Celebrate Southern Maryland heritage on Saturday, May 6 at the Calvert Marine Museum’s 17th annual Solomons Maritime Festival. Antique boats and marine engines, cooking demonstrations, traditional music, toy boat building, and boat rides offer something for every member of the family. Free 30 – minute cruises on the Wm. B. Tennison from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., the museum remains open until 5 p.m. Admission to the festival and museum is FREE.
The museum’s waterfront comes alive with the sights, sounds, and smells of Southern Maryland. Traditional food demonstrations will teach guests how to make crab cakes, fry softshell crabs, learn how to shuck oysters, and stuff a ham like the pros! Enjoy music all day long at the Motto Mortgage Preferred and Re/Max One Waterside Pavilion. See Chesapeake Bay retrievers in action, watch model boats skim the waters of the boat basin, and talk with traditional craftspeople as they demonstrate their skills. Children of all ages will especially enjoy toy boat building!
The Patuxent Small Craft Guild will offer rides to the public on multiple small crafts, including sailboats, power boats, and row and pedal boats. The museum’s skipjack, Dee of St. Mary’s, will be offering dockside tours throughout the festival.
Traditional crafts are also celebrated! Visitors can examine how crab and eel pots are constructed. Inside the museum, demonstrations of quilting and other textile crafts will be on-going throughout the day. Local food vendors will be on-site throughout the festival!
The Antique Boat and Marine Engine Show, now in its 22nd year, is a popular component of the festival. Enthusiasts from across the country will set-up camp to show off their vintage boats and engines. The unofficial engine swap is a great way to expand your collection. The Patuxent Small Craft Guild will also host a Nautical Flea Market, with all proceeds supporting the Guild.
For a detailed event schedule and campus map, visit: https://www.calvertmarinemuseum.com/233/Annual-Events
The Solomons Maritime Festival is sponsored by Calvert County Board of County Commissioners, Calvert County Watermen’s Association, Calvert Marina, LLC, Patuxent Small Craft Guild, and Washburn’s Boat Yard. For more information, please call Sherry Reid, Volunteer & Events Coordinator, at 410-326-2042 ext. 8085, or visit the Calvert Marine Museum Facebook page or website at www.calvertmarinemuseum.com.
