Get ready for the ultimate celebration in Chestertown, Maryland, this weekend as an annual autumnal hit like no other gets underway. It’s Sultana Downrigging! Tripling as a festival with a cause, a high-energy Bluegrass celebration, and the largest annual gathering of tall ships in North America, all in one, the Chestertown Marina will certainly be a sight to behold over the next several days.
In fact, things will be hopping more than ever this year with the 25th anniversary of the Sultana’s launch in full swing. Not to be overlooked is the fact that it also happens to be Halloween weekend!
Hosted by the nonprofit Sultana Education Foundation, the beloved fall festival first and foremost serves as a benevolent fundraising event. All weekend proceeds benefit the Foundation’s ongoing environmental literacy programs, all certified by the Maryland State Department of Education. To date, more than 13,000 PreK-12 students from 15 Maryland counties have been positively impacted by monies raised from past events such as these. The ultimate goal is to foster appreciation for the Chesapeake Bay by creating a community of individuals dedicated to preserving this irreplaceable treasure. The Sultana Education Foundation also partners with various other nonprofits throughout the community and beyond.
The festival officially kicks off on Friday, October 30, running through Sunday, November 1. Prepare for plenty of ongoing events unfolding throughout the course of those three days, including live music, Tall Ship tours, parades, and all those featured museum exhibits to check out.
Headlining the main attraction on Friday evening is the Sultana’s Birthday Party. A highly anticipated engagement, the party starts at 8 p.m. at the festival’s Music Village setup. Come out for live music and celebrate with delicious cake and non-alcoholic champagne.
This all culminates in the ultimate sendoff in the form of a stunning fireworks display over Chestertown’s scenic harbor at 8:30 p.m. Note that tickets are required to enter Music Village. Click for more details.
Another party-hardy event at the Music Village is Saturday’s ever-popular Halloween Party & Costume Contest combo. Running all day between 10:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., folks are cordially invited to come and rock out with music, entertainment, and even a chance to compete in a multifaceted costume contest. Last year’s turnout boasted more than 100, and this year it’s expected to be just as popular, if not more. All ticket holders arriving in costume receive a free drink voucher. Winners are endowed with cash rewards. Learn more on the event link.
As mentioned previously, the festival attracts a massive fleet of Tall Ships. The lineup includes Bloodhound, Hindu, Kalmar Nykle, Lady Maryland, Lynx, Maryland Dove, Pride of Baltimore II, Sigsbee, and Sultana, of course. Other visiting vessels from other locales will be sailing in as well. Visit the link for the complete listing.
Free deck tours will be ongoing throughout the festival, along with special ticketed sailing engagements at select times. Other events surrounding the Tall Ships include ship illuminations between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and the Tall Ships Parade Home, scheduled for various times throughout the weekend. Details and times can be found here.
Last but not least is the festival’s acclaimed Bluegrass following. All live musical entertainment and performances will occur in Music Village at varying scheduled times. On Friday, October 30, the featured performances before Sultana’s birthday will be Barkley Cove, Geraldine, Caleb Stine, and the High and Wides. Saturday’s entertainment will include Folk Villains, Litch Brothers, Deer Creek Sharp Shooters, and Mason Via. Sunday’s sendoff will be led by the Black Eyed Suzies, Midshore Voices United, and the U.S. Navy Band Country Current. All entertainment is ticketed. Click to discover more.
There will be countless additional folly taking place all weekend long. From vendors, delicious food, family-friendly offerings of many kinds, and more. Come out to Sultana Downrigging for a truly memorable weekend of wonder and whimsy.
While various townwide engagements will be held at various locations, the bulk of the action will take place at the Chestertown Marina. All additional details can be found on the website at www.downrigging.org.