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| Follow the lighthouses. Explore the Chesapeake Bay and the towns and attractions that line its shores. Maryland has more than two-dozen lighthouses – from Drum Point Light in Solomons, to Hooper Strait in St. Michaels, and up to Turkey Point Light in North East at the head of the bay. Travel the Chesapeake and you’ll also intersect War of 1812 history. Two annual events beckon: Defenders Day Celebration, Sept. 5 at Fort Howard Park in Baltimore County; Star-Spangled Banner Weekend, Sept. 11-12 at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry. Maryland, land of the free. |
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Festivals, fun & seafood – By the water
Celebrate Maryland’s iconic crustacean at 63rd annual National Hard Crab Derby and Fair, Sept. 3-5 at Somers Cove Marina in Crisfield, a town built on oyster shells located on the southern end of the Eastern Shore. The 43rd annual Maryland Seafood Festival, Sept. 10-12 at Sandy Point State Park near Annapolis, is a weekend of bay seafood, music and crafts that also features a crab soup cook-off. And on Sept. 25, Historic St. Mary’s City is the place for Riverfest – a day of fun and food by the St. Mary’s River.
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Wine and beer festivals – Cheers to all
Maryland Wine Festival, Sept. 18-19 on the grounds of Carroll County’s Farm Museum in Westminster, is an annual outdoor extravaganza that features Maryland’s 30 wineries, entertainment, crafts, food and even an amateur winemaking competition. On Sept. 25, a dozen Maryland craft breweries showcase their brands at the Maryland Microbrewery Festival, at Union Mills Homestead in Carroll County. Also that weekend: Das Best Oktoberfest, Sept. 25-26 at National Harbor in Prince George’s County. Two days of international beers and wines, Oompah bands, sauerbraten and schnitzel, and a Miss Oktoberfest competition.
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County fairs – Summer's end
Everyone loves a fair and this is the season for them. The Great Frederick Fair, Sept. 17-25 at the Frederick Fairgrounds, spotlights the county’s agricultural resources amid a full schedule of entertainment that includes Merle Hagard, Three Dog Night and JoDee Messina. In Southern Maryland, the St. Mary’s County Fair, Sept. 23-26 in Leonardtown, is a weekend carnival and festive showcase for livestock, home arts, flowers and crops. Also in Southern Maryland: the Calvert County Fair, Sept. 29 – Oct. 3. Free admission for kids and teens till 4 p.m. on Oct. 1, Youth Day. Bring canned food for local food banks.
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Arts festivals – Enjoy art outdoors
Art in the Park, Sept. 11 in Chestertown, is an exposition of artwork by more than 50 artists and crafters. Hagerstown’s Autumn Arts Festival, Sept. 18-19, is an annual craft show accompanied by Appalachian-style music, hay rides and tours of the 18th-century Hager House. Artsfest at Annmarie Garden Sculpture Park in Solomons, also Sept. 18-19, is a juried art show at the focal point of weekend of art, music, food and drink amid world-class sculpture. The annual Dorchester Showcase, Sept. 26 in downtown Cambridge, is a free street festival with fine arts and crafts, and Eastern Shore food.
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Heritage celebrations – Maryland's roots
Follow the National Road to Boonsboro in Western Maryland. Boonsborough Days, Sept. 11-12, celebrates the town’s heritage with craft and antiques shows, trolley rides, and plenty of food. On Sept. 25, head to the City Dock in Annapolis for the Kunte Kinte Festival. You’ll find an African village and marketplace brimming with music, food, crafts and entertainment. Also on Sept. 25: National Colonial Farm, an outdoor living-history museum on the edge of the Potomac, hosts African-American Heritage Day – a cultural exposition with a special focus on “food, land and history” in the region.
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Your voice counts.
What would you like to see in this newsletter or on the Visit Maryland web site? Take a quick survey and help us provide the information you want.
Our last survey indicated that travelers in Maryland wanted to see what others had to say about specific lodgings and attractions in the state. As a result, Visit Maryland will include Trip Advisor reviews, starting in September. |
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