Patuxent River Appreciation Day (PRAD), one of Southern Maryland’s longest running festivals, celebrates its 42nd year on Saturday, October 12, 2019 at the Calvert Marine Museum. All members of the family can enjoy the fun from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Museum admission is FREE all day.
This year’s event will feature a weekend’s-worth of fun all in one day, with extended hours and a River Party from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., featuring local favorite Robbie Boothe performing live at the PNC Waterside Pavilion at 6:00 p.m. Festivities begin at 10:00 a.m., with food vendors, live music, boat rides, children’s activities, and an arts and crafts show. For the first time, a limited number of resale and flea market vendors will also be included. Last year’s arts and crafts show winner, Anja Zander, will be returning with her unique handcrafted items made from driftwood, domestic wood, and selected exotic wood.
Guests are invited to sample local beer and wine, while grabbing a bite to eat from a variety of food vendors, and enjoy live music throughout the day. The complete lineup of performers at the museum’ PNC Waterside Pavilion is as follows:
- 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. – Bob Pfeiffer and Eric Skow
- 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. – Patuxent Voices
- 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. – Jay Armsworthy and the Eastern Tradition
- 1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. – Tom and Elisabeth
- 2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. – Pond Scum
- 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. – Folk Salad
- 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Calvert Dance Band
- 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Robbie Boothe
New this year, PRAD will also feature a Kids Zone in and around the Corbin Nature Pavilion. Guests of all ages can enjoy games, Maryland Department of Natural Resources Scales and Tails presentation, Mary’s Go Round petting zoo, and much more. Explore the museum grounds to visit dozens of nonprofit and community groups that celebrate the Patuxent River in a variety of ways. There will be exhibits, demonstrations, and displays about recycling, oyster farming, native plants, local wildlife, and more that help keep our area a wonderful place to live and play.
Head over to the Drum Point Lighthouse and surrounding boat basin for even more fun! Children can build their own toy boats, and the whole family is encouraged to enjoy free cruises aboard the Wm. B. Tennison and Dee of St. Mary’s. Take a ride in a rowboat or pedal boat, or even try your hand at navigating a remote control sailboat.
There’s more to discover inside the museum, with many exhibits offering additional interactive experiences for the day. Don’t forget to stop at the Museum Store to get a head start on holiday shopping with new and unique items that celebrate the paleontology, estuarine biology, and maritime heritage of the Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding waterways.
PRAD brings together and reflects the continuing commitment of the community, Calvert County Board of County Commissioners, Calvert Marine Museum, and other organizations that share a desire to preserve the Patuxent River and to celebrate its positive influence on the area’s quality of life in the past, present, and future. By bringing these people together in a public forum, PRAD organizers hope to grow local support of the environmental programs and tourism activities surrounding the Patuxent River and its tributaries. This longtime event would not be possible without the support of its sponsors: The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners, Calvert Marine Museum, Arick L Lore Post American Legion, and Calvert County Waterman’s Association.
