Kent Island Day is Saturday, May 17, in Historic Stevensville
Each year on the third Saturday in May the Kent Island Heritage Society celebrates the heritage, life, and culture of Kent Island. The celebration this year will be on Saturday, May 17. The Kent Island Day tradition began in 1977 with the signing of a proclamation by Acting Governor Blair Lee.
The family friendly community festival takes place in one of Kent Island’s oldest and most picturesque communities, the “Mayberry-like” village of Historic Stevensville, now designated as an official Maryland Arts and Entertainment District.. It will feature the Heritage Society’s Historic sites (all of which will be opened), period docents and colonial re-enactors, a working blacksmith, local artists, crafters, great food, a moon bounce and other kids’ activities, pony rides, an old fashioned parade, and lots of great on-stage entertainment.
The opening ceremony will be at 10:00 a.m. with the National Anthem, salute to the flag – the historic star spangled banner flag to mark the War of 1812 celebration. There will be a reading of the original Kent Island Day proclamation by former Delegate and Senate candidate, Dick Sossi.
The parade will step out at Kent Island Elementary School at 10:30 and will flow down Main Street through downtown Stevensville. “The parade will feature a great home town mix of old cars and tractors, boats, historic costumes, marching bands, scouts, civic groups, elected officials, lots of political candidates, police and fire units,”, said Jack Broderick, Kent Island Heritage Society President and KI Day parade chair. “There’s always room in the parade, so if you want to be part of it, just gives us a call”.
There will be an expanded area of plants and gardening information, next to the Historic Cray House, including plants and displays by The Kent Island Garden Club and the QA Master Gardeners. A model train display will also be set up next to the Historic Train Station. Special kid’s activities will include kids’ crafts, a roving flea circus and a magician.
Entertainment will begin at noon on stage in the Stevensville Pocket Park next to the Historic Bank and will continue throughout the day. The entertainment will include the Chesapeake Bay Community Band and the Daschiell School of Dance.
We are grateful to the First National Bank of Kent Island, and these other sponsors who have helped to make this day possible for our community: the Kent Island Elks, the Kent Island American Legion, and Dr. Jennifer Russell.
Kent Island Day offers an informative and entertaining day for the whole family, spiced with local food, fun, and friendship, celebrating Kent Island. For questions or more information on Kent Island Day, call Jack at 410-643-6452 or visit the Heritage Society’s website at kentislandheritagesociety.org.
Entertainment for the day includes:11;30am, the Lighthouse Christian Academy, which will present a drama of the History of Kent Island; 12 noon, the Chesapeake Community Band; 1:00pm, the Dashiell School of Dancing; 1:30pm, Matapeake Middle School Band; 2:00pm, Dance Connection; 2:30pm, Sweet Adelines; 3:00pm, Jean Marie Dance Studio; 3:30pm, Kent Island Youth Chorus.