🍦Small business of the year 🏆

Good morning, Annapolis. Today is officially the first day of Spring. Not that that means anything in Maryland. I'm sure we still have some below-freezing days in the near future. Regardless, let's burn some socks.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, & Duffy Perkins

The Beer Farm at Homestead Gardens is now serving for spring and pouring on the fun! Join us Wednesdays through Sunday (hours vary) for 36 craft beers, seltzers, ciders and more.

Come by and SIP LOCAL AGRICULTURE in a unique, growing-centric atmosphere right next to our garden center. Enjoy locally crafted beverages while the kids run and play on the lawn, explore the playground, and take in barnyard entertainment. We are proudly pet-friendly, so bring your four-legged family members along, too.

Each week features live music and rotating food trucks, making every visit fun and a little different. Meet friends for a casual afternoon, gather with neighbors, or stop by after work to unwind.

Even better, you can sip while you shop in our store and garden center, turning a simple plant run into a relaxing outing.

Fresh air, local flavor, and room to roam. We will see you at the Beer Farm!

The City of Annapolis has a special City Council meeting on Monday. What makes it special? Well, nothing. It's just the name.

At meetings, they discuss ordinances (which make laws), resolutions (which express the will of the council), and sometimes, charter amendments (which change how the city government works).

Monday's meeting will see First Readers for legislation allowing the police chief to give someone access to Annapolis PD's firing range (currently only the mayor can do that) and another ordinance that would allow outdoor dining patrons to be served while standing (right now, they must be seated).

Second Readers include authorizing temporary vendors at six upcoming events in the Historic District and expanding a public paddle craft storage program at Truxtun Park.

The Council will also get a report from Public Works Director Burr Vogel, proclaim April Earth Month, and review grants and appointments. See the full agenda.

Monday’s City Council meeting starts at 7 PM in the City Council Chambers at City Hall - 160 Duke of Gloucester Street.

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Every year, the Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce recognizes local businesses who represent the best of Anne Arundel County. We’re stoked to see some names we know on here and are excited to learn more about the ones we don’t.

🛍️ Small Business of the Year: Bohemian Black by Walking Roses - A lifestyle boutique at Annapolis Town Center with curated apparel, accessories, and even some home decor. It's owned by Rose Walker, who has built a strong and uplifting community around her store.

🌳 Woman-Owned Business of the Year: The Oaks Bed & Breakfast - Set in a historic home in downtown Annapolis, this B&B also hosts events for up to 80 people. It’s co-owned by attorney Sharon Jackson Wilder.

💐 Minority-Owned Business of the Year: Little House of Flowers - Owner Martha D'Onofrio has been serving Anne Arundel County since 1994 with everyday flowers, funeral flowers, wedding flowers, and pretty much everything in between.

⚖️ Emerging Business of the Year: Mundaca Law Firm - founded by Francisco Mundaca after 17 years in big firm litigation, this new legal shop brings big city law chops to our small town.

💫 Non-Profit of the Year: Opportunity Builders, Inc. - OBI has been quietly doing some of Anne Arundel County's most important work since the 1960s, supporting youth and adults with disabilities through job training, community employment, and personal development programs.

🍦Chairman’s Choice Award: Always Ice Cream Company - What started as just the beloved Annapolis ice cream company on Main Street has grown into a regional ice cream powerhouse with a fiercely loyal following. It’s owned by brothers Mark & Adam Cohen.

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Don’t take it from us. Take it from the Washington Post. As reported by health and wellness columnist Gretchen Reynolds, “If your body is flexible, you’re likely to live longer than someone whose body and joints are tight and rigid, according to the first, large-scale study of the links between flexibility and mortality.”

In the study by Claudio Gil S. Araujo, 3,139 men and women between ages of 46 and 65 completed an evaluation of overall flexibility. Researchers followed them for more than a decade. They found that people with the stiffest joints — especially women — were substantially more likely to die prematurely than those with greater flexibility. Assisted stretching decreases pain, improves posture and mobility, and increases longevity. One Scoop reader said StretchMed Annapolis literally changed his life. So what are you waiting for? Book your no-cost intro stretch today.

🎈 = family-friendly events

🎈 🖋️ Maryland Day Poetry Challenge - Jefferson Holland, Poet Laureate of Annapolis, invites poets of all ages and levels to read their original work in honor of Maryland Day.

🎈 🎨 ArtFarm Spring Open House & AND Creative Art Sale - Printmaking, watercolor, cartooning, and blind contour drawing demos. Also: 12 local artists are selling original work — most under $100, nothing over $500. Food truck and bar on site.

🎈 🌳 Healthy Forests Workday - Remove invasive plants at Bacon Ridge Natural Area. Scenic Rivers provides tools and training. Must be 16+ solo or 10+ with an adult.

🎈 ⛪ St. Anne's Maryland Day Tours - Church tours at 1 PM and cemetery tours at 2 PM as part of the Annapolis250 celebration of America's 250th birthday. Also Sunday.

🎈 ⚾ Navy baseball doubleheader - 1 PM & 3:30 PM against Bucknell at Max Bishop Stadium. No tickets required.

🎈 🏃‍♂️ Annapolis Running Festival - Choose your poison – half-marathon, 10K, or 5K. Fun fact: Scoop writer Dylan is on the website! Note: Will cause driving delays between 7–11 AM.

🪕 Eastport Oyster Boys 30th Anniversary Concert - EOB celebrate 30 years of music, mirth, and Chesapeake Bay goodwill. Proceeds support Annapolis Musicians For Musicians.

🎈 🩰 Maryland Hall: Performing Arts Fest - Celebrate the reopening of Maryland Hall's dance studios. Rolling demos in ballet, tap, theater, soul line dance, and more, plus performances by Naptown Jazz Kids, Guitars for Change, and others.

🎈 🐮 Anne Arundel County Farmers Market - Local farms, local booze, local soaps, local bakers, and more.

🎈 🐰 Easter Bunny Pet Photos at Sea Dog - The Easter Bunny is visiting Sea Dog Pet Boutique. Photos by Dogs of Annapolis.

🎈 ⚾ Navy baseball vs. Bucknell - 1 PM at Max Bishop Stadium. No tickets needed.

🦪 Chesapeake Oyster Week – More than 50 Shell Recycling Alliance restaurants will feature oyster specials, with a portion supporting oyster restoration. Runs March 20–31.

👼 Colonial Players presents: City of Angels - A smart and stylish film noir musical set in 1940s Hollywood.

🕺 Classic Theatre of Maryland presents: Dancing Through the Decades - A dazzling journey through American music and dance from the 20s to the 80s.

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Usually, this spot on Fridays is where we re-run the most clicked stories of the week. But this week, every day’s top click was one of ours – be it dinner club, the new events calendar, or our return to Instagram. So we wanted to share the love. Btw, April 15’s dinner club meeting is 100% full. We did not expect that. Stay tuned for meeting #2 in May.

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Real BFFs connects 3,800+ local women through 250+ events each year - creating a highly engaged community where women show up and support local businesses. We partner with brands like yours to offer sponsorships that feel natural, trusted, and aligned - without the noise of traditional advertising. Looking for meaningful, community-driven visibility? Click here to learn more.

*indicates sponsored advertising content.

61 🌡️ 48 | ⛅ | 24% | 💨 S 14 mph (12 knots)

63🌡️ 45 | ⛅ | 15% | 💨 N 8 mph (7 knots)

65 🌡️ 56 | ⛅ | 8% | 💨 SSE 11 mph (10 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 39ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

49 West | Shari Puorto Band | 8–10 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Kevin Koa, Jesse Moody | 3:30 PM
Annapolis Smokehouse & Tavern | Timmie Metz | 8:30 PM
Beer Farm | Michael McHenry | 5–8 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Dana B | 4–7 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Bravenoise | 9 PM
Brian Boru | The National Bohemians | 7–10 PM
Captain’s Daughter | TBA | 5–7 PM
The Choptank | Kevin Koa | 8 PM
Killarney House | Suzy & Shaun | 7:30–10:30 PM
Market House | Brandon Freelump and Alex G | 8–11 PM
Middleton Tavern | Fess Up | 10 PM
Old Stein Inn | Alexander Peters | 7–10 PM
Pirates Cove | John Haywood | 7:30–10:30 PM
Rams Head On Stage | End Of The Line | 8 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | Scott Hymes Band | 8 PM
Rams Head Tavern | Special Guest | 9 PM
Romilo’s Restaurant and Bar | Impulse Band | 7 PM
Severna Park Taphouse | George Evans | 8 PM
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | The Leftovers | 9:45 PM
Studio 333 | Meg Murray, Madisun Bailey, Laura Brino, & Carly Winter | 7:30 PM

49 West | Dean Rosenthal’s 5 Piece Racket | 7:30–10 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Jason A Anderson, Mad Planet | 3:30 PM
Beer Farm | Will Lopez | 2–5 PM
Brian Boru | Blakely Cain | 7–10 PM
Blackwall Hitch | The Slugs | 9 PM
Dark Horse | Moon Cherry | 9 PM
The Choptank | Ryan Cobb | 8 PM
Great Frogs | Charles Kavoossi | 12–3 PM
Great Frogs | Aidan Ewald | 4–7 PM
Killarney House | Kevin Lee | 7:30–10:30 PM
Market House| Arcade Band | 8–11:30 PM
Middleton Tavern | Mike McHenry Band | 10 PM
Mother’s Peninsula Grille | Fitzkee Brothers | 8 PM
Pirates Cove | Frank, Elvis & Raines | 7–10:30 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Quinn Sullivan | 1 PM | Tickets
Rams Head On Stage | The Good Deale Bluegrass & Eastman String Band | 8 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | Grilled Lincolns | 9 PM
Rams Head Tavern | Justin Berdequez | 9 PM
Romilo’s Restaurant and Bar | Epptones | 7 PM
Severna Park Taphouse | Red Betty and The Ruckus | 8 PM
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Christopher Dean Band | 9:45 PM

49 West | Sharon Sable and Beth McDonald, with Joe Holt | 7–9 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | AJ Jesson | 1–5 PM
Beer Farm | The Devaney Brothers | 2–5 PM
Brian Boru | Big Brothers Porch | 4–7 PM
Galway Bay | Scoglio Duo | 4–8 PM
Great Frogs | Aaron Hawkins | 1:30–4:30 PM
The Lodge | Eugene Chapman | 11 AM – 2 PM
Market House| Nyah Auane | 5–7 PM
Pirates Cove | Faith & The Faithful | 3–6 PM
Rams Head On Stage | ZZ Ward w/ McKinley James | 8 PM | Tickets
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | West Street Revival | 7 PM

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