Fair and “Fowl”
Attending a duck calling contest may not be the top item on your Bucket List, but a Fall daytrip or weekend getaway may be. If you are looking for a new experience, consider attending the 51st Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Maryland. The festival is an annual event and takes place this year November 11-13, 2022. This three-day event attracts tens of thousands of visitors to the Eastern Shore to highlight the unique heritage, waterfowl culture, and promote conservation. Over 1,00 volunteers are needed to create the festival which has distributed over $6 million in proceeds to environmental, conservation and education projects throughout the Delmarva Peninsula to preserve wildlife, waterfowl, habit, and heritage for future generations.
This year’s festival will feature displays of wildlife paintings, sculptures, photographs, and decorative and working decoys. Richard Clifton, the featured artist is a multiple winner in the Federal Duck Stamp Contest. Canines get suited up in life jackets for the Delmarva Diving Dogs competition, always an impressive display of canine talent. The World Waterfowl Calling Championship, a ‘can’t miss event’ takes place at the Easton High School Auditorium! Come listen as competitors quack like ducks or honk like geese as they vie for the title of World Waterfowl Calling Champion. The three-day pass for most festival events is available online for $15 before November 1st and $20 thereafter or onsite. The profits support local waterfowl non-profits.
If you prefer seafood and shopping to waterfowl, the festival is still a wonderful chance to experience historic Easton. Free parking is available outside of town and free buses will take you to any exhibit or drop you off near the town center where the roads are open only to pedestrian traffic, shopping, and food stands of all kinds. You may net the perfect Christmas gift in one of the many eclectic antique, art, and clothing shops.
This is a very popular event so if you are interested in attending for multiple days, make lodging reservations early. More information on the festival and its schedule of events is available at waterfowlfestival.org