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County Farm Fair Carroll
County 4-H and FFA Fair Worcester
County Fair Garrett County Fair Caroline
Summerfest Montgomery
County Fair Aug. 20-22 Pocomoke City, Worcester County  Augustoberfest Aug. 22-23 Hagerstown, Washington County Maryland State Fair Aug. 28-Sept. 7 Maryland State Fairgrounds Timonium, Baltimore County Win a $100 VISA gift card Provide your opinions about exhibits at a new state park on the Eastern Shore that honors the life of Harriet Tubman.
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| Win
a $50 AMEX card Take a survey about the Maryland Tourism Office’s web site – visitmaryland.org – and you’ll have a chance to win one of four $50 American Express gift cards. |
Time
to plan an August family trip before
school begins. In Maryland, you’ll find plenty of family fun
at destinations throughout the state – from Eastern Shore beaches
to Mountain Maryland – all within a reasonable drive. Ocean
City is a top East Coast seaside resort for families. Deep
Creek Lake offers an array of fun amid breathtaking scenery. County fairs
and festivals – ubiquitous during August – serve up a
sampling of local culture. (Many are listed to the left.) Catch a
thrill ride at a theme
park. Take an outdoor excursion along an historic
hiking/biking
trail, through a wildlife preserve. Canoe or kayak
across Maryland’s network of waterways. Visit one of the state’s
baseball
parks and sports museums. In Maryland – it’s
all Pretty. Close.
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Family
Fun – Tractors, ice cream and coasters Start in Snow Hill (close to Ocean City) at the annual Blessing of the Combines, Aug. 1. Enjoy a parade of antique tractors and combines, tractor pull, barnyard petting area, music and the benediction. More fun on the farm at the Wheat Threshing, Steam and Gas Engine Show, Aug 7-9 in Federalsburg. Back on the other side of the Chesapeake Bay, go to Annemarie Garden Sculpture Park and Arts Center for the Sidewalk Chalkathon – an art contest that everyone can enter. Annmarie is near the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons. On Aug 16, head up to Frederick for Rose Hill Day – a celebration of ice cream, old-fashioned games, crafts, tours and an antique car show at Rose Hill Manor Park. Little time to rest – you’ve got lots of thrills waiting for you at Maryland’s theme parks. |
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Food
Festivals – Seafood, barbecue and meatballs Outdoor eating is a summertime ritual. Celebrate Maryland’s seafood tradition at the Havre de Grace Seafood Festival, Aug. 8-9. The annual festival offers live entertainment, arts & crafts, and of course, a full complement of delicacies from the water. It all takes place in an historic town on the upper edge of the Chesapeake Bay. Not too far away, you’ll find the Maryland Bar-B-Q Bash, a street festival in downtown Bel Air that features 50 teams competing in the Maryland State BBQ Championship for $10,000 in cash prizes, Aug. 14-15. Street-style dining with an Italian flair takes place Aug. 22-23 at the annual Saint Gabriel Italian Festival in Baltimore’s Little Italy. |
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Outdoor
Adventures – Free weekend at parks Maryland’s national parks are a fantastic family destination throughout the year. This month, take advantage of the Park Service’s free-admission weekend, Aug. 15-16. In Western Maryland, see Antietam National Battlefield, site of the deadliest one-day battle on American soil. Baltimore’s Fort McHenry is where the flag that became the inspiration for the National Anthem flew during a pivotal battle in the War of 1812. On the edge of the Atlantic is Assateague National Park – a two-mile stretch of beaches, salt marshes and coastal bays where you can swim, hike and kayak, or explore wildlife. |
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Cinema
al Fresco – Free films in Bethesda, Little Italy Who says you have to be indoors to watch a movie? The Comcast Film Festival for NIH Charities runs Aug. 14-21 on the grounds of the Strathmore in North Bethesda. On-site eateries open at 6:30 and the free movies begin at 8:30. Portions of food dollars go to the charities. You can also see free outdoor movies in Baltimore’s Little Italy every Friday night through Aug. 28. Enjoy a Little Italy dinner before, during or after the show. |
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Outdoor
Sports – Spectacles on the water The Governor’s Cup Yacht Race – the oldest and longest overnight race on the Chesapeake Bay – takes place July 31-Aug. 1. Yachts must sail from Annapolis to Maryland’s first capital, St. Mary’s City, within 21 hours. A few days later, the “world’s largest billfish tournament” starts. The White Marlin Open in Ocean City, Aug. 3-7, attracts hundreds of boats with fishermen vying for $3.5 million in prize money. Watch the daily official weigh-ins at Harbour Island, 4-9 p.m. On Aug. 15, Adventure Sports Center International in Western Maryland hosts the U.S. Rafting Nationals at its mountaintop site in McHenry, near Deep Creek Lake. Four-person teams can register to compete. |
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Uniquely
Maryland – Jousters take aim Jousting tournaments have taken place in Maryland since Colonial days. In 1962, jousting became the state’s official sport. It’s one of those “only-in-Maryland” aspects of the state. Get an up-close look at jousting at the St. Joseph Jousting Tournament and Horse Show, Aug. 5, in Cordova in Talbot County. Buffet dinner follows the tournament. On Aug. 29, you’ll find another jousting event in Southern Maryland – the 143rd annual Calvert County Jousting Tournament in Port Republic. In addition to the tournament, the day’s activities include a bazaar, organ recitals and country supper. |
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Family
Concerts – On the farm, in the park Family-style concerts featuring bluegrass and old-time country music are the draw at Goddard Family Farm in Leonardtown, Aug. 6-8. It’s the 21st annual Lil Margaret’s Bluegrass & Old Time Country Music Festival. Event also includes country meals, arts & crafts, and classic cars and tractors on display. More music at the Rocky Gap State Park in Western Maryland, Aug. 8. The Potomac Concert Band stages a FREE concert – popular melodies to Broadway show tunes. |
Twitter | VisitMaryland.org | Things
to Do | Places
to Stay | Events | Itineraries |
Martin O'Malley, Governor Anthony G. Brown, Lt. Governor |
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