With the end of summer nearing and the first day of school right around the corner, life is feeling a little hectic. Lucky for all of us, today is National Relaxation Day—making this weekend the perfect time to take a breather. Here are a few ways (aside from doing nothing at all) to relax and unwind this weekend. Learn More>>>
Annapolis and West County
Summer Shop Hop – Downtown Annapolis Thursday, August 15th, 5 p.m. Bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Light House Shelter Client Choice Pantry and enjoy discounts and drinks at 14 downtown Annapolis stores. Participating stores include Lilac Bijoux, Seasons Taproom, Alpaca International, J. McLaughlin, Lou Lou, Hobo, Blanca Flor, Brightside Boutique, Surf's Up Candle, Kokopelli, Hats in the Belfry, 3 Sisters, The Lucky Knot, and The Pink Crab. HA Happy Hour: Ghostly Garden Mystery – William Paca House and Garden, Annapolis Thursday, August 15th, 5 p.m. Join Historic Annapolis for the final HA Happy Hour of the season, a Clue-style, ghostly whodunnit. Guests will attempt to discover which apparition has been terrorizing the gardener, with what, and where. Come dressed in your Halloween finest, enjoy a Vanilla Mule or this month’s signature Stoli cocktail, and try to solve the mystery of the garden ghost. Scary Mommy: The Mother of All Comedy Shows – Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts Thursday, August 15th, 8 p.m. For the first time ever, Scary Mommy, the number one media and entertainment brand for all moms in the country, is coming to Maryland Hall for the ultimate mom’s night out live event. Scary Mommy Live will bring to life everything that millions of parents connect with every day through humor and honesty when “The Mother of All Comedy Shows” takes place live onstage. CRAB Cup – Eastport Yacht Club, Annapolis Saturday, August 17th, 12 p.m. Join Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB) for its biggest fundraiser of the year, the annual CRAB Cup. After the race, stick around for the CRAB Cup Party at 4 p.m., featuring live music from Naptown Brass Band and Misspent Youth. Party tickets include dinner, three drink vouchers, and a donation to CRAB. Kegs & Corks Festival – Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds, Crownsville Saturday, August 17th, 1 p.m. Head over to Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds for the eighth annual Kegs and Corks Festival. The festival will feature unlimited samples of wine and craft beer, delicious food vendors, live music, and a variety of art vendors. All tickets include a souvenir glass, unlimited wine and craft beer samples, and free parking. Puppy Plunge – Camp Letts, Edgewater Saturday, August 18th, 12 p.m. Join the Anne Arundel County SPCA (AACSPCA) for its annual Puppy Plunge. Take a plunge with your pup and support the AACSPCA. Enjoy live music, food, vendors, a dog swimwear parade, and a puppy pie-eating contest.
Eastern Shore
Queen Anne's County Fair – Queen Anne’s County 4-H Park, Centreville Now through Saturday, August 17th Grab the whole family and head over to the annual Queen Anne’s County 4-H Fair. Enjoy a variety of livestock shows, contests, food vendors, entertainment, carnival rides, and so much more. The entry fee is $3 per person. Children ages 12 and under, 4-H members, and FFA members are admitted free of charge. Caroline Summerfest – Downtown Denton Friday, August 16th, 5–10 p.m. and Saturday, August 17th, 2–9 p.m. Head to Historic Downtown Denton for Caroline Summerfest, the 31st annual end of summer celebration. Enjoy four stages of live entertainment, strolling performers, plenty activities for children, a firework display on Saturday, delicious festival food, and much more. Legacy Day – Sumner Hall, Chestertown Saturday, August 17th, 10 a.m. Legacy Day celebrates the rich cultural heritage of African Americans in Kent County; this year's theme is Historic African American Churches. Exhibitions, a genealogy workshop, a gospel concert, and other activities are happening in various venues. Food, drink, and craft vendors will be set up in Fountain Park throughout the events. The day of celebration finishes with a dance party on High Street featuring Jasper Hackett with Quiet Fire. Choptank Rivah Run – Martinak State Park, Denton Saturday, August 17th, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Rivah Run is a fun, open two-mile paddling event for children and adults of all ages (under 18 must be accompanied by an adult). Any type of paddle craft is eligible for this “POKER RUN.” Beginning at Martinak State Park, each paddler stops at a series of checkpoints to receive a playing card, finishing at the Choptank River Yacht Club. At the finish, the best five-card poker hand wins the top prize: a kayak! Local businesses have also contributed prizes for other winning poker hands. The race begins at Martinak State Park and ends at the Choptank River Yacht Club in West Denton. Groove City Culture Fest – Downtown Cambridge Saturday, August 17th, 1–7 p.m. The event will showcase the history and culture of the African American community, taking place on historic Pine Street. Attendees will enjoy live music, dance performances, inspirational speakers, food, vendors, and much more. The festival is free and open to the public.
Regional
Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week – Throughout Maryland Now through Saturday, August 17th Get everything you need for back to school! Now through August 17th, qualifying clothing and footwear priced $100 or less will be exempt from Maryland's six percent sales tax. The first $40 of back/bookbag sales also qualifies. A list of exempt and taxable items is available on the Comptroller of Maryland's website. Baltimore Orioles Crab Feast – Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore Saturday, August 17th, 6 p.m. Orioles fans 21 and over are invited to attend the first-ever Crab Feast at Oriole Park. The Crab Feast includes all-you-can-eat crabs and a variety of sides and drinks. Plus, all fans will receive an Orioles crab mallet. Attendees can also watch the O's take on the Red Sox on the center field video board starting at 7:10 p.m. from their tables on the infield dirt.
