Skipjack Triple Crown!
• The Deal Island (Md). Skipjack Festival and Races happen Sun Sept 6 and Labor Day Mon Sept 7. Races on Monday morning.
• The Annapolis race on Sun, Sept 13 is part of the Maryland Seafood Festival (Sept 11-13) at Sandy Point State Park.
• The Choptank Heritage race in Cambridge, Md. is Sat Sept 26.
• Isn’t the photo here sweet?
Labor Day Classics
• The 79th (!) annual edition of the Hard Crab Derby in Crisfield, Md. runs Thu-Sun Sept 3-6.
• Things will take a celebratory New Orleans-style turn at the 41st annual Bethany Beach (Del.) Jazz Funeral on Labor Day Mon Sept 7. The tradition marking the end of the summer tourism season was started by the recently deceased Paul Jankovic, may he rest in peace.
• If you have one, bring a kazoo to the Piping Out Summer parade in Rehoboth Beach so that you can help raise a ruckus at that end-of-summer tradition on Labor Day Mon Sept. 7.
• Have you heard of the “Labor Day Riot” in Ocean City back in 1960? Step into the Way Back Machine with this free book excerpt.
Festivals & Parties!
• Ocean City (Md.) Rock & Ride (formerly Bikefest) runs Sept 9-13.
• The Eastern Shore Land Conservancy’s Land Jam is Sat Sept 12 in Easton, Md.
• Harrington, Del.: The Gothic Market Sept 12-13–horror, witches, vampires, and various and sundry other supernatural scary things.
• The King of the Wind Ocean City (Md.) Kite Festival, Sept. 17-20
• Milford, Del.: The Riverwalk Freedom Festival Sat Sept 19.
• Cape Charles, Va.: The Crabby Blues Festival is Sat Sept 19.
• Rock Hall, Md. is celebrating Lambert Wickes Day Sat Sept 19. IYKYK. If you don’t, study up here.
• See a rodeo in Greensboro, Md. Sat Sept 19.
• Cambridge, Md. has a “Downtown Celebrates Dolly” Parton party Fri Sept 25.
• Greenwood, Del.: The Greenwood Day party is Sat Sept 26.
• Elkton, Md. Fall Festival Sat Sept 26.
• Exmore, Va. Fall Festival Sat Sept 26
• Clayton, Del. Railroad Days Festival Sat Sept 26
• The Air Mobility Command Museum near Dover, Del. is throwing itself a 40th birthday party on Sat/Sun Sept 26/27.
Food & Drink
• The Historic Odessa (Del.) Brewfest is Sat Sept 12.
• Take a savory stroll through downtown North East, Md. during the Crab Crawl Sat Sept 12.
• The Delaware Seafood Festival is Sat Sept 19 at Schellville in Rehoboth Beach, Del..
• The YMCA Camp Silver Beach Oyster Roast and Beach Bash is Sat Sept 19 in Jamesville, Va.
• Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes, Del. has a Chocolate Tasting party Sat Sept 19.
• This will be the 49th time around for Tawes Crab & Clam Bake in Crisfield, Md.– Wed Sept 23.
• The Taste of Cambridge (Md.) Sat Sept 26 is a free block party with ticketed tastings and voting for winners.
• The Trap Pond Beer, Wine & Spirits Festival is Sat Sept 26 at the state park of that name near Laurel, Del.
• Wrights Farm Market near Mardela, Md. is throwing a Sweet Potato Palooza Sat Sept 26.
Art Attack!
The St. Michaels (Md.) Art League Labor Day show and sale Sat/Sun Sept 5/6.
• Plein air painters will be working Chincoteague, Va. the week of Sept. 5-12, with the big show and sale Sat Sept 12.
• The Bethany Beach (Del.) Boardwalk Arts Festival Sat Sept 12.
• The Delaware Agricultural Museum in Dover Fall Craft Show Sat Sept 12.
• The Brandywine Festival of the Arts in Wilmington, Del. Sat/Sun Sept 12/13.
• Autumn Arts Festival at Indian River Marina near Dewey Beach, Del. Sat Sept 19.
• Harvest Ridge Winery in Marydel, Del. Corks & Crafts Artisan Market, Sat Sept 26.
• The Art on the Green festival at Battery Park in New Castle, Del. Sat Sept 26.
• The Dorchester Arts Showcase will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with a block party and vendor fair in downtown Cambridge, Md. Sun Sept 27.
Go Native!
• The Nanticoke Indian Powwow is Sat/Sun Sept 12/13 in Milton, Del. Lots of dancing. Drum troupes from New Jersey and North Carolina.
• The Nause-Waiwash band has it’s Native American Festival on Sat Sept 19 in Vienna, Md. They are promising “Grass Dance, Fancy Dance, Smoke Dance, and Jaguar Dance.”
Go Wild!
• Visit Outstanding Dreams Farm near Preston, Md. for one of their upcoming Alpaca Weekends.
• Four Acres Living farm in Frankford, Del. is throwing an Alpaca Festival on Sun Sept 20
• This year’s Fall Pony Roundup in Chincoteague, Va. is Fri/Sat Sept 25/26.
• Last I checked Delmarva Birding’s Sunset Seabird Safari trips were almost all sold out already. Good luck!
Music & Theater!
• The fun-loving Delaware Shakespeare troupe is putting on an abridged and comedic version of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare–yes, all 36 plays in one show. September dates in Dover, Lewes, and Rehoboth Beach.
• The Marcus Roberts trio headlines the 30th (and final) year for the waterfront Chestertown (Md.) Jazz Festival–Sat Sept 12.
• Cheo y los Consentidos de la Casa will mix it up–salsa, bolero, cha cha, funk–at Salisbury (Md.) University on Wed. Sept. 16. Find it and lots more on the school’s cultural affairs calendar.
• Zach Bryan is at the Woodlands in Dover, Del.–Fri/Sat Sept 18/19.
• Bluegrass and more: The Berlin (Md.) Fiddlers Convention Fri/Sat Sept 18/19.
• The Ballet on the Beach Dance Festival on Assateague Island Sat Sept 19.
• Merengue much? Zafra Negra headlines Festival Hispano in Georgetown, Del. Sun Sept 20.
• The Capital Jazz Showcase on Thu Sept 24 in Dover, Del. is a joint production of Delaware State University and the BIGGS Museum of American Art.
• The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra kicks off its new season on the weekend of Sept 24-27.
• Oceans Calling (Sept 25-27 Ocean City, Md.) has Dave Matthews, Mumford & Sons, Twenty One Pilots, and 17,234 other acts.
• Campbell’s Lane Farm near Preston, Md. has a Western-themed dinner show titled “Opal’s Pace: Moving at the Speed of Kindness,” Sept 25-27.
• Look up more theater shows here by checking the schedules of troupes based in various Delmarva towns.
• Look up more music shows here by checking on the schedules at your favorite concert venues.
Book It!
• There are always lots of big nonfiction names straight off of the bestsellers list at the History Book Festival in Lewes, Del. Sept. 25-27.
• Tidebound Press is throwing a book launch party Sun Sept 27 for Scary Stories at Cult Classic, a collection of Halloweenish tales by top-of-the-line regional writers as well as yours truly. Location is, you guessed it, Cult Classic in Stevensville, Md.
• Did you see on social media my review of the new book by David Healey, a super talented scribe from our own town of Chesapeake City, Md. The Guns of Liberty is a fun historical novel, much of it set here on Delmarva.
Sad Face
• The Maryland Folk Festival in Salisbury, Md. is no more, though some other type of event(s) might take its place in the future. We’ll see!
• The Renaissance Faire at the Furnacetown Historic Site near Snow Hill, Md. is not happening this year. Might return next year.
• Easton (Md.) Airport Day is not happening. Hoping for next year.
