Schedule:

May 24, 2024

5:30 PM

Sneaker Creeper Footrace for children ages 2-11 at Roy Kirby Stadium Washington College

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Kick-off Street Party at Wilmer Park on the Chester River

Free and open to the public. Live Music. Local food trucks, beer and wine available for purchase:

Kick off the Chestertown Tea Party weekend with a good old-fashioned block party. Hosted by Main Street Chestertown, the Block Party features local food trucks, craft beer, a live band, children’s activities, and more. This local favorite brings out everyone to celebrate the start of an amazing weekend in Chestertown by the Chester River.

May 25, 2024

6:30 AM

Shuttle Service for Distance Run Begins Radcliffe Creek School to Wilmer Park - See program or website for map

8:00 AM

Tea Party Distance Classic/Run for Radcliffe

Quaker Neck Rd. vehicular traffic will be stopped at start of race. - Wilmer Park

Free Parking Shuttle Service Begins for Festival Attendees - Runs continuously through 5 pm.

9:00 AM

Streets Close to All Traffic

9:00 AM

Heritage Village Opens at Heritage Village

Re-enactors Encampment Area Opens at Foot of High St./Custom House

9:30 AM

Strolling Musicians at High and Cross Streets

10:00 AM

COLONIAL PARADE at High Street/Main Stage

10:30 AM

KidSPOT Crafts for young children 10:30-Noon at Courthouse Lawn Children's Corner

11:00 AM

Walking Tour of Historic Chestertown - $8.00 per person; tickets and start of tours at Info Booth at Information Booth

Face painting until 3pm at Courthouse Lawn Children's Corner

Prizes and Awards - Colonial Parade, Edna Ross Award at Main Stage

African American History Walking Tour Explore the 19th century rise of a free African American community at Custom House

Military Preparation for the re-enactment at Foot of High St./Custom House

12:00 PM

Walking Tour of Historic Chestertown - $8.00 per person; tickets and start of tours at Info Booth at Information Booth

1:55 PM

The Chestertown Resolves Historical proclamation read by Brian Moore of WCTR radio at Main Stage

2:00 PM

TEA PARTY RE-ENACTMENT at High Street

May 26, 2024

noon - 4pm - Chestertown Tea Party Beerfest

Third Annual Beerfest!  Sunday on the waterfront at Wilmer Park.

The Festival commemorates Chestertown’s historical past. When the citizens of Chestertown learned that the British had closed the port of Boston in retaliation for Bostonians dumping tea into the harbor, they issued “The Chestertown Resolves” which stated that it was illegal to import, sell or consume tea. According to local lore, on May 23rd, 1774, the citizens’ of Chestertown gathered at the town center, marched down High Street to the brigantine Geddes, and tossed her cargo of tea into the Chester River.

In addition to witnessing the re-enactment of the “Tea Party” on Saturday, visitors can enjoy more than 100 craft vendors, local food, children’s activities, historical walking tours and a wide array of musical entertainment.

On Sunday, the festivity continues at Wilmer Park beginning at noon, with live music, food trucks, craft vendors,  plenty of fun for families- a Punch & Judy show, instrument making and face painting –  along with live music and great local beers. Don’t miss the infamous raft race at 2:30!

Live Music with the Dan Haas Band

Contemporary pop - a smorgasboard of delectable melodies and expressive vocals served up with plenty of smarts and soul.

Dan learned to play “House of the Rising Son” at age 15 and never looked back. He has performed throughout the Mid Atlantic as a soloist or with his two bands.

His music goal is simple: Have Fun and Spread Joy.

THE RAFT RACE

Starting Gun: 2:30 p.m. Sharp! – Arrive: 1:30 p.m.

Annually, at 2:30 PM on Sunday of Chestertown’s Tea Party Festival, the Raft Race attracts hundreds of spectators to an unusual event- a race of rafts made of non-nautical materials on the Chester River.

Open to the public, this race invites teams of entrants to display feats of engineering and creativity, with rafts ranging from barely-floating to truly incredible. The homemade flotilla makes its way around a short course located just off Chestertown’s Wilmer Park, and spectators can watch the action from the Lelia Lynson Pavilion or the park’s waterfront area.

In this off-beat event, not-so-sleek racing machines compete for different awards acknowledging the buoyancy, construction, beauty, and navigational abilities of the different teams. The coveted Tea Cup, the race’s highest honor, is awarded to the raft with the best synthesis of creativity, engineering, and speed.

Buy Ticket

Date: May 24 - 26, 2024

Location:

Wilmer Park -

413 S Cross St

Chestertown, MD 21620

Click here for more Information