A fall tradition now in its 42nd year, the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival will bring unique watercraft and their passionate owners and builders to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s waterfront campus on Friday-Sunday, Oct. 3-5.
One of the nation’s largest gatherings of its kind, Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival XLII will celebrate the craftsmanship and innovation showcased through these vessels during a family-friendly weekend defined by camaraderie, tradition, and fun. Learn more about all the festivities planned at cbmm.org/MASCF.
Register as a participant at cbmm.org/MASCFparticipants to bring your vessel and gain access to the full slate of events throughout the weekend, including demos and workshops, guest speakers, races, children’s activities, boat judging and awards, and more. All other guests can enjoy the festival with general admission, which is valid for two consecutive days.
CBMM members save $25 on adult participant registration and receive free entrance to the festival as part of their free general admission throughout the year.
CBMM members become a part of the Chesapeake story and CBMM’s mission of preservation and exploration. To discover all the terrific benefits of membership and join today, visit cbmm.org/memberships or contact Membership Services Coordinator Debbie Ruzicka at 410-745-4991 or [email protected].
Each year, the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival features dozens of small craft, including sailing skiffs, rowing shells, kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, prams, and one-of-a-kind boats. An enthusiastic group of small craft owners from around the region, including members of the Traditional Small Craft Association, spend the weekend messin’ about together on the Miles River, starting with a Thursday camp cruise to Wye Island.
CBMM’s celebration of all things small craft features a variety of activities spread around campus and on the Miles River.
On Saturday, participants can enjoy craft and art workshops, plus boat discussions examining unique Chesapeake creations. This year, the evening program and awards is headlined by Joe Youcha, founder and director of Building to Teach and co-founder of Teaching with Small Boats Alliance.
Representatives from the Chesapeake Wooden Boat Builders School will offer boatbuilding and maritime demonstrations Saturday, and Chesapeake Light Craft will be on site with a selection of vessels from its fleet for guests to demo.
The children’s activities include cardboard boat construction and racing and model building on Saturday and a Sunday campus scavenger hunt.
One of the annual highlights is Saturday afternoon racing, with separate sailing and rowing competitions. Starting at 1pm, guests are encouraged to watch the competitors vie for bragging rights from CBMM’s waterfront and docks.
Everyone on campus for MASCF will be able to vote for their favorite boat, with the People’s Choice award and others announced among participants on Saturday evening. Limited offerings will be available for the public to see on Sunday.
For safety reasons, non-service dogs must be kept at home during CBMM festivals, including the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival.
CBMM has an exciting slate of fall festivals ahead, including OysterFest (Saturday, Oct. 25), the Holiday Edition of the Eastern Shore Sea Glass & Coastal Arts Festival (Saturday, Nov. 22), and Winter on the Chesapeake (Saturday, Dec. 13). Fall Festival Passes are on sale now, offering the chance to celebrate the best of the Bay at these three signature festivals for the price of two. Learn more and buy now at cbmm.org/Festivals.
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