Families across St. Mary’s County will have a free day of music, food, and history along the Potomac when FamilyFest on the Potomac returns to Piney Point Lighthouse Museum & Historic Park on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The annual event is hosted by the Friends of St. Clement’s Island & Piney Point Museums in partnership with the St. Mary’s County Museum Division. This year’s lineup features live music from Billy Breslin & the Swamp Weasels, along with free admission to the museum and lighthouse, food trucks, children’s activities, community vendors, and other displays. Last year’s FamilyFest, held in September 2025, drew crowds with a similar format under a different headliner, Sax Appeal — suggesting the event’s core mix of music, food, and history stays consistent year to year even as the entertainment changes.
Admission is free, though museum donations are welcome. Parking will not be available at the museum itself during the event, aside from vehicles displaying accessible parking permits or placards. Instead, visitors should park for free at Piney Point Elementary School, where a free shuttle will run to and from the museum throughout the day.
Piney Point Lighthouse itself is a significant draw beyond the festival. Built in 1836 by noted regional lighthouse builder John Donahoo, it’s the oldest lighthouse on the Potomac River. The light was automated in 1939 and deactivated in 1946; it’s since been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is now owned and maintained by St. Mary’s County. The museum grounds also include an exhibit on the U-1105, a WWII German submarine known as the “Black Panther” that lies offshore in what’s designated Maryland’s first Historic Shipwreck Dive Preserve.
For more information, the museum can be reached at (301) 994-1471, or visitors can check the “Events” tab at facebook.com/1836Light.
Those interested in participating as a vendor, sponsor, or activity provider should contact Janet Cooper at Janet.Cooper@stmaryscountymd.gov. County officials emphasized that no other individuals or organizations are authorized to accept vendor registrations or sponsorships for the event, and asked that anyone who receives a solicitation from another source contact Cooper directly.
The St. Mary’s County Museum Division oversees several cultural sites in the county, including St. Clement’s Island Museum, Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, the Old Jail Museum, and the Drayden African American Schoolhouse. More information is available at museums.stmaryscountymd.gov.
