Calvert 250
The 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States offers an opportunity for Marylanders to reflect on the struggle for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the ongoing evolution of American democracy, and the impact of Marylanders on the nation’s past, present and future. The Calvert 250 committee encourages an inclusive yearlong statewide celebration and commemoration in 2026.
To learn more about how America’s 250th is being celebrated nationwide, visit the America 250 website. To learn more about the commemoration throughout the state, visit the MD Two Fifty website. You can also explore regional celebrations by visiting the St. Mary’s County Tourism 250 landing page Celebrate America 250 in Southern Maryland and the Charles County Tourism 250 landing page Maryland Two Fifty.
Upcoming Events
Step into the Past: The Louis Goldstein Office
Saturdays and Sundays in 2026 at 11 a.m. at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum Visitor Center
10515 Mackall Road, St. Leonard, MD 20685
Interactive tour of Calvert County native and former Maryland Comptroller Louis L. Goldstein's recreated Annapolis office. Explore decades of Maryland history and artifacts and learn more about our longest serving state elected official. This tour is supported by the Maryland 250 Commission.
Step into the Past: The Louis Goldstein Office Event Details
"Grandma's Hands" Film & Potluck
Feb. 28, 2026, from noon to 2 p.m. at Calvert Library Prince Frederick
850 Costley Way, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Enjoy a showing of "Grandma's Hands" and a celebration of local family favorites! Bring your favorite family recipe and the story behind it! Members and invited guests can bring samples to share for the potluck. Film begins at noon and discussion and potluck will begin at 1 p.m. Calvert Eats Local registration is required to participate in the potluck. If you'd like to watch the film ahead of time, you can see it here: https://www.pbs.org/video/grandmas-hands-with-craig-sewell-wrgvxb/.
"Grandma's Hands" Film & Potluck Event Details
Hot For Chocolate 5K (Rescheduled!)
March 7, 2026 at 8 a.m. at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum
10515 Mackall Road, St. Leonard, MD 20685
Come and warm up with us at the Calvert County Community Partners Hot for Chocolate 5K! This is a family-friendly, fun-filled race through Jefferson Patterson Park followed by a festive finish-line festival that includes music, food, and hot chocolate!
Hot for Chocolate 5K Event Details
American Garden Stories: People, Places & Plants
March 7, 2026 from 10:30-11:45 a.m. at Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center
13470 Dowell Road, Solomons, MD 20688
Gardens are more than beautiful spaces—they are living records of culture, history, and human connection. Join Rebecca Martin of Smithsonian Gardens for an engaging talk that explores the stories behind American gardens, from those created for sustenance to those designed for beauty and joy. Through people, places, and plants, this presentation reveals how gardens reflect who we are and how we live. Rebecca Martin serves as Smithsonian Gardens’ Associate Director of Collections, Programs, and Engagement. With a background in garden history and extensive hands-on experience, she brings history to life through heirloom plants, historic landscapes, and recipes. After the talk, guests are invited to join Annmarie’s Horticulture team for an optional tour of the soon-to-be-blooming gardens around the Arts Building. This event is made possible through the generous support of Chesapeake Bay Trust and Constellation Energy.
American Garden Stories Event Details
Bayside History Museum Winter Lecture Series: "Identity of a Small Town."
March 8, 2026 from 1-2 p.m. at North Beach Town Hall
8916 Chesapeake Avenue, North Beach, MD 20714
“Identity of a Small Town” explores the chain of title for every property in North Beach from the town’s founding to the present. The lecture is sponsored by the Bayside History Museum Inc., Calvert Library, and the John Hanson Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.
Bayside History Museum Winter Lecture Series: "Identity of a Small Town" Event Details
Kwame Alexander LIVE in Calvert!
March 9, 2026 from 6:30–8 p.m. at Calvert High School
600 Dares Beach Rd, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Join Kwame Alexander — Emmy-winning producer and #1 New York Times bestselling author — for an engaging conversation with another guest speaker (TBA). Together, they will explore literacy, self-advocacy, and the power of community. As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, this event honors our shared values of freedom, independence, and the joy of learning. Books will be available for sale and signing. Celebrate the launch of Mighty Macy and Alexander’s upcoming TV series America’s Next Great Author. If you cannot attend in person, you can watch the event live on Calvert Library’s YouTube channel.
View Kwame Alexander LIVE in Calvert! Event Details
Bayside History Museum Winter Lecture Series: 100th Anniversary of the Incorporation of the North Beach Volunteer Fire Department
March 22, 2026 from 1-2 p.m. at North Beach Town Hall
8916 Chesapeake Avenue, North Beach, MD 20714
Lecture by John Tippett on the history of the North Beach Volunteer Fire Department. The lecture is sponsored by the Bayside History Museum Inc., Calvert Library, and the John Hanson Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.
Bayside History Museum Winter Lecture Series: 100th Anniversary of the Incorporation of the North Beach Volunteer Fire Department
Echoes of the Past History Hike
March 28, 2026 from 2-4 p.m. at Kings Landing Park
3255 Kings Landing Road, Huntingtown, MD 20639
Take a walk through time at Kings Landing Park. From the earliest times, this park has been home to Indigenous people, colonists, tobacco farmers, enslaved families and summer campers. Learn the fascinating history of this small park along the Patuxent River. Discover how it was relevant to Maryland naval history. Explore the remnants of the former YMCA camp for Baltimore inner-city youth, the only camp welcoming African American youth in Maryland during segregation.
Echoes of the Past History Hike Event Details
Discovering Archaeology Day
April 11, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum
10515 Mackall Road, St. Leonard, MD 20685
A day of interactive learning and fun with archaeologists from across the region, including hands-on activities for kids, archaeological site tours, exhibits, games, giveaways, and cool crafts.
Discovering Archaeology Day Event Details
Maritime Performance Series: Music of the American Revolution
April 17, 2026 from 7-9 p.m. at Calvert Marine Museum
14200 Solomons Island Rd, Solomons, MD 20688
Celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s War for Independence with performances of special period music by renowned music historians David and Ginger Hildebrand. Donned in period attire, David and Ginger will perform patriotic songs, ballads, dance tunes, and theater songs known by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and others. The Hildebrands will explain and demonstrate their instruments, including the hammered dulcimer, violin, and Spanish and English guitars—interpreting various musical traditions, featuring both the formal and less refined aspects of music in early America.
View Maritime Performance Series: Music of the American Revolution Event Details
Third Annual Otter Trot 5K
April 18, 2026 frat 8 a.m. at Calvert Marine Museum
14200 Solomons Island Rd, Solomons, MD 20688
Whether you’re sprinting, strolling, or just really into otters, this timed race is for you. Proceeds from the 2026 Otter Trot 5K will support the Calvert Marine Museum. Event will be held rain or shine.
View Third Annual Otter Trot 5K Event Details
COSMIC Symphony Presents: Salute to the States (Season Finale)
April 25, 2026 at 3 p.m. at Huntingtown High School
4125 Solomons Island Road, Huntingtown, MD 20639
Free concert open to the public!
View COSMIC Salute to the States Event Details
Children's Day on the Farm
June 7, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum
10515 Mackall Road, St. Leonard, MD 20685
Bring the entire family for a day of fun with live performances, crafts, games, wagon rides and food vendors. Check out the demonstrations and exhibits to learn about rural life in the past and today.
Children's Day on the Farm Event Details
Annual Bernie Fowler Patuxent River Wade-In
June 14, 2026 from noon to 3 p.m. at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum
10515 Mackall Road, St. Leonard, MD 20685
Wade into the river, check water clarity & increase awareness of the health of the Patuxent River.
Patuxent River Wade-In Event Details
Gallery Reception: From Sea to Shining Sea
July 4, 2026 from 1-4 p.m. at Artworks @7th
8905 Chesapeake Ave., North Beach, MD 20714
Enjoy an artist reception to celebrate the artist show: From Sea to Shining Sea. Gallery show runs from July 2-26, 2026.
View Gallery Reception: From Sea to Shining Sea Event Details
Neon Nights 5K
Aug. 1, 2026 at 7 p.m. at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum
10515 Mackall Road, St. Leonard, MD 20685
Let's Glow! Neon Nights 5K! This is a family-friendly, fun-filled evening race through Jefferson Patterson Park followed by a finish-line festival that includes music, food trucks, and fun activities for the whole family.
Neon Nights 5K Event Details
North Beach Volunteer Fire Department Centennial Parade and Muster
Aug. 8, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Chesapeake Beach
8536 Bayside Road, Chesapeake Beach, MD 20372
The North Beach Volunteer Fire Department turns 100 years old on August 6, 2026. The department is planning a year-long commemoration, culminating in a parade of modern and vintage apparatus along the boardwalk area of North Beach, with an old-time muster at the fire station in Chesapeake Beach. There will be historical displays at the station, along with an opportunity to meet firefighters from around the area. Parade is scheduled to follow the North Beach Holiday Parade Route. Apparatus will then proceed to the North Beach Fire Station for display.
View North Beach Volunteer Fire Department Centennial Parade and Muster Details
American Indian Heritage Day
Nov. 7, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum
10515 Mackall Road, St. Leonard, MD 20685
Join us as we celebrate 10,000 years of history and culture! This free event features native dancers, educational demonstrations, and tons of fun activities!
American Indian Heritage Day Event Details
15th Annual Turkey Trot 5K
Nov. 26, 2026 at 7 a.m. at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum
10515 Mackall Road, St. Leonard, MD 20685
Come strut your stuffing with us at the Calvert County Community Partners Turkey Trot 5K! This is a family-friendly, fun-filled race through Jefferson Patterson Park and a long-standing tradition that benefits Project ECHO and the Friends of Jefferson Patterson Park.
Turkey Trot 5K Event Details
Local Projects and Initiatives
Explore how our community is commemorating the Calvert 250 and Maryland 250 milestones through student-led clubs, websites, and local initiatives.
Huntingtown High School Calvert/Maryland 250 Club
The Calvert/Maryland 250 Club at Huntingtown High School is a student-led organization dedicated to educating the public about Calvert County’s local history in conjunction with the United States’ semiquincentennial anniversary in 2026. The club collaborates with public and private organizations to develop outreach and educational opportunities, conducts original research on historically relevant topics, and fosters cross-curricular partnerships both within the school system and across local and state communities.
Visit the HHS Calvert/Maryland 250 Club Website
Local Exhibits and Shows
Coming soon! "Feelings of Freedom" Gallery Art Show
Art show will run July 4-31, 2026 at CalvART Gallery (110 Solomons Island Road N., Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Visit the Arts Council of Calvert County website
Regional Activities and Initiatives
Star-Spangled Banner Trail Passport Stamps (National Park Service)
The National Park Service’s Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail offers visitors the chance to collect official passport cancellation stamps at historic and cultural sites connected to the War of 1812 across Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. Travelers following the Eastern National Passport Cancellation Locations list will find matching stamp names noted for each site, including regional destinations such as the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St. Leonard, Historic Sotterley in Hollywood, and St. Clement’s Island Museum in Coltons Point. Additional stamp locations span major historic landmarks and visitor centers, from Fort McHenry and the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House in Baltimore to Dumbarton House in Washington, D.C., and George Washington Birthplace National Monument in Virginia, along with mobile opportunities aboard the Pride of Baltimore II.
Visit the NPS Star-Spangled Banner Trail Passport Stamps webpage
Miles for Maryland Trail Challenge (Maryland Park Service)
The Maryland Park Service invites residents and visitors to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with the “Miles for Maryland” Trail Challenge, encouraging participants to hike a total of 250 miles in Maryland state parks between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2026. Individuals or teams can log miles together throughout the year, exploring parks across the state while enjoying fresh air and staying active. Registration is $25 through the DNR Outdoor Store and includes a keepsake item. Those who complete 250 miles are eligible for prize drawings. Additional monthly prizes are available for participants who submit photos with mileage reports. All miles must be completed within Maryland state parks in 2026, and park entry fees may apply. Hikers can even bring along “Myles the Squirrel,” a printable adventure buddy featured on the challenge webpage.
Visit the Miles for Maryland Trail Challenge webpage
Submit Your America 250 Event!
Do you have an America 250 event to add to our calendar? Share it with us! Visit www.visitcalvert.com/calendar, click "Submit an Event," and select "Calvert 250" from the event category options.
Calvert County Government reserves the right to reject submissions deemed inappropriate. Events must take place within Calvert County, be open to the public, and include an associated web page that Calvert County Government can link to. Resident-focused ceremonies, meetings, yard sales, garage sales, and swap meets will not be considered. For-profit business listings, private receptions, and politically affiliated events are also ineligible.
For a copy of the full submission guidelines, please email info@choosecalvert.com.