Sunday, August 30, 2015

Labor Day Weekend Things To Do - Mid Atlantic

The list of things to do during Labor Day Weekend 2015 is a long one. This list includes a few of the many festivals, shows, and other events that will be held in the Mid Atlantic region.

New Jersey

West Cape May Tomato Festival
Wilbraham Park
Perry Street
West Cape May, NJ 08204

The West Cape May Tomato Festival celebrates the Jersey fresh tomato and the end of the summer season.


Delaware

Season Finale Fireworks Celebration with Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra
Saturday, Sep. 5, 2015
Time: 7:00 P.M.
The Freeman Stage at Bayside
31750 Lake View Drive
The Freeman Stage at Bayside
Selbyville, DE
Price: Free

Celebrate Labor Day and America with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, in an evening of the great American Classics of Jazz, Swing and Orchestral Favorites. The event includes a post-concert fireworks display.


Maryland

At Baltimore MD, visitors can enjoy landmarks, historic sites, parks, boat tours and other attractions. Places to see include the Inner Harbor, Fells Point, North Point, Fort McHenry, tall ships, and many others.

Annapolis First Sunday Arts Festival
September 6, 2015
Calvert and West Streets
Annapolis, Maryland

The Annapolis First Sunday Arts Festival is a free arts and craft show featuring around 100 local and regional artists, crafts vendors, live music, dance, street performers, food, and more. The arts festival is held the first Sunday of each month May to October on Calvert and West Streets in Historic Annapolis, Maryland.


National Hard Crab Derby
September 3, 4, 5, 6, 2015
Somers Cove Marina
Crisfield, MD

The National Hard Crab Derby in Crisfield features exhibits, food, games, contests, and other attractions.

Crisfield Maryland Boat Docking Contest
September 6, 2015
Somers Cove Marina
Crisfield, MD

The Crisfield Maryland Boat Docking Contest features watermen from around the Chesapeake Bay competing for cash prizes.

Deal Island Skipjack Races and Festival
September 5-7, 2015
Deal Island Harbor
10319 Richard Webster Road
Deal Island, MD 21821

The Deal Island skipjack sailboat races are a local tradition.


Washington, D.C.

DC Blues Festival
September 5, 2015
12:00 pm - 7:00 pm   
Washington, D.C.

The 27th annual, free D.C. Blues festival will be held Sept. 5 at the Carter Barron Amphitheater. Performers at the Blues Festival will include Jackson and Oziel, The Mojo Priests, Full Power Blues, James Armstrong, and Sharrie Williams.

National Book Festival
September 5, 2015
10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Washington Convention Center   
Washington, D.C.

The 15th Anniversary National Book Festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015, at the Washington Convention Center. Approximately 175 authors, illustrators, and poets will be attending the national book festival.


Virginia

2015 American Music Festival
September 4-6, 2015
Virginia Beach Boardwalk

The 2015 American Music Festival will showcase more than 30 bands. The festival will be held September 4-6, along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk.


West Virginia

River and Trail Outfitters Kayaking Tour
Saturday, September 6th, 2015
Harpers Ferry, WV

On Saturday evening, River and Trail Outfitters will hold a guided kayaking tour on the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers near Harpers Ferry. Enjoy paddling by the light of the setting sun and experience the serenity and wildlife of the river.


Friday, August 14, 2015

Best Areas for Catching Croaker and Spot

croaker and spot on ice
croaker and spot
The Mid Atlantic region is known for its outstanding fishing for two similar species; croaker and spot.

One of the reasons that croaker and spot fishing is popular is that these species can be caught from shorelines, piers, inlets, and other areas that accessible to fishermen.

In most locations, both species are caught from spring thru late fall.

Both species spend most of their lives in saltwater. During the summer, they sometimes move up estuaries into rivers and creeks.

Croaker and spot can be caught using basic tackle and inexpensive baits, such as squid, bloodworms, clams, and crabs.

atlantic croaker, also known as croaker fish
croaker fish
Croaker tend to prefer medium-sized baits, while spot often go for tiny morsels of bloodworms or other baits.

Both croaker and spot make good table fare, especially fresh.

In addition to croakers and spot, anglers may encounter kingfish, pigfish, perch, blue crabs, or other tasty seafood.

The following list includes popular fishing piers and other areas where anglers can target croaker and spot in the Mid Atlantic:

Fishing piers near Baltimore MD

Choptank River - Bill Burton Fishing Pier

Crisfield MD fishing pier

OC Fishing Pier (Ocean City MD)

Hampton Roads VA Fishing Piers

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Popular Car and Truck Stickers - Mid Atlantic Region

In recent years, the popularity of vehicle stickers has skyrocketed throughout the USA. A closer look at this trend reveals some interesting clues as to the renewed popularity of vinyl auto stickers.

No doubt, vinyl auto stickers have been popular for decades. Some of the earlier bumper stickers featured a plain white background and simple text art. In many cases, these stickers were sold as souvenirs at local resorts.

This old school bumper sticker features a classic style of text.

In the Mid Atlantic region, Euro style oval vehicle stickers have become common. These designs are smaller, which allow vehicle owners to display them on windows, bumpers, or other parts of vehicles.

The popularity of Euro style oval stickers in the Mid Atlantic region began with stickers that displayed the acronym "OBX" to designate North Carolina's Outer Banks. As more and more travelers began adding OBX stickers to their autos, the trend spread along the Atlantic Coast.
OBX - Outer Banks NC Euro Style Oval Logo Oval Sticker
OBX - Outer Banks NC Euro Style Oval Logo Oval Sticker

As the popularity of Euro style stickers increased, so did the variety of choices. Another popular three-letter oval sticker is "OKI", which designates Ocracoke Island, North Carolina.


Two letter versions are also popular, such as this "HI" Hatteras Island sticker.

Eventually, the popularity of Euro style oval stickers spread throughout the Mid Atlantic. This "CM" acronym logo is available for fans of Cape May New Jersey.

Some auto owners find the Euro style two, three, and four letter acronym stickers to be too cryptic. An alternative to the oval sticker is the rectangular vinyl sticker, which is well suited for SUVs, crossovers, and other small vehicles.