From our office window, sometimes we are lucky enough to hear the waves rolling onto our shores. Most people would probably respond to this call of the ocean by yearning to frolic in the cool water, but if we hear those waves around lunch time, ShoreBread just wants to dive into a seafood platter. Luckily, we can fill ourselves with as much seafood as we would like next weekend at the 47th Annual Maryland Seafood Festival at Sandy Point Park, nominated as one of USA Today’s 10 Best Readers Choice Travel nominated specialty foods events.

On Saturday, Sept. 6 from10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. hoist some of the sea’s bounty onto your plate from vendors like Phillips Seafood and Maryland’s Watermen Association, Mother’s Peninsula Grille, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood and Hollywood Oyster Company. While there is seafood in every direction, there will also be dessert vendors, a Crab Soup Cook-off Import and Craft Beer tastings and Wine tastings at “Wine Row.” The festival is sure to be a foodies dream.

Once you’ve cleared your plate, there are unlimited options of entertainment. First make sure to stop by the art and craft vendors and enjoy the live music. Down by the water there will be Maryland Watermen’s Association Demonstrations and Exhibits including Chesapeake Crab skiff races and other watercraft activities. For the kids there is an interactive kid’s zone featuring the Annapolis Crab Derby, Fishmobile where kids can touch live sea creatures and a horse shoe crab exhibit.

Also, don’t miss out on the Xpogo Professional Pogo Stick Demonstrations where performers do gravity defining pogo stick routines and the Extreme Volleyball Professional beach games. This competition is part of a cross-country volleyball tour where elite athletes compete, but also anyone else can sign up to play! Simply register here and if your team wins first or second place, you can go on to compete in other games in the tournament!

We can’t wait to be stretched out on the sand, watching the water and eating to our hearts content at the festival. What better way to appreciate the Bay.