Things to Do in Maryland on Labor Day Weekend

There are a million and one things to do in Maryland on Labor Day weekend.

The Maryland Park Service (MPS) has reopened all of Maryland’s State Parks after extensive clean-up and repairs in the wake of Hurricane Irene. Some parks may still be in the final stages of clean-up and there may be lingering power outages in some limited areas by the weekend, but the MPS encourages Maryland families to enjoy outdoor recreation at their State Parks over the holiday weekend.

For astronomy enthusiasts, the Maryland Park Service is featuring a night time viewing of the lunar surface, double stars, galaxies, star clusters, the Milky Way and other deep sky objects, at 8 p.m. on September 3 at Fort Frederick State Park.

Fort Frederick is an ideal site for astronomical observation. The skies are dark and there is minimal light pollution. Amateur astronomers are encouraged to bring their telescopes and binoculars to the event and to share their knowledge and enthusiasm.

The event will be held at the newly-created amphitheater behind the nature center. The nature center is next to Captain Wort’s store across the road from the fort. Overnight camping on 29 sites is available at a cost of $15 per site on a first come, first served basis.

The Astronomy Program will be presented by a park naturalist and is free, with light refreshments provided. In the event of clouds or rain, the program will be rescheduled for September 4

Fort Frederick is located off of Route 70 exit 12 at State Route 56, in Big Pool, MD. For more information call 301-842-2155 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or visit dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/fortfrederick.asp


For beach goers, Assateague State Park has re-opened after being hard hit by Hurricane Irene. This is a great time to go shell collecting as the storm washed millions of shells and other treasures high up onto the beach.Visitors to Assateague Island can also enjoy swimming, sunbathing, kite flying, photography, kayaking or other pastimes.

Here are more things to do in Maryland during Labor Day weekend:

 - Go saltwater fishing in the Chesapeake Bay, or enjoy freshwater fishing in a lake, pond, river or creek.

 - Visit an orchard and pick fresh Maryland peaches, pears, apples and other fruits.

 - Shop at one of Maryland's many farmer's markets where organic, natural and locally sourced foods are available at unbeatable prices.

 - Visit a festival. Labor Day festivals throughout Maryland showcase music, art, local foods, crafts and other interests.