🍦End-of-summer excursions

Good morning, Annapolis. Today is National Lazy Day, which landed on a Monday this year. The nerve. Consider it a permission slip to do the bare minimum today.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Ryan Sneddon

Celebrate 60 years of the Maryland Seafood Festival at Sandy Point State Park! Enjoy a weekend filled with fresh Maryland seafood, live music, cold drinks, local vendors, eating contests, and beautiful views of the Chesapeake Bay.

This year’s festival will be bigger than ever. Meet Mama Duck, the world’s largest rubber duck sitting at over 60 feet tall, and experience the return of Skipjack Heritage Days, featuring historic skipjacks, hands-on maritime activities, public sails, and a Sunday skipjack race visible from the festival grounds.

Bring the family, gather your friends, and come hungry for one of Maryland’s most iconic waterfront traditions. Looking to stay active? We have the 1st ever Peake Run with a 10K, 5K, or Fun/Run along the shores of Sandy Point State Park or join the Bay Bridge Paddle!

🎟 Buy Tickets Here

Need an end-of-summer excursion? These hotspots are worth the drive. Better yet, you can be somewhere else by lunch and back before dinner.

🦀 St. Michaels – It’s about an hour from Annapolis, making this quaint Eastern Shore harbor town an easy getaway. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is open 10 AM–5 PM (April through October). Admission is $20 online for adults, with discounts for seniors, kids, and military, and tickets are valid for two days (except the day before a festival). Don’t miss the 70-minute narrated Patriot cruise along the Miles River. Eat at The Crab Claw, in its 61st and final season, or Ava’s Pizzeria, where the back patio has a beer-tap waterfall. Foxy’s Harbor Grille has great seafood, crushes, and views of the harbor.

🎨 Frederick – About 90 minutes away, this 50-block historic downtown is packed with breweries, scenic parks, and Civil War history. Walk the 1.5-mile Carroll Creek promenade. Embrace your artistic exploration at the Delaplaine Arts Center, which is free and open daily. What’s for lunch? Tapas at Isabella’s (closed Mondays) or sushi at Lazy Fish.

🦪 Alexandria – If the Beltway behaves, it’s under an hour. A Travel + Leisure Top 10 Best City in the U.S. 2026, Alexandria boasts more than 200 independent restaurants and boutiques, museums, and a waterfront. It’s perfect for the spontaneous visitor. The King Street Trolley is free and runs 365 days a year. Make a pit stop at the Spite House (the skinniest historic house in America at about seven feet wide) at 523 Queen Street. Slurp oysters at Hank’s during weekday happy hour, 4–6 PM, or grab a Potomac-side table at Ada’s on the River.

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Team Naptown Scoop Coast 2 Coast 4 ALS progress: $13,223/$20,000

We have a new real estate listing located in the heart of downtown, and we want to know what you think the space needs. Across the red brick road from the Annapolis harbor, The Billy is located at 91 Main Street between Mills Fine Wine and Spirits and the Museum of Historic Annapolis. Talk about prime real estate. With 10 apartments above it, the retail space will have 1,000 square feet of street-level opportunity for one lucky entrepreneur.

So we want to know: What does Annapolis need right now?

P.S. Any interested renters should contact John Gallagher of Hyatt Commercial.

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🎈 = family-friendly events

🎨 Opening Ceremony of the A250 This is Now quilt project - Create and add your fabric square to a historic community art installation launching at the Visitor’s Center. The project will be on display through November.

🎭 CP Open Auditions for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Colonial Players casts 11-13 performers for their spooky and hilarious take on the classic tale. All roles open.

📚 Virtual Lecture – When the Declaration of Independence Was News - Dr. Emily Sneff explores how the Declaration was communicated across the new nation and Atlantic world in 1776. Free virtual lecture via Zoom.

🍽️ Dinner Under the Stars - Outdoor dining and live music on West Street every Wednesday through September. Themed nights, street-side seating, dancing.

🖼️ Local by Design at The Gallery - Over 30 local artisans selling fine art, furniture, jewelry, vintage items, and home decor. Happening Thursday-Saturday, too.

🎈🐣 Chesapeake Rovers and Chesapeake Children’s Museum at the Visitor’s Center - Junior Ranger programs, Chesapeake Bay activities, and Kona Ice from 1-3 PM. Runs Thursday and Friday.

🎈🎪 Ginger Cove’s Carnival for a Cause - Petting zoo, pony rides, games, face painting, dunk tank, and live music to kick off Walk to End Alzheimer’s fundraising. Free entry, some attractions cost extra.

🎶 8/13 Tides & Tunes: Jarflys - Free outdoor concert at Annapolis Maritime Museum with food trucks and drinks for purchase. Zero waste event—bring or buy a cup.

📚 Civil War Speaker: John Lower and the Christmas Pickle Tradition - Author Bob O’Connor reveals the surprising Civil War origin of the Christmas pickle tradition at AACC.

🎨 Creative Circle - Monthly Meetup - Try a new art medium each month with like-minded creators at ArtFarm Studio. August features pop-up art. $45 per class or $200 for all five.

🎶 Annapolis Chamber Music Festival Concert 1: French Connection - ACMF’s 11th season opens with works by Jolivet, Stravinsky, and Ravel, followed by a reception with wine and hors d’oeuvres.

🌸 Flower Happy Hour - Create a summer bouquet while enjoying two glasses of sangria at Historic London Town & Gardens. Ages 21+.

🍔 Food Truck Fridays - 12+ food trucks every Friday at Harry S. Truman Pkwy. Free admission, diverse cuisines.

🎈🎭 The Talent Machine: The Show That Started It All - A musical about kids discovering their inner talent, featuring a cast ages 7-14. All tickets $20. Runs through August 23.

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🏠 County economic numbers are out: We have a quick glance at the county’s economic status, thanks to the AAEDC’s quarterly report. Unemployment is up to 3.8%, while still below Maryland (4.4%) and overall U.S. (4.3%) numbers. The average home price in AACo. is just under $650,000, which is up $50K from last year at the same time. Retail space is scarce – vacancy is down to 2.8% from 3.4% a year ago.

👩‍💼👨‍💼 Calling business owners: Apply for an AAEDC Business Appreciation Week visit running Sept. 28 through Oct. 2. To see your business highlighted, submit your application soon.

🦆 No more empty calories for the ducks: It turns out bread isn’t so good for ducks. A new coin-operated food dispenser has been installed on City Dock to ensure ducks receive a nutritious, vet-approved meal for just 50 cents. Reader Justice T. Mallard writes that, like you, ducks will still enjoy cheat days with your leftover pizza.

🚒 Cape St. Claire Fire Co. gets a new station: Station 19 is getting a new $18 million facility next year. The 21,571-square-foot space will have four drive-through bays, 17 bunks, admin offices, and a community meeting room to accommodate its 20 career firefighters and 25 volunteers. Construction is underway and is set to be completed by April.

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94 🌡️ 76 | ⛈️ | 47% ☔ | 💨 SW 12 mph (10 knots)

89 🌡️ 73 | ⛈️ | 70% ☔ | 💨 W 8 mph (7 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 85ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

🌳🎵= Outdoor concert

49 West | 2nd Monday Songwriters Showcase: Jeff Muller, Dan Haas, Laura Brino & Meg Murray, hosted by Angie Miller | 7:30–10 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Doug Segree | 7–10 PM
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Open Mic with Hurricane Kevin | 8 PM

49 West | Viands @ Co | 7:30–10 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Daphne Eckman | 7–10 PM
Captain’s Daughter | TBA | 5–7 PM
🌳🎵Chronic Sailing | Joey Harkum | 7 PM
Copper Creek Pub & Ale House | Jazz Jam | 8–10 PM
Middleton Tavern | Joey Fitz with Drea | 6 PM
Pirates Cove | Kurt Gibbons | 6–9 PM
The Point | Kavoossi | 5–8 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Matt Schofield | 8 PM | Tickets

Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who doesn’t need an unofficial holiday to skip chores. National Lazy Day is their status quo, and they feel no shame.