Fish in the Monster Rockfish Tournament!

BAMM Enterprises in association with The Greenwell Foundation, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and 98Rock/WBAL Baltimore are proud to announce the first annual Monster Rockfish Tournament and Festival to be held on October 30th and 31st respectively. This is Maryland’s largest celebration of the esteemed Maryland state fish, the striped bass.


The tournament will be held from 5:00AM – 3:30PM on October 30th in the Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. There will be eight weigh stations throughout the bay to ensure accessibility to all anglers across the mid-Atlantic region.  One of the weigh stations is Point Lookout Marina in Ridge.

The tournament is divided into two regions, North and South with prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each region. Two first place prizes of $10,000 will be awarded as will two second place - $3,500 prizes and two third place awards of $1,500. Awards are based on heaviest fish. A Maryland State Rockfish Record will land the lucky angler $100,000.

BAMM Enterprises will award participants of the tournaments within tournaments (TWTs) for largest bluefish per boat by region, largest rockfish per angler by weigh station, and a Maryland State Record Bluefish. These prizes are based on total number of entries.

An initial entry fee of $350, before September 1st ($400 thereafter) will grant access to the tournament for one boat with up to four anglers. Each additional angler will have to pay $100. A portion of the entry fees is designated to help support the Greenwell Foundation and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Team captains will receive a free tee shirt and cap with entry. To find out more information about entering the tournament, go to http://www.monsterrockfishtournament.com/. This tournament is an “open” event, meaning anyone may enter the tournament. It is not limited to any memberships, affiliations, skill levels, etc. The use of a professional charter boat and crew is encouraged, as well as recreational boat owner entries.

The fun doesn’t stop when the fishing ends. Each marina will have a fish filleting completion for professional captains and mates, to see who has the fastest knife skills! The next day, the first annual Monster Rockfish Festival, will be a day full of events for the whole family. Spend the day at the fully accessible Greenwell State Park on the scenic Patuxent River in St. Mary’s County. The first annual Rockfish Cook-off will be held, where Restaurants from the greater Maryland area have the opportunity to compete to see who has the best Rockfish dish. There will be a tasting tent where the People’s Choice will be decided.

The Festival is on Halloween! What would the event be if it didn’t have CANDY. The Monster Rockfish Festival is a designated SAFE TRICK OR TREATING ZONE. Each of the dozens of vendors will be supplying candy and other treats to all the children who come to the festival in costume. Other Halloween events will include pumpkin painting, a carved pumpkin contest, costume contests, hay rides, and more.
The park will also feature seasonal culinary favorites such as stuffed ham, oysters, and crab cakes to name a few. The park will feature live music, vendors, crafts people and other entertainment options including park tours. Weather permitting there will be kayaking demonstrations, fishing demonstrations, boat tours, horseback riding demos and the award ceremony for the Rockfish tournament.

This absolutely FREE event is open to the general public.

For more information, visit http://www.monsterrockfishtournament.com/ or call 877-390-2266.

Take the Buy Local Challenge!

Every pledge counts! The Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC) invites you to take the pledge again this year and join the thousands across Maryland supporting Maryland's family farms during Buy Local Challenge Week, July 17-25, 2010. Register your pledge now at http://www.buy-local-challenge.com/.

Your pledge to "eat at least one item from a local farm every day during Buy Local Challenge Week" immediately puts your $'s to work in your neighborhood, ensuring that farms survive for future generations. Plus you're doing your part to maintain a cleaner, greener planet and provide safe, nutritious food for you and your family.

If you have already registered your pledge - take the next step: starting today make your first purchase at a local farm, farm stand, farmers' market or winery; stock up at a grocer that offers genuine local products; or treat yourself to a meal at a restaurant that serves local farm food. Discover the bounty of Maryland's farms, and we hope you'll decide to shop local year round!

Need help finding Local? Visit http://www.buy-local-challenge.com/ for statewide directories to locate farm fresh products, meats, wines and more.

Share your favorite Buy Local experience with your friends. The Buy Local Challenge website also hosts the BLC Online Community. This site allows you to upload information about BLC events, submit your photos, tips or recipes, to chat, or generally interact with other users in Maryland and around the nation.

The Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC) was established to promote diverse, market-driven agricultural enterprises, which coupled with agricultural land preservation, will preserve Southern Maryland's environmental resources and rural character while keeping the region's farmland productive and the agricultural economy vibrant. To learn more about additional programs and resources, contact SMADC, P. O. Box 745, Hughesville, MD 20637; phone: 301-274-1922; fax: 301-274-1924; email cbergmark@smadc.com; or visit http://www.smadc.com/.

2010 Governor’s Cup Yacht Race Sets Sail August 6

The annual St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) Governor’s Cup Yacht Race sets sail from Annapolis on Friday, August 6, at 6 p.m; and for the first time ever, boats will be tracked live by GPS. This year marks the 37th running of the race from Maryland’s current capital city to its first capital in St. Mary’s City. The Governor’s Cup Yacht Race is the oldest and longest continuously run overnight race on the Chesapeake Bay. As boats begin to cross the finish line, sailors and the public are invited to a post-race party that goes on all day and into the evening Saturday with food and live entertainment. Racers can register and get details online at www.smcm.edu/govcup. Registration deadline is July 30.

“One of the things that I think is really cool about this race,” said SMCM varsity sailing coach and the Governor’s Cup principal race officer, Adam Werblow, “is that you have to be a really good sailor. You have to be tactical and be able to weigh risks.”

The Kattack GPS system, free to all racers, will display the race in real time, continually tracking the location of each boat by name throughout the race so you will be able to follow it online. One can watch the racers’ strategies, pause the race, zoom in and out, show boat speed, distance traveled, and more.

Saturday, party-goers can relax on the lawn of the Teddy Turner Waterfront in front of the James P. Muldoon River Center and enjoy food and music from the Nautical Wheelers, who play from noon to 4 p.m, and the Key West Race Week performers Joe Bachman and the Crew, who play 7-11 p.m. Entrance to the party is free.

At 4:45 p.m. on Saturday after the race, an awards ceremony for winning yachts will be held under the tent on the waterfront. Photographers from last year’s photography competition will also be awarded during this time. A private skipper’s dinner will begin at 6 p.m. under the tent in front of St. Mary’s Hall.

The Governor’s Cup was conceived and founded in 1974 by three SMCM students and has been sailed every summer since. The race covers a 70-mile course with over 150 boats competing.

Last year in the A-0 class, Michael Brennan, of Potomac, Maryland, came in first on his boat, Sjambok. Blofish came in first in the A-1 class, with Dailey Tipton, of West Chester, Pennsylvania, as the skipper. Long-time competitor Don Wagoner, of Shady Side, Maryland, came in first in the A-2 class with his boat, Der Baron. In the A-3 class, Albert Holt, of Annapolis, came in first place with his boat, Kestrel. David Way, of Shady Side, Maryland, led the way in the multihull class in his boat, Trinity.

The largest boats in the fleet are in the A-0 class. The first to finish, winning line honors, went to the U.S. Naval Academy’s Zarafa.
Suggested photo caption: Winner in the A-0 class at last year’s St. Mary’s College of Maryland Governor’s Cup Yacht Race was Michael Brennan, of Potomac, Maryland, on Sjambok.

Courtesy of St. Mary's College of Maryland

An Independence Day Celebration Concert at Sotterley Plantation

For a traditional and quaint 4th of July celebration, visit Sotterley Plantation for their annual Independence Day Celebration Concert on Sunday, July 4th from 1:00 p.m. - 4 p.m. Come and enjoy an afternoon of music on the Portico, while taking in the breathtaking view of the Patuxent River! Pack your picnic baskets, bring along your lawn chairs and blankets, and listen to the patriotic music renditions of the Chesapeake Orchestra Brass Quintet led by Maestro Jeffrey Silberschlag of St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

To cool things down, Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, with tasty ice cream, will offer a selection of their standard favorite flavors. “On A Roll” will sell hot dogs, the great American food, with a variety of favorite fixings. And since no event is complete without kettle corn, Sir Pops A Lots will be on the hill popping away. Beer, wine, and cold drinks will also be available for purchase. Take a chance at winning prizes at the Brown Bag Raffle and Silent Auction, including toys large and small, wine for the discerning taste, original artwork and prints, and the gastronomic delights from local restaurants. Fun activities for children, too!

As a special and sincere thanks, all those with a Military ID are invited to celebrate this event free of charge. General Admission is $10 per vehicle.

For more information on Sotterley Plantation events, visit http://www.sotterley.org/.

Patuxent River Sojourn Kayaking Trip

Enjoy a multi-day canoeing and kayaking expedition on the Patuxent River from June 24 - 28!  The Patuxent River Sojourn takes paddlers on a journey along the Patuxent that includes educational programming, riverside camping, festive meals, live music, and more.

Both novice and experienced paddlers will enjoy this unique on-the-water experience that builds a strong environmental ethic.  Paddlers have the option of signing up for as many (or as few) days of paddling as they like, from one day to the full trip.  The trip itinerary is as follows:

• Thursday, June 24: Kickoff at Greenwell State Park
• Friday, June 25: Restoration Activities and Creek Paddles around Greenwell
• Saturday, June 26: Paddle to Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum
• Sunday, June 27: Restoration Activities and Creek Paddles around Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum
• Monday, June 28: Creek Paddles around Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum

The cost is $65 per day for adults and $35 per day for youth.  The price includes meals, camp sites, commemorative t-shirts, daily or weeklong shuttles, safety outfitter, and interpretive education (canoe/kayak not included).  Participants must be at least 8 years of age.  (The cost is $55 per day for Patuxent Riverkeeper members.)

For more information and to register, visit the Patuxent Riverkeeper website, www.paxriverkeeper.org, or contact Lauren Webster at 301-249-8200 or Lauren@paxriverkeeper.org. 

7th Annual Juneteenth Celebration and 5K Run/Walk

The 7th Annual Juneteenth Celebration will be held on Saturday, June 19 at Freedom Park in Lexington Park from 12 p.m. until 8 p.m.!  The festival is produced by the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions (UCAC) and celebrates African American heritage in St. Mary's County.

The festivities this year include gospel singing by the legendary Winfield Parker, African dance and drumming, exhibits, the Minority Outreach Coalition Mini Health Fair, games, vendors, food and more.  Plus, there will also be an evening jazz concert featuring saxophonist Jaared!  To see the complete festival program, click here.

For fitness enthusiasts, there is also a Juneteenth/USCT Memorial Festival 5K Run/Walk to support the mission of the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions.  The 5K race will run through the old Lexington Manor neighborhood and on the paved path in adjacent Lancaster Park.  Both runners and walkers are invited to participate in the 5K.  Awards will be given to the top male and female overall, as well as to the top three males and females in each age group.  The entry fee for the 5K is $20 for pre-registrants or $25 on race day.  Register online at http://www.ucaconline.org/ or by mail.  Register on race day from 7:45 a.m. until 8:45 a.m.  The race begins at 9 a.m.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, two months after the surrender of General Lee and more than two years after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, General Granger of the Union Army landed in Galveston, Texas and issued General Order No. 3 - All slaves are free.

For more information about the Juneteenth Celebration or the 5K Run/Walk, contact the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions at 301-862-4868 or visit http://www.ucaconline.org/.

Half Price Admission for Dad

Sotterley Plantation is offering a special gift for all fathers on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 20, 2010. From Noon - 4 p.m., fathers will receive a Guided Tour of the Plantation House at HALF PRICE.

You and your father are welcome to stroll the exquisite blooming gardens, walk the plantation grounds and nature trails, see the historic outbuildings including the original 1830’s Slave Cabin, or picnic out on the lawn while enjoying the breathtaking views of the Patuxent River at Sotterley Plantation. Top off the day with buying a memorable gift at the Museum Shop, now located in the NEW Visitors Center. It will be a day he will never forget!

For more information on upcoming Sotterley Plantation events, visit http://www.sotterley.org/.