Maryland Public Television is looking for collectors across the region who want to share stories of their prized possessions at a two-day taping event for its popular weekly series Chesapeake Collectibles. The event takes place on October 4 and 5 at the statewide public TV network’s Owings Mills, Maryland studios.

Chesapeake Collectibles has entertained, surprised, and enlightened MPT viewers for more than a decade. Each season, taping event guests meet with expert appraisers to learn more about their family heirlooms, flea market finds, and cherished collectibles. The most interesting items and stories are selected for evaluation in front of the MPT cameras, resulting in priceless moments as guests share their tales, discover the histories of their items, and receive an answer to the all-consuming question: How much is it worth?

The recording of segments featuring appraisers and collectors discussing their treasured items will provide Chesapeake Collectibles producers and editors with the content needed to develop 13 episodes for the series’ 13^th season, which will premiere in 2026.

Paid registration is required to attend. The cost is $135 and includes verbal evaluations of up to three items by a team of experienced appraisers and a chance to be selected to appear on the show. It also includes a one-year membership to MPT.  Registration information and attendance details are available at chesapeakecollectibles.com. Walk-ins cannot be accommodated because of occupancy limits.

“Whether they collect vintage sneakers, movie memorabilia, abstract art, or commemorative teacups, we want to give everyone an opportunity to possibly share the stories of their treasures with our viewers,” said Patrick Keegan, Chesapeake Collectibles executive producer.

In October 2024, nearly 1,000 people from across the Chesapeake Bay region brought their cherished collectibles to MPT to have them evaluated during the two-day taping of the series’ 12^th season, which premieres Monday, June 2, at 7:30 p.m. on MPT-HD, the MPT livestream, and the free PBS app.

 Past series episodes can also be viewed online at video.mpt.tv/show/chesapeake-collectibles/ and pbs.org/show/chesapeake-collectibles/.

Fans of the series can read the latest posts from the popular series’ Talkin’ Collectibles blog, available at mpt.org/blogs/chesapeake-collectibles/.  It’s an insider’s look at the world of collecting and collectibles.

Major funding for season 13 of Chesapeake Collectibles is provided by Alex Cooper Auctioneers,  Second Story Books, and the generous members of Maryland Public Television.

More information is available at mpt.org.

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Car and boat enthusiasts will gather on Maryland’s Eastern Shore this summer and fall as two premier motoring events take place at the waterfront Kent Island Yacht Club.

The 9th annual Chesapeake Bay Motoring Festival returns on June 7–8, 2025, followed by the 18th annual St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance on the Chesapeake Bay, scheduled for September 26–28, 2025. St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance Inc. and the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society are presenting both events in partnership with Hyatt Place Kent Narrows & Marina.

The yacht club’s expansive waterfront lawn will transform into an open-air museum, featuring a dazzling lineup of antique, classic, hot rod, and sports cars, along with a curated collection of classic boats and grand motor yachts.

Free online applications for vehicle and boat entries are now open and can be for one or two days. Event sponsors include Red Horse Motoring Club, Fred Frederick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Easton, Prestige Auto Vault, Preston Automotive Group, Shore United Bank, and Treasured Motorcar Services. Advance discounted tickets are good for both days and can be purchased online at  www.chesapeakebaymotoringfestival.org.

Start your Engines in June

The Chesapeake Bay Motoring Festival kicks off Saturday, June 7, with a lively Cars & Coffee gathering featuring car clubs, hot rods, muscle cars, and elegant vintage vehicles. All types of vehicles are welcome to participate. The weekend concludes Sunday afternoon with a whimsical awards ceremony along the waterfront. Categories include “Best Car to Take Your Momma to Church” and “Car Most Inclined to Stop for Gas.”

The festival’s People’s Choice Award winner will earn a featured spot in September’s Concours d’Elegance.

Spotlight on Elegance in September

The September 26–28 Concours d’Elegance on Chesapeake Bay will showcase Rolls-Royce as the Grand Marque, highlighting a grand celebration of the 100^th Anniversary of the Phantom. An invitational class of racing Corvettes will be on display, along with a Winner’s Circle featuring previous best of show winners from other Concours d’Elegance events, including Greenwich, Radnor Hunt, and Amelia Island.

The weekend will also include a spotlight on Chesapeake Bay yachting, along with classic motor yachts and wooden speedboats on display. Sponsored by the Dwight Schaubach Collection, a unique grouping of fabulous examples from Suffolk, Virginia, will be showcased.

Entries for the Concours d’Elegance are now open and available online through a brief application process.

Concours Chair Luke L. Phipps says the Kent Island Yacht Club offers the ideal setting for both events, bringing together fine motoring, local flavors, scenic waterfront views, and the unique charm of the Eastern Shore.

“Each weekend is a celebration of craftsmanship and community,” Phipps said. “With locally sourced food, craft beverages, live music, vendors, and a festive atmosphere, it’s a complete experience for both car enthusiasts and casual visitors alike.”

Arrive by Land—or Water

Both events are ticketed and open to the public, with dockage available for guests arriving by boat at the Kent Island Yacht Club or Hyatt Place Marina. Slip space is limited, and advance reservations are recommended by contacting [email protected].

Entrant applications, early-bird tickets, sponsorship opportunities, and more information can be found at www.chesapeakebaymotoringfestival.org or www.smcde.org.

About the Chesapeake Bay Motoring Festival

Held each June at the Kent Island Yacht Club, the Chesapeake Bay Motoring Festival is a two-day celebration of all types of automobiles, tractors and boats, offering a scenic, family-friendly experience for gearheads and maritime enthusiasts alike.

About the St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance on the Chesapeake Bay

Now in its 18th year, the St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance is one of the Mid-Atlantic’s most prestigious automotive events. Set along the Chesapeake Bay waterfront, the Concours features a curated collection of rare classic cars and vintage yachts, celebrating the art and elegance of motoring.

The family of former assistant keeper Harold Messick recently gathered at the 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse on the campus of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum to learn more about lighthouse life and remember their ancestor.

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is thrilled to share its 60th-anniversary celebration with its expansive community in 2025.

Throughout the year, CBMM will look back on its six decades through a series of mission-focused videos to be released at cbmm.org/60thAnniversary and its YouTube channel. The anniversary festivities also include a “Celebrating 60 Years of CBMM” logo, social media highlights, an exclusive CBMM Member Night program, and more milestone moments woven into its annual festivals and programming.

The fun culminates with CBMM’s annual Boating Party Fundraising Gala on Saturday, Sept. 6, which will mark the diamond anniversary with a glamorous evening of celebration to benefit the organization’s mission.

“We are proud to celebrate 60 years with everyone who has helped make this milestone possible,” CBMM’s President & CEO Kristen Greenaway said. “With the help of our community, we are excited to use this occasion to spotlight the ways that we have fulfilled our mission through the years and continue to share the Chesapeake story with new audiences.”

Located on Navy Point along the Miles River in historic St. Michaels, CBMM officially opened its doors on May 22, 1965, as a project of the Historical Society of Talbot County amid a still-bustling complex of workboats, docks, and seafood packing houses.

Over the past six decades, CBMM has blossomed into a world-class maritime museum and vital community partner serving more than 80,000 guests per year on its 18-acre campus in fulfillment of its mission to preserve and explore the history, environment, and culture of the entire Chesapeake Bay region, and make this resource accessible to all.

Today, CBMM is the only museum devoted to interpreting the entire maritime region of the Chesapeake, sharing the stories of Chesapeake people across time through historic structures, purpose-built exhibition buildings, a floating fleet of traditional vessels, and a working Shipyard.

CBMM will share the journey through its video series highlighting key themes across the 60 years. The initial installment, available now, delves into CBMM’s collections and how it cares for more than 90,000 artifacts while spotlighting the storytelling about the 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse through the eyes of the family of former assistant keeper Harold Messick.

Future chapters will celebrate 60 years of education, exploration, preservation, tradition, and community building. The monthly features will highlight CBMM’s historical archives and introduce community members to share their stories.

“It’s great to reflect on our progress in collecting and interpreting the culture of this place while some of our original supporters are still with us,” CBMM’s Chief Historian Pete Lesher said. “The museum itself, the number of lives we touch, and the tourism economy that we anchor have grown beyond anything they could have imagined 60 years ago.”

CBMM members become a part of the Chesapeake story, joining CBMM’s mission as stewards of the region’s rich cultural heritage. To discover all the terrific benefits of membership and join today, visit cbmm.org/memberships or contact Membership Services Coordinator Debbie Ruzicka at 410-745-4991 or [email protected].

To learn more about CBMM’s 60th anniversary celebration, visit cbmm.org/60thAnniversary.

Representatives from eighteen Mid-Shore non-profits will accept checks totaling $64,970 at the Women & Girls Fund’s 22nd Annual Grants & Awards Luncheon on April 28.  That will bring the Fund’s overall grant total to $967,006 awarded to 118 distinct organizations whose programs benefit women and girls in one or more of the five Mid-Shore counties of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot.

The grants will go to 6 new organizations and 12 non-profits that have been awarded Women & Girls Fund grants at least once before.  New this year are: Allegro Academy; Building African American Minds; Chester Valley Ministers Association; Garfield Center for the Performing Arts; Hurlock Elementary School Girls on the Run; and, Tides of Grace.

Previous grant recipients receiving awards are: Aaron’s Place; Compass Hospice; Critchlow Adkins Children’s Centers; For All Seasons; Horizons of Kent and Queen Anne’s; Imagination Library of Talbot County; Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence; Open Doors Partners in Education; Pine Street Committee; Talbot Hospice; Talbot Interfaith Shelter; and, Tilghman Area Youth Association.

“The programs offered by our grant recipients focus on the significant issues facing women and girls,” said Allie Prell, Grants Committee chair.  “From education to developing healthy relationships to supporting families in crisis, they have the potential to create a positive change in our community and we are proud to be able to support their efforts.” 

In addition to bestowing the grants checks at the luncheon, the Women & Girls Fund Award and Sheryl V. Kerr Award will be presented to two extraordinary local women in recognition of their leadership, vision, integrity, and remarkable accomplishments benefitting Mid-Shore residents.

The Women & Girls Fund Award for 2025 will be presented to Kathy Deoudes, of Queenstown. A 30-year resident of Queen Anne’s County and past Board President of the Women & Girls Fund, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership through her professional career and extensive community service.  In her professional capacity, her decade of service as a legislative aide to State Senator E.J. Pipkin contributed to bringing the Shore Health Queen Anne’s Emergency Center to the county in 2007.  As the current Chair of the Board of Directors for UMMS/Shore Regional Health and through her volunteer work with numerous organizations, including the Mid-Shore Community Foundation and Compass Hospice, Deoudes has been a driving force in improving healthcare access and community development across the Mid-Shore. 

The 2025 recipient of the Sheryl V. Kerr Award is Beth Anne Dorman, of St. Michaels, President  & CEO of For All Seasons.  Under her leadership since 2014, For All Seasons has grown from a $1.4M operation with 24 employees to a vital behavioral health agency and rape crisis center with a $10,000,000 budget and nearly 100 employees, with 60,000 services a year to 3,500 people. Her work establishing sexual assault response programs, developing mental health resources, and expanding access to mental health services has transformed the landscape of healthcare services on the Eastern Shore.

“Our award recipients are tireless advocates for Mid-Shore women and children through their professional careers and volunteer service.  Our grant recipients address a wide variety of critical needs facing women and girls,” said Beth Spurry, president of the Women & Girls Fund Board of Directors.  “We are pleased to bring our donors and friends together with this year’s recipients at the annual luncheon so they can see their dollars are going to real people doing great things.”  

The Grants & Awards Luncheon will be held on Monday, April 28, 11:30am, at The Tidewater Inn Gold Room in Easton.  Ticket price is $65 per person.  The event is open to the public.  Space limited.  Registration deadline is April 14.  To make a reservation or for more information, call 410-770-8347, email [email protected] or visit www.womenandgirlsfund.org.

On the first Saturday in May, Talisman Therapeutic Riding will again welcome Maryland belles and gents to the organization’s annual Derby party. The celebration at Churchill Downs will be spectacular as will the celebration on Blue Ribbon Lane in Grasonville, where guests will be surrounded by dozens of roses as they sip the traditional mint juleps, view the silent auction items, and taste premium bourbons.

Guests can stroll to the barn to meet the herd  and then get more closely acquainted with one of the twelve therapeutic riding horses waiting for them in the Winners Circle. Gentlemen and ladies, in their iconic hats, will view a live broadcast of the Derby, enjoy a Southern style dinner, prepared by Chef David Perry of Ruthsberg Kitchens, and place their win-place-show wagers.

“Talisman’s Derby event truly is the most fun you can have in a hat,” said Chair Diana Saquella, Kentuckian herself. Most importantly, this event helps feed our twelve horses and provides much needed financial aid to those who can benefit from therapeutic riding but lack the funds to participate.

The doors open at 4:30, well before the televised race. Guests can learn the characteristics of several fine bourbons, explained by bourbon aficionado George Haag, and compete in the men’s and ladies hat contest..

The event will benefit Talisman Therapeutic Riding, Inc., a 501(c) 3 organization that pairs PATH trained instructors with horses to support children and adults with multiple physical and emotional challenges and veterans and first responders suffering from the effects of their jobs.

The event will take place on May 3rdth at the Talisman Therapeutic Riding farm at 172 Blue Ribbon Lane in Grasonville. Early bird tickets are $150 per person until April 11th and $175 per person after that. All reservations must be made in advance.

For further information and to purchase tickets go to www.talismantherapeuticriding.org or call 443- 239-9400.

Registration for 2025 YMCA of the Chesapeake youth summer camps is now open.

“Our summer camps are designed to give kids a place where they can explore new interests, make friends, and grow in confidence,” said Robbie Gill, CEO of YMCA of the Chesapeake. “Whether they’re trying a sport for the first time, diving into creative arts, or simply enjoying the outdoors, every child will leave with meaningful experiences and lifelong memories.”

Camp programs will be available at the following YMCA of the Chesapeake locations:

• Cecil County YMCA
• Easton Family YMCA
• Henson Camp Cook in Salisbury
• Kent County Family YMCA
• Lower Shore Family YMCA
• Perkins Family YMCA in St. Michaels
• Queen Anne’s County Family YMCA
• Pauline F. and W. David Robbins Family YMCA in Cambridge

At the YMCA of the Chesapeake, day camps focus on enhancing friendship, accomplishment, and belonging, helping children build confidence and independence through hands-on learning, outdoor exploration, and new experiences.

Most camps operate Monday-Friday 9am-4pm with before and after camp care available at no extra charge.

Parents and guardians can register now on the YMCA of the Chesapeake website, and camp registration fees will be waived for those who sign up during March – a savings of $25 per child. Use promo code 2025-CAMP.

For more details on camp programs and to register, visit: https://ymcachesapeake.org/programs/camps/summer-camp

About the YMCA of the Chesapeake

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits and one of the largest Human Service organizations on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Virginia and Southern Maryland; strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the Shore and Southern Maryland, Ys engage 50,000 members and their families–regardless of age, income or background–to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve community health and wellbeing, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. The YMCA of the Chesapeake operates facilities in Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Talbot, Queen Anne’s, Wicomico and Worcester Counties in Maryland and on Chincoteague Island in Virginia. The Y is working with local volunteers to bring a new YMCA to Lexington Park, Maryland in St. Mary’s County in the near future.  Last year, the YMCA of the Chesapeake provided over $1,750,000 in assistance to over 16,000 community members, turning no one away due to inability to pay. Additionally, the Y spent $200,000 on outreach efforts and programming in the communities it serves

Fagan Harris (center), chief of staff to Gov. Wes Moore (D), at a hearing on the administration’s schools bill. He is flanked by Mike Thomas, the governor’s deputy legislative officer, and Carmel Martin, special secretary of the Governor’s Office for Children. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

Kent County Schools Superintendent Mary McComas had just finished criticizing lawmakers for proposed cuts to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future in the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act, when she was gently corrected.

House Appropriations Committee Chair Ben Barnes (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) thanked McComas for her service as a superintendent, then politely made a point.

“Just to be clear. This is not the legislature’s bill. I just want to be clear about that,” Barnes said, drawing a few chuckles and smiles from others at the hearing on the Moore administration bills.

Senate Bill 429 and its companion, House Bill 504, were proposed by the Moore administration and were the subjects of a four-hour joint hearing that brought together four legislative committees. In addition to Appropriations, members of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Budget and Taxation and Education, Energy and the Environment committees were on hand to hold a joint hearing on the bills.

Scores of teachers, students and advocates turned out for the hearing and dozens testified against the bills, which would defer some elements of the multibillion-dollar, 10-year Blueprint plan in the face of a $3 billion budget shortfall next year — which is expected to grow worse as a result of budget cuts expected from the Trump White House.

One person who was not on hand to testify was Gov. Wes Moore (D) who sent aides instead, to the disappointment of some at the hearing.

Fagan Harris, Gov. Wes Moore’s chief of staff, said the governor is “committed to seeing the Blueprint through.” (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

“I am frustrated,” Ways and Means Chair Vanessa Atterbeary (D-Howard) said in a text message after Wednesday’s hearing. “It is a significant bill proposing significant changes to the BP [Blueprint]. I think his in-person support of his legislation would have been good to see.”

Mary Pat Fannon, executive director of the Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland, said she was surprised the governor didn’t take the opportunity to testify before the four House and Senate committees.

“It is very rare to have four committees have a joint hearing. I thought they were trying to accommodate him,” said Fannon, who does not support the bills. “You don’t want to read too much into it, but you have to look a little bit into it.”

Instead, Moore Chief of Staff Fagan Harris spent about an hour summarizing the administration’s bills and stressing the governor’s overall support for the Blueprint.

“I want to be put crystal clear: This governor is committed to seeing the Blueprint through. That’s why we’re proposing this legislation,” Harris said.

“We think it maps to the realities we’re seeing at the federal level,” he said. “It maps the realities of the historic fiscal crisis we’re currently navigating together and services implementation imperatives of the law, and yes, also makes the law more succinct.”

Harris said the Blueprint is currently funded through next year, which could open the door to deficits thereafter. The changes proposed in the governor’s bill would help put the Blueprint on more sustainable footing, he said.

Harris said the administration bill calls for “a pause” in funding for “collaborative time,” a goal of the Blueprint that would eventually reduce teachers’ time in the classroom from 80% of the day to 60% to allow for more planning, training, individual work with students and more.

The Blueprint calls for implementation of collaborative time to begin next year, but Harris said that would require the hiring of another 12,000 to 15,000 teachers at a time when the state is already grappling with a teacher shortage.

“Because of this shortage, it is not currently feasible to implement collaborative time in a way that would yield the intended benefits for student achievement,” Harris said. The bills would delay collaborative time for four yars, which would allow school districts more time to recruit and retain teachers.

In the interim, the administration bills include funding for several alternate teacher and administrator programs, such as a Grow Your Own initiative to expand teacher and staff pipelines, boost diversity in the profession and establish apprenticeship programs.

The administration bills would also keep funding for community schools — those in areas of concentrated poverty — at its current level for two years. Harris defended the level funding for community schools, noting that the administration has pushed to increase the number of such schools from 447 to 715, and has more than doubled funding, from $227 million to $490 million this year.

One of the few voices in support of the governor’s bill was State Schools Superintendent Carey Wright.

State Superintendent of Schools Carey M. Wright testified Wednesday. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

“We must ensure that the collaborative time policy does not unintentionally decrease the instructional time for students or negatively impact academic performance,” Wright said in a “letter of information” to the committees that was co-signed by State Board of Education President Joshua Michael.

Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-Lower Shore), a member of the Senate “Triple-E” committee, said she supports the pause in collaborative time — but thinks the state could face unintended consequences if it rushes into creating collaborative time.

Carozza is sponsoring a bill  – Senate Bill 791 – that would keep the current 80% classroom time for teachers. A hearing on that measure is scheduled for Friday.

But Moore’s proposal to freeze funding for community schools — which get a high concentration of poverty-based grants such as the number of students who receive free and reduced-price meals — did not sit well with several lawmakers.

Atterbeary called the proposal “a cut” — despite Harris’ characterization of it as a pause — and said the legislature just approved community schools legislation last year.

Sen. Cory McCray (D-Baltimore City), who serves on the Budget and Taxation Committee, said when he visits community schools he sees “young scholars that looked like me.” McCray, who is Black, asked Harris if the administration has conducted research on student demographics in those community schools.

“This is not about cutting programs already in motion that are already in motion making a huge difference in the lives of kids,” Harris said. “We see this as a chance to better leverage the program and the dollars going into it and letting effective implementation keep up with our pace of investment.”

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by William J. Ford, Maryland Matters
February 19, 2025

Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: [email protected].