St. Mary’s County Museums Announce Spring Events And Programs

ST. MARY’S COUNTY, Md. — The St. Mary’s County Museum Division is offering a variety of programs this spring, including environmental workshops, youth educational opportunities, historical presentations and the return of a popular river cruise experience.

Events will take place at Piney Point Lighthouse Museum and Historic Park and St. Clement’s Island Museum, providing residents and visitors opportunities to explore Southern Maryland’s history, natural environment and maritime heritage.

Below is a look at several upcoming events scheduled for March and April.

Crafts And Environmental Program

Seed Bombs Workshop
Saturday, March 14
10 a.m.–noon
Piney Point Lighthouse Museum and Historic Park

Participants will create DIY seed bombs using native wildflower seeds, soil and clay during this hands-on workshop. Organizers will also discuss the importance of native plants and how they support healthy ecosystems and local habitats.

The program is open to participants of all ages and is free to attend, though donations are welcome to support museum programming. Questions can be directed to Olivia.Flack@StMarysCountyMD.gov.

Historic Commemoration

Maryland Day Commemorative Mass
Wednesday, March 25
10 a.m. (water taxi begins at 9 a.m.)
St. Clement’s Island

Please note: St. Mary’s County officials announced, “While the traditional mainland Maryland Day ceremony will be paused in 2026 due to construction of a new St. Clement’s Island Museum, the annual commemorative Mass will still take place on St. Clement’s Island.”

The service honors the 1634 landing of Maryland’s first English colonists and the first Catholic Mass celebrated in the English New World. Community members are invited to attend, with water taxi service beginning at 9 a.m. and return trips available following the Mass.

County officials say the full Maryland Day celebration is expected to return in 2027 when the new museum facility opens.

Youth Programming

Junior Historian Spring Break Program
March 30–April 2
Piney Point Lighthouse Museum and Historic Park

Designed for children ages 7 to 10, the Junior Historian program combines outdoor exploration with hands-on activities focused on local history and the environment. Participants may take part in activities such as archaeological digs, fishing, model building and crafts connected to Southern Maryland’s maritime heritage. Children who complete the program receive a Junior Historian badge.

Environmental Celebration

Earth Day On the Bay at St. Clement’s Island Museum
Saturday, April 18
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
St. Clement’s Island Museum

Students, community members and local partners will gather for an Earth Day celebration featuring hands-on environmental activities and volunteer opportunities.

Students from the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center will launch the Bay Observation Box (BOB), an automated water quality monitoring system designed to help track conditions in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Visitors can stop by throughout the event to learn about the students’ work designing, building and testing the device and how it supports environmental restoration efforts.

Participants will also have the opportunity to travel by boat to St. Clement’s Island to assist with invasive species removal and litter cleanup aimed at protecting the historic site and its surrounding ecosystem.

Additional activities on the mainland will include environmental crafts for all ages, such as making pinecone bird feeders, creating native seed balls and decorating terracotta planters to take home.

The event will take place rain or shine. If weather conditions prevent travel to the island, activities will continue on the mainland, with craft programs held inside the Little Red Schoolhouse.

History Program

The 8th Green Machine Regiment Band Performing at Black Diamond Reception
Sunday, April 26
2:30–4 p.m.
Wreath laying (2 p.m.): On the waterfront at the St. Clement’s Island Museum. Concert and reception (2:30 p.m.): The Potomac Gardens follows the ceremony.

Check out a special performance by The 8th Green Machine (GM) Regiment Band, an early American brass band that performs 19th-century brass band music. The band performs on authentic 19th-century instruments and mouthpieces. A number of the instruments used by the band feature an Over-the-Shoulder (OTS) bell direction. This design was utilized so that a band could march in front of soldiers and be heard by the troops.

This extremely talented group will perform around 2:30 p.m. following the official Black Diamond American Civil War wreath laying ceremony (2 p.m.) at St. Clement’s Island Museum.

Wreath Laying Info: Black Diamond Disaster Wreath Laying
Band Info: https://www.facebook.com/8thGMRegimentBand

The event is free for all ages.

On The Water

Dinner & A Cruise Series
Starting Sunday, April 26
St. Clement’s Island Museum

The museum division’s Dinner & A Cruise series returns for the spring season, offering guests the opportunity to enjoy dinner while traveling along the Potomac River aboard the museum’s water taxi. The guided cruise includes narration highlighting the history and significance of the surrounding waterways.

Through these programs, the St. Mary’s County Museum Division continues to connect residents and visitors with the region’s colonial, maritime and environmental history through interactive events and educational experiences. Community members are encouraged to attend, explore the county’s historic sites and take part in the hands-on programs offered throughout the spring season.

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