Museum PR Announcements News and Information

August 11 brings 4th Annual Watermen’s Appreciation Day & Crab Feast to CBMM

Come to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) in St. Michaels, MD on Sunday, August 11 to celebrate Chesapeake watermen and their heritage at the 4th Annual Watermen’s Appreciation Day. Festival-goers will enjoy hot crabs, cold beer, celebrity appearances, a boat docking contest, and live music beginning at noon with Bird Dog and the Road Kings.

Coming to this year’s event are reality TV stars Edgar Hansen and Nick Mavar, both from the F/V Northwestern on­­ Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch,” along with Liz and Jessica Cavalier from the History Channel’s “Swamp People.” All will be available for autographs throughout the day, and plan to be passengers aboard one of the boats in the docking contest.

The event is hosted by the Talbot County Watermen’s Association in cooperation with CBMM. Beginning at 11am, you can watch professionals in a spirited “Watermen’s Rodeo” boat docking contest along Fogg’s Cove. Children’s on-the-water activities include a Pot Pie skiff rowing competition, with prizes awarded.

Starting at noon, the classic rock, country, and blues sounds of Bird Dog and the Road Kings will have people tapping their toes and dancing along the museum’s waterfront as the region’s favorite band plays live from the historic Tolchester Beach Bandstand. Also beginning at noon, the day’s catch of steamed crabs will be served by Talbot waterman and volunteers in a traditional Maryland crab feast. Beer, water/soda, hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, cake, and snow cones will be available throughout the event.

Kids and families can enjoy games and activities throughout the day, including model boat building, a rowing competition, and more. Scenic river cruises on the museum’s replica buyboat, Mister Jim, will be offered every half hour from 10:30am to 4:30pm at $5 per passenger, or free for kids six and under.

Bids can be placed on a number of silent auction items—including work by noted Chesapeake artist Marc Castelli, alongside the museum’s Small Boat Shed. Silent auction bids can be made up until 4:30pm, with proceeds supporting oyster restoration projects on the bay.

Throughout the day, festival-goers can get an up-close view of the museum’s floating fleet of historic Chesapeake vessels, along with a selection of working watermen’s boats. Festival admission also includes entrance to CBMM’s new special exhibits, Crisfield Carvings—Bird Hunting on Broad Waters, and Navigating Freedom: The War of 1812 on the Chesapeake Bay. During the festival, visitors will have full access to CBMM’s 12 exhibit buildings, including the 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse.

Admission to the 10am to 5pm event will be collected at the gate the day of the event and includes the Bird Dog and the Road Kings concert and crab feast at $25 for adults, and $16 for kids 6-17, with all children under six admitted for free. Museum members along with licensed watermen and their families get discounted admission at $15 per adult, and $6 per child ages 6-17. Tickets include all you can eat crabs, one hamburger or hot dog, corn, soda, and water. Boat rides, beer and additional food will be available for purchase.

Proceeds benefit CBMM and the Talbot County Watermen’s Association. CBMM legacy partner Maryland Public Television is a media sponsor of this event. For more information, visit www.cbmm.org or call 410-745-2916.