The Maryland Seafood Festival

Breakfast of Champions
Local oysters & Tequila Sunrise

The Maryland Seafood Festival is a 48 year tradition celebrating the best of Maryland seafood, water sports, crafts, libations, music & entertainment and this year it happened to be occurring on my birthday weekend. Located at Sandy Point State Park in the shadow of the Bay Bridge the 2 day festival had a soggy start as Saturday’s persistent rain showers must have put a damper on things.

Our Groupon gave us all day access and remote parking for either Saturday or Sunday. Since the Sunday forecast was looking decidedly better we spent Saturday walking the streets of Annapolis.

Historic Annapolis

Our fall trip to Annapolis usually coincides with our pilgrimage to the Maryland Renaissance Fair but this year we will be attending that event later in October. Stand by for the post about that trip! Usually we are involved in some crazy stuff because we believe in full participation and dress up.

Don as Robin Hood &
Kurt Thiele as Friar Tuck instigating a riot when they meet up with the “Merry Men” at a past Renaissance Fair.

Robin Hood in search of pirate booty.

Although Saturday was dismal Sunday dawned bright and from our upper story hotel room we could see the blue skies extended out over the bay. The Groupon was not specific about how remote the parking for the Seafood Festival actually was because it was so far away (at Anne Arundel Community College) that we had to board school buses to be shuttled over to the park.

Don’t miss the bus!

Don expressed concern that the bus was “waiting” for us and suggested we make a dash. I reminded him that I was #&@!ing 57 years old and I didn’t mind if they punished me by taking away my recess! A cramped, uncomfortable ride ensued and we arrived at the park.

Don’s legs not quite fitting in the school bus seat.

Once through the gates your I.D. gets checked and you get banded to prove you are of legal drinking age. Yes, they did proof Don.

I.D. check even if you are older than the Scotch they are serving.

My first stop is down by the beach so I can see the Bay Bridge and what’s going on in the water.

Stand up paddleboarding

Human Foosball

Sun bathing & sand playing.

Bay Bridge Selfie

From the beach we grabbed a drink and headed down the food vendor lane to explore all the seafood deliciousness. Then I made the rounds of the tables where folks were chowing down on their purchases. If I saw something intriguing of course I went up to them and asked what they were eating, if it was delicious and where they obtained it. After completing my research we decided on oysters from the Costas Restaurant tent, a skewer of humongous coconut shrimp, a large golden crab cake with Remoulade sauce and Don had an obscenely large platter of fried fish, clams, shrimp & calamari.

The row of food vendors.

While blissfully content with a belly full of fish it was an easy task to separate Don from his cash while I shopped the craft vendors. Then it was off to the crab races!

The kids had their own tent full of fun.

We have a winner at the crab race!

We headed back down to the beach to watch the ships sail up toward Baltimore while enjoying the music and relaxing before getting ready for our drive home.

Cargo ship heading back out to the bay.

In need of nap.

It was a haul back home but it was made easier by the fact that the Redskins game was still in progress while we were passing by the stadium on the beltway and the Ravens were playing out of town. I think we both regretted not getting some Maryland she-crab soup to go so we could have had it later for dinner. It was just as well since we were still so full that we skipped dinner anyway. If you haven’t been to Annapolis or Maryland’s Eastern Shore it is definitely worth a long weekend. Early fall is still beautiful weather and more off season. There are some gorgeous accommodations and amazing restaurants. We highly recommend Sunday brunches at some of the waterside restaurants Just be careful and don’t try to stay in town if the Naval Academy has a football game at home. Go Navy!

Can I get one to go, please?

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