We are officially in the height of summer as July rolls across Delmarva! In addition to long, lazy days at the beach, hours of fun at the pool, and late nights at some of our favorite local establishments, summertime brings an abundance of local events to enjoy. Fourth of July is an obvious choice, but there’s also plenty local festivals to mark on your calendars, including the Chincoteague Pony Swim, Taste of Cambridge, Berlin Bathtub Races and more! Keep reading for all of our favorite July Happenings…
4th of July Festivities
When: Saturday July 4th
Where: Anywhere and Everywhere
What: This one speaks for itself of course, but we would be remiss if we didn’t call attention to one of the major highlights of the month of July (and the summer for that matter). Independence Day celebrations will be held all over Delmarva, check out a few of our top picks here.
66th Annual Cottage Tour of Art
When: Tuesday, July 7 & Wednesday, July 8
Where: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
What: The Rehoboth Art League will hold the 66th Annual Cottage of Art Tour in early July, which includes a diverse selection of eight homes in the Rehoboth and Dewey areas. The two-day tour includes private homes and cottages, each featuring beautiful antiques, modern amenities, compelling architecture and beautiful landscaping. Tickets are $30. For more information, contact the Rehoboth Art League.
Bacil Family Night at the Salisbury Zoo
When: Friday, July 10, 6pm
Where: The Salisbury Zoo, Salisbury, MD
What: The Salisbury Zoo will hold their annual BACIL Family night for families with special needs children. In addition to a chance to explore the Zoo after hours, the evening will include activities such as yoga, Zumba, geocaching and more. Cost is $5 per family. Contact plewis@bayreacil.org for more information.
Taste of Cambridge
When: Saturday, July 11
Where: Downtown Cambridge
What: The annual crab cook-off and street festival is easily our favorite Cambridge events! Tickets for the crab cook-off are now on sale for $25 and include samplings from some of our favorite area restaurants as they battle it out in the Eastern Shore inspired cooking competition. The day also includes a free street festival, which boasts games, food, activities and live entertainment. Look for our full article on the event!
Running of the Bull at The Starboard
When: Saturday, July 11
Where: The Starboard, Dewey Beach, DE
What: When we think of Dewey Beach, we immediately think of The Starboard. The restaurant and bar never disappoints, whether you’re stopping in for a bite to eat or planning a full on Sunday Funday. One of their biggest days of the year at The Staboard is the Annual Running of the Bull, which is a sight to be seen. Expect the heralded running of the bull from The Starboard to the beach culminating in a bull fight in the parking lot along with much fanfare and celebrations all day and well into the night. And no worries, no bulls are actually hurt during this farcical celebration 😉
Plein Air Easton
When: July 11-19
Where: Easton, MD
What: Celebrating its 11th year, Plein Air Easton is one of the largest and most prestigious juried plein air painting competitions in the US. 58 competing artists will paint throughout Talbot County the week of July 11-19, culminating in a final exhibition of artists’ work. Art sales for last year’s event totaled 325 painting sold in just 2.5 days!
OC Greek Festival
When: July 10-July 13
Where: Ocean City Convention Center
What: Ocean City welcomes Delmarva’s largest Greek Festival for its 26th year! It’s all things Greek at the annual festival including LOTS of Greek cuisine available for both dine in and carry out. Lamb shank, keftedes, dolmathes, gyros, moussaka…the list of yummy options goes on and on. In addition to the culinary delights, there’s also vendors, live entertainment, dancing and more, including a fantastic lineup of Greek desserts to cap it all off. What’s more, admission is FREE from 12pm until 4pm each day and just $2 after 4pm.
Habitat for Humanity Warehouse Clearance
When: Saturday, July 11, 8am-1pm
Where: 7033 Worcester Highway, Newark, MD
What: We LOVE a good bargain here at ShoreBread, so we couldn’t resist sharing this with you all. Habitat for Humanity of Worcester County is looking to reduce their warehouse inventory with a major sale on gently used furniture, appliances, windows, doors, sinks, bathtubs and household items. It’s a great chance to save some money and score some household goods while supporting a great cause!
Captain Craig Swim
When: Saturday, July 11
Where: Downtown Ocean City
What: Think you’re a good swimmer? Put it to the test for the annual Captain Craig Swim in OCMD! Open to the public, competitors will swim a measure mile with the prevailing current to the finish line on 13th Street. For more information, contact Kristin Joson at kjoson@oceancitymd.gov.
J. Millard Tawes Clam Bake
When: Wednesday, July 15, noon-4pm
Where: Somers Cove Marina, Crisfield, MD
What: If you’ve never been to Crisfield, than you are certainly missing out! The small bayside town exudes Eastern Shore pride with a smattering of old Victorian homes, massive oak trees, boat harbors and crab shanties. The locals definitely know a thing or two about seafood, and celebrate it each year with the annual Clam Bake. Held on the third Wednesday in July at Somers Cove Marina, the Clam Bake is $45 and includes AUCE steamed crabs, clams (steamed, raw and fried), fresh fried fish, sweet potato fries, onion rings, French fries, corn on the cob, watermelon, soda, beer and water.
Berlin Bathtub Races
When: Friday, July 17, 5pm
Where: Main Street Berlin
What: Berlin holds several unique events throughout the year but the Berlin Bathtub Races certainly take the cake. Participating local businesses design and build their own tubs to race down Main Street in a friendly competition for the coveted rubber ducky trophy. It’s a fun, family-friendly event for all ages that we never miss. It’s not every day that you see a tub race in America’s Coolest Small Town!
Dog Days of Summer at the Ocean Pines Farmer’s Market
When: Saturday, July 18
Where: Ocean Pines Farmers Market at White Horse Park
What: The Ocean Pines Farmers Market is hosting their first annual Dog Days of Summer event, which in addition to celebrating all things canine, will aim to raise funding for the Worcester County Humane Society. The day will include a special Pooch Plaza which with dog-centric vendors such as Tumbleweed & Eddies, Best Friend Collars, Pet Threadz, and Those Clever Canines, to name a few. Worcester County K-9 will also be attending. And be on the lookout for raffle tickets for the gift basket – chocked full of goodies for your four-legged bestie.
Ocean Games/Swim OC/East Coast SUP
When: Saturday, July 18
Where: Ocean City Boardwalk/Beach, 9am-5pm
What: Spend the day at the beach enjoying the 3rd Annual Ocean Games, a WOWSA sanctioned open water swim along the coast of Ocean City. The day includes two main competitions: Swim Ocean City and the East Coast SUP Cup. Swim Ocean City is a WOWSA-sanctioned ocean race that includes 1, 3, and 9-mile ocean swims. The SUP Cup offers 4 and 2-mile paddleboard races for both elite and open levels. More importantly, the event aims to raise funds for the Johns Hopkins Brain and Stroke Rehabilitation Program. Whether you are participating or not, the event is a great chance to enjoy the beach while supporting a great cause.
Epworth Skate Park Skate Day
When: Sunday, July 19
Where: Epworth Skate Park, Rehoboth Beach, DE, 2pm-6pm
What: Head to Rehoboth for an afternoon of skate contests, prizes, giveaways, live music, food and drink for sale, and more. This free event is fun for all ages and offers the perfect chance to get outdoors and enjoy a little summertime fun at the skate park.
Chincoteague Blueberry Festival
When: July 24-26, 9am-4:30pm
Where: Chincoteague Center, Chincoteague, VA
What: Blueberry season is about to be in full swing, especially in our favorite little Virginia town. Chincoteague will host their 28th Blueberry Festival on July 24, 25 and 26 with blueberries, blueberries, and more blueberries. The festival features live entertainment, exhibitions, vendors, activities and games, as well as every blueberry inspired culinary item you can imagine. It’s the perfect excuse for a day trip to Chincoteague.
Chincoteague Pony Swim
When: Wednesday, July 29
Where: Chincoteague Island, VA
What: Hands down the biggest event of the year for Chincoteague, the annual Pony Swim is in its 90th year. Made famous by “Misty of Chincoteague,” thousands of spectators flock to the island to watch as the ponies make their swim from Assateague to Chincoteague for the pony round-up and auction. And stick around for the Chincoteague Fireman’s Carnival! One of our favorite summer events on Delmarva.
