Story Category: The Bay Net Exclusives »

The sight of steam rising from the crab cookers mixed with the sound of music and the smell of those steamed crabs being attacked with knives and mallets. What you had was the 27th Annual St. Mary’s County Crab Festival Saturday at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds.

The event sponsored by the Leonardtown Lions Club features the fun of the day mixed the seriousness of the purpose. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the Crab Festival go to local and International Lions Club Community Service Programs such as Leader Dogs, Vision Support, Free Vision Screening and much more.

This year’s event was held on Saturday for the first time after being held on Sunday for the previous 26 years. The event also featured a day of music on a bandstand strategically located in front of the shaded area at the fairgrounds set aside for eating on picnic tables. Of course for this event the tables with covered with crab paper. The music was provided by Southbound, David Norris and the 25th Hour Band.

Other features of the festival included a tractor and 50/50 raffle, petting zoo, arts and crafts, moonbounce, John Deere toy collection and classic car show. Of course the food was the center of the activities, with crab cakes and crab soup along with those steamed crabs and other food for those not so crustacean inclined.

The Leronardtown Lions Club was founded in 1940. It has played an active role in serving the citizens oif St. Mary’s County and then the world. Their website is http://leonardtownlions.org/