The St. Mary’s County Department of Recreation & Parks will host the annual Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday, March 21, 2026, from noon to 4 p.m. at Lexington Manor Passive Park in Lexington Park, offering a free family-oriented event to mark the arrival of spring in Southern Maryland.
The festival takes place at the county’s designated arts park, which features dozens of cherry blossom trees across its 80 acres. Attendees can expect local vendors, food trucks, community organization booths, children’s activities and live entertainment. Admission is free, with no registration required for the public.
Vendor registration is open for returning participants from prior years through the county’s online system at www.stmaryscountymd.gov/Recreate under the Online Registration section, selecting the Cherry Blossom Festival in the Events & Activities tab. First-time vendors may register starting Feb. 23, 2026. A $60 fee applies only to those selling goods or offering specific additional activities. For questions, contact Parks Operations Manager Marguerite Cardenuto at marguerite.cardenuto@stmaryscountymd.gov or the Recreation & Parks main office at 301-475-4200 ext. 1800 or RPinfo@stmaryscountymd.gov.
Sponsorship opportunities remain available for businesses and organizations. Levels provide benefits such as pre-event and onsite recognition, preferred booth placement and logo inclusion on promotional materials. Details are in the Sponsorship and Partnership Overview at www.stmaryscountymd.gov/docs/SponsorshipPacket.pdf.
In related county museum news, the St. Mary’s County Museum Division announced a one-year pause for the annual Appraiser Fair in 2026 due to ongoing construction of a new facility at St. Clement’s Island Museum. The event, which allows residents to obtain professional appraisals of heirlooms and learn proper care techniques across various categories, will resume in January 2027 at the modernized museum building. Inquiries may be directed to St. Clement’s Island Museum at 301-769-2222.
Separately, St. Mary’s County Government is conducting a countywide road asset inventory project through January and February 2026. A marked county vehicle equipped with a roof-mounted camera will travel all state- and county-owned and maintained roads to document signs and other roadway assets for infrastructure planning and inventory purposes. The effort excludes private roads, identified by blue signs, and involves no enforcement activities. Residents may notice the vehicle moving slowly or stopping briefly. For information, contact Chief Information Officer Bob Kelly at 301-475-4200 ext. 1013.
These announcements reflect ongoing county efforts to support community events, cultural preservation and infrastructure management in St. Mary’s County, where population growth and seasonal activities draw residents to parks and historical sites. Lexington Manor Passive Park, located in the Lexington Park area near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, serves as a key venue for outdoor gatherings in Southern Maryland’s rural-suburban landscape. The Cherry Blossom Festival aligns with similar spring celebrations in the region, capitalizing on the natural bloom of cherry trees planted throughout the park.
The Appraiser Fair hiatus accommodates facility upgrades at St. Clement’s Island Museum, a waterfront site tied to Maryland’s colonial history on the Potomac River. The road inventory supports long-term maintenance planning for the county’s extensive roadway network, which includes rural routes and connectors serving military personnel, commuters and local businesses.
No additional details on festival performers, specific vendors or exact appraisal categories for 2027 were released in the announcements.
