Good Morning St. Mary’s 👋.
The World Cup final is Sunday, and right on schedule, America remembers it loves soccer every four years.
It’s a packed week here too: businesses opening, events stacked start to finish and one pick worth building your weekend around.
Let’s get into it.
🗳️ Help Shape the Insider
I can only chase so many ribbon cuttings, Facebook events, and oddly specific county rumors in one week.
Tell me what you want to see more of, and I’ll use it to decide where to point the flashlight next.
What should I dig up more often?
🚨 New Giveaway: VIP Night Out at The Rex
We’ve got an awesome Rex Theatre giveaway for you.
I’ve partnered with The Rex and we are giving away a reserved VIP table for 4 and 4 tickets to see country singer Jackson Perkins live at The Rex on October 17, 2026. Free table, free tickets, real night out.
Since you’re reading this, you’re already subscribed, which means you’re halfway there. To enter, follow St. Mary’s Insider and The Rex on Facebook, like the giveaway post, and comment “I’m in.”
Winner will be randomly drawn TOMORROW, July 15, 2026, so take care of this today.
🏡 Around the County
🚀 Platform Aerospace Is Making a Major Local Expansion: The company is leasing roughly 80,000 square feet in California while keeping its Hollywood operation and more than 200 existing employees. The expansion is expected to create hundreds of jobs over the next three years.
🌊 Southern Waves Opens This Week in California: The new cannabis dispensary is scheduled to open Wednesday, July 15 at 9 AM in California.
🧘 Mechanicsville Is Getting a Boutique Pilates Studio: 10X Pilates is preparing to open its first Southern Maryland location in New Market Plaza this August. The studio will use reformer-style machines for high-intensity, low-impact workouts.
💪 One50 Fitness Opens in Charlotte Hall: The new fitness and recovery spot is holding its grand opening Saturday from 8 AM to 2 PM, with tours, first workouts, a DJ, prize drawings, and a food truck lineup that is doing some heavy lifting of its own.
🥬 Lyon Family Farms Gets State Money for a Farm Retail Upgrade: The Mechanicsville farm received a $100,000 NourishMD grant to modernize its retail operation and renovate a historic tobacco barn into a centralized farm retail space.
🎃 Spirit Halloween Found Its Next Empty Store: Spirit Halloween is returning to California and taking over the former JoAnn Fabrics location. The seasonal store is expected to open in mid-August.
📦 California May Be Getting More Storage Units: A development currently under concept review would add two storage buildings totaling nearly 122,000 square feet in California. It is only a proposal right now.
⭐ The Insider Favorite
Saturday, July 18 | 10 AM to 2 PM | Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, Lexington Park
PAX events always have a little extra pull around here. Add in hands-on activities, aircraft exhibits throughout the museum, and free admission for children 12 and under, and suddenly “we need something to do Saturday” has a real answer.
Regular admission is $10 for adults and $7 for active-duty military and seniors.
It works for aviation kids, history-loving adults, and the family member who mainly wants air conditioning.
🌟 Insider Spotlight (Sponsored)
For over 20 years, Dr. Diane Krasznay has been bringing the convenience of veterinary care straight to people's homes across the Tri-County area, and these days her practice focuses on the part of pet ownership nobody likes to think about, until they must.
Action Care Mobile Vet specializes in in-home hospice care, humane euthanasia, and aftercare services for dogs and cats across St. Mary's, Charles, and Calvert Counties. Dr. Krasznay and her small team come to you, so your pet's last moments happen in the comfort of home, instead of the busy clinical setting of a veterinary hospital.
They also offer telehospice support for families weighing end-of-life decisions who want to talk it through before making that difficult decision.
There's a reason families who've used Action Care say they wouldn't go any other route next time. Letting your pet go at home, in their own space, surrounded by the people who love them, makes an impossible day a little easier.
You can contact Action Care Mobile Vet HERE.
Does your business need a boost? Respond to this email to see if we’re a good fit.
📅 Your Weekend Calendar
🟢 Wednesday, July 15
MATRIX Lab Industry Open House | 9 AM to 3 PM @ USMSM SMART Building, California. Robotics, autonomy, advanced manufacturing, tours, demonstrations, and Pax River networking.
Kids Camp: Cook Like a Chef | Runs through Thursday, July 16 @ No Thyme to Cook, Solomons. A kids cooking camp with tickets available through No Thyme to Cook.
🟢 Thursday, July 16
Thirsty Thursday | 4 PM to 7 PM @ avid Hotel parking lot, California. Port of Leonardtown wine, El Jefe' Wood Fired Pizza, a local nonprofit, and live 1990s alternative music from Wyld Stallyns.
Latin Dance Night: World Cup Final Salsa & Bachata Social | 7 PM to 10 PM @ La Vida Mexican Bar & Grill, California. Salsa, bachata, and World Cup energy in one Thursday-night package.
The SpongeBob Musical | 8 PM @ Three Notch Theatre, Lexington Park. Newtowne Players brings Bikini Bottom to the stage, with tickets from $15 to $20.
🟢 Friday, July 17
The Market at MedStar St. Mary's | 10 AM to 2 PM @ MedStar St. Mary's Hospital, Leonardtown. Shop local produce, honey, prepared food, and other goods in the hospital's front parking lot, with free admission.
Kindergarten Here We Come Registration | Registration opens Friday for St. Mary's County Library programs. Incoming kindergarteners get storytime, crafts, school-readiness activities, and a practice ride on a real school bus later this month.
Prince and Princess Summer Skate | 1 PM to 4 PM @ Leonard Hall Recreation Center, Leonardtown. An indoor roller-skating afternoon with a royal theme, $5 admission, and $2.50 skate rentals.
Leonardtown Christmas in July Shop & Stroll | Friday through Sunday @ Downtown Leonardtown. Downtown shops are leaning into Christmas in July with sales, shopping passports, prizes, and plenty of excuses to wander the Square.
BEACH BASH: Christmas in July with Santa | 4 PM to 7 PM @ Annmarie Sculpture Garden, Solomons. A Christmas-in-July beach bash with Santa appearances and family activities.
Paws & Popcorn Movie Night: Alice in Wonderland | 6 PM to 8 PM @ Meow Dyer Cat Cafe, Leonardtown. A movie night in the cat lounge.
Leonardtown Crush Crawl | Friday @ Leonardtown Square. Downtown spots are serving signature crushes, and visitors can use a three-stop punch card for a shot at raffle prizes.
Frozen: The Broadway Musical | 7 PM @ Great Mills High School. St. Mary's County Summerstock opens its 44th production.
Brazilian Night at the River Concert Series | 7 PM to 9 PM @ St. Mary's College Townhouse Green. Débora Watts and pianist John Watts bring Brazilian music to the free River Concert Series.
🟢 Saturday, July 18
The Vintage Source Monthly Opening | 8 AM to 4 PM @ The Vintage Source, Compton. The shop opens for only one weekend each month with vintage furniture, clothing, art, décor, and restored finds.
DIG! St. Mary's Fort Excavation Experience | 9 AM to 4 PM @ Historic St. Mary's City. Hands-on archaeology at the St. Mary's Fort site.
Insectival | 9 AM to 1 PM @ Annmarie Sculpture Garden, Solomons. Live butterflies, an insect zoo, nocturnal bugs, and hands-on activities.
Maryland Dove Passenger Sail | 10 AM to 12 PM or 1 PM to 3 PM @ Historic St. Mary's City. Sail aboard the wooden Maryland Dove on the St. Mary's River.
Frozen: The Broadway Musical | 1 PM and 7 PM @ Great Mills High School. Two Saturday performances of the county's 44th Summerstock production, with tickets at $15 for ages 11 and up and $9 for children 10 and under.
Murder Mystery: Victorian Vengeance | 6 PM to 8:30 PM @ No Thyme to Cook, Solomons. A ticketed mystery dinner-style night with a Victorian theme.
Party in the USA at Social Coffeehouse | 8 PM @ Social Coffeehouse, Leonardtown. DJ All In is playing, and they're doing a red, white, and blue outfit contest.
🟢 Sunday, July 19
The Vintage Source Monthly Opening | 8 AM to 4 PM @ The Vintage Source, Compton. Final day of the July opening weekend.
The Morning Social: Barre & Brunch | 8:30 AM to 9:45 AM @ AllyCatWalk Boutique, Solomons. A Sunday barre class with coffee and brunch built in.
Comfort Cuts & Nail Care for Community Pets | 12 PM to 3 PM @ The Well Pet Clinic, Lexington Park. Fido & Friends is hosting a community pet-care event with comfort cuts and nail care.
🚙 Worth the Drive: World Cup Final Watch Party | 1 PM, match starts at 3 PM @ Pearl Street at The Wharf, Washington, D.C. Watch the World Cup final free on a 14-foot screen with food, games, giveaways, and first-come seating.
Frozen: The Broadway Musical | 3 PM @ Great Mills High School. Sunday matinee of the local Summerstock production.
🤝 Trusted Local Partners
St. Mary’s Insider is supported by local businesses that help keep this thing going.
That’s your Insider for this week.
Know someone who always texts "anything going on this weekend?" Send this to them.
If this was forwarded to you, you can get the Insider delivered every Tuesday morning by subscribing right here.
See you next Tuesday. ✌️
St. Mary’s Insider is supported by local businesses and trusted partners who help keep this newsletter going. Reply to this email to learn more about partnership opportunities.