Story by Michelle Brosco Christian

When it comes to summer camps in Southern Maryland, children and teens have a smorgasbord of opportunities. From the traditional outdoor activity camp to a creative arts camp, kids and their parents may have a hard time choosing just one.

Story by Tina Wagner

Highway to Heaven Lane is where you will find Flat Iron Farm in Great Mills. The farm’s location is certainly apropos because it is heaven at Flat Iron Farm in December – Christmas heaven, that is.

St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival Draws Thousands
From Southern Maryland and Beyond

Story by Debra Zimmerman Murphey

Story by Susan Glauner

A craft fair is truly a feast for the senses. It’s a veritable cornucopia of aromas, colors and textures. Within the stalls, booths and tables of Southern Maryland’s plentiful fairs and festivals you can find a one-of-a-kind paper creation alongside a home-baked tart or a handcrafted bath lotion. Or a craft – a painting, piece of pottery, wood carving, piece of jewelry, hand-sewn baby gift or hand-woven basket – as unique as the artisan who created it. Local craft fairs provide a special space for local artisans to display their talents and interested buyers to discover them.

Ahhhh … summertime. Backyard barbecues, trips to the beach, lush gardens, long days and evenings spent enjoying the sweet sound of music in the open air. Outdoor concerts are a staple of summer in Southern Maryland. Families pack their picnic baskets and load the kids into the old red wagon. Friends meet to relax and socialize with the grass between their toes. Others prefer simply to focus on the music. However you choose to enjoy them, outdoor concerts are events not to be missed. Fortunately, our area boasts an abundance of them.

In the hallways of government buildings, tucked away in little cafés, in hospital corridors and in front of banks, in the back of antique shops, in church basements, schools and gardens, art is everywhere in Southern Maryland. Often it is viewed from the periphery or overlooked - after all, Southern Marylanders can take a short drive to see Picassos and Van Goghs. But the abundance of Southern Maryland’s natural beauty inspires an abundance of creativity.

A day before the Maryland BASS Federation Nation’s April 10, 2010, tournament trail opener at Smallwood State Park in Charles County, Scott Sewell, of Middle River, Maryland, has two things on his mind: catching a large largemouth bass and a wish that the wind dies down.

Attending one of Southern Maryland’s county fairs includes more than just a spin on the Ferris wheel or a sticky-fingered taste of cotton candy. From the first step through the gates, fairgoers are hit with sensory overload -sights, sounds, smells, tastes and a pure adrenaline rush.