Chesapeake Bay Folk Festival

Find time on July 26, 2008, to make your way over to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum's 1st Annual Chesapeake Bay Folk Festival! Celebrate Bay history with exhibits, people, music, and food that honor the traditions of the Bay. Demonstrations by regional craftspeople, unique vendors, specialty area and organic foods, and live musical performances will all be offered.

Musical performances that the Festival will feature include the Zionaires, the New Gospelites, Three Penny Opera, and Irish traditional musicians. Enjoy a boat ride on the Miles River or dine on steam crabs, crab cakes, beer, or barbequed chicken provided by area caterers.

One special event featured is a "Shore Stories" stage, where community conversations will be shared on subjects including family fishing, crab talk, local eating, the Bellevue community, pound netting, and a performance by Smith Island's Janice Marshall. A special tribute remembering log canoe sailor Jimmy Wilson, who passed away in 2007, will also be celebrated.

To keep with Chesapeake Bay traditional cuisine, seafood will be provided by Chesapeake Bay Seafood Company. The seasonal Chesapeake blue crab will be prepared a variety of ways, while barbeque chicken prepared by St. Luke Church in Bellevue, Maryland, will also be served. In addition, delicious homemade ice cream from the Scottish Highland Creamery, organic granola from Michelle's Granola, and organic coffee from Bluebird Coffee will all be sold.

Visual arts exhibitions by folk artists Bill Cummings, Joseph Keene, "Mama Girl" Mary Onley, Tom Burton, Waverly Evans, Jimmy Reynolds, Frank Bittner, and Charles & Linda Hutson will all be displayed. The artists will have their select, unique Chesapeake work available for sale.

You don't want to miss this summer festival at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. It is the first of its kind and one that will continue to grow year after year. This event is funded by Maryland Traditions and is sponsored by What's Up? Publishing.

-Mike Valliant, Director of Marketing