Education, Attractions, and Entertainment at the 2023 Bay Bridge Boat Show
Date: March 30, 2023The upcoming Bay Bridge Boat Show at the Bay Bridge Marina is set to kick off the 2023 boating season April 14-16. In addition to the familiar large selection of new and pre-owned powerboats, and equipment, service providers, and apparel on display, the show will feature a rotating stage of live entertainment and free daily seminars, as well as fun and engaging activities for all ages.
Sponsored by Queen Anne’s County, the outdoor stage will welcome speakers from Annapolis School of Seamanship, Chesapeake Bay Magazine (CBM), and FishTalk Magazine to kick off the Show on Friday, April 14. Industry experts from each organization will dive into the fundamentals of boating, including where to dock and dine on the Chesapeake Bay with John Stefancik of CBM, and Lenny Rudow will bring the crowd his Live with Lenny show. For the full seminar schedule, visit the Bay Bridge Boat Show’s Education page at AnnapolisBoatShows.com. Local boating personality, Captain Boomies, will host an early happy hour conversation to kick off the social events, which culminate with the Dave Tieff Band and a local-inspired party featuring food trucks and adult beverage stations. Guests looking to attend on Friday can purchase a discounted “happy hour” ticket for a 4:00 pm or later entry to the show. Purchase your ticket AnnapolisBoatShows.com/tickets.
Day two of the show will include a rolling schedule of exciting and new fishing-focused events:
12:20 – 12:30 pm: David Sikorski of the Coastal Conservation Association Maryland (CCA Maryland) will start the Invasive Species themed session with an overview of the efforts underway in Maryland, including CCA’s Great Chesapeake Invasives Count.
12:30 – 1:30 pm: Steven Kambouris and Butch Huber give their advice on how best to chase Snakeheads in Maryland, including a brief history and biology on this new gamefish in Maryland.
1:30 – 3:00 pm: Andrew Tsui, the founder of the Ike Jime Federation will conduct a live demonstration of his approach to preparing a Blue Catfish for the kitchen according to a traditional Japanese harvesting technique. Then Kurt Peter of Chesapeake Chef Service and Chef David Murray from Chesapeake Culinary Center will share great Blue Catfish recipes you can replicate at home.
3:00 – 3:30 pm: David Sikorski and friends return to the stage to lead a discussion on invasive species and host an audience Q&A.
4:30 – 7:00 pm: The main stage wraps up with an 80s themed dance party featuring Weird Science. This event is free (with boat show ticket purchase) and open to the public.
While at the show, guests should stop by CCA Maryland’s booth to learn how to catch and cook blue catfish, gain insights on important issues and opportunities facing recreational fishing in the region, and help build reef balls for the Chesapeake Bay. Orchard Point Oysters will also serve up their freshly shucked oysters at the booth from 2:00 to 6:00 pm. Right next door will be Fish and Hunt Maryland who will be ready to share their tips on the best places to hunt and fish, hook up with top charters, and find unique experiences only available in Maryland. Kids in tow can even learn a thing or two with Take Me Fishing’s free fishing handouts and a stop by Phillip Wharf Environmental Center’s Fishmobile. Equipped with 13 tanks and two touch tanks, this moving aquarium features live animals that live in and around the Chesapeake Bay.
Favorites such as PropTalk’s Demo Dock and BoatU.S. Foundation On-Water Training will return, providing show guests hands-on experiences straight from the docks. Free seminars hosted by Chesapeake Bay Magazine and Annapolis School of Seamanship will also highlight a variety of how-to and where-to-go topics taught by professional captains and experts. Sure to work up an appetite, guests can refuel throughout the three-day show at the food court where a variety of food truck options, beer stations, and stocked bars are available to satisfy every taste bud.
Tickets are available for advance purchase on the Annapolis Boat Shows website. Admission is $20 per person ($18 in advance), and children 12 and under are free. Guests are encouraged to pre-purchase their tickets online. For more information, visit www.AnnapolisBoatShows.com.