Maryland Seafood Festival 2012 - Annapolis, Maryland

The Maryland Seafood Festival is an Annapolis tradition, an event held annually for more than 40 years, featuring The Capital Crab Soup Cook-off, live music performances, craft booths and family activities. Maryland’s top restaurateurs and chefs participate in a weekend festival showcasing the great seafood that the state has to offer while bringing people together from all over the East Coast. The Maryland Seafood Festival and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have partnered to bring the Maryland Fishing Challenge, featuring Diamond Jim finale to this year’s festival.

Dates and Times: September 8-9, 2012
Saturday - 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sunday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Location
Sandy Point State Park
Annapolis, Maryland

Parking
Friday - Sandy Point State Park, $3 per car

Saturday & Sunday, $5 Parking and Free Shuttle Service from Anne Arundel County Community College (West Campus Entrance), Broadneck Hight School and Kent Island High School.

Admission
General Admission: $10
Crab Soup Cook-off: $8
Seafood Sampler Platter: $15

Maryland Fishing Challenge Finale

The finale will be held on Saturday at 11 a.m. Throughout the summer, DNR biologists will tag up to 600 striped bass. One of those tagged rockfish—named Diamond Jim—will be worth up to $25,000. The other fish, or imposters, will be worth $500. Anglers who caught tagged rockfish will break open envelopes during the finale to reveal whether their fish is Diamond Jim or an imposter. All anglers who caught award (citation) size fish will be entered into a raffle, with the grand prize of a Bass Boat from Bass Pro Shops. A series of other prizes will be presented to other raffle winners.

Entertainment Lineup

Jimmie’s Chicken Shack - The headlining alternative rock band will be featured on the main stage on Saturday night at 7:30 pm. Jimmie’s Chicken Shack has special ties to the area, as band members grew up in Annapolis, MD before breaking through on MTV in the 1990’s.

The Reagan Years - The festival favorite will be returning this year to perform on the main stage on Saturday at 3:00 pm. The band is known as the East Coast’s premier tribute 80’s band, and is sure to, yet again, provide attendees with many much loved hits from this funky era.

Kelly Bell Band - The Baltimore based band dabbles in soul, blues, reggae, funk and more, and was voted Top Blues Band in Baltimore for 12 years running. Kelly Bell Band has been touring with acts such Maroon 5, Ziggy Marley, James Brown, and Edwin McCain. The band is thrilled to perform this year at the festival on the main stage on Sunday at 4:00 pm.

Many more!

More Maryland Seafood Festival Highlights

• Tableside service will be provided by Phillips Seafood Restaurants
  
  
• Crab Cake Eating Contest and Crabology (also sponsored by Phillips)
  
  
• The Big Vanilla Rock Climbing Wall
  
  
• Sidelines Sandbar: a sports and microbrew bar—watch the game on HDTV!
  
  
• Sushi by “Real Seafood”
  
  
• Wine and Beer Demos featuring local wineries and microbreweries such as: Boordy Vineyards, Running Hare Vineyard, Flying Dog Brewery and Clipper City
  
  
• Public Service Day on Friday: $5 Admission for all Senior Citizens (60 and over) and active military, police and state employees (with valid ID, cannot be combined with coupon)

Website
www.mdseafoodfestival.com