The Market at Dover Station is a can’t miss destination this November, as it celebrates its first-year anniversary and gives thanks to the community! Merchants offer fresh autumn wares, events and activities promise fun for all, and the fine art beckons.

In The Market’s Gallery at Dover Station, a First Friday reception celebrates “The Perfect Gift”, a new group exhibit of small works by four regional art groups: Plein Air Painters of the Chesapeake Bay, Working Artists Forum, Botanical Art League of the Eastern Shore and St Michaels Art League. 

Festivities at Dover Station on Waterfowl Weekend, November 15 and 16, include Oysters & Beer & Line Dancing from 3-5 p.m. There will be a Doggie Treat Cart on site both days from 1-3 p.m., and Pop-Up Permanent Jewelry by jeweler Regen Linn of Alloyed Earth Jewelry.

Several small businesses and artists at The Market at Dover Station of note in November include the following:

Market owner and manager Keri Topjian is thrilled to announce, “Father and son floral design team Richard and Nick of Savington & Hill Co. have been a part of The Market since its beginning. This fall they are launching their full-service floral business in a much larger space and moving their stunning design center to Dover Station, bringing bespoke floral creations, seasonal arrangements, and inspired botanical design right to the heart of the community.” Stay tuned for workshops, custom floral services, and blooms that transform every occasion. 

Courtney Gray, owner of Emma & Me, lives in Dallas, Texas, and has spent some time every summer in Easton for the last 28 years. “I started a doll clothing company because my daughter, Emma, loved American Girl dolls. This was often a stress reliever. Emma was at home due to her illness, and we spent a lot of time together crafting or cooking. When Emma died just before her 12th birthday in 2018, I began adding other products and embroidery, and the business changed into what it is today. Everything about the business has Emma in mind, from the logo colors (mint was Emma’s and navy is mine) to the items and designs I select.” Now, Courtney embroiders beautiful baby items, clothing, linen tea towels and napkins, and more, with her ten-needle machines. Blue and white are her go to colors because, influenced by living in France for 12 years, she loves French chinoiserie designs. 

Eric Vavassori and his wife, Joanne, of Trappe, Maryland, offer handcrafted luxury goat milk soaps, creams and lotions inspired by Eric’s grandmother’s ancestral recipes from the Pyrenees mountains in southern France. Their Trafalgar Farms brand offers exquisite scents, beautifully packaged, and sold under the umbrella of parent company Bluepoint Hospitality Group. Goat milk has been valued for centuries for its beneficial properties — naturally gentle, deeply moisturizing, and rich in nutrients that soothe and nourish the skin. Eric says, “Now, inspired by the same tradition and resourcefulness that guided my grandmother, we’re thrilled to take the next step: sharing our goat milk soaps and beauty products with an even wider audience.”

Oil painter Laura Jenkins from Berlin, Maryland, is a self-taught artist who shares her interpretations of the landscape of the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. After painting for about 15 years, she began to show her work and gain a following. At that point she started to paint almost full time. Her lovely soft-edged work captures her deep feelings about the beauty of the region.

Kerri Anderson from Kent Island, Maryland, created Island Cow Company to satisfy a need. “As a Mama searching for products that are truly safe and effective for little ones’ sensitive skin, I decided to create something I could trust. I began experimenting with simple, local ingredients in my kitchen, determined to make a balm that was pure and nourishing.” Her secret is 100% grass-fed, grass-finished tallow, rich in nourishing skin-loving properties, sourced locally on the Eastern Shore of Maryland to support small farms, and crafted with care and love. Island Cow Company has blossomed into a brand that Anderson is now incredibly proud to share with families everywhere.

Dover Station offers stunning spaces for weddings, meetings and family gatherings. It also hosts classes and activities including yoga, dancing, pottery, and woodworking for kids and adults. Coming very soon in phase II is a cafe, and later in phase III is a brewery.

Since it opened on November 30, 2024, The Market at Dover Station has established itself as an upscale regional hub showcasing the work of fine artists, glass, pottery and jewelry artisans, a selection of antique and vintage goods, fresh flowers and fine chocolates, handmade balms and lotions, and more. Market partners also offer interior design, landscape design and maintenance, custom wedding gifts, and many other unique finds. 

The Market at Dover Station is located at 500 Dover Road, Easton, Maryland 21601. For hours, events, and more information, please stay informed at www.doverstation.com and sign up to follow on social media.

The complaints used to trickle in. Lately, they come in waves.

People show up at the Avalon thrilled for a show—Graham Nash, Judy Collins, the Eastport Oyster Boys—and the night starts with a thud. The seats aren’t what they thought. The name on the ticket isn’t theirs. The price they paid doesn’t match the face value printed right there in black and white.

“We’re seeing it with almost every show,” said Jessica Bellis, the Avalon Foundation’s Director of Finance and Operations. “Not just the big names you’d expect to draw competition from resellers. Community shows, too. Last year’s Sound of Music—people were spending three or four times face value because they landed on a reseller’s site.”

If you’re thinking “scalpers,” that’s not it. This is something else—slick third-party “marketplaces” that look like a venue’s box office, speak with the same urgency (“only two left!”), and promise tickets… later. Sometimes they buy after you buy, then transfer the tickets just before showtime. Sometimes they buy early, mark up the price, and pass along a QR code with a stranger’s name on it. Always, they add fees—double, triple, more.

“I think people have been desensitized to ticket pricing,” Bellis said. “There’s been so much news about how expensive tours are. So you see $60 for a regional act and think, ‘I guess that’s what it costs now.’ It doesn’t—if you’re on our site. But if you’re on a resale site, it suddenly does.”

That desensitization has a cost beyond dollars. “It colors the whole experience,” Bellis said. “You came here to relax, to have fun, and now you’re stewing because the ticket says $60 and you paid $150.”

Deana Villani, the Avalon’s Multimedia Specialist, sees how easy it is to get fooled. “People Google ‘Avalon Theater,’ click the top result—which is usually an ad—and land on a site that looks legitimate,” she said. “The seat maps mimic ours: right orchestra, center orchestra, left orchestra. But there are tells. We list rows by letters, A through H. They might show ‘Row 25.’ We don’t have a Row 25.”

Another tell: pop-ups and flashing countdowns. “Low ticket warning. Selling fast. Only two remaining. That’s not us,” Villani said. “We may note low inventory in an email, but we’re not doing the slot-machine thing on the site.”

What happens when someone realizes too late?

“We try to care for them,” Bellis said. “If there’s a better seat open, we’ll move them. But we can’t refund money we never received. We don’t know what they paid or who took their payment. If they’ve misplaced the confirmation and don’t remember which site they used, we’re doing detective work in the lobby while doors are closing.”

She told a story from a near-sold-out Judy Collins show: an older woman came alone, flustered, without a receipt. “We pieced it together—one single seat in a row she sort of remembered—but you feel awful,” Bellis said. “And then someone asks, ‘Why doesn’t your website warn people?’ It does. But they weren’t on our website.”

Villani sees patterns. “Folks from out of town are the most vulnerable,” she said. “They don’t know what our site looks like, they’re not on our email list, and they’re used to searching by the artist’s name plus city. They click the first thing that looks right. We’ve had people drive up from Norfolk and elsewhere in Virginia, and it’s heartbreaking to tell them they paid triple.”

The confusion doesn’t end at purchase. If a show is canceled, shifted, or has important day-of updates, the venue emails the account holder—the real buyer of record. “If that’s a reseller, the message may never get to the person in the seat,” Bellis said. “We often station someone at the door during cancellations because we know some patrons won’t have been told. Nine times out of ten, those are reseller tickets.”

Why not fight back on Google? Short answer: money.

“Yes, you can play the SEO/ads game to float your official link to the top,” Bellis said. “But it’s expensive and targeted by geography and demographics. A nonprofit venue like ours can’t outspend national marketplaces. It would be throwing good money after bad. Our strategy is education: talk with the press, speak to community groups, and warn patrons everywhere we can.”

There’s also the industry reality: most Avalon shows aren’t meant to sell out. “We design our schedule to serve the community,” Bellis said. “The idea that you need a ‘concierge’ service to secure seats here is mostly fiction. You usually can buy legitimate tickets at face value from us.”

So what should people do?

First, start in the right place. “Type the venue address directly,” Villani said. “For us, it’s avalonfoundation.org. Alternatively, visit the artist’s official website and click the venue link on their tour page. If you’re on our email list, those links go straight to our ticketing system.”

Second, sanity-check the price. “If your gut says, ‘This seems high for this act or this hall,’ get out of the cart and check our homepage,” Bellis said. “If our listed price doesn’t match what you’re about to pay, you’re on the wrong site.”

Third, check the details. “Rows listed as numbers instead of letters? A countdown clock and pop-ups? A ‘Row 25’ in a hall that doesn’t have numbers?” Villani said. “Those are red flags.”

Finally, slow down. “Don’t buy tickets after two glasses of wine on your phone,” Bellis said. “That’s when people make the biggest mistakes.”

There’s a part of this story that often gets overlooked: the people we never see—the ones who get priced out before they can click buy. “We talk about patrons who show up with marked-up tickets,” Bellis said. “But what about the people who land on a reseller, see the wrong price, and decide they can’t afford the Eastport Oyster Boys at sixty bucks when our tickets are twenty-five or thirty? They miss out entirely.”

On the flip side, some patrons overpay and never realize it. “They come, enjoy the show, and leave blissfully unaware,” Bellis said. “They’ll do it again next time. As a nonprofit, that stings. If you’re willing to pay triple face value, I’d love to introduce you to our development director and put those extra dollars to work here instead of with a reseller.”

If this sounds widespread, it is. “It’s not just us,” Villani said. “Birchmere, arena venues, major arts centers—it’s everywhere.” Bellis has started bringing the issue to civic groups. “I did a live demo with the St. Michaels Women’s Club,” she said. “We typed in searches together, clicked the top results, and saw how legitimate those bogus sites look. It was eye-opening.”

And as for legal remedies, the venue’s hands are tied at the door. “Resale is legal,” Bellis said. “These companies say they’re providing a ‘service.’ They’re not offering great customer service, but they’re operating within the rules. We can’t void those tickets on sight. Our focus is on helping people avoid the trap in the first place.”

The simplest path remains the best one: go straight to the source. “Our email list is a safety net,” Bellis said. “Every buy link is ours. The artist’s tour page is another safe on-ramp. What’s risky is typing the artist and city into a search engine and trusting the first result. We could be 15 or 20 links down.”

It would be easy to shrug and say this is the new normal. Bellis isn’t there. “We should be talking with peer venues and ticketing partners more,” she said. “Trade groups are buzzing about it. For now, the most effective thing is getting the word out.”

The message isn’t scoldy. It’s practical. “Buyer beware is the headline,” Bellis said. “Trust your gut. If anything feels off, hit pause and check us directly. Call us if you need to—we’ll call you back.”

One more thing—let’s talk out loud about it. 

“Please don’t be embarrassed if you’ve been scammed like this,” Bellis said. “That silence is how your friend ends up making the same mistake. Use the comments. Share the story. Help us spread the word.”

Villani agreed and put it plainly. “I’d love it if people took care to go to the actual venue or artist’s website and purchase tickets from there,” she said. “It would put these resellers out of business.”

Have you hit a reseller wall—overpaid seats, last-minute ticket transfers, no notification on a cancellation? Share your story below. Your experience might be the nudge that saves a neighbor from the same headache—and gets more people into the seats they meant to buy at the price the venue actually set.

Simpatico, Italy’s Finest, a specialty “All Things Italian” retailer and Trattoria Wine & Food Venue, will be celebrating their 21^st birthday on Saturday October 11^th with a special Italian Festival of wine tasting up to 21 wines, food, live accordion music, and birthday dessert tasting. The tented venue is located in their courtyard at 104-106 Railroad Avenue in St. Michaels, MD. Activities for all ages are planned for this festive event during this annual holiday weekend event.

The celebration over the day includes:

• Wine tastings of up to 21 wines supported by several Italian wine importers
• Bruschetta to enjoy while tasting wine, and lunch is available as well
• Food tastings of Simpatico’s delicious Italian specialties
• Live music from Accordion Artist Sergio Fresco
• A Birthday Dessert competition will offer tastes of up to 3 desserts for a donation with the proceeds to benefit Baywater Animal Rescue in Cambridge, MD in honor of Bella. If you would like to donate a dessert for this competition contact Bobbi at 410-745-0345.
• Special discounts off selected wines, foods and gifts

Details and tickets for the event can be purchased online at  https://www.simpaticostmichaels.com/events-1/simpaticos-21st-birthday-in-our-courtyard-birthday-cake-tasting-in-st-michaels.

Simpatico was started out of owner Bobbi Parlett’s passion to import Italian products to the US that were not readily available here, and to help Italian artisans to enter the USA market. This passion for “All Things Italian” grew from Bobbi’s initial trip to Italy in 1992, which then turned into over 32 more trips over the years. Bobbi says “The favorite part of my DNA came from my great-great grandfather, Antonio DaPrato, who emigrated from Barga, Tuscany to the US when he was 15 years old in 1846. A picture of Antonio hangs in the shop today in honor of this heritage, and I believe he is happy with what we have created here in St. Michaels.”

Originally mostly a ceramics and home furnishings shop located in the former leaning and now restored “Trattoria” historic building, Simpatico has expanded beyond these roots with increased focus on wine and food over the years. The incredible wine selection has been called the best Italian wine selection in the area, with over 350 different wines from all 20 regions, a foodie haven with a broad and deep array of foods from Italy, as well as ceramics and gifts, daily wine and EVOO tastings, take out meals, cooking classes and wine-food tasting events in the Trattoria. Bobbi loves to share the happiness that Italy brings to people through the offerings at Simpatico. Many customers comment that they feel like they were just in Italy after visiting Simpatico. Key partner relationships with a number of Italian artisans, Italian wine and food importers and distributors are integral to the authentic Simpatico offerings.

Bobbi shares “I can’t believe it has been this long that we have been open. We are only still in operation due to our wonderful customers, personable fun staff and our families, volunteers, and special supplier relationships both here and in Italy. I am so humbled by the sharing of the love of Italy and the experiences we have had with so many people, many of whom have become dear friends over the years. We look forward to more fun experiences together”.

Simpatico moved the retail shop in 2015 to the 106 Building across the courtyard on the property when the leaning 104 building was deemed structurally unsound. The building has since been restored, and the entire façade facing Talbot Street is painted in the colors of the Italian flag so there is no doubt about the Italy connection. Simpatico now operates in both buildings and the adjoining courtyard is used for special events and al fresco dining.

This latest expansion with Trattoria Simpatico in late 2023 with a multi-purpose open plan space and small commercial kitchen in the back of the building is where Chef Dawn McLoughlin creates incredible Italian food. The Trattoria offers Italian wine & food available through Popup lunches, cooking classes, take out or pick up in the retail shop, special wine and food tastings events, private parties and other special events.

Simpatico invites all Italian aficionados to our little piece of Italy in the heart of St. Michaels for our 21st celebration over the upcoming Holiday weekend on Saturday, October 11^th, from noon to 4:30 PM. Come join us for the kickoff of the next 21 years!

Details and tickets for the event can be purchased online at  https://www.simpaticostmichaels.com/events-1/simpaticos-21st-birthday-in-our-courtyard-birthday-cake-tasting-in-st-michaels.

About Simpatico, Italy’s Finest

Simpatico, Italy’s Finest is an independent importer, retailer, wholesaler and restaurant in St. Michaels, MD, specializing exclusively in Made in Italy artisan products that include: a diverse selection of Italian wines and spirits; unique range of authentic Italian foods, meats, cheeses & more; chocolates; ceramic dinnerware and other home accessories; gifts and gift baskets, kitchen linens; Murano glass jewelry; Trattoria restaurant, and much more. Simpatico also offers special wine and food events, special private events, and cooking classes, wine tastings daily and trips to Italy. For more information, please visit www.simpaticostmichaels.com

Easton Utilities is pleased to launch a new program enabling residents and businesses a simple way to support neighbors who are facing financial difficulties and struggling to pay their utility bills. This voluntary program, Change for Change, allows Easton Utilities customers to round their utility bill to the nearest dollar, donating just pennies each month to help residential customers in need.

“We’re excited to launch the Change for Change program, where even small gifts of change will make a big difference for our neighbors in need,” states Paula Taylor, Director of Customer Experience of Easton Utilities.

For those who enroll in the voluntary program, Change for Change participants will have their monthly bill automatically “rounded up” to the nearest dollar. All Change for Change contributions go directly into a specific account at Easton Utilities and distributed as a bill credit to the customers identified by our trusted partner, Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) in Easton, Maryland. SVdP currently has a thorough system in place with specific criteria used to qualify those who are seeking assistance.

“We see first-hand that for many families, even a small amount of help can provide much-needed relief and stability during difficult times. We are grateful for this partnership with Easton Utilities as this program reflects our community coming together to support one another,” John Plaskon, President, Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Easton Utilities customers can enroll in the Change for Change program by logging into My Account at www.eastonutilities.com or by contacting Customer Service at 410-822-6110 or [email protected]. Donations are not tax deductible as the donation is not being provided to 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more on our website: https://eastonutilities.com/change-for-change/.

Easton Utilities is a community-owned, not-for-profit utility and telecommunications company operating the Electric, Natural Gas, Water, Wastewater, Cable Television, and Internet services for the Town of Easton and portions of the surrounding area. Please visit www.eastonutilities.com or call 410-822-6110 to learn more. 

The Waterfowl Festival is thrilled to announce a special partnership with 1623 Brewing Co. and Delmarva Craft Distributing to create a one-of-a-kind craft beer for the 2025 Festival. This collaboration will bring festivalgoers the limited-edition “Goose Sweat Hazy IPA”, brewed to celebrate Eastern Shore traditions, conservation, and community. The beer will be served at the Festival’s annual premier night on November 13, 2025.

“Each year, we look for new ways to connect people to the spirit of the Festival, and this collaboration with 1623 Brewing Co. is a perfect fit,” said Deena Kilmon, Executive Director, Waterfowl Festival. “Goose Sweat Hazy IPA is fun, flavorful, and 1623 is rooted in the same heritage and sense of community that has defined the Festival for more than fifty years. We had a great time with our volunteers picking the flavor profile!”

Thanks to a partnership with Delmarva Craft, Goose Sweat Hazy IPA will be available not only at Festival events, but also in select retailers, bars, and restaurants throughout the Delmarva Peninsula. The beer will give supporters a chance to raise a glass to waterfowl, conservation, and the unique culture of the Shore.

“We’re proud to partner with the Waterfowl Festival and Delmarva Craft on this release,” said Matt Evans, Head Brewer, 1623 Brewing. “The Festival represents the best of Maryland’s traditions, and we are honored to create a beer that complements the celebration.”

Proceeds from the release of Goose Sweat Hazy IPA will help support the Waterfowl Festival’s mission of conserving waterfowl and their habitats while promoting the heritage and traditions of the Eastern Shore. For more information on purchase locations, please contact Rick Carter, Delmarva Craft, 443-666-0110.

About the Waterfowl Festival

Since 1971, the Waterfowl Festival has raised nearly six million dollars for conservation and education efforts. Proceeds from the festival support various environmental, art, student scholarships,  and cultural initiatives, ensuring that future generations can understand and enjoy the beauty and diversity of waterfowl and their environments. The festival also plays a vital role in supporting the local community, drawing visitors from around the country and boosting the regional economy.

The Waterfowl Festival gratefully acknowledges the support of the Maryland State Arts Council, the Maryland Historic Trust, the Town of Easton, Talbot County Government, and all of our incredible community partners including the hundreds of volunteers that make all the magic happen.

For more information about the Waterfowl Festival, including ticket sales and a full schedule of events, please visit www.waterfowlfestival.org.