Story by Janet Dunphy and Photography by August Selckmann

The holidays are approaching and if you are looking for something truly unique for that special person on your list, then check out the options available to you at our locally owned jewelry stores. There’s nothing more meaningful and lasting than the gift of jewelry; it’s used to celebrate life’s special moments and memories and can be passed on from generation to generation. Even more personalized and precious are customized jewelry pieces.

We are fortunate to live in a region with an abundance of talented custom jewelry designers and locally owned jewelry stores. Some of them have been designing jewelry for our community for many generations. There is no limit to the creative choices available to us in Southern Maryland. Whether you want to design a piece and have it made, or have a jeweler design it for you, you will be happy with the original opportunities available in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties.

Photography by Jacqueline and Jay Malonson

If you’re planning a wedding, Southern Maryland doesn’t lack for beautiful ceremony and reception locations. Besides churches, there are indoor and outdoor venues to suit all tastes. Below is a list of some of the most popular and unique places to get married in the area. These sites are perfect for many other types of events, too. Please know that this list is not all-inclusive – these are the venues we found in our research; our apologies if we missed your site.

Story by Michelle Brosco Christian and Photography by Jacqueline and Jay Malonson

There’s no doubt an outdoor wedding on the banks of one of Southern Maryland’s many rivers or the Chesapeake Bay makes for a beautiful event.  Outdoor weddings take a little extra planning but can be incredible. There is nothing more magical than walking down the aisle with Mother Nature. 

Story by Caroline Miller King and Photography by Jacqueline and Jay Malonson

Planning a wedding is a big job, with hundreds of decisions to make. We’ve tried to take some of the stress out of these exciting times by gathering expert advice from industry professionals across Southern Maryland.

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.

A plein air artist’s plight might be compared to the postal worker’s unofficial motto: “Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers [artists] from the swift completion of their appointed rounds [paintings].” Painting “en plein air,” a French term meaning “in the open air,” is a tradition still popular and practiced today in Southern Maryland, but it’s not for the weak of heart.

Local musician Benjamin Connelly arrived for the interview at Solomons Pier on a wet, fog-shrouded afternoon, but inside the popular restaurant, the warmth of friendship overpowered the gloom outside. The bar was packed with friends sipping drinks, munching on appetizers and preparing for the Baltimore Ravens game.

What does Southern Maryland have in common with Northern Italy? St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) and its campus in Alba, Italy, share Jeffrey Silberschlag, world-renowned trumpeter and conductor.

While Therese Thiedeman is always running in numerous directions, she has a one-track mind. And that track always leads back to a stage of some sort.  “I like being busy all the time,” said Thiedeman. “I love the arts and I love meeting people - creative people even more!