Celebrating the Eastern Shore’s Colonial Heritage has become an annual event for Wye Parish and the community, and this year it takes place the day before Mother’s Day on Saturday, May 7. The Colonial May Fair is held on the grounds of the beautiful 1721 Old Wye Church in historic Wye Mills, Maryland from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

All kinds of flowering plants and hanging baskets, lavender products made from locally grown lavender, auction items, and children’s paint-and-plant-a-pot will provide lots of opportunities to find just the right thing for mothers and grandmothers for their special day.

Docent-led, Clydesdale-drawn wagon rides will take Fair-goers to the old (1682), working Grist Mill and the restored Colonial one-room structure in Wye Oak State Park.  Another special and memorable event is the May Pole Dance, when the children “dance” while weaving brightly-colored ribbons around a live-flower-bedecked May Pole.

Throughout the day, children will have fun participating in Colonial games and crafts, learning how children entertained themselves 250 years ago.  And then, in contrast, there will be a modern fire engine for the children to climb on and learn about.

Just as in Colonial times, there will be animals everywhere!  Bring your pets to the traditional Blessing of the Animals so that Wye Parish Rector Charlie Osberger can give your pet an individual blessing.  A bee-keeper will bring a demonstration hive and explain the interesting and important work of bees.

The Maryland Park Service will be there, too, with Scales & Tales, giving Fair-goers the opportunity to see live wildlife, all native to Maryland, up close. Stewardship of Maryland’s wildlife is promoted through “tales” of how these live non-releasable birds of prey and reptiles came into the care of the program.

Tours of the Church will be available throughout the day.  The authentically restored Colonial Vestry Cottage will house the Lavender Shop, where candles, sachets, eye pillows, sprays, and other items made from Queen Anne’s County grown lavender will be sold.

The Colonial crafts of decoy carving and quilting will be demonstrated, and Wye Mills’ Colonial heritage will be recalled through music by the Fife and Drum Corps and the Wye Choral Scholars.

There will, of course, be lots of food  – especially Eastern Shore specialties like Barbequed Chicken dinners to take home or eat on the spot, Smith Island Cake and other baked goods, as well as a homemade luncheon prepared by the women of the Parish.  Food will be cooked outdoors, too, and there will be picnic tables for eating, relaxing and just enjoying the day.

Old Wye Church is located at 14114 Old Wye Mills Road (Route 662) in Wye Mills.  Proceeds from the Colonial May Fair support the outreach programs of Wye Parish.  For further information, call 410.827.8484.