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Just Your Cup of Tea: Chestertown Tea Party Festival
By Donna Whicher
Every year, Chestertown parades and parties in honor of an event that never happened: the Chestertown Tea Party. (Boston had one; Chestertown wishes it did.) The festival draws at least 10,000 people from near and far, so no matter what date you read this you should book your Memorial Day weekend room now.
The highlight of the event is the reenactment of that imagined historic day in May of 1774 when droves of angry Chestertown patriots climbed aboard the brigantine Geddes and, as an act of solidarity with their fellow patriots hundred of miles away in Massachusetts, flung her cargo of tea into the Chester River. This dockside period drama stars the Schooner Sultana, playing the role of the ill-fated Geddes . Get a cardio workout before the Colonial Party by taking part in the “Distance Classic 10-Mile Run and 5-K Run-Walk,” which is managed by Radcliffe School as a fundraiser.
Join thousands of visitors and locals who’ll be on hand to cheer the parade through the center of town. Hear the Delaware State Militia render warrior-rousing music. See the powdered-wig-wearing Loyalist battalion proudly step in time along the same route as their sworn enemies, patriot marching bands and children in three-cornered hats. Arrive early to find a good spot for your lawn chair. Your horse drawn carriage is welcome. (Your car isn’t.)
Rebellion, Canon Fire, and a Historic Skipjack…Or Is that a Floating Buick?
Visitors from out of town who attend the Saturday events should really consider staying overnight for the raft race Sunday afternoon. Contestants rely on their ingenuity to compete under rules that all but tie racers’ hands behind their backs: boats, engines, and paddles are prohibited, which means rafters’ source of propulsion must come from…you’ll have to attend to find out.
Competition is fierce, which isn’t surprising given the prizes up for grabs. The “Fabulous Flotsam” award goes to the “most likely to cause a spectacle and least likely to win,” while the coveted “Flop” award goes to the raft with the most impressive failure. Others will be recognized for “crossing the finish line first” and devising the “most creative” raft in two categories: children under 15 and adults.
Learn about Chestertown
Local docents will lead guided walks back in time. Stroll past more than twenty architecturally impressive eighteenth-century edifices and learn about their historical significance. Get solid information about brick bonding, rub shoulders with craftsmen in colonial garb, and learn to distinguish between Georgian and Federal homes. Blacksmiths, candlemakers, weavers, woodworkers, and over 100 other experts offer their wares and demonstrate their skills. Participating galleries feature related art exhibits, and the historic Customs House opens it doors to the public.
Kids will enjoy stories of Dr. Bill Trakat, Colonial medicine specialist and teller of gruesome health tales who will demonstrate the use of primitive medical tools. The festival began over 30 years ago as a fundraiser for various Kent County nonprofit organizations. Roughly 20 community organizations vend the beverages and food, including fish, clams, barbecue, crab cakes, funnel cakes, and more.
The vendors usually earn a combined total of $40,000, thus subsidizing several worthwhile community services. Volunteers also strive to increase interest and comprehension of the region’s local heritage; thousands of schoolchildren become more familiar with and appreciative of their forebears’ place in local mythology because of the Festival. So come have fun and feel good about funding community services and perpetuating an imaginary tradition at the same time. The Tea Party Festival begins Friday and ends Sunday . There is no admission charge for the festival on Saturday and Sunday. (Friday’s cocktail party is fee entry)
Dogs are forbidden by town ordinance. When driving in, avoid congested routes by steering clear of the downtown area. Park mindfully by not trespassing or blocking emergency vehicle routes or resident driveways. For more information, call Kent County Tourism and Development at (410) 778-0416 or visit http://www.chestertownteaparty.com/.
