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Aficionados of all things avian flock to the annual Waterfowl Festival in historic Easton, Maryland.
Talbot County, on the Chesapeake Bay’s Eastern Shore, is located smack dab in the middle of the Atlantic Flyway. Every year, thousands of geese and other migrating birds fill the skies during the second weekend in November. In their honor, the beautiful town of Easton hosts the annual Waterfowl Festival, a wildlife art and sportsman’s exposition that offers something for everyone to enjoy. The family-friendly festival attracts approximately 15,000 visitors each year.
Over its 41-year history, the non-profit Waterfowl Festival, Inc., has raised and donated more than $5 million to support preservation of the Eastern Shore’s outdoor heritage, including wildlife conservation and education projects throughout the Delmarva Peninsula.
Artists and their work are showcased at six of Easton’s fine-art galleries. Artworks include sculptures, carvings, duck stamps, photography, and wildlife paitings. Books, unique regional gifts, and antique decoys are for sale at the festival shops. The Sportsman’s Pavilion vendors offer everything from big-game adventure trips to fishing lures, while the tasting pavilion and various local food vendors and restaurants offer Maryland wines and local delicacies as well as traditional Eastern Shore fare.
The Wildlife Pavilion features a dog shows, retriever and fly fishing demonstrations, world championship goose and duck calling contests, and a decoy auction. For children there is a fishing derby, birds of prey demonstrations, and kid’s art exhibits.
Parking and shuttle service are free with a ticket. For more information visit www.waterfowlfestival.org
