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The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum hosts Watermen’s Appreciation Day on Sunday, Aug. 10, featuring a boat docking contest, steamed crabs by the dozen, live music, and more family fun. (Photo by Sharon Thorpe)
ST. MICHAELS, MD – Watermen’s Appreciation Day is back at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum on Sunday, Aug. 10 from 10am-4pm, inviting guests to experience the unique culture and community of the Eastern Shore.
Held in partnership with the Talbot Watermen Association (TWA) since 2010, this annual celebration honors the hardworking men and women who bring the Bay’s bounty to our tables. The festivities include a must-see workboat docking competition, live music, a locally harvested crab feast, with plenty of additional options to eat and drink, plus more fun for the whole family.
Tickets are on sale now here, with discounted pricing for CBMM members.
“Watermen’s Appreciation Day is always special for us because it’s a chance for us to share what we do and why we do it with the community,” TWA President Jeff Harrison said. “We’ve had so much fun and made so many memories through the years, and we look forward to making this year’s event the best one yet.”
The high-energy watermen’s rodeo embodies the spirit of the festival.
Beginning at noon, this is a chance to join the crowd along CBMM’s Miles River waterfront to cheer on the “Chesapeake Cowboys,” who showcase their skill and precision while maneuvering their deadrise workboats into an assigned slip in a thrilling, timed competition. Guests are invited to grab a bleacher seat next to the iconic Hooper Strait Lighthouse or watch a livestream from the air-conditioned comfort of the Van Lennep Auditorium.
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Don’t miss our crab feast! The TWA will be selling steamed crabs for $40 per dozen, plus an ear of corn. (Photo by Sharon Thorpe)
Starting at 11am, steamed crabs will be available at a cost of $40 per dozen, plus an ear of corn, served hot and fresh by local watermen. The TWA will also have hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, and more available for purchase, and several local food trucks will be on hand selling a variety of Eastern Shore delicacies.
A variety of delicious drinks will be available, too. There will be beer trucks on campus serving domestic brews and local craft favorites, and the Cocktails by the Bay beverage cart will be offering a menu of refreshing crushes.
Eastern Shore legends Bird Dog and the Road Kings will provide the soundtrack for the crab picking from the historic Tolchester Beach Bandstand. There will also be local arts and crafts vendors spread across campus and a silent auction in the Small Boat Shed in support of the TWA.
Children can get a taste of what it’s like to work the water with a variety of activities throughout the day, including a junior watermen crab race, baiting contest, jigger throw, and more. Plus, there will be even more family fun with inflatables set up on Fogg’s Landing sponsored by Signature Lawn & Landscape and the Phillips Wharf Fishmobile traveling aquarium on site.
In addition to these festivities, guests are encouraged to explore all the exhibitions and historic structures across CBMM’s 18-acre campus, including Waterman’s Wharf highlighting the life and work of a Chesapeake waterman and a working Shipyard dedicated to the preservation, construction, and care of traditional Chesapeake vessels.
Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the door. Admission is set at $22 for adults, $19 for seniors (65+) and students (17+), $10 for active and retired military members, and $9 for children ages 6 to 17, with all children 5-and-younger admitted free.
CBMM members receive discounted pricing for Watermen’s Appreciation Day and other annual festivals throughout the year. Adult member tickets are $10, and all children of members (17-and-younger) receive free admission. To support CBMM’s mission as a member and discover all the terrific benefits of membership, visit cbmm.org/memberships or contact Membership Services Coordinator Debbie Ruzicka at 410-745-4991 or druzicka@cbmm.org.
All licensed watermen and their immediate families receive free admission to the festival by showing an active license at the door.
All food and beverages are an additional charge for all guests.
During the festival, additional free event parking will be available at St. Michaels Middle/High School, with a complimentary shuttle service to and from CBMM.
For safety reasons, non-service dogs must be kept at home during CBMM festivals, including Watermen’s Appreciation Day. Carry-on alcohol from dock or land is also prohibited. Spectator boats wishing to view the boat docking competition from the water must remain outside the buoyed channel.
Learn more about CBMM’s full slate of upcoming events, including Bluegrass on the Bay coming on Saturday, July 26, at cbmm.org/Festivals.
