Summer may be winding down but activities at the Leonardtown Wharf are just getting underway with a Waterfront Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 13, from noon till 5 p.m. commencing with St. Mary’s Ryken Pep Band, the first ever St. Mary’s Ryken / Leonardtown High School Challenge Cup PHRF Handicap Sailboat Races and a unique exhibit on the James Adams Floating Theatre on Its Visits to Leonardtown 1915-1935 at Tudor Hall presented by the St. Mary’s County Historical Society..
Throughout the day there will be guided Kayak/Canoe excursions by McIntosh Outfitters along the shores of Breton Bay with hands-on workshops, exhibits, crab races, along with age appropriate arts and crafts for all. Sit a spell for a special story hour presented by the St. Mary’s County Library Leonardtown branch.
Climb aboard for a tour of the Samuel Bailey (buy boat) and Frisky (work boat with clam rig) and set your sights on maritime objects from the Calvert Marine Museum, St. Clements Island and Piney Point Museums, Chesapeake Bay Field Lab, Blackistone Lighthouse Foundation, Antique Boat and Motor Collections, Power Squadron, Lower Tributary Team, Maryland Dept of the Environment, Department Natural Resources, Sultana Project, St. Mary’s County Recycling and Solid Waste Advisory Council will educate us on simple steps to reduce, reuse and recycle, “It all ends up in the Chesapeake Bay” and more…
Keep an eye out for “Crabs Alive” a one act play about the 21st Century challenges facing waterman today, performed by the Newtowne Players.
Take the helm and sail our way to the Leonardtown/St. Mary’s Ryken Breton Bay Challenge Cup. Sailboat races begin at 1 p.m. on the Breton Bay. There will be keel boat and dinghy races, open to all. The Saturday afternoon sailboat races will run from September to November. The proceeds from the sailing event will benefit both of the high school’s sailing programs.
To top off the event, strolling mistral, David Norris will perform from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. followed by awards presentations for the sailboat races for both classes.
As the starts to set, we’ll hear shanty songs and tunes echoing from the waters edge from Leonardtown’s High School band and the school’s 22-member choral group “Potomac Voices” directed by James Bowser.