2019 Buy Local Challenge Celebration A Festival of Maryland’s Farms, Food, and Fun
News Release Southern Maryland Agricultural Commission
Live music, fresh food, local goodies, and farm fun; it’s time for the Annual Southern Maryland Buy Local Challenge Celebration!
The Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC), a division of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland, is excited to announce that the 3rd Annual Southern Maryland Buy Local Challenge Celebration will be held on Monday, July 29, 2019 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Spider Hall Farm in Prince Frederick, Maryland.
The summer evening celebration will be set up farmers’ market festival style on the grounds of the 362 acre working family farm, located directly off Route 231 in Calvert County. Spider Hall’s Ice Cream Shop, Mrs. Moo’s Corner, will be open during the event as well.
The general public are invited to experience the bounty of Maryland’s farms, food, and fun, as well as the creative talents of local artists and craftsmen. Over 45 Maryland farm vendors will be participating selling farm-raised meats, cheese, produce, seafood, baked goods, jams and jellies, honey, ice cream, farm made soaps and scents, plus tastings and sales from Maryland’s wineries, distilleries and breweries.
Event highlights include, food trucks with menus featuring locally sourced ingredients, a cooking demo by local chef Gywn Novak of No Thyme to Cook, live music by the band Flyt (featuring John Luskey and Ryan Forrester), carriage rides with the magnificent Suttler Post Farm Clydesdales, pony rides by Mary’s Go Round Petting Zoo, plus additional farm playground activities for the kids, and a raffle with donated prizes from the participating vendors. Ticket holders also receive an insulated shopping bag to keep their purchases cool “from farm to fridge”.
Two Guys & A Grill food truck will be serving the “BLC Burger” a genuine old time farm raised burger, from WAG Meats Farm in St. Mary’s County, featuring one 1/3rd of a pound, locally raised, 80% lean, all natural Charolais/Angus-cross beef, with no antibiotics or added hormones – come taste the difference!
Shore Thing Shellfish will be shucking fresh local oysters, and every guest gets one free oyster to taste with their ticket. Oysters from several local aquaculture farms will be featured, and additional oysters to eat can be purchased.
The Buy Local Challenge Celebration is a ‘book end’ event for the statewide Buy Local Challenge Week (BLC) which takes place annually during the last full week of July (20- 28). Jointly promoted by SMADC and Maryland Department of Agriculture, the BLC encourages consumers around the state to purchase Maryland agricultural products during Buy Local Week.
The 2019 Buy Local Challenge Celebration event is proudly sponsored in part by MARBIDCO, Calvert County Economic Development, Maryland Department of Agriculture, Colonial Farm Credit, Rural Maryland Council, Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, Maryland Farm Bureau, and Grow and Fortify.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased in advance on the ‘Event’ page at www.buylocalchallenge.com. Please note that the event is rain or shine; nothing can keep this local party down!