On Saturday, September 27, Easton’s historic downtown will once again come alive as the Talbot County community gathers to celebrate the incredible legacy of Frederick Douglass, one of the county’s most inspiring historical figures. Born into slavery near Easton in 1818, Douglass rose to prominence as a powerful orator, writer, and abolitionist after publishing his groundbreaking autobiography. Frederick Douglass Day 2025 promises a full day of celebration and education with uplifting speeches, live music, engaging activities, and unforgettable experiences for all ages.

The festivities begin at 10am with a vibrant parade led by Grand Marshal Childene Brooks, former president of the Frederick Douglass Honor Society, and Community Marshals from the family of former FDHS president Brenda Wooden. Joining them will be local organizations such as BAAM (Building African American Minds), the Easton High School NJROTC Color Guard, Polaris Village Academy, the Easton and Oxford Fire Departments, and the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center. The parade will also feature performances by the Easton Middle School and White Marsh Elementary School bands, along with the celebrated local bagpiper Randy Welch. The procession sets off from Easton Elementary School on Glenwood Avenue and makes its way to the Talbot County Courthouse on Washington Street.

At 10:30am, the celebration continues with a Welcome Ceremony on the courthouse lawn, hosted by Mistress of Ceremonies Gabriella Thompson. The program opens with an invocation by 15-year-old minister Javion Jones of Union Baptist Church, followed by remarks from community leaders including Easton Town Council President Don Abbatielo, Talbot County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sharon Pepukayi, Talbot County Free Library Director Dana Newman, Washington College’s Jaelon T. Moaney, and student leader Giuliana Thompson. Music for the ceremony will include the Mid-Shore Community Band under Matthew Fullerton’s direction, with special performances by Randy Welch and Dana Bowser.

Children won’t want to miss the always-popular Children’s Village outside the Talbot County Free Library. From face painting and Frederick Douglass–themed coloring books to a prize wheel, photo booth, and story time with Shauna Beulah at 11:30am and 12:30pm, the activities are sure to delight. Inside the library, families can explore multimedia exhibits on Douglass’s life and legacy, as well as view historic artifacts on loan from the National Park Service.

At 1pm, the library will host an engaging lecture by Nicholas Buccola, professor of humanism and ethics at Claremont McKenna College. His talk, “Frederick Douglass, American Revolutionary,” will explore how Douglass reimagined the ideals of America’s founding fathers to address the struggles of his time. Buccola, widely recognized for his scholarship on figures such as James Baldwin and Abraham Lincoln, is also the author of the forthcoming book One Man’s Freedom, which examines the ideological clash between Martin Luther King Jr. and conservative politician Barry Goldwater.

New this year is a special walking tour of The Hill, the oldest free African American community in the nation. Beginning at 3pm at Harrison and Dover Streets, historian Yvonne Freeman will guide participants through historic sites including the Hambleton House, James Freeman Home, and Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. This fascinating tour offers a unique chance to step into history and learn more about a community dating back to the 1780s.

From noon to 3pm, the Entertainment Stage at Dover and West Streets will feature an exciting lineup of performers. Soloists include American Idol contestant Ayla Dennis, Ruby Fisher, and Sofia Fernandez, while group acts such as the Asbury United Methodist Choir, New St. John’s United Methodist Men’s Choir, the Allegra Academy Choir, and the Bay Country Chorus will lift their voices in harmony. The celebration will close with a lively block party set from Allan Butler, ensuring the day ends on a high note. A bustling marketplace nearby will showcase local food vendors and community groups throughout the afternoon.

Since its debut in 2011, Frederick Douglass Day has become one of Talbot County’s most treasured traditions, blending history, culture, and community pride into one unforgettable celebration. This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever, so mark your calendars for Saturday, September 27, and join us in honoring the life and legacy of one of our country’s greatest minds.

 

This fall, One Mission Cambridge invites the community to gather for games, giving, and gratitude at two fundraisers to support ongoing work to provide vital resources to those living in poverty in Dorchester County.

The events will support the nonprofit’s expanding work in Dorchester County: Harvest and Hallelujah, a home-cooked meal and worship night hosted by Cambridge Wesleyan Church, and Gift Card Bingo, a high-energy afternoon of games, prizes and community connection at the Elks Lodge.

Harvest and Hallelujah will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at Cambridge Wesleyan Church, 803 Race Street. The event includes a free lasagna dinner from 4 to 5:30 p.m., followed by praise and worship from 5:30 to 7 p.m. A love offering will benefit One Mission Cambridge.

“There’s no cost,” said Rebekah Kosten, fundraiser for One Mission Cambridge. “We’d rather people who need food get a free meal. And the people who can pay to support One Mission are encouraged to do so.”

One week later, One Mission hosts its first Gift Card Bingo Fundraiser on Sunday, Oct. 5, at Elks Lodge #1272, 5464 Elks Lodge Road, Cambridge. Doors open at noon, and games begin at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $25 in advance or $30 at the door.

“We’ve been successful the past two years doing purse bingos,” said Kosten. “But we wanted to try something new and see how the community would respond.”

Winners of the 20 regular games each will receive a $50 gift card. Special games include higher-value prizes such as a Panera “You Pick Two” certificate valued at $172. Donated cards include Walmart, Aldi, and a mix of local and national options.

The event also features a tricky tray raffle, with community-made baskets. Lunch and drinks will be available for purchase, with the Elks providing food service.

Event sponsors include Tides at River Marsh, Mullaney Insurance, and Shore United Bank. One Mission continues to accept donations of $50 gift cards, baskets, and financial contributions to support the event.

“Every dollar raised through these fundraisers goes right back into what we do at One Mission,” said Kosten. “Twenty-five percent of Cambridge lives in poverty. We’ve seen the need increase this year as prices have gone up. These events help us expand what we’re able to offer.”

Tickets for the Gift Card Bingo fundraiser are available online at onemissioncambridge.org or by contacting Kosten at [email protected] or 443-205-9311.

One Mission Cambridge is open for services from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, at 614 Race Street. For additional information, visit onemissioncambridge.org, Facebook, or Instagram. Donations can be made to One Mission Cambridge, P.O. Box 1495, Cambridge, MD 21613.

Residents and property owners in Cambridge may not always be aware of the specific City code requirements that define whether they, the City, or a utility company is responsible for maintaining and/or repairing certain areas.

For example, who is required to remove weeds in sidewalks? If a public sidewalk abuts a property owner’s parcel, the property owner must clear the weeds from the sidewalk.

How long does a property owner have to clear snow from the public sidewalk abutting their property? Thirty-six hours after the snow stops falling.

Who is responsible for keeping the water pit visible so that City water meter readers can access it? The property owner is responsible for keeping the pit visible.

Answering these types of questions is not always obvious, so City Manager Glenn Steckman and his staff have put together a chart that can help residents with answers tied to property ownership. The chart can be accessed using this link. The chart can be enlarged by clicking on the plus sign at the top of the page.

Visit choosecambridge.com for the most up-to-date information for residents and sign up for email or text alerts for a variety of topics.

The Dorchester County Historical Society is inviting the public to a free open house event at the historic Meredith House, which sits on the DCHS campus at 1003 Greenway Drive in Cambridge. The event, which commemorates the founding of the society in 1953, takes place on September 24 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Besides being a new introduction to Meredith House, the open house will also serve as an official welcome to DCHS’s new executive director, Marcos Salaverria.

Built around 1760, Meredith House is one of only five Georgian-style homes remaining in Dorchester County. It will be the focus of a new tour entitled “Changing Times and Tides.” This will shine a light on the families who lived in the Meredith throughout its history.

Also at the open house, the new schedule of programs and events will be announced. According to Salaverria, this will include a fall festival in October, a new exhibit in December, and a Traditions Tea in 2026.

Anyone interested in attending the September 24 open house is asked to RSVP to [email protected] by September 22.

The skipjack Nathan of Dorchester will be busy in September participating in two away skipjack races and hosting the Choptank heritage skipjack race September 27th in Cambridge.

On Labor Day, Nathan will join many surviving skipjacks to race and celebrate the maritime heritage of local watermen at the 67th annual Deal Island race. This race is held in Tangier sound and is best seen by boat. On September 14th, after a 20-year lapse, Nathan will join other skipjacks to race again at Sandy Point State Park. This Sunday race is part of the 2025 Maryland Seafood Festival. Unfortunately, the best views of this race will be from westbound traffic stalled on the Bay bridge.

For stress free close-up views of skipjacks under sail, join us at the 29th Choptank Heritage Skipjack Race in Cambridge on  September 27th. This race is sponsored by the Dorchester Skipjack Committee and the host Skipjack Nathan of Dorchester. The race starts and finishes in Cambridge harbor by the lighthouse and offers spectators an excellent close up view of the boats under full sail. A parade of boats will head out of Cambridge Creek at 9 a.m. with the race starting at 10 a.m. The best view is from the floating dock at Long Wharf Park, at the foot of High and Water Streets in Cambridge, MD. The race is a free event but there will be an opportunity to help keep our skipjacks afloat. Contributions can be placed in our race day “Donation Dingy” or by credit card or PayPal through the web site www.skipjack-nathan.org. 

Skipjack races started as informal sail powered workboats raced back in 1872 when local watermen took their boats and crews out on shakedown sails before the start of the oyster season. Whenever two or more boats are out on the water together, rivalries were formed, and side bets were made. Every waterfront town had workboat races. During the roaring 1920’s, 99 sail powered workboats raced at Deal Island. Today perhaps as many as 10 surviving skipjacks will compete. 

With sponsorship from the Baltimore Sun newspapers and political support from the governors of Maryland and Virginia, Chesapeake Bay Championship Workboat Races became popular events in the 1920’s. 

So many boats competed in the statewide Championship Workboat Races that 30 closed deck (larger) skipjacks raced in one category, and a separate category was established for now forgotten open deck (smaller) skipjacks. Two classes of bugeyes raced. Only the bugeye Edna Lockwood survives and sails today. Working and racing log canoes held their own races. Only a small number of racing canoes survive and sail today. With most types of sail powered workboats fading memories, today’s races pit skipjacks against other skipjacks with the bugeye Edna Lockwood occasionally sailing with spectators.

In the 1920’s, Choptank River bugeyes and skipjacks dominated statewide races. The Baltimore Sun reported that “Cambridge boats showed boats up and down the Bay that they were clear winners.” First prize in each race category was $100, a new set of sails, and a trophy. In 1925, the Cambridge skipjack Agnes placed first; Oxford skipjack Elmer E placed second with Rebecca T Ruark coming in third. The Rebecca T Ruark still sails today, repaired after being seriously damaged three years ago when a pickup truck accidentally parked on her deck.

Today’s Skipjack races are less about fierce competition and more about preserving the remaining skipjacks and telling stories about our maritime heritage. Each skipjack participating in the races receives show-up money for boat maintenance and preservation. In support of the Choptank Heritage Skipjack Races, the Dorchester Skipjack committee has raised and donated well over $150,000 to participating boats to help preserve the skipjack fleet.

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The Dorchester Skipjack Committee, Inc., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Donations also may also be made payable and mailed to:
The Dorchester Skipjack Committee, Inc.
P.O. Box 1224
Cambridge, MD 21613

This Saturday, September 13, join the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians in Vienna, MD, at the ball park under the water tower (214 Middle St.) for their 33rd Annual Native American Festival.

There will be drumming, singing, dancing, traditional music, storytelling, educational exhibits and demonstrations, arts, crafts, jewelry vendors, and a silent auction.

Roy Saunders and Turtle Island Foods will be featured, offering traditional Native foods such as Pumpkin and Traditional Frybread, Twisted Potatoes, Frybread Taco, Dessert Frybread, and Succotash.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Seating is available but limited, so bring a chair or blanket.

Tickets are $10 per person at the gate, while children four and under get in free.

Discounted rates are available for groups of 10 or more; please call the Tribal Office at (410) 228-0216 to reserve group pricing.

Founded in 1988, the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians take “pride in preserving our history, enhancing our culture and maintaining our traditions through education, now and for generations to come.”

The charming riverside town of Vienna, Maryland will bring history to life and entertain with music and fireworks on Saturday, September 20.

Explore Vienna’s Historic Treasures

At 2:30 p.m., both the Vienna Heritage Museum and the Captain John Smith Nanticoke River Discovery Center will open for visitors (closing at 4). At 3:00, you can board a tram for an hour-long tour through downtown. Or, at 3:30, there is a walking tour.

Along the way, you’ll discover homes and landmarks with custom-designed signs that share each site’s story — from 18th-century taverns and doctor’s residences to the former home of Civil War-era Governor Thomas Holliday Hicks.

Live Music on the Waterfront

At 4:00, the celebration continues with live music by Golden Touch. Bring a blanket or chair, relax by the water, and enjoy great tunes against the backdrop of Vienna’s historic streets.

Fireworks Over the Nanticoke

The festivities will be capped off by dazzling fireworks at 7:30, lighting up the Nanticoke River for a true small-town spectacle.

For more information, go to Vienna’s official website or call (443) 239-0813.