GEMS OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY Pictured Left to Right: Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St Michaels; Crab and clam bake, Crisfi eld Folks on the Shore know how to party all year round. Here are four Chesapeake festivals that you won’t want to miss: The National Folk Festival taking place in September 2020 in Salisbury is America’s largest and longest-running festival celebrating arts, culture, music and more. This free event brings together more than 350 artisans to showcase their cultural traditions in the form of dance, food, storytelling and performance, to name a few. Bring the family and celebrate the roots of America. Don't miss Easton's Waterfowl Festival in November. Art, conservation and culture come together at this event celebrating the heritage of the Eastern Shore’s famous fliers and the men and women who hunt them, carve them, paint them and consume them. The festival fans out over the picturesque town. Book a room early and don’t miss the fun. For nearly 55 years, the Rotary Club of Lexington Park has hosted the U.S. Oyster Festival in St. Mary’s. Bring the whole family for oyster shucking and cook-off competitions. The competition is serious—a former National Oyster Shucking Champion is now moving on to compete in the Galway, Ireland International Competition. Cheer on this year’s contestants and enjoy a weekend of live music, craft beer and fun. It’s all for a good cause, as a portion of the proceeds go to area non-profits and academic scholarships. Say goodbye to winter and hello to spring at the Annapolis Sock Burning and Oyster Festival . This annual tradition happens each year on the spring equinox. Barefoot guests celebrate with live music, fresh oysters and cocktails. Don’t miss your chance to welcome spring. Purchase tickets in advance, as they sell out every year! Easton and Cambridge are the biggest towns in the mid-shore. Easton offers live music at the Avalon Theater, the Academy Art Museum, beautiful blooming flowers in spring and great local shops and galleries. The Tidewater Inn is at the heart of it all, with each room featuring photography that celebrates the Chesapeake Bay. Cambridge boasts several museums, including the Richardson Maritime Museum and the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center. To learn more about her legacy, just travel about 20 minutes to Church Creek to the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center. In addition to some charming bed and breakfasts, visitors to Cambridge often enjoy a stay at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina, which offers boat rentals and paddling, the spectacular River Marsh Golf Club with its famous Chesapeake vistas and a “kid’s club” for the younger members of the group. If you like birds, Wye Island is a great place to stroll, try your hand at crabbing and watch the skies. Pickering Creek Audubon Center offers guided activities and an extensive network of trails. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is a birding hub and great in the late winter for observing tundra swans and Canada geese. PHOTO: SMDI PHOTOGRAPHY downtowns you'll find. From there, you can hop on the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry and cross the Tred Avon River to Oxford. A small town, with a population of less than 1,000, Oxford is big on charm, offering a tour of picket fences painted by local artists. But don't stop there, Tilghman island awaits. This watermen’s community offers delicious seafood and amazing views of the Chesapeake and its tributaries. The Phillips Wharf Environmental Center is a great place to get up close and personal with bay creatures, including horseshoe crabs and turtles. Down the street, don’t miss lunch at The Characters Bridge restaurant. If the soft shell crab sandwich is on the menu, get it. From Tilghman, head east toward Salisbury. Instead of continuing on the highway, take a detour onto Business 50 to 349 and wind through to the scenic town of Whitehaven (population: 43). Spend the night in the beautifully restored Whitehaven Hotel, or just pop in for an afternoon stroll and a ferry ride across the Wicomico on the three-car ferry. It’s free, and it runs year-round. After crossing the river, you’ll be in Somerset County and a short drive from Crisfield, the crab capital of the world. Crisfield comes by the boast honestly; after all, it was built on oyster shells. Go for a quick swim at the beach at Jane's Island State Park or let the little ones have some fun at Park's recreation area while you wait for the ferry to Smith Island, one of the Chesapeake's inhabited offshore islands. You can go for an afternoon and get the ferry back at 3:30pm, or stay overnight at the Smith Continuing along Route 50, you'll want to make stops at two celebrated waterfront towns. St. Michaels is home to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and one of the most charming DESTINATION MARYLAND ✥ 19
Maryland Official Visitors Guide 2020 Maryland Official Visitors Guide: Page 19
