Good Morning St. Mary’s 👋.
If you listen closely, you can actually hear your grass growing right now, but leave the mower in the shed because your weekend calendar is officially double booked. Let's go.
In today's Insider:
An exclusive drink deal at The Beanery
The Spring Festival takes over the fairgrounds
Historic Sotterley opens its new Visitor Experience Center
Kids Night Out at My Gym for a Return of the Jedi edition
A furry friend who could be your new best friend
Let's get into it.
📸 Photos Around the County
Got a shot that feels like St. Mary’s? Reply to this email and send it in. It might land here next week.
❓What do you most want to see more of in St. Mary’s Insider?
⭐️ Insider Exclusive
We love it when local businesses hook you up. The Beanery in California & Solomons is offering an exclusive Buy One Get One Free drink deal just for Insider readers. Just use the code “Insider 10” or show the image below to the barista and your second drink is on the house. Grab a friend and go get some coffee.
🐾 Adoptable Pet of the Week
St. Mary’s County Animal Services
Meet Ivy 🐶
Ivy is a 3-year-old Staffordshire Terrier mix at St. Mary’s County Animal Services looking for her forever home.
She’s rocking a bright white coat, a big smile, and plenty of personality. Ivy may be deaf or hearing impaired, but that doesn’t slow her down one bit. She gets along with other dogs, loves treats, and apparently has one non-negotiable rule: no long walks in the rain.
Honestly… fair.
If you’ve been looking for a sweet, loyal sidekick with a little sass mixed in, Ivy might just be your girl.
🏡 Around the County
Weekend Market Roundup | Saturday May 2 | It's officially opening weekend for local markets. The California Farmers Market kicks off its season at BAE Systems from 9 AM to 1 PM.
Leonardtown Market Cluster | Saturday May 2 | Starts at 9 AM | Downtown. A massive takeover bringing a vintage yard sale, spring crafts, and a sidewalk sale in the square.
Call for Artists: Makerspace Mural: Deadline May 11 | The library is looking for local artists to design and paint a massive mural covering two walls inside their new youth makerspace. If you've got the skills, don't sleep on this. You could snag the $1,500 payout that comes with it.
Historic Sotterley: The plantation's new Visitor Experience Center opens this Saturday in Hollywood and includes family activities, farm animals, exhibit access, and themed history tours.
Mi Tierra Restaurant: The local Latin and Central American staple on Great Mills Road is officially opening its brand-new bar this Friday at noon. If you haven't been in a while, this is the perfect excuse to grab some tacos and check out their new setup. 🌮
Soft Opening: A new women's fashion boutique, La Casita De Narcisse Fashion, is doing its soft opening Saturday in Leonardtown starting at 11 AM.
⭐ The Top Pick
Southern Maryland Spring Festival | Friday May 1 to Sunday May 3 | St. Mary's County Fairgrounds - The 31st annual Spring Festival is taking over the fairgrounds. It has carnival rides, animal exhibits, a car show, a tractor pull, food vendors, and an indoor yard sale. Since it runs all three days, you have ultimate flexibility to work it into your weekend plans.
🌟Insider Spotlight (Sponsored)
Tucked away on a quiet stretch outside Leonardtown, Vandermere Farm is the kind of place you almost have to know about to find. Jen has been running the farm for over 15 years and she knows horses and kids equally well.
She offers riding lessons, horse shows, trail rides, camps, birthday parties, scout visits, boarding & leasing, therapeutic riding, holiday events and farm photo sessions. Lessons are for all ages and experience levels. Students don't just learn to ride here. They also learn horsemanship: how to care for the horses, grooming, tacking up, and learning what it actually takes to care for & own a horse.
The rider who has never been near a horse is just as welcome as the one who's ready to compete. Summer horse camp registration is open right now and there are limited spots, so if you've been thinking about it, now is the time to move. Gift certificates are available too, which is worth keeping in mind with summer birthdays coming up.
My kids go here. I'll leave it at that.
🎈Mention this article for $25 off of a set of six (6) horseback riding lessons or a full day week of horse camp.
They’re also launching a Veteran Equine-Assisted Intervention Program and hosting an open barn event on Friday, May 8 from 10–12 for anyone who’d like to stop by and learn more.
For more information, contact Jen at [email protected]
👨👩👧 Family & Community
Vintage Vibes Sidewalk Sale | Saturday May 2 | Starts at 9 AM | Downtown Leonardtown - Downtown is getting taken over by a massive town wide sidewalk and vintage yard sale.
MarylandFest | Saturday May 2 | 11 AM to 5 PM | Historic St. Mary's City - A massive celebration of Maryland culture featuring crab derby racing, the Maryland Pride Dog Parade, Maypole dancing, deck tours of the Maryland Dove, and live music by HydraFX and 8Ohms Band. 🦀
Solomons Maritime Festival | Saturday May 2 | 10 AM to 4 PM | Calvert Marine Museum - A fantastic community event featuring antique boat and motor displays, cooking demonstrations, toy boat building, and free 30 minute cruises on the Wm. B. Tennison.
Build Your Own Lightsaber and Scavenger Hunt | All Weekend | Downtown Leonardtown - As part of Star Wars Weekend, Build Your Own Lightsaber shop at The Rex along with other Star Wars themed specials from other local businesses.
Kids Night Out: Return of the Jedi | Saturday May 2 | 6 PM to 9:30 PM | My Gym in California - Drop off night at My Gym for the Star Wars Weekend edition. Kids watch Return of the Jedi while parents get a free Saturday evening.
East Coast Drifters Spring Open Car Show | Sunday May 3 | 8 AM to 3 PM | Mechanicsville - Open format show with cars, trucks, and motorcycles. A low effort Sunday for anyone who loves a good engine.
Queen and Me: A Royal Beanery Tea Party | Sunday May 3 | 4:30 PM | The Beanery in Solomons - Mom and child tea party with a princess theme.
🍷 Date Night
Cajun Cuisine with Guest Chef Robert A. Bonner | Friday May 1 | 6 PM to 9 PM | No Thyme to Cook - A ticketed cooking class built around Cajun cuisine. Three hours, real food, and a proper Friday night reason to get out of the house.
Big Kahuna Cruises Season Opener | Friday May 1 | 3:45 PM | Solomons - The cruise season kicks off Friday afternoon on the water. A great way to start a May weekend before dinner.
Oysters and Beer | Saturday May 2 | 12 PM to 5 PM | Double T Oyster Ranch at Tall Timbers Marina - All you can eat oysters, local beer, live music, and a waterfront setting. Five hours on the water with unlimited oysters is hard to argue with. 🦪
Pride and Prejudice | Friday May 1 and Saturday May 2 | 8 PM to 10:30 PM | Lexington Park - The Newtowne Players open their run this weekend. Live community theater that doesn't require a drive to D.C. There's also a Sunday Matinee option at 3 PM.
Mike Rice Birthday Party featuring DJ C Note | Friday May 1 | 9 PM | The Rex - DJ C Note is spinning all night for a public birthday bash celebrating one of Leonardtown's favorite photographers. It's the perfect excuse to stay out late after First Friday wraps up.
Yung Joc LIVE at The Rex | Saturday May 2 | 7 PM to Midnight | The Rex in Leonardtown - "It's Goin' Down" this Saturday when Grammy-nominated rapper Yung Joc headlines downtown Leonardtown. Hitting The Rex two nights in a row is a bold move, but totally worth it for this.
🔎Hidden Gem: Coffee Run Bakery - Mechanicsville
If you haven't driven down Budds Creek Road to Coffee Run Bakery yet, you're missing a serious local secret. This Amish-run spot serves up some of the absolute best made-from-scratch donuts in the region. From coconut cream to warm glazed donuts that literally melt in your mouth, they don't hold back on the fillings. It's the exact kind of no-frills, ridiculously good hidden gem that makes a Saturday morning drive completely worth it. Just get there early before the best stuff sells out.
⚡Quick Hits
ABATE Blessing of the Bikes: Sunday May 3 | 12 PM | Toots in Hollywood. The annual motorcycle blessing. If you ride, you know.
Solomons Island 5K: Saturday May 2 | 7 AM | Early morning race on the island.
Spring Floral Arrangement Class: Thursday April 30 | 6 PM | Leonardtown.
Designer Purse Bingo: Sunday May 3 | 12:30 PM | Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Dept.
Bay District VFD Fundraiser: Thursday April 30 | 4 PM to 10 PM | Texas Roadhouse in California - Tell your server you're there to support the fundraiser and a portion of your bill goes to the volunteer fire department. 🚒
🤝Trusted Local Partners
Want to reach 2,500+ St. Mary’s locals every week? Reply to this email to become a Trusted Local Sponsor.
That’s your Insider for this week.
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See you next Tuesday. ✌️
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