Seasonal celebrations that are unique to Maryland’s Eastern Shore BY ANNE MCNULTY Every place on earth has its own character, which has been shaped by its environment, its landscape, and its people. This is certainly true of our Eastern Shore—which every year celebrates its uniqueness with festivals and events. Nature’s bounty abounds here with bushels of crabs in spring and summer, and bushels of oysters in fall and winter. Every February, the watermen, trappers, and hunters celebrate the outdoor life they love in Dorchester County’s National Outdoor Show. And there are so many stories to be told and to be remembered, such as the amazing life of Frederick Douglass, which is celebrated each September in Talbot County. Of course, there’s so much natural beauty here as well. While eagles swoop down to capture their prey, and herons and egrets wade in the creeks, they inspire artists, photographers, and sculptors to capture their essence. They also inspire conservationists to protect them, which is the main purpose of Easton’s annual Waterfowl Festival. These three events help to preserve this special place, our Eastern Shore. 48
What’s Up? Eastern Shore | February 2020 | whatsupmag.com
The National Outdoor Show in February PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF NATIONAL OUTDOOR SHOW
Dorchester County waterman, Buddy Oberender, loves the outdoors. It’s where he lives and makes his living. He’s out on Shore waters most every day, either crabbing or oystering. His home is near the shimmering marshes of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, far away from the sprawling growth now taking place on much of the Eastern Shore. He’s been here since he was 14, and he has no plans to leave. “I’ve made my living at my sport,” he says, and at age 62 he’s still at it. When asked how long he plans to work, he says, “I’ll do it ’til they put me in the grave.” Oberender also loves his community, and he gives back to it by being president of the annual National Outdoor Show held in Dorchester County. Only on the Eastern Shore could you find a show like this. It began at a winter picnic in 1938 at a Cambridge theater when three friends—Emmett Andrews, Frederick C. Malkus Jr., and Herbert Dozier—decided to organize a muskrat skinning contest for county farmers.
