Wooden and fiberglass classics, vintage racers, and other antique boats return to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum from June 16-18 for the 35th Antique & Classic Boat Festival and Coastal Arts Fair. (Photo by George Sass)
ST. MICHAELS, Md., May 16, 2023 – Wooden and fiberglass classics, vintage racers, and other antique boats return to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum from June 16-18 for the 35th Antique & Classic Boat Festival and Coastal Arts Fair.
Hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society, this Father’s Day weekend tradition is one of the largest classic boat shows in the Mid-Atlantic region and annually brings a sense of nostalgia to the Miles River and CBMM’s waterfront campus.
The festival runs from 10am-5pm on Friday and Saturday and 10am-3pm on Sunday. For advance tickets and more information, visit cbmm.org/antiqueandclassic.
In addition to the wide range of vessels on display representing a multitude of makers and eras, the Antique & Classic Boat Festival is accompanied by a juried Coastal Arts Fair showcasing vendors whose products, services, and art represent boats, the water, and coastal life.
Driven by the Antique & Classic Boat Society – Chesapeake Bay Chapter’s mission of continuing the legacy of these venerable vessels through preservation, restoration and education, the festival will feature a lineup of 10 seminars on Friday and Saturday highlighting experts, historians, and authors. (Find the full schedule here.) Other festival highlights include a Field of Dreams for those looking to buy, boat rides, a nautical flea market, and a children’s scavenger hunt, as well as a DJ spinning classic tunes.
This year’s festival highlights the theme of “Show Us Your First Love,” inviting boat owners to display their boats and share stories about what first launched them on their lifelong love of classic and antique boats. (Photo by George Sass)
This three-day celebration of the past, present, and future of antique and classic boating invites guests to take a step back in time.
Builders represented at the festival typically include Chris-Craft, Lyman, Gar Wood, Elco, Thompson, Trumpy, Owens, Egg Harbor, and other great classic marques. Owners of boats in all phases of restoration in the following classes are expected to participate, as part of a varied collection featuring historic (up to 1918), antique (1919-1942), classic (1943-1975), late classic (1976-1997), and contemporary (any wooden boat built within the last 25 years) examples.
This year’s festival highlights the theme of “Show Us Your First Love,” inviting boat owners to display their boats and share stories about what first launched them on their lifelong love of classic and antique boats.
Two-day admission to the Antique & Classic Boat Festival is $19 for adults; $16 for seniors (65+), college students with ID, and retired military with ID; $7 for active military with ID, CBMM members, and children 6–17; and free for children 5 and younger.
In addition to advanced sales online for Friday/Saturday and Saturday/Sunday, tickets will be available at CBMM throughout the festival. No single-day tickets will be sold to this rain or shine event.
Additional free event parking for Saturday’s festivities will be available at St. Michaels Middle/High School, with a complimentary shuttle service to and from CBMM.
For safety reasons, non-service dogs need to be kept home during CBMM festivals, including the Antique & Classic Boat Festival and Coastal Arts Fair. Carry-on alcohol from dock or land is prohibited.