of Aug. to celebrate the Eastern Shore’s Chesapeake Bay heritage. Phone (410) 778-0416 or (410) 639-7611.

SEPTEMBER

• Artsfest, Solomons, MD. Fine arts at Annmarie Garden. Mid-Sept. Phone (410) 326-4640.
• IRHA President’s Cup Nationals, Maryland International Raceway, Budds Creek, MD. Largest motorsports event in Maryland. Phone (703) 791-8445 or (301) 449-RACE.
• Hampton Bay Days, Hampton, VA. Headline musical entertainment, seafood, exhibits, fireworks, juried art show, sporting and water events, carnival. Phone (757) 727-6122.
• Duck Fair, Havre de Grace, MD. Exhibits by wildfowl carvers and artists, regional duck and goose calling championship, retriever demonstrations, children’s decoy painting, live and silent auctions, whittling contests. Mid-Sept. Phone (410) 939-3739.
• Mid-Atlantic Surf Fishing Tournament, Ocean City, MD. Teams fish the surf for prizes. Phone (410) 213-2042.
• Neptune Festival, Virginia Beach, VA. Air shows, live entertainment, arts and crafts, sand sculpting competition. Phone (757) 498-0215.
• Poquoson Seafood Festival, Poquoson, VA. Fresh seafood, arts and crafts, music, fireworks. Phone (75) 868-3580.

OCTOBER

• Blessing of the Fleet, St. Clement’s Island, MD. Boat tours provided by St. Clement’s Island Potomac River Museum to the island. Family entertainment, food, exhibits, arts and crafts, fireworks. First full weekend of Oct. Phone (301) 769-2222.
• Fall Festival, Newport News, VA. Long-running festival at Newport News Park. Phone (757) 926-8451.
• Harvest Festival at Sunset Beach Inn, Kiptopeke, VA. Eastern Shore feast, arts and crafts, live music. Phone (757) 787-2460.
• Willis Wharf Homecoming and Waterman’s Festival, Willis Wharf, VA. Aquaculture exhibits, demonstrations of waterman skills, boat rides, hay ride tour of Hog Island homes, seafood. Phone (757) 442-9472.
• Phoebus Days, Hampton, VA. A three-day block party includes music, a fish fry, a parade, sporting events, and more. Phone (757) 722-0625.
• Chestertown Wildlife Exhibition and Sale, Chestertown, MD. Wildlife art, carvings, music, food, entertainment, carving demonstrations, retriever demonstrations, state and regional duck and goose-calling championship. Phone (410) 778-0416.
• St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival, Leonardtown, MD. Folk festival draws thousands for oysters and other seafood, National Oyster Cook-off, oyster shucking contest, music, pony rides, clowns, arts and crafts. Third weekend in Oct. Phone (301) 863-5015.
• Annual Sailboat Show and Annual Powerboat Show, Annapolis, MD. Nation’s oldest and largest sailboat show, followed by oldest and largest in-water powerboat show. Mid to late Oct. For more information, call (410) 268-8828.
• Upper Shore Decoy Show, North East, MD. Expert carvers compete for best decoys. Educational exhibits. Phone (410) 287-2675.
• Tilghman Island Day, Tilghman Island, MD. The entire island turns festive. Watermen exhibits, fresh seafood, auction, live music, boat-docking contests, and skipjack and workboat races. Phone (888) BAYSTAY.
• Wetlands Fest, Horsehead Wetlands Center, Grasonville, MD. Guided bird walks, wildflower identification, children’s Activities, face paintings, environmental craft exhibits, food, music. Phone (410) 827-6694.
• Woodland Indian Culture Days, St. Mary’s City, MD. Storytelling, flintknapping, archery. Phone (301) 862-0990.
• Chincoteague Oyster Festival, Chincoteague, VA. All the oysters you can eat. Phone (757) 336-6161.
• The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race, Norfolk, VA. Race of classic vessels ends at Town Point Park during the Virginia Wine Festival. Phone (757) 588-6022.

NOVEMBER

• Waterfowl Festival, Easton, MD. Renowned event features some of the world’s best decoy carvers and wildfowl artists. Phone (410) 822-4567.
• Chili Night in November—A Chili Cook-Off, Hampton, VA. Cast your vote for the best chili. Live music. Phone (757) 727-6429.
• Christmas Boat Parade, Kent Narrows, MD. Sailboats, work boats, and motorboats decked out for the season are judged as they parade through Kent Narrows. Phone (410) 827-8200 or (410) 827-4322.
• Grand National Waterfowl Hunt, Cambridge, MD. Celebrity waterfowl hunt held throughout the county. Luncheon at Sailwinds Park in Cambridge. Phone (410) 228-0111.
• Chesapeake Wildlife Showcase, Salisbury, MD. Ward Foundation exhibition at the Ward Museum with an auction of antique decoys and a buy-sell trade area. Phone (410) 742-4988.
• Assateague Island Waterfowl Week, Chincoteague, VA. Open house at the National Wildlife Refuge. Phone (757) 336-6122.
• Fantasy of Lights, Edgemere, MD. See more than 40,000 lights on stunning 1.5-mile drive through historic Fort Howard Park. Three weekends, beginning in late Nov. Phone (410) 887-3873.

DECEMBER

• Candlelight Tour of Historic Havre de Grace, MD. Tours of private historic homes, shops, B&Bs. Sponsored by the Susquehanna Museum. Phone (410) 939-3947. Mid Dec.
• Solomons Christmas Walk, Solomons, Calvert County, MD. Island-wide tree-lighting ceremony, boat light parade, breakfast with Santa, live nativity scene, island wagon rides, concerts. 2nd weekend in Dec. Phone (800) 953-3300 or (410) 326-3366.
• Christmas on Cockrell’s Creek, Reedville, VA. Victorian mansions are opened for candlelight tours. Phone (804) 453-6529. Mid Dec.
• First Night in Norfolk, Norfolk, VA. Welcome the New Year with classical to avant-garde performances throughout the evening, ending with fireworks over the Elizabeth River. Phone (757) 441-2345.

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