Chesapeake Bay News

The annual Bay Bridge Boat Show in Stevensville, MD is scheduled to open its doors with special features April 28 – May 1, 2011.  In its twenty-ninth season, this show is recognized as the largest spring recreational boating extravaganza in the mid Atlantic.

The Marina facility has been completely renovated with high quality floating docks and a more efficient show layout. The revised exhibitor price list will allow your organization to display more boats or boating gear for less money. New show features and regional advertising are expected to attract more visitors to the show than any time in recent history.

For the 2011 show, several attractions are planned:

Delmarva Dock Dog Competition

The Delmarva Dock Dogs are the regional group of the National Dock Dogs, www.dockdogs.com.  They will compete in an above ground pool in three waves: speed retrieval, extreme vertical, and big air.  This competition will bring fun to the show for all ages.

MSSA Rockfish Tournament Weigh Station

The Maryland Saltwater Sportsfishermen’s Association and AllTackle will be adding a weigh station at the Bay Bridge Boat Show for the largest Rockfish Tournament in the Nation.  In addition the Bay Bridge Boat Show will be hosting a weekend rendezvous for the anglers. Adjacent to the weigh station will be a “fishermans pier,” which will house unique fishing boat makes.

Other Show Features

Expansive Food Court

Children’s fishing activities and demonstrations by AllTackle on the weigh station

Daily seminars co-sponsored by Chesapeake Bay Magazine and Annapolis School of Seamanship

Live entertainment at the Pool Bar & Grill

Racing hydroplanes from Kent Island Racing Association

Bay Bridge Boat Show :     April 28 – May 1, 2011.

Show Hours:

Thursday, April 28         Noon to 6pm
Friday, Saturday, April 29-30    10am – 6pm
Sunday, May 1            10am – 5pm

Tickets:

Adults $12.
Children (7-12) $4.
Under 6 Free.
Two day ticket $19

For tickets and complete details:

www.usboat.com
Phone 410-268-8828

The Maryland Park Service, Kent County Parks and Recreation and the Kent Museum will hold a Fall Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 30 to celebrate autumn along the Sassafras River. The event will take place at Turner’s Creek landing, the Kent Museum grounds and historic Knocks Folly, part of the Sassafras Natural Resources Management Area (NRMA) in Kent County.

A great way to enjoy the change of the seasons, the fall festival will feature traditional fall activities such as hayrides, pumpkin decorating, fishing competitions, games, food and more. Kent County Parks and Recreation staff will be on hand to help children design and create their own scarecrows to take home to decorate their homes and yards (families should bring old clothes and pantyhose for the scarecrows). Volunteers from the Kent Museum will also be on site making apple cider and displaying pieces from their extensive collection of antique farm equipment.

The Fall Festival will also be the first opportunity for the general public to access Knocks Folly. Commencing with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 12 p.m., visitors will then be allowed to explore the Folly’s interior and enjoy displays and informational panels on the history of the area. The historic mid-eighteenth century log home with a three-story, Federal brick wing, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will serve as a visitors center for the Turner’s Creek county park and the 1,000-acre Sassafras NRMA, and will be open on weekends from May through mid-November. The Knocks Folly Visitors Center will feature displays and information on the area’s diverse natural history, as well as its important role in colonial history of the upper Eastern Shore.

The Maryland Park Service’s Scales and Tales program will entertain crowds near Knocks Folly with a variety of games and displays. Local clubs and non-profit groups will also be on hand with displays and activities. There is still space available for interested groups that would like to set up exhibits or sell food during the event.

For more information about the Fall Festival or directions to Sassafras NRMA, contact the local Maryland Park Service Park office at (410) 820-1668.

The 39th annual Waterfowl Festival takes place in the colonial town of Easton, Maryland. The historic buildings of Easton serve as venues for galleries and exhibits, while events and demonstrations are held at the surrounding ponds and scenic areas.

The Waterfowl Festival is America’s premiere wildlife art exposition featuring art work from more than 300 artists recognized world-wide. Hundreds of paintings, sculpture, carvings, photos, and fine crafts reflect the beauty of the natural world.

Dealers offer antique and contemporary decoys, arts, crafts and Eastern Shore food.

The Festival offers fly fishing and retriever dog demonstrations – sure to entertain the experienced outdoor enthusiast, children and everyone in between. Also this year will be the DockDogs, an entertaining competition between dogs to see who can make the longest jump into a pool.

There are numerous hands-on activities for the entire family, especially for the little ones, such as nature arts and crafts activities and up close wildlife education.

Four world-class calling contests take place at the Festival attracting top callers from across the country and Canada. Contests: World Championship Goose Calling Contest® with $10,000 first prize, Mason-Dixon Regional Duck Calling Contest, World Champion Live Duck Calling Contest® and World Champion Live Goose Calling Contest™ – all with cash and gear prizes.

Attendees can checkout the latest gear, accessories and gadgets for hunting, fishing and marine sports at the Sportsman’s Pavilion.

The Waterfowl Festival is produced annually by Waterfowl Festival Inc., a not-for-profit organization dedicated to wildlife conservation, the promotion of wildlife art and the celebration of life on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

In its 39 years, the Festival has become a leader in the conservation of waterfowl and wildlife habitat. More than $5 million has been donated to projects throughout the Atlantic Flyway and in particular the Chesapeake Bay.

The Waterfowl Festival takes place November 13-15 in downtown Easton, Maryland, off Route 50. Festival hours are: Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Admission is $10 for all three days – children under 12 free.

For additional information or tickets online, visit www.waterfowlfestival.org or call 410/822-4567.