Chestertown Tea Party Festival and Parade

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/9/8/f/0/event_204219152.jpeg

Chestertown is the perfect place to celebrate Memorial Day weekend with its authentic All-American parade down High Street and the Tea Party festival on Saturday and Sunday.

Come for the day or stay for the weekend!

Chestertown is just a two hour drive from Washington, and only 40 miles from Annapolis going up Rt. 301 North in the opposite direction from busy beach traffic. Yet it's an entirely different world of laid back charm and friendly people, featuring a lively dock area, authentic 18th century colonial buildings, tree-lined streets with brick sidewalks, and large classic old homes facing the river.

With good shopping, restaurants, and an active cultural community nurtured by Washington College, Chestertown is a cool place to visit anytime, particularly as a destination for kayaking and biking. And it's even better when the Tea Party Festival brings added color and life to the town's streets.

Our SHR group goes there often, and we always have a great time!

Annual Chestertown Tea Party Festival

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/7/b/2/event_91251122.jpeg

Boston was not the only colonial port city in America to have a "tea party" in its harbor as a protest against British taxation.

In 1774, Chestertown, MD was a primary port on the Chesapeake Bay for trading with English merchants in the old country. To demonstrate their outrage and solidarity with Boston, the citizens of Chestertown conducted their own raid by boarding a British ship and throwing its cargo of tea into the Chester River.

Each year, the Tea Party Festival in Chestertown reenacts and celebrates the original event from 1774. The citizens board the Sultana (an authentic replica of a British tax-enforcing vessel) to throw boxes of "tea" in the water, and one unfortunate volunteer is thrown into the river after a "Tory Toss" raffle to select the victim. On Saturday and Sunday, there is a full schedule of outdoor activities along High Street and the historic dock area, including parades, music, colonial life demonstrations, craft and food vendors, and walking tours that showcase the town's history.

It's FREE, FUN, RELAXED and UNCROWDED, which makes this festival an ideal nearby getaway. Check out the full schedule of 2013 weekend Tea Party events and activities below:

http://www.chestertownteaparty.org/

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/3/9/a/event_93141402.jpeg

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/f/d/c/event_91253212.jpeg

Watching the Parade on High Street

We'll start our Saturday festivities by meeting on the sidewalk by the Imperial Hotel with its white columns and impressive facade. The Imperial Hotel has a good restaurant that features the best Bloody Mary bar I've ever seen. It's a great place to return later to eat while you're in town.

http://www.imperialchestertown.com

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/5/2/e/event_204425422.jpeg

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/5/6/0/event_204425472.jpeg

One of the coolest festival events is the Saturday morning parade down High Street, Chestertown's main avenue. Everyone in Kent County seems to be in the parade, which takes about two hours. It's all very colorful and interesting.

There's a lot of local pride devoted to honoring the true meaning of Memorial Day with this parade. And unlike Washington, there are NO endless processions of noisy Harley-Davidson riders polluting both the air and the mood of the occasion. The focus in Chestertown is on showing off the town's talented citizens and children with an air of real festive joy that honors what is best about America.

If Norman Rockwell were alive, he would probably enjoy capturing the scene in an iconic painting. But we'll be there to see it all happen in live action in front of the Imperial Hotel, which is the center of what's happening.

Last year, we watched the parade with non-stop smiles. Yes, it was THAT good, and a wonderful surprise we weren't expecting. In Chestertown, they even do a SECOND parade down High Street on Monday morning to honor Memorial Day itself. It's just a great place to be on Memorial Day weekend to feel good about living in the United States.

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/2/a/8/event_204229832.jpeg

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/3/2/a/event_204229962.jpeg

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/3/b/6/event_204230102.jpeg

Other Second Half Rally Events During the Weekend

After watching the parade, people are free to check everything else going on at the Tea Party festival. Most exhibits and events will be down at the dock area. Everything is within walking distance, and free parking is available on the town streets and lots.

Our SHR group has separate kayaking and biking events scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Check the group's meetup calendar to see what we're doing. We'll also be hanging out in town and at the festival having fun and enjoying good eats and drinks. Our agenda will be adjusted on the fly to take advantage of the weather and various festival events. The best way to find us is to call Jake at 703-798-8435.

Lodging and Dining

Chestertown is the home of Washington College, and has many B&B's and a few hotels. However, the only chain hotels are the newer Choice Suites and Holiday Inn Express which are located next to each other near the edge of Chestertown at the intersection of Rt 213 and Rt 291. The Choice Suites is typically a little cheaper than the Holiday Inn Express. Check out Chestertown lodging options here:

http://www.chestertown.com/lodging_open.php

There are a number of good restaurant/bars that are local favorites in Chestertown and Rock Hall. In Chestertown, Brooks Tavern, O'Connor's Pub, and the Imperial Hotel on High Street with its Bloody Mary brunch bar are good choices. The Fish Whistle is a typical modern restaurant/bar that's conveniently located in the dock area. You can avoid long waits for a table at the Fish Whistle by going to the bar area and ordering something there.

The list of local restaurants and reviews are available on Yelp:

http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=restaurant&find_loc=Chestertown%2C+MD&action_search=Search

See You in Chestertown!

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/8/e/e/event_93126382.jpeg