Baltimore Festivals 2025

Baltimore hosts several of Maryland's most popular festivals. The city is home to a number of venues, parks, and other facilities where enthusiasts can enjoy festivals.

Maryland officials recently announced the 2025 dates for Artscape, AFRAM, the Baltimore Caribbean Festival, and Charm City Live. 

“Starting in May, we will have not just one, but four spectacular events coming to Baltimore. Over the years Artscape, AFRAM, the Baltimore Caribbean Festival, and Charm City Live have become more than just fun for the whole family,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott.

2025 Baltimore Festival dates:

Artscape will take place Memorial Day Weekend on Saturday, May 24, and Sunday, May 25, 2025. 

AFRAM will occur around the Juneteenth holiday on Saturday, June 21, and Sunday, June 22, 2025. 

The Baltimore Caribbean Festival will be held on Saturday, July 12, 2025, and Sunday, July 13, 2025. 

Charm City Live will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2025. 

More Information

Effective January 1, 2025, the City of Baltimore will be updating its public-facing special events calendar to help ease collaboration and planning efforts for events across Baltimore.

The updated calendar will include Non-Permit Dates so that external partners and the public can plan events around the availability of City services.

2018 Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival

The Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival will be held on May 19th and 20th, 2018 at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, MD.

This year's performers include: Brian Setzer's Rockabilly Riot, Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, Delbert McClinton, Keb' Mo', Doyle Bramhall II, Shemekia Copeland, Mike Zito, Heather Gillis, Mr. Sipp, Brandon Taz Niederauer, Jerron "Blind Boy" Paxton, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, and others.

Chesapeake Bay Events is pleased to announce that Deanna Bogart will travel from her home on the west coast to appear at the 20th Anniversary of the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival (CBBF).

Deanna is an award winning, multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, singer, songwriter, producer, pianist and sax player.  She combines the best of Boogie-Woogie, contemporary Blues, Country and Jazz into a blend that she calls "blusion".

She has 22 WAMMIES (Washington Area Music Awards) and 3 BMA Awards for Horn Instrumentalist of the Year.

She has played for US Troops in Iraq, Kuwait and Egypt.

Deanna appeared at the very first festival in 1998 in the pouring rain.

Deanna is scheduled to perform with a full horn section on Sunday, May 20th, 2018.

Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival 2016

The 2016 Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday May 21 and 22 at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. The annual two day festival helps raise money for local charities.

Guitarist Joe Bonamassa will headline the festival. Bonamassa began his career opening for B.B. King in 1989, when he was only 12 years old.

The Robert Cray Band will close on Saturday. This will be Robert Cray's second appearance at CBBF, his first being in 2000.

2016 Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival Bands - Musicians - Artists

Saturday:

Robert Cray Band
John Mayall
The Mavericks
Sonny Landreth
Mud Morganfield
Danielle Nicole
The Chesapeake Bay Dixie Band featuring Patty Reese with the Dixie Power Trio and New Line Brass Band

Sunday:

Joe Bonamassa
Canned Heat
Tab Benoit
Heritage Blues Orchestra
Dana Fuchs
Ronnie Baker Brooks
Michael McHenry Tribe
For more information, visit www.bayblues.org.

Maryland Boating Events

Boaters and other nautical enthusiasts will find a never-ending list of boating-related events in Maryland. Things to do include boat docking contests, boat races, exhibitions, festivals, and other events.

2015 Boating Events

Pocomoke Boat Docking Challenge
Saturday August 29, 2015
Downtown Pocomoke City, MD

Deal Island Skipjack Races and Festival
September 5-7, 2015
Deal Island Harbor
10319 Richard Webster Road
Deal Island, MD 21821

National Hard Crab Derby
September 3, 4, 5, 6, 2015
Somers Cove Marina
Crisfield, MD

Crisfield Maryland Boat Docking Contest
September 6, 2015
Somers Cove Marina
Crisfield, MD

Solomons Plein Air Festival
September 15 – 20, 2015
Solomons Riverwalk
Solomons Island MD

Water Works Art Exhibition
September 17, 2015 to November 01, 2015
Maryland Federation of Art
Annapolis, MD

Choptank Heritage Skipjack Race
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Long Wharf Park
Cambridge, MD 21613

Crisfield Maryland Dock Day on the Bay
September 26, 2015
Somers Cove Marina
Crisfield, MD 21817

Tales of Annapolis & the Chesapeake Bay (boat cruise)
October 01, 2015 11:15 a.m.-2:15 p.m.
Departs: Cruises on the Bay by Watermark
Annapolis, MD

Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival and Maritime Model Expo
October 3-4, 2015
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
St. Michaels, MD

Downrigging Weekend - Tall Ship and Wooden Boat Festival
October 29- November 1, 2015
Chestertown Waterfront
Chestertown, MD

2015 Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival Performers

The list of performers is set for the 2015 Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival, according to Chesapeake Bay Events, which produces the annual festival.

Star performers include Gregg Allman, Buddy Guy with Quinn Sullivan, Jonny Lang, Beth Hart, Charlie Musselwhite, Bobby Rush, Shemekia Copeland, Tommy Castro and the Painkillers, Mingo Fishtrap, Jarekus Singleton, Davy Knowles, The Sisterhood of Soul with Patty Reese, Lil' Margie Clark, Sylver Logan Sharp, Lisa Lim, Justine Miller, Heather Haze and Leigh Pilzer.

The festival will be held on Saturday, May 16th and Sunday, May 17th, 2015 at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, Maryland.

Saturday, May 16, will open with 18 year old blues sensation from South Carolina, Marcus King and his band. Sunday will open with an all star lineup of local musicians, including Dean Rosenthal, Mark Wenner, Tommy Lepson, Pete Ragusa, Jan Zukowski, and Robert Frohm.

In addition to national performers on stage with video walls, there will be a variety of food vendors, a craft village, children's activities, and other attractions.

General Admission tickets are available for purchase online at www.bayblues.org or by phone at 410-982-0799. VIP Tickets are sold out.

For more information, visit www.bayblues.org.
source: Chesapake Bay Events, Inc.

Honey Harvest Festival

Honey Harvest Festival
Patuxent Research Refuge, MD
September 20, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The 2014 Maryland Honey Harvest Festival will be held at the Patuxent Research Refuge on September 20 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Supported by the Maryland State Beekeepers Association, the festival features arts and crafts, honey tasting, candle-making demonstrations, and more.

The Maryland Honey Harvest Festival is free and open to the public.

source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Eagle Festival

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Eagle Festival
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, MD
March 15, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge eagle festival includes several free bus tours to see active eagles' nests.
Pre-registration is NOT required.

source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Butler’s Orchard Pumpkin Festival 2013

The 33rd Annual Butler’s Orchard Pumpkin Festival will be held on weekends throughout October in Montgomery County, near Germantown, Maryland.

In addition to pumpkins, Butler’s Orchard Pumpkin Festival includes hayrides, pony rides, hayloft jumping, food, crafts, animals, entertainment, pedal tractors, the Twisted Pumpkin Corn Maze, Spider Web, and more.

2013 Southern Maryland Blues Festival Performers

Chesapeake Bay Events, Inc. recently released the lineup for the 2013 Southern Maryland Blues Festival. The festival will be held on September 7th and 8th at the Calvert County Fairgrounds in Barstow, Maryland.

Music genres featured at the inaugural Southern Maryland Blues Festival will include blues, funk, soul, zydeco, country, and southern rock.

Bands scheduled to appear include:

The Sam Grow Band
The Patty Reese Band
Bonerama
Walter Trout
Ana Popovic and the Mo Better Love Band
Canned Heat
Swamp Candy
The Daryl Davis Band
Rosie Ledet and the Zydeco Playboys
Mark Hummell Tribute to Little Walter
Trampled Under Foot
The Marshall Tucker Band

All proceeds from this festival will go to End Hunger of Calvert County.

In addition to the music, the festival will have a crafter village, moon bounces, face painting, local food, wine and beer, and more.

Tickets will go on sale on June 1, 2013. They are available on line at: www.somdblues.org

source: The Chesapeake Bay Events

Accohannock Indian Tribe 2012 Fall Festival and Pau-Wau

The Nineteenth Annual Accohannock Indian Tribe Fall Festival and Pau-Wau will be held at Bending Water Park near Marion, Md October 20-21, 2012.

The 2012 Fall Pau-Wau, entitled "Healing of All Nations," will be held rain or shine in the dance circle under the NEW pavilion.

Demonstrations will include:

* Native American tool making, weaponry and survival skills

* Native American dancers and story telling

Vendors include:
* Native American crafts, materials, books, jewelry, music, food, and more

* Famous Accohannock Oyster Sandwiches, Seafood, Indian Tacos, Buffalo Burgers and more

Location:

Bending Water Park
28325 Farm Market Road
Marion Station, Maryland 21838
Public Welcome!
Donation $4.00 (Boy and Girl Scouts in uniform and children five and under are free)
Gate open from 10 AM to 5 PM
Saturday Grand Entry at 12 Noon
Sunday Grand Entry at 1 PM

Bring your lawn chairs or blankets for a delightful experience

NO ALCOHOL - NO DRUGS - NO PETS

For information see http://www.indianwatertrails.com/

or contact:
Beverly Council
phone: 410-623-2660
email: accohannock@verizon.net

source: www.indianwatertrails.com

2012 Bay Harvestfest

Bay Harvestfest 2012 will be held on Saturday, October 6, 2012 from 12-6 pm in North Beach, Maryland. The festival features seafood, live music, vendors, arts, crafts, and other attractions.

2011 Ocean City MD Sunfest

Sunfest is coming up in Ocean City MD on Sep 22nd, 2011. The event includes music, food, arts and crafts, hayrides, children's activities and more.

This popular Maryland festival celebrates summer's end and the start of the fall season at the beach. Sunfest is held at the Ocean City Inlet and along the beach. Admission to the festival is free.


For 2011, Sunfest has once again been rated by Sunshine Artist, “America’s Premier Show and Festival Magazine,” the number one traditional art and craft show in the nation. This is the second year in a row Sunfest was ranked as number 1. The rankings are based on audit reports, reader surveys and anecdotal reports from participating exhibitors.

Several concerts will be held during the festival. Linwood Peel’s Drifters, Cornell Gunter’s Coasters and the Del Vikings are scheduled to play on Thursday, September 22. Country star Jamey Johnson takes the stage on Friday, September 23. Country and pop legend Kenny Rogers is to appear on Saturday, September 24.

Tickets for all three shows are on sale at the Ocean City Convention Center Box Office on 40th St. in Ocean City. Box office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets are also available at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-551-7328.

For more information about Sunfest, visit www.ococean.com, call 410-250-0125 or toll-free at 1-800-626-2326.