The Chestertown Tea Party Festival welcomes one and all Memorial Day Weekend in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the “Chester Town Resolves” and tossing British tea overboard.
The festival kicks off Friday, May 24, with a block party in Wilmer Park on the Chester River, followed by fireworks after dusk. There will be live music with Dell Foxx Company band and a variety of food trucks from 5 to 9 p.m.
Saturday’s festivities begin at 10 a.m., with the popular Colonial Parade, complete with fife and drum groups and marching bands, including the Delmarva United Marching Band. The town will be filled with more than 75 artisan vendors and plenty of food options — from crab cakes to ribs and pulled pork, fried shrimp, burgers, fresh strawberry shortcake and funnel cakes.
Located on the courthouse lawn, the Heritage Village features colonial rope making, ice cream making, grocers, sutlers, woodworking and flax dressing. Highlights include a demonstration of colonial dancing with the Dover Country Dancers and a portrayal of Hercules Posey, George Washington’s celebrated, enslaved chef.
Children’s activities are also located at the courthouse. These include puppet shows, colonial games, craft activities, storytelling, a participatory jug band and face painting.
A military encampment will be set up along the shore of the Chester River, filled with tents and reenactors. Periodically, a brigade or battalion will march up from the water to the courthouse and perform maneuvers prior to the reenactment at 2 p.m.
This year there are two walking tours of Chestertown — one focusing on African American history and one focusing on colonial history.
Musical performances include strolling colonial musicians, rousing sea chanties, the Garnet Tiger Chorus & Bucket Band, the Ebony Hillbillies, the country’s premier African American string band, and Karen Somerville with Cross and High — African American spirituals and blues.
The Garfield Center for the Arts will host a number of acts: a magician, a portrayal of Hercules Posey and a Sumner Hall performance of "David Wilson: Black Revolutionary War Patriot in the First Maryland Regiment."
The fun continues Sunday, May 26, at noon in Wilmer Park. The park will be filled with craft vendors, the Tea Party Beer Fest Tent featuring the Dan Hass Band, and plenty of children’s activities, including instrument making, a jug band and a puppet show. There will be a raft race at 2:30 p.m.
For more information and a full schedule of events and times please visit chestertownteaparty.org/.
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