NORTH BEACH, Md. — The Maryland Osprey Festival will be returning to North Beach in 2026.
The festival will take place on Saturday, April 18 from 11am to 4pm on the North Beach Boardwalk. This is a ticketed event that also serves as a fundraiser for the North Beach Nature Center. Tickets are $10 a person or $20 a family. You can buy tickets online in advance.
Ospreys are a migratory water bird that visit towns along the Chesapeake Bay from mid-March through early September. Ospreys have several known nesting locations in Southern Maryland, including several in North Beach.
The Chesapeake Bay supports the largest Osprey breeding population in the world. Ospreys and other fish-eating raptors faced grave threats in the middle of the 20th century due to the use of the pesticide DDT. A 1972 ban on DDT helped the population recover to an estimated 3,500 breeding pairs by 1990. Currently, the global population is estimated at fewer than 100,000 birds.
Although these birds are listed as “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) , concerns remain in the area about loss of habitat and hatchlings’ survival as we continue to face environmental issues in the waters of the Chesapeake and surrounding communities.
The Festival was created by residents of the Mid-Atlantic region to celebrate Ospreys, build awareness, and provide education to the public. Proceeds from the festival go to non-profit organizations who have a vested interest in protecting and conserving Ospreys, Bald Eagles, other wildlife, and natural areas.
Stay updated on the festival online or by following the group on Facebook.
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