The Maryland Renaissance Festival Cancels 2020 Run
The Maryland Renaissance Festival announces we will not operate the Festival in 2020. This decision is made after careful consideration following significant preparation to provide a safe experience for all of our guests and participants, acquiring all safety measures and reducing our attendance by half; unfortunately our preparation cannot overcome the many external uncertainties we are all experiencing. While many businesses can operate with restrictions the Festival we have always worked to put on is a variety of up-close and highly interactive experience for our customers and villagers. We cannot offer you the shops, entertainment, feasting and frivolity that has been our hallmark. It has been our pleasure to share our village with you for forty-three years and we look forward to once again visiting with you in Revel Grove with the 2021 Maryland Renaissance Festival.
New Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library Opened with a Virtual Ribbon Cutting on July 22
The $24 million facility had a virtual ribbon cutting on July 22nd. This is the first new library in the county in the last 16 years. Anne Arundel County Public Library CEO Skip Auld was at the library, accompanied by Governor Hogan, County Executive Steuart Pittman and the Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones via video. The public was invited to the opening, was able to see tours of the building, and the first checkout at the new library by six-year-old Annapolis resident Jaxon Giordano.
Annapolis Yacht Club Announces Two Bridge Fiasco
Named after one of the most popular annual regatta on the San Francisco Bay, the Three Bridge Fiasco, Annapolis Yacht Club is hosting the Two Bridge Fiasco on the Chesapeake Bay. The special thing about this race is that each skipper can sail the course in whichever direction they choose. The race will be August 2 and competitors will round marks set juts short of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the Naval Academy Bridge. The decision on how to approach the course is made by skippers shortly after starting the race.
Anne Arundel County Schools Announced Virtual Learning for the First Semester of the 2020-21 School Year
Anne Arundel County Public Schools will engage in virtual learning for the entire first semester of the 2020-21 school year. Superintendent George Arlotto made the decision July 22 after numerous conversations with Anne Arundel County Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman, with AACPS employees and students, with superintendents throughout Maryland, and after reviewing results of recent AACPS family and employee surveys.
The Sultana Education Foundation’s 2020 Downrigging Festival Weekend Cancelled
Not surprisingly, the arrival of COVID-19 has cancelled the Downrigging Festival. Several alternate formats for the festival were explored, but in the end, it was concluded that none would provide the quality experience that people have come to expect from Downrigging. As the festival takes a pause for 2020, we ask that you consider supporting one of our nonprofit tall Ship parners that have worked for two decades to help make Downrigging the Chesapeake’s premier waterfront festival. Please donate to Sultana Education Foundation, KAlmar Nycket Foundation, Pride of Baltimore, Inc, Nauticus Foundation, Living Classrooms, or Lynx Education Foundation.
Anne Arundel County Department of Health Closes the Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers Market in Annapolis
The Anne Arundel County Department of Health closed the Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers Market located at 2472 Solomons Island Road in Annapolis due to COVID-19 related violations of the County’s Public Safety Order. The violations cited employees’ failure to wear a face covering and the Market was issued a Notice of Suspension. The facility will remain closed until a written request is submitted describing actions that will be taken to resolve the face covering violations, a re-inspection is conducted, and the license is reinstated by the Department of Health. This is the first food facility in the county to be closed due to COVID violations.