October 10 Opening Night begins with “An Evening in Focus: Where Nature Speaks”

Easton, MD — September 1, 2025— The Chesapeake Film Festival launches its 18th season with an unforgettable Environmental Night on Friday, October 10 at the Ebenezer Theater in Easton, Maryland. The opening night program begins with the popular VIP Reception from 5:30 -7:00 pm.  This year’s reception theme is “Tides and Talent”, reflecting the Festival’s eastern shore roots and its many regional festival contributors.  All-access pass ticket holders are VIPs and will have the opportunity to meet filmmakers, enjoy local cuisine and celebrate opening night in style.  All-Access Passes are now available at www.chesapeakefilmfestival.com. In addition to the VIP opening event, the pass includes admission to all films, speakers and panels throughout the three-day film festival.

Chesapeake Film Festival’s official 2025 environmental screenings begin after the reception, with “An Evening in Focus:  Where Nature Speaks”, hosted by Irene Magafan, CFF President and documentary filmmaker. The special evening of environmental films is generously sponsored by Shared Earth Foundation and The Nature Conservancy. The program features three acclaimed environmental films:

• The  Maryland premier of Women of Impact – Kenya, produced by the World Wildlife Fund.  This inspiring short film spotlights four Kenyan women leading community-based conservation projects.
• As wild salmon populations in Idaho approach extinction, The Grand Salmon documents the 1,000 mile kayak expedition by three women to conquer four dams, trace the salmon migration and explore solutions to restoring the dwindling population.

• Directed by CFF’s president Irene Magafan and narrated by Ashley Judd, The Bonobo Connection explores bonobo apes’ peaceful matriarchal societies and the urgent need for conservation in the Congo.

The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with acclaimed environmental filmmakers Maggie Stogner and Dave Harp, moderated by CFF’s Irene Magafan.  Stogner is a professor of Film and Media Arts at American University in Washington, DC and is the Executive Director of the Center for Environmental Filmmaking.   In a series of award-winning films, Harp has documented the beauty, challenges and evolution of the Chesapeake Bay for over 50 years.  

Harp’s film Chesapeake Rhythms joins a series of additional environmental films that are featured throughout the festival, including:

Saturday, October 11

• From Mountains to Shorelines featuring the US film On Water’s Edge and Look Down Not Up from Nepal.    A Q&A with filmmaker Yehuda Goldman follows the screenings.
• Water, Wildlife, and the Will to Act featuring US films One Bad Crab, Upstream, Downriver and Chesapeake Rhythms.  Irene Magafan, CFF President will moderate as Maggie Stogner and David Harp will team up again to host a follow up Q&A.  

Sunday, October 12 

• Breaking Boundaries: Revealing Truths featuring the Canadian film, The Rewilders.

“Environmental films are always a key pillar of the Chesapeake Film Festival.  Year after year, it’s an honor to not only spotlight the content of these inspiring films, but to showcase our amazing local filmmakers, in addition to passionate filmmakers from around the world.  Their creativity and vision as environmental documentarians are a compelling call to action”, remarked Cid Collins Walker, festival executive director.

 For tickets and to explore full program details, visit www.chesapeakefilmfestival.com.

Upcoming Festival Highlights & Key Dates

• September 13 – Free Community Preview Event: WYETH – 2PM — Talbot County Free Library
• October 10 – Noon — Opening Film – Loving Vincent, Ebenezer Theater
• October 10 – 5:30 pm – VIP Reception;  7 pm — Environmental Night, Ebenizer Theater
• October 10 to 12 – Ebenezer Theater, Academy Art Museum and Talbot County Free Library – For Tickets and information visit www.chesapeakefilmfestival.com.

CFF programming is brought to you by our generous sponsors Bluepoint Hospitality, the Shared Earth Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Maryland State Arts Council, Talbot Arts, Maryland Humanities Council, The Artistic Insights Fund, Maxine Millar, Harley Gates, Philip and Karen Morrison, Richard and Beverly Tilghman, Al and Eleanor Smith, Thomas and Bill Lucks,  Talbot County Free Library, Laser Letters, Red Zeppelin Productions, Martin Zell, Gayle Matthei and by generous patrons like you.  2025 CFF Sponsoring hotels include The Tidewater Inn, Inn at Perry Cabin, Sandaway Suites & Beach and Fairfield Inn & Suites Marriott.

Allegro Academy, located at 114 N. Washington Street, Easton, is delighted to welcome students joining private lessons and ensembles this coming school year. 

Allegro Academy offers PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS to students of all ages in piano, voice, guitar, violin, viola, cello, brass, and woodwind instruments.  Lessons are tailored to the interests and abilites of the student, and skillfully taught by the Academy’s talented and thoughtful instructors.  Allegro Academy instructors have a combined teaching experience of more than 100 years and with an assortment of advanced degrees from Indiana University, Ithaca College, Luther College, Messiah University, Penn State, Salisbury University, Southern Illinois University, SUNY Potsdam, and the University of Maryland. Teachers are active members of the musical community through professional organizations such as the Music Teachers National Association and the American Choral Directors Association, their careers in higher education, church and musical theatre direction, and other areas of performance.  

New this year is the ALLEGRO WINDS chamber ensemble.  Brass and woodwind players ages 13 and up are invited to join for six-week of rehearsals and performance. Ensemble classes will take place on Tuesday evenings at 5:30pm, beginning September 9.  The group will rehearse easy to medium chamber ensemble works while exploring tone production, ensemble balance, tone color, and intonation. Allegro strives to provide a positive space for passionate musicians of all ages to meet other like-minded musicians and experience the unique joy of playing chamber music. The cost per student is $60 for the six-week session, need based scholarships are available for all participants.

Also new in the coming academic year, the Academy with be expanding its ALLEGRO YOUTH CHOIRS program to now include two ensembles.  The Junior Choir, for singers grades 4-7, will meet on Thursday evenings, 5:00-5:45pm and the Senior Choir, grades 8-12, will also meet on Thursday evenings, 5:45-6:30pm.  Over the course of each six-week session, singers will explore vocal production, rhythm skills, and musicianship through songs and activities.  Choristers will also participate in community events and performances with local artists. The fall session will begin on September 11 with a cost of $60 per six weeks.  Need based-scholarships are offered to all participants and no auditions are required.  All voices are welcome. 

For information and registration for these programs, please visit www.allegroacademyeaston.com.  Interested students may also contact the Allegro Academy Education Coordinator at [email protected] or call 410-603-8361. Programs of Allegro Academy are funded by generous contributions from the community, Talbot Arts, Women and Girls Fund, Mid-Shore Community Foundation, and the Maryland State Arts Council.

Church Hill Theatre is delighted to present Adam Weiner, the founder and frontman of Low Cut Connie, in a solo concert on Thursday, September 18.  The band is famous for high-energy performances that feature Weiner’s piano skills, original songs and remarkable onstage persona.

The six-person Low Cut Connie band is both a crowd and critics’ favorite. The Los Angeles Weekly called it “unmatched in all of rock right now” and Sir Elton John publicly called it one of his favorites when he performed at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.  Low Cut Connie was even on Barak Obama’s playlist. Rolling Stone characterized the music as “what indie rock might sound like where it invented in Alabama in the late Fifties.”

Weiner was a solo pianist before forming the band, touring North America and Europe and playing in bars, warehouses, pubs—wherever he found a piano and eager audiences. He will bring both that spontaneous verve and some of his later songs to the CHT performance. Weiner is appearing at Church Hill Theatre at the request of Shelagh Grasso (one of CHT’s veteran directors), who was his high school teacher and mentor in South Jersey.  This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear an international star in a small and intimate performance space. Don’t miss it!

Adam Weiner will perform on Thursday, September 18, at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $40. The theater is located at 103 Walnut Avenue in Church Hill Maryland. Tickets are available on the CHT website: churchhilltheatre.org.

Auditions for the Garfield Center’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” have been scheduled for Sept. 3rd and 4th at 6:30 PM, and September 7th at 2:00 PM.

For detailed information about the auditions, and to see what you need to prepare for them, please click the following link, and then click on any of the audition dates listed here:
https://www.garfieldcenter.org/gcaevent/open-auditions-cinderella/all/

The production will perform over three weekends from December 5 through December 21, 2025.

For further information, or if you have any questions, click the link above.

Tred Avon Players (TAP), a growing, vibrant community theater serving Talbot County and the Eastern Shore, is seeking a part-time Executive Director to provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for the organization.

If you are an enthusiastic leader with a passion for the arts, we invite you to apply. The ideal candidate will be a creative and strategic thinker who thrives in a dynamic environment, has experience working with volunteer-driven organizations, and excels at building and maintaining relationships with donors, partners, and community members. Flexibility and adaptability are essential, as the role supports the evolving needs of a community-based theater.

“We are excited to welcome a dedicated, community-minded leader to help guide TAP into its next chapter,” said Melissa Barcomb-Doyle, TAP Board President. “This is a unique opportunity for someone passionate about the arts and nonprofit leadership to make a meaningful impact.”

See the full job description here.

Applications should be submitted by Friday, August 29 to TAP Board President Melissa (Missy) Barcomb-Doyle at [email protected]. For any questions about the position, candidates are encouraged to reach out directly to Missy.

Tred Avon Players looks forward to welcoming a new Executive Director to help guide its mission of inspiring, engaging, and entertaining audiences through exceptional community theater. Founded in 1982, TAP has proudly served Talbot County and the Eastern Shore for over 40 years, building a rich tradition of connecting the community through the arts.

For more information about TAP, visit www.tredavonplayers.org and follow TAP on Facebook and Instagram.

Jessica Passwaters Flipping in Bellevue Winning submissions from the ShoreRivers 2024 photo contest. For a chance to have your photograph featured, submit a picture of your local watershed to the 2025 contest. Details and contest rules can be found at shorerivers.org/photo-contest.

Have you ever been told you have an eye for capturing the moment? Perhaps a passion for photography? Do you love your local waterways and want to promote and protect them? ShoreRivers is running our annual photo contest from through October 31, so snap a picture and send it our way! Your photo could be seen across the Eastern Shore — contest photos are featured in ShoreRivers’ print and digital publications as well as at our events, which collectively reach thousands of people each year.

We are looking for images that highlight the beauty and resilience of the Eastern Shore waterways that ShoreRivers works to protect and restore through science-based advocacy, restoration, education, and engagement. We are particularly interested in images that exemplify our vision statement: Thriving rivers cherished by all Eastern Shore communities. Shore rivers are your rivers, and we want to see your representation of the beloved natural resources that we all strive to conserve.

Contest winners will be announced December 1 via email and on social media. Winners will be chosen based on how well their images reflect the mission and values of ShoreRivers. There will be four winners for each watershed — Choptank; Miles, Wye, and Eastern Bay; Sassafras and Bayside Creeks; and Chester — for a total of 16 winners.

Photographers will be credited for their work and may submit up to four photos. Images must be taken in ShoreRivers’ geography. For additional contest rules and details, please visit shorerivers.org/photo-contest.

ShoreRivers protects Maryland’s Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, education, and engagement.

shorerivers.org

Sixteen students participated in the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra’s first-ever Summer Camp, spending the week engaged in music-making, collaboration, and learning. Led by CYSO faculty and guest artists, the camp offered a mix of full ensemble rehearsals, sectionals, chamber music coaching, and master classes.

Throughout the week, students worked closely with guest instructor Ms. Preet Saund, Principal Cellist of the Capital City Symphony and Director of Instrumental and Choral Music at Silver Creek Middle School. Ms. Saund has worked with the National Philharmonic, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and the Kennedy Center, bringing her wealth of performance and teaching experience to camp.

Campers also received coaching in sectionals from CYSO String Orchestra Director Rob Stojakovich, Concert Orchestra Director Carlos Castrillón, Lily Hensler (band and orchestra teacher at Central Middle School and CYSO board member), and Vivienne Newberger (Assistant Camp Director). Under their guidance, students explored a variety of repertoire, strengthened their technical skills, and developed essential ensemble-playing and musical expression techniques.

The camp also provided opportunities for creativity, teamwork, and personal growth beyond rehearsals. Students participated in music theory sessions led by CYSO Executive Director Dane Krich, engaged in peer performances with constructive feedback, and enjoyed informal moments together over meals and games.

“The goal of this camp was not just to prepare for a concert, but to build community and inspire our young musicians,” said Krich. “We were thrilled to see the students supporting one another, taking musical risks, and having fun while working hard.”

The week culminated in a free public performance at St. Anne’s Parish House, showcasing the students’ progress after only a few days of intensive preparation.

The CYSO looks forward to making the Summer Camp an annual tradition and welcoming even more young musicians in the years to come.

About Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra

For over three decades, the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO) has fostered a passion for music among the youth of Annapolis and surrounding communities—creating the next generation of performers and music lovers. With distinguished conductors and pedagogues, a musically diverse offering of ensembles, and some of the best young instrumentalists that Anne Arundel County and surrounding areas have to offer, CYSO not only empowers its students to become lifelong lovers and performers of music, but also provides them with opportunities and memories that will last a lifetime.

Main Street Gallery is very excited to be exhibiting guest artist David Harp’s photographs for its September/October show. Dave’s work in this show focuses on the landscapes, people, and flora and fauna of the Chesapeake Bay region.  A renowned, award-winning photographer and filmmaker, who is a lifelong Marylander, Dave lives and maintains a studio in Cambridge and has been photographing the Chesapeake Bay’s “delights and dilemmas,” as he puts it, for over four decades. 

He explains that he often finds inspiration for his photographs in the marshy areas in and around the Bay, where the land and the water meet. This is where the above-water life he is looking for is so apparent, he says. He also seeks the edges of the days to work, from first light to sunrise and from late afternoon into dusk, when he finds his subjects “bathed in warm light and with long, revealing shadows.”

A graduate of Ohio University with a degree in English, Dave was staff photographer for the Hagerstown Morning Herald and photographer for the Baltimore Sun Magazine for nearly a decade. His magazine work took him to       far-flung locations such as the tropical rain forests of Panama, the coast of Normandy for a story on the 40th anniversary of D-Day, and to Australia to photograph the America’s Cup. His photographs have also appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Smithsonian, Sierra, and Coastal Living Magazine, among others. In 1990 he left the Baltimore Sun Magazine and started his own editorial photography business in Cambridge. His highly acclaimed photographs have been published locally and around the world, and his photography and film depicting the Chesapeake were exhibited for two years at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD.

Dave has also produced several books with essays by longtime friend and collaborator Tom Horton. These are: Water’s Way: Life Along the Chesapeake published in 2000, The Great Marsh: An Intimate Journey into a Chesapeake Wetland, published in 2002, and The Nanticoke: A Portrait of a Chesapeake River, published in 2015. In 2011 Snowfall: Journey of the Tundra Swans, also created with Tom Horton, was republished. In addition to his books, Dave has produced eight films about the Chesapeake Bay with co-producers Tom Horton and Sandy Cannon-Brown. In 2004 Dave was awarded the Andrew White Medal by Loyola College for his Chesapeake Bay photography. He was also appointed to the Maryland State Arts Council by former Governor Martin O’Malley.

In addition to showing works by David Harp and the Main Street Gallery coop members, the Gallery is excited to have its first pop-up exhibit, featuring the paintings of Maureen Farrell. Maureen is an award-winning contemporary water media artist who lives and maintains her studio in Cambridge. A native of New York, she found her passion for creating art after she remarried, retired and “reevaluated my whole purpose in life,” she says.  Maureen’s current focus is on the human figure. 

Where Land and Water Meet will open at the Gallery at 518 Poplar St. in Cambridge on September 5 and will run through October 26.

There will be two artist receptions on Second Saturdays, September 13 and October 11, from 5-8 p.m. Dave will speak about his work at the September reception. The receptions are free and all are invited. Light refreshments will be served.

Main Street Gallery is open Fridays through Sundays from 11-5, and online shopping is always available at mainstgallery.net. The Gallery, located in Cambridge’s thriving arts and entertainment district, is the City’s only artist owned and operated cooperative and has been downtown for 14 years. Main Street Gallery is currently reviewing work by prospective members and guest artists. Please contact the Gallery through its website or by calling 410-330-4659 if you are interested in being part of this vibrant artist community.

The Working Artist Forum is pleased to invite the public for a live talk and demonstration about Botanical Art and Nature Journaling on Monda, September 8 at 10:30 a.m. by Anna Harding and Diane DuBois Mullaly. 

Made possible with the help of Talbot Art, the location for this demonstration is the Academy Art Museum, Easton, Maryland. 

Harding is a skilled botanical artist and instructor, and leads the Botanical Art League of the Eastern Shore(BALES) which meets six times a year at Adkins Arboretum, Ridgely, Maryland. Mullaly is a fine artist who teaches Nature Journaling in the spring and fall at Adkins Arboretum. Both artists are certified as Maryland Master Naturalists and have undergone a year of specialized training conducted by the University of Maryland Extension Program, which teaches every aspect of the flora and fauna, geography and climate of the Coastal Plain of DelMarVa. Each year they must fulfill continuing education and volunteer requirements which, as citizen-scientists, engage them with the community through volunteering. More information is available here http://extension.umd.edu/programs/environmentnatural-resources/program-areas/master-naturalist-program/

Even though Harding and Mullaly are presenting together, their areas of expertise are quite different from each other. Botanical art is a precise, scientifically accurate and aesthetically pleasing rendering of a species from life or a photograph. Harding says, “Many times we have to rely on photographs when it would be very difficult to find a subject that we could bring into our studio.” Each piece of botanical art can take hours of fine illustrative work. There is a wide range of mediums that are used including watercolor, graphite, watercolor pencils, pen and ink and colored pencils. On the other hand, nature journaling is done outdoors in the field from life, creating a quick documentation of anything found in nature with sketches and notations in a bound journal. The usual mediums are ink and watercolor, and the information gathered can include the weather, the species, personal observations and feelings — even poetry. Mullaly muses, “I like to think of botanical art as representational painting from life in the studio, and nature journaling as quick plein air field studies done on the fly. Both are satisfying and almost meditative practices.” Both artists will bring examples of their work, and talk about opportunities to learn more about these two art forms. Mullaly will do a short nature jounaling demo with something from nature she has found outdoors that day.

The Academy Art Museum is located at 106 South Street, Easton, Maryland 21601. Please enter the museum via Harrison Street and go the Performing Arts Room