Dorchester News | Nov 2024
WHAT'S INSIDE: Dorchester Holiday Guide | Fall Colors & Birds | Dorchester Tourism's Video Projects | Heritage Awards Nov. 13 | Eastern Shore Flavors for the Holidays | November Event Highlights | Arts & Music

Get in the holiday spirit!

Dorchester County is home to the original Crab Basket Tree (pictured at left), multiple Christmas parades, one of the country's oldest train garden traditions (above), holiday performances, visits with Santa, indie shops, a luminary celebration, and more! All with that friendly Eastern Shore charm. Our elves have gathered all the holiday happenings in one place to make it easy to plan your festive fun. Check out our 2024 Holiday Guide! 

Top holiday events at a glance

  • More than a dozen bazaars, parties, and open houses for gift buying in November alone!
  • Crab Basket Tree - Throughout December
  • Christmas Train Garden - Dec. 1-31
  • Vienna Christmas Parade - Nov. 30
  • Cambridge Dorchester Christmas Parade - Dec. 7
  • Cambridge Holiday House Tour - Dec. 8
  • Mistletoe on Main - Dec. 14
  • Hurlock Christmas Parade - Dec. 14
  • The Nutcracker - Dec. 14
  • Luminary Celebration in Vienna - Dec. 21 (pictured below)

GIFTS GALORE! Experience what shopping used to be – a fun time of stepping into a charming shop decorated for the holidays, browsing interesting gift items that you can touch and feel, and chatting with a friendly shopkeeper and other shoppers. Plus you'll get the warm fuzzies knowing that by shopping local, you're helping a local family and the local economy. Our independent shops offer items that celebrate the Eastern Shore, works of art made by local artists and artisans, antiques, clothes and toys for kids, jewelry, and much more. Browse Dorchester's indie shops and galleries.

Pictured below: Candleholders at Shorelife Home & Gifts.

Fall colors are still here – along with the birds!

WHERE TO HIKE: Dorchester County shows its fall colors later than other places in Maryland, so there’s still time to enjoy the color and crunch of fall leaves! It's time to lace up your hiking shoes and head out! Here are a few places to go:

  • Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge: The refuge has four land trails: the Marsh Edge Trail (video above), the Woods Trail, the Key Wallace Trail – all off of or close to Wildlife Drive; and the Tubman Road Trail, located off Hip Roof Road, south of the refuge's visitor center. You can also stroll along the four-mile Wildlife Drive. More info.
  • Frank M. Ewing/Robinson Neck Preserve: This little-known gem of a trail is on Taylors Island. Walk through pines and tidal marsh through this 920-acre preserve. There's even a self-guided audio tour. More info.
  • Marshy Hope Bird Trail: There's an east loop (1.2 miles long) with views of Marshyhope Creek and examples of sustainable forestry practices, and a west loop (1.9 miles). More info.
LOOK FOR THE BIRDS! Make your hike even more interesting by watching for migrating and resident birds. Need some guidance on birding? Join a free Guided Birding Tour at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on Nov. 17, Nov. 24, Dec. 15, or Dec. 28. Or head out on your own with our Dorchester Birding Guide.

Dorchester Tourism has video projects in the works

Dorchester County Tourism has been hard at work on several video projects this year to help spread awareness of the county. Here’s a peek at what we're working on:




  • Viewpoint: Actor & Director Dennis Quaid hosts this show for public television distribution. The focus is on Horn Point Lab and their oyster hatchery.
  • Washington Post: This paid promotion highlights Patriot Point (watch it below), the arts, watermen, seafood, historic Pine Street and civil rights, and historic women of Dorchester.
  • Draper Media: This paid promotion will highlight the history of civil rights from the 1960s until today in Dorchester County, as well as industry here, past and present (through a partnership with Dorchester County Economic Development).

Heritage awardees to be honored at reception Nov. 13

A lifelong preservation advocate dedicated to preserving a historic church and cemetery with ties to Harriet Tubman, an organization that showcases Dorchester County’s diverse cultures, an event celebrating the local men who served in the U.S. Colored Troops, and a volunteer whose efforts help ensure that maritime history is appreciated by new generations – all will be honored for their roles in helping to preserve and promote Dorchester County’s culture during the Heart of Chesapeake Country Heritage Area Awards reception.
The event, which will take place at 5pm on Nov. 13 at the Dorchester Center for the Arts in Cambridge, is free and open to the public and will include a presentation on the Heritage Area’s achievements over the past year, as well as displays from the local heritage partners who have received mini-grants and Maryland Heritage Areas funding to support their own projects. Read more about the awards.

The Heart of Chesapeake Country Heritage Area awards are made possible by funding from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. This is the 20th year for the awards to be presented in Dorchester County.
Ramp up the flavors at your holiday gatherings with some local Eastern Shore flavors, from crabs and oysters to sweet potatoes and wine! We've gathered up a few ideas for where to find those delicious local flavors – and where to order a meal ready to go! If you're not in the mood for cooking, we're also collecting info on which restaurants are hosting Thanksgiving dinners and buffets. See the roundup.

Bring Eastern Shore flavors to your holiday feasts

NOVEMBER EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Nov. 1, 6:30-9pm
Look up at the night sky and learn about its importance to Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad at 'The Park After Dark' at Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park in Church Creek. This family-friendly program will include night sky viewing, a chance to use a telescope with a ranger, crafts, and an opportunity to make and learn how to use a planisphere! Bring your own blanket or chair. Bug spray is encouraged. Pre-register online or call 410-221-2290.

Nov. 2, 10am-3pm
Emily’s Produce welcomes four-legged friends to join their humans for the day! Every pup that comes to play on the farm will get a free homemade treat, and all leashed pets can experience their Fields of Fun with some maze walking, pumpkin patch photo ops, and open space exploring. Baywater Animal Rescue will be on hand with adoptable pets.
Nov. 8-10
Stop by our Dorchester County Tourism booth at “The Duck Blind” inside the Avalon Theater during the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, a celebration of local wildlife, nature, art, heritage, and food.

Nov. 9, 1-5pm
Richardson Maritime Museum hosts a fundraising bash featuring a raw oyster bar, Cousins Maine lobster, beer on tap, and jazzy music by "Before Your Time." Explore the Boatworks and learn more about what’s been happening at the Richardson. Entry $10 includes 1 beer ticket. All proceeds support the Richardson Maritime Museum. Parking available on site at 103 Hayward Street.

NOVEMBER EVENT HIGHLIGHTS, continued

Nov. 9, 10am-4pm
Featuring about 20 dealers from across the Mid-Atlantic with a variety of coins, banknotes, tokens, and more. Bring your coins for free verbal appraisals and cash offers. Admission and parking are free. At American Legion Post 91, Cambridge.

Nov. 14, 6pm
Join Groove City Black Heritage & Culture Group for a Sip & Paint at Vintage 414 in Cambridge. All materials provided. Enjoy drinks while you create art. Limited seating. $45 includes glass of wine. For tickets, call 443-225-0819.
Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving), 8am
Get a healthy start to your Thanksgiving. Open to ages and abilities. Pups on leashes welcome. Virtual option available, too. At the Pauline F. & W. David Robbins Family YMCA in Cambridge.
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Arts & Music in November

ARTS

Dorchester Center for the Arts in Cambridge has “Celebrations and Treasures: A Mixed Media Exhibition by Sista Quilters” Nov. 1-30 features wall hangings, fabric bowls, paintings and drawings from artisans of all ages. All are welcome to the Second Saturday reception Nov. 9, 5-7pm. Plus, free Mini Quilt Class (all materials provided) Nov. 9, 10am-1pm. Sign up by Nov. 4 at 410-228-7782.

3ten Creative Design & Gift Gallery opens their second annual Rock & Roll Art Show with a free reception Nov. 9, 6-10pm with live music and conversation. Featuring work by Lori Dever, Sherry Christopher, Mike James, Larry Drehoff, BJ Wheatley, and Brian Wozny. (Work pictured here by Mike James.)

Main Street Gallery has "All That Glitters 2024: A Metalsmith Collective" Nov. 1-Dec. 29 showcasing the jewelry and artwork of seven Eastern Shore metalsmiths, as well as the artwork of the gallery’s member artists. The public is welcome to free Second Saturday receptions Nov. 9 and Dec. 14 from 5-8 pm. 518 Poplar St., Cambridge.
MUSIC

Nov. 16, 7-8:30pm
Listen to the “Ambassadors of Gospel, Blues and Jazz,” the Eric Byrd Trio at Vintage Venue in Cambridge. Benefits the Harriet Tubman Museum and Education Center. $20 donation appreciated. Photo below courtesy of the Eric Byrd Trio.

Nov. 12, Dec. 10, 6-9pm
Dorchester Center for the Arts has Open Mic Pop-Ups. All are welcome. Free. Cash bar with beer and wine.

Fridays, 6:30pm
Local musicians, poets, and comedians are welcome to strut your stuff each week. All are welcome. Alcohol-free.

Explore more of Dorchester County!

Order free brochures
Dorchester County Tourism offers a wide selection of free digital brochures on our website, including a Dining Guide, 2024 Events Guide, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway Map & Guide, Cycling Guide, Paddling Guide, Birding Guide, and Heritage Guide. View and download them as PDF files.

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Plan your trip to Dorchester County
Learn more about Dorchester County – things to do, places to stay, where to eat, a bit of history, and much more on our website at VisitDorchester.org. Or stop by the Dorchester Visitor Center at 2 Rose Hill Place in Cambridge – we're open weekdays 8:30am-4:30pm and weekends 10am-2pm.

Sunset time-lapse
Choptank Riverkeeper Matt Pluta recently created this beautiful time-lapse of sunrise below at the Dorchester County Visitor Center. Thanks for sharing this with us, Matt!
Dorchester County Tourism | 2 Rose Hill Place, Cambridge, MD 21613
2 rose hill place, Cambridge, MD 21613