Credit: Photo courtesy of Chesapeake Forum
Chesapeake Forum’s fall semester starts this week, with dozens of ways to explore, create, taste, travel, think—and get out on the water.
Sail on a skipjack. Wander through a field of flowers. Explore the mysteries of the universe. Taste your way through Eastern Shore food and craft beer. Discover Antarctica, walk through Easton history, learn to make Medicare work for you—or head out onto the Chesapeake to see one of the region’s great environmental success stories firsthand.
Chesapeake Forum’s fall semester gets underway this week, and there is still time to join in. With approximately 35 courses and experiences on the fall calendar, the hardest part may be deciding what to try first. This season’s offerings range from history, science, literature and health to cooking, gardening, art, field trips and opportunities to get outdoors and onto the water.
And if the class you want is already full, don’t give up: get on the waiting list. Plans change, seats open and waitlists move. And it’s easy to sign up at chesapeakeforum.org.
September alone offers plenty of reasons to get out of the house and try something new:
Poplar Island Reborn — Sept. 9, 10:30 a.m.–noon, and Sept. 16, 8:45 a.m.–noon. This two-part course begins with a hybrid classroom session exploring how an eroding Chesapeake island became a remarkable ecosystem-restoration project, followed by a field trip to Poplar Island to see the work firsthand. $40 regular cost / $0 subsidized charge.
Shore Bites & Brews — Sept. 10, 3–5 p.m. Five chef-created small bites featuring regional ingredients, each paired with a local brew at Eden Town Brewing in Denton. $55.
A Walk Thru Downtown Easton History — Sept. 11, 1:30–3 p.m. See familiar streets and buildings differently as Talbot Historical Society docents reveal stories, transformations, alleys and surprises hiding in plain sight. Meets at 25 S. Washington Street, Easton. $30.
Field Trip to the Museum of the American Revolution — Sept. 14, 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Celebrate America’s 250th with a coach trip from Easton to Philadelphia including transportation, docent-led museum tour and Lunch and Learn. $130.
Alternate History: “If the South Had Won the Civil War” — Sept. 15, 22 and 29, 10:30 a.m.–noon. Dr. Raymond Vergne explores the fascinating “what if?” world of alternate history. Attend at the Easton Family YMCA, by Zoom or watch the recording. $50.
Making Medicare Work for You — Sept. 15, 5:30–7 p.m. Healthcare advisor Amanda Adkins helps participants understand coverage choices, possible out-of-pocket costs and common Medicare mistakes. In person at the Talbot County Free Library, Easton Branch. $30 regular cost / $0 subsidized charge.
Antarctica: Adventure to the Bottom of the World — Sept. 16, 1:30–3 p.m. Travel through photographs and stories to towering glaciers, ice fields, penguins, whales and one of the most remote places on Earth with experienced traveler Doug Holly. Easton Family YMCA, Zoom or recording. $30.
The Art of the Autumn Bouquet — Sept. 17, 10:30 a.m.–noon. Wander through the fall flower fields at Vintage Family Farms in Hurlock, select your own dahlias and other seasonal blooms and create a bouquet to bring home. $55, including flowers and supplies.
Tea Tasting & Discovery with Doehrn Tea Co. — Sept. 17, 1:30–3 p.m. Taste your way through the world of tea while learning how different varieties are grown, produced and enjoyed. Doehrn Tea Co. in Oxford. $40.
Discover the Legacy of Land Conservation — Sept. 21, 10:30 a.m.–noon. Explore Dorsey Farm in Easton with Eastern Shore Land Conservancy experts and see firsthand how farmland, woodlands, grasslands and shoreline can be protected for generations. $30.
All of Life is Improv: Relearning to Play — Sept. 23, 10:30 a.m.–noon. Laugh, play, connect and rediscover spontaneity with Heather Hall and Val Cavalheri. No acting career required—just a willingness to have some fun. Easton Family YMCA. $30.
Savoring Shakespeare: “Julius Caesar” — Sept. 23 and 30 and Oct. 7, 14 and 21, 1:30–3 p.m. Conspiracy, ambition, assassination, revenge—and even a connection to John Wilkes Booth. Suzanne Sanders brings Shakespeare off the page in this five-session exploration. Talbot County Chamber of Commerce, Easton. $50.
History of the Universe — Sept. 24, 10:30 a.m.–noon. Physicist Gary Evans takes on a modest subject: everything from the Big Bang to the emergence of life and how we got here. Easton Family YMCA, Zoom or recording. $30.
Books with Friends — Sept. 24, Oct. 22 and Nov. 19, 1–2:30 p.m. Three lively Zoom conversations about books worth talking about, beginning in September with “West with Giraffes” by Lynda Rutledge. $30 actual cost / $10 subsidized price.
Race Weekend Skipjack Nathan Sail & Lighthouse Tour — Sept. 25, 1–3 p.m. Tour the Choptank River Lighthouse and then climb aboard the skipjack Nathan of Dorchester for a sail just before Cambridge’s skipjack race weekend. Meet at Long Wharf in Cambridge. $65.
Monday Mojo — Sept. 28, 9–10:30 a.m. No syllabus and no homework—just coffee, conversation and Chesapeake Forum friends at Panera Bread in Easton. No charge other than whatever you order.
ShoreRivers Fall Sunset Cruise on the Dudley — Sept. 28, 4:45–7 p.m. Learn about the health of the Choptank with Choptank Riverkeeper Matt Pluta while actually cruising the river aboard the Dudley as evening settles over the water. Departs from Cambridge. $50.
Felting Magic: Garden Witches & Whimsical Woolies — Sept. 29, 1–3 p.m., with additional projects Oct. 27 and Nov. 17. Turn simple wool into whimsical three-dimensional art with Paige Davis-Perez of Farm Girl Felts. Choose one session or all three. Easton Family YMCA. $50 per session, including materials.
It’s easy to register at chesapeakeforum.org.
Whether your idea of learning involves a classroom, a flower field, a brewery, a historic street, a museum, a boat or simply a good conversation, there is still time to find your place in Chesapeake Forum’s fall semester.
For complete course descriptions, availability and registration, visit chesapeakeforum.org. If the course you want is full, join the waitlist—openings happen.
Chesapeake Forum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing lifelong learning opportunities to residents of the Eastern Shore. Chesapeake Forum is part of the YMCA of the Chesapeake. To receive Chesapeake Forum’s newsletter, please send your name and information to info@chesapeakeforum.org.
