Tourism News
Find out what’s going on in Caroline County!
For a detailed events calendar, check out our Upcoming Events page.
Adkins Celebrating National Public Gardens Day with Free Admission
Adkins Arboretum will celebrate the American Public Gardens Association’s (APGA) fourth annual National Public Gardens Day by waiving admission fees on Fri., May 11.
Slated to coincide with Mother’s Day weekend, the unofficial start of spring, National Public Gardens Day affords public gardens an opportunity to showcase their gardens and highlight the valuable contributions they make to their communities.
On National Public Gardens Day, Arboretum visitors can shop from the region’s largest selection of ornamental native plants at the Native Plant Nursery; view an exhibition by artist George Holzer; take a self-guided tour or an audio tour; explore the forest, wetland, meadows and gardens; and learn about the link between native plants, land conservation and a healthy Chesapeake Bay. Visitors who become members on May 11 will receive a free one-year subscription to Better Homes and Gardens magazine in addition to a host of other benefits.
Arboretum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Nursery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, and weekends by appointment.
Community Arts Block Party scheduled for May 12th
The Caroline County Council of Arts invites the public to attend their 5th annual Community Arts Block Party on Saturday, May 12 from 5-9 p.m. on Fourth Street between Market and Gay streets. Attendees will enjoy a free celebration of the arts – with live entertainment, artist demonstrations, art activities for all ages, and lots of fun for the whole family. There will be dancing in the street with music by Summers Off and a special performance by the High School Open Mic students. Food and drink concessions will be available, including Italian ice, pit beef, pork BBQ, and hot dogs.
Participants can preview the recent new addition to the Artsway at Denton, the historic Hardee House at 7 N Fourth St, soon to be the home for the Fiber Arts Center of the Eastern Shore (FACES). Guests can find out more about FACES, see fiber arts demonstrations, and participate in a community quilt project. Guests will also be able to explore the new Denton Community Demonstration Garden, find out more about the project, and participate in their paint-a-tile fundraiser hosted by Color ‘n’ Clay. The Foundry community art gallery at 401 Market Street will also be open to view artwork by over 50 local artists. The community is encouraged to come out, have fun, show support, and find out more about the Arts Council and its many programs. For more information, contact the CCCA office at 410-479-1009, ccartscouncil@verizon.net.
Kentucky Derby Party to Benefit Caroline Foundation for Mental Health
The Caroline Foundation for Mental Health will be hosting a Kentucky Derby Party on Saturday, May 5th 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm. The event, which will be held at the Denton Fire House, will feature live streaming of the races, heavy hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, a silent auction, a contest for the best hat, casino table games and more! $35 admission includes food & two drink tickets. For tickets & more information, contact Sara Visintainer at 410.924.7423 or visintainer@gmail.com
Friday Nites in Caroline Presents Curtis Blues
Friday Nites in Caroline is pleased to present the Mississippi Delta Blues sound of Curtis Blues at the Caroline County Public Library in Federalsburg on Friday, March 23 at 7 pm.
Playing the blues music heard from the 1920’s through the 1940’s, Curtis’s performance demonstrates a lifetime of research and passion of blues history: from the African Gourd Banjo carried over on slave ships, to the one string “Diddley bow” and home-made cigar box guitar, followed by the metal resonator guitars popular in the 1930′s. All of these instruments were played by the early bluesmen before the popularity of the electric guitar in the 1940’s.
Mississippi Delta blues includes soulful harmonica, emotionally expressive singing, slide guitar and a rock’n drum beat. Curtis’s one-man band style of acoustic blues is enjoyed by all age groups and presents a style of unique music rarely heard in today’s music scene. Described by Kym Bergman of Blues Australia as a “Blazing harp, guitar and a soulful voice, Curtis Blues is the real deal.” Curtis started playing blues harmonica at fourteen years of age, and says that when he heard harp playing blues it expressed his deepest feelings.
“People who love the blues feel it in their hearts.” He continues to grow and learn about the history of African American music, and includes new perspectives in all his shows, clubs, private parties and schools.
“Every day I play I learn more about expressing deeper emotion through my music. It grows with my life” states Curtis.
For more information contact the Library at 410-754-8397 or info@carolib.org. Friday Nites in Caroline is presented by the Caroline County Council of Arts and the Caroline County Public Library; is sponsored by Tri Gas & Oil, Best Western Denton Inn, The Eastern Shore Regional Library and the Maryland States Arts Council and is FREE for all attendees.
Cram the Cruiser: Helping to Fight Hunger
In an effort to provide year round support to local Denton church food banks, the Denton Police Department is starting a new program called “Cram the Cruiser.”
Drop off non-perishable food donations at the Denton Police Department lobby Monday through Friday from 8am – 4pm or at locations throughout downtown Denton. Their goal is to fill up Local Denton church food pantries throughout the year during the months of April, July, October, as well as the holidays.
If you have a location you would like to see a “Cram the Cruiser” box or event, please contact Patti at the Denton Police Department at 410-479-1414.
5th Annual St. Patrick’s Day 5K Race/Fun Walk
Don’t miss Caroline County’s 5th Annual St. Patrick’s Day 5K Race/Fun Walk to be held on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. In addition to being a great way to burn off the Corned Beef & Cabbage, this event will also benefit the continued good work of the Caroline County Human Services Council. Race begins at the Button Factory at 317 Carter Avenue in Denton.
Register EARLY!! Go to www.seashorestriders.com then choose Race Schedule, Upcoming Races to find 5th St. Patrick’s Day 5K Race/Fun Walk. Print out registration forms to complete and mail with your check or choose the link to register online!
Registration will be open race day from 8:30 a.m. -10:00 a.m.
Early Registration: $15 through Friday March 11th/Race T-Shirt guaranteed!
Late Registration: $20 after March 11th through Race Day.
Sleepwalker Registration: $25 to stay in bed, no sweat and contribute to the good work of the Human Services Council and its partners.
Awards will be given for overall and master champions and top three male and female finishers in each age group. Also a special award for Best St. Patrick’s Day Spirit Costume! The Caroline County Human Services Council funds programs that provide results in the support of Healthy Children, Children Successful in School, and Communities that Support Family Life.
For more information, contact Jeri Cain at 410.479.1343 or jcain@carolib.org
Denton Community Demonstration Garden Meeting
The Denton Community Demonstration Garden Initiative, a grassroots endeavor that seeks to create a demonstration garden in downtown Denton, will be holding an informational meeting on Thursday, February 23rd at 6:30 pm at the Caroline Central Library in Denton. Anyone who is interested in getting involved or learning about the project is invited to attend the meeting.
The demonstration garden will be a community public space that showcases edible plantings, sustainable agricultural techniques, and garden ecology. Located by the municipal parking lot at 4th and Gay Streets in downtown Denton, the garden will be a part of Denton’s Arts and Entertainment District’s plan to connect the Artsway with exterior pathways and other outdoor amenities. The garden will include interpretive components that will enable it to serve as an outdoor classroom, offering educational opportunities for learning about green horticultural practices such as crop rotation, soil health, water storage & use and composting. The garden will also offer a venue for social and cultural exchanges through learning opportunities about food security, nutrition, and cooking.
School groups, clubs, organizations and individuals will be able to participate in the seasonal planting, maintenance, harvesting, food processing and distribution necessary to sustain a productive garden. Community partnerships including those with the Farmer’s Market, local food pantries, schools, garden-related groups and other organizations are currently being coordinated. Like the surrounding Artsway Pathways, this community demonstration garden will be accessible to all abilities, and provide aesthetic improvements through the addition of garden ornaments, furniture, and new plantings. For more information on the Denton Community Demonstration Garden or to RSVP to the meeting, please call 410.479.1009.
Friday Nites in Caroline: UMES Jazz Ensemble
Friday Nites in Caroline presents the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Jazz Ensemble, Friday, February 17, 2012, 7:00 p.m. at Colonel Richardson High School Auditorium in Federalsburg.
Back by popular demand, the UMES Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Dr. John R. Lamkin II consists of 20 members that include five saxophones, four trombones, five trumpets, two bass players, two percussionists, a piano player and a vocalist. The ensemble has distinguished itself by performing several concerts for area schools as well as for various community functions. In 2007 the band performed during the Inaugural Ball for Governor-Elect Martin O’Malley at the Convention Center in Baltimore. Locally, they have entertained the Cambridge Elks Club during their Veterans Day Ceremony and for the Salisbury VFW Post 10159. The ensemble has also toured St. Thomas, Virgin Islands in the spring of 2004 and 2008, Ghana in the spring of 2005, and has also played in Chicago, Florida and New York.
The UMES Jazz Ensemble has also been honored to have performed with several legendary jazz musicians. Most notable have been organist, Shirley Scott; trombonist, Steve Turre; trumpeter, Nicholas Patton; saxophonist, Benny Golson; bassist, Larry Ridley; pianist, Onaje Allan Gumbs; trumpeter, Dr. Donald Byrd; saxophonist, Stanley Turrentine; trombonist, Wycliffe Gordon; vocalist, Bilal; and trumpeter, Wynton Marsalis.
“Many of the members of the Ensemble have gone on to become highly successful music educators and sought after professional musicians,” said Lamkin. “There are also a few members of the band who are community musicians who donate their time and talent to the Jazz Ensemble because they love to play their instruments and they love jazz. They are truly an inspiration to the students in the band.”
Most of the students in the band are music education majors, who are preparing to spread the knowledge they are gaining about the jazz idiom once they graduate and become educators. They also play regularly in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and for area schools and community functions.
For more information contact the Library at 410-479-1343, info@carolib.org
Friday Nites in Caroline is presented by the Caroline County Council of Arts and the Caroline County Public Library; is sponsored by Tri Gas & Oil, Best Western Denton Inn and the Maryland States Arts Council and is FREE for all attendees.
Raise the Roof Bluegrass & Irish Music Festival
The Riv
erside Country Inn will be celebrating their 100th birthday with a good ole’ fashioned Bluegrass & Irish Music Festival from Friday, April 13th – Saturday, April 14th. This 3 day celebration will feature an Open Mic Night on Friday, live musical performances and a BBQ on Saturday, and Brunch followed by an afternoon of Gospel music on Sunday. Proceeds from this centennial celebration will go towards putting a new roof on the Riverside Country Inn. Admission is $5 for Friday, $10 for Saturday and a Free Will Offering on Sunday. Attendees may also choose to become a “Friend of the Riverside” for $35, and will receive 3 day admission and 1 meal. For more information, contact 410.482.6550.
Riverside Country Inn
204 N. Main Street
Greensboro, MD
410.482.6550
www.riversidecountryinn.com
Rio Carnival Masqued Ball to be held March 3rd 2012
Save the date for the Caroline County Council of Art’s Rio Carnival Masqued Ball on Saturday, March 3, 2011 at the Fretterd Center in Denton. This promises to be a fun and unique social event, with proceeds benefitting the CCCA’s programs and arts center. Highlights include live entertainment by Big Joe’s Samba Dance Party band, catered Brazilian-inspired cuisine, dance demonstration andinstruction, as well as a silent auction, mask contest, and more.
Let the fun begin with Big Joe Maher, WAMMIE Award Winner for Male Blues Vocalist in 2005 and 2009. One of the most versatile music performers in the business today, Big Joe brings down the house with his swinging brand of Rhythm and Blues. For this special event, he has put together a special “Samba Dance Party” band that will include some of the best area musicians, www.bigjoem.com.
Dine on a Brazilian-inspired menu. Then, get out on the dance floor and learn some moves from the Dancing on the Shore instructors, and watch them in action as they perform a special dance demonstration.
Dress from semi-formal to formal/black tie attire or wear a costume. Whatever you prefer, but don’t forget your mask! Masks will be available for sale at the door and one-of-a-kind hand-painted masks by Foundry artists are now available at The Foundry for the event. Foundry artists are also contributing to the event’s art auction.
Tickets are now on sale for $50. This event is for those 21 years and older. Tables of 8 are available for $400. Tickets can be purchased at The Foundry, CCCA’s community art gallery, at 401 Market Street, Denton or by calling 410-479-1009. Proceeds will support CCCA programs and projects. www.carolinearts.org
Join Our Mailing List
10219 River Landing Road | Denton, MD 21629
Voice: (410) 479-0655 Fax: (410) 479-5563
Email: info@tourcaroline.com
Copyright © Caroline County Office of Tourism
