The Calvert Marine Museum was alive with traditional sounds during the annual Solomons Maritime Festival on Saturday, May 5. The distinctive putt-putt-putt of old marine engines meshed with the rhythms of country music, the tap-tap-tapping of children hammering their toy boats together, the commands shouted to the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, and the horn of the historic tugboat moored in the boat basin.

Over 1,500 people came out to enjoy a picture perfect day at the museum. Highlights included the food demonstration tent where crab picking, ham stuffing, and oyster shucking were demonstrated, along with lessons in how to cook and eat soft crabs and crab cakes. In the boat basin visitors rowed, sailed radio controlled model boats, or jumped aboard the Wm. B. Tennison for a free boat ride, sponsored by the Calvert County Board of Commissioners. Captain Rachel Dean and her merry crew showed fascinated visitors the fishing equipment aboard their commercial work boat, the Roughwater, and had stations where visitors could watch a peeler crab in the process of shedding its shell, get a close-up look at eels or crabs in a typical trap, or see how fishing nets are made.

The Patuxent Small Craft Guild, Solomons Island Model Boat Club, and Purple Martin Club members were on hand to help out with the festivities. The guild members were showing off the new "landboat" the Volunteer, recently completed to grace the museum grounds, as well as running the ever popular toy boat building activity. The model boat club demonstrated their skills in the boat basin, and visitors were welcomed to try their own hand at navigating these radio controlled beauties. And the newest museum club, the Purple Martin Club celebrated the recently erected house with a visit by a pair of martins.

A core event of this festival is the Antique Boat and Marine Engine Show, which attracts owners with their lovingly restored antique boats and engines from across the country. This year 39 participants staked out the front lawn and parking lot with their Whirlwinds, racing boats, and Evinrude engines.

The Solomons Maritime Festival would not be possible without the generous support of the local businesses and organizations, including: The Calvert County Board of Commissioners, The Calvert County Watermen's Association, Chesapeake Energy Services, Directmail.com, Four Winds Cafe, Harbor Island Marina, Inc., Holiday Inn Solomons, McCready Boat Yard, Papa John's Pizza, Patuxent Small Craft Guild, Spring Cove Marina, Washburn's Boat Yard, and Zahniser's Yachting Center. Mark Saturday, May 4, 2013 on the calendar for the 2013 Solomons Maritime Festival!

Photos attached by Robert Hurry and Bob Hall:

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Bob Hall - Riverside Bluegrass Band delighted guests in the Corbin Nature Pavilion

Bob Hall - The art of woodcarving was demonstrated by the museum's very own Jimmy Langley.

Robert Hurry - The boat basin was packed full of guests enjoying boat rides and navigating radio controlled boats.

Robert Hurry - The Antique Boat and Marine Engine Show attracted 39 participants from across the country with their Whirlwinds, racing boats, and Evinrude engines.

Robert Hurry - Hands on activities for all ages added to the fun including learning how to make fishing nets!

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