Good Morning St. Mary’s 👋.

June showed up and immediately handed us vintage race boats , a mechanical bull in Leonardtown, lavender fields in Mechanicsville, and we’re throwing fuel on the fire of the county’s most dangerous debate: Who actually makes the best crab cake?

Efficient start to summer.

Let's get into it.

In today's Insider:

  • First Watch is replacing the old Panera spot in California.

  • St. Mary's is getting 209 more acres of parks.

  • Vintage race boats take over Piney Point.

  • And our quest to crown the county's best crab cake.

📰 The Local Scoop

  • First Watch Is Replacing the Old Panera Spot: First Watch is coming to South Plaza Shopping Center in California. The shopping center's updated tenant list shows the breakfast, brunch, and lunch restaurant taking the 5,000-square-foot space beside Five Guys that previously housed Panera Bread. Get ready to trade your bread bowls for million-dollar bacon.

  • St. Mary's River State Park Is Getting 209 More Acres: The state approved the acquisition of nearly 209 acres of forested land to establish a new public recreational park in St. Mary's County. The property includes part of Pembrook Run and the purchase will protect wildlife habitat and water quality within the watershed while offering community access for outdoor recreation.

  • Skaters, Your New Playground Is Almost Ready: The long-awaited Chaptico Skatepark is quickly coming together. Recreation & Parks shared new construction photos this week showing ramps, bowls, and features taking shape, with an opening anticipated this summer. The project has been years in the making, meaning local kids who begged for it might actually be driving themselves there by the time it opens this summer. Worth the wait.

📊The Insiders Have Spoken

Last week's parks and rec poll pulled in hundreds of votes, and trails won the day: Most of you picked more trails and bike paths. Teen and youth hangout spaces finished right behind it.

Apparently, St. Mary's would like more places to walk, ride, and send teenagers when they say there is nothing to do.

Now, let’s pivot to a topic that definitely won’t start any family feuds: Who has the absolute best crab cake in St. Mary’s? (Reply and tell us your hill to die on and we’ll share the results next week).

🏡 Around the County

  • Nuclear Siren Testing Runs June 3-5: Additional Calvert Cliffs emergency siren testing is scheduled at various intervals from Wednesday, June 3 through Friday, June 5. It is planned testing, not an emergency. Repeat: do not panic-post on Facebook, it’s just a test.

  • Free Introductory Flights for Kids Are Coming June 13: EAA Chapter 478 is holding a Young Eagles rally at St. Mary's Airport on Saturday, June 13, with free introductory flights for kids ages 8 to 17. Parents can register through EAA Chapters. The idea is simple: give kids a chance to experience flight and see the community from above.

  • Parks & Rec Still Wants Your Input: The county is updating its long-range plan. Two remaining public input sessions land this week: June 4 from 9:30 to 11 AM at Lexington Park Library and June 6 from 9:15 to 10:15 AM at Wicomico Shores Golf Course. If you have strong feelings about trails, fields, playgrounds, waterfront access, or why every good idea somehow needs more parking, this is your window.

⭐ The Top Pick

Rumble on the River | Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7 | Piney Point Landing

This is the big one this weekend. Vintage race boats take over Piney Point, with Saturday heats running from 9 AM to noon and 1 to 4 PM, then Sunday heats from 11 AM to noon and 1 to 3 PM.

Admission is free. There is a food truck on site, and visitors can get into the pits during the lunch break to meet the drivers and see the boats up close.

🌟 Insider Spotlight (Sponsored)

Imaginarium

A local teacher with a background in Special Education saw a need for a true indoor play space for young kids in Southern Maryland and decided to build one herself. That became Imaginarium.

Since 2019, the 6,000-square-foot space in Solomons has become a go-to spot parents recommend to each other over and over again. It’s built for kids ages 1-10 and designed around screen-free imaginative play, not arcade games or tablets.

Inside, there’s a custom wooden pirate ship and castle with slides, themed playhouses, a STEM building zone, and the Pirate’s Cove craft bar where kids can make sensory playdough, create sand art, and stuff their own plushies. Parents get free coffee and WiFi while the kids disappear into their own world for a while.

The calendar stays packed year-round with birthday parties, homeschool programs, Kids Night Out drop-offs, seasonal events, and a sensory-friendly environment designed to welcome neurodiverse children and families.

Summer camps are open now, with themed three-day afternoon camps running throughout June and July for kids ages 3.5 and up, along with extended seasonal play hours in July and August.

If you’ve got younger kids, this is one of those places worth knowing about.

Know a local business or hidden gem that deserves a spotlight? Give them some love and let me know.

📅 Your Weekend Calendar

🟢 Tuesday, June 2

🟢 Wednesday, June 3

  • Homeschool Wednesday Workshop | 10 AM to 2:30 PM | Historic St. Mary's City: The final spring homeschool workshop combines demonstrations, discussion, and hands-on activities about early Maryland history.

🟢 Thursday, June 4

  • Summer Martini Cocktail Class | 6 PM to 7 PM | Quality Street Kitchen and Catering, Leonardtown: Top Shelf Mixology leads a hands-on class with three full-size martinis, light bites, and recipes to take home.

🟢 Friday, June 5

🟢 Saturday, June 6

  • Rumble on the River | 9 AM to 4 PM | Piney Point Landing: Saturday's free vintage race-boat event includes morning and afternoon heats, public pit access during lunch, and an on-site food truck.

  • Robles Run 4 Change 5K | 9 AM | Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, California: This family-friendly timed 5K run or walk through the Town Creek neighborhood supports Robles de Justicia.

  • First Saturday Market Series | 9 AM to 4 PM | Town Market, Leonardtown: The monthly market features local crafters, produce, meats, cheeses, bread, flowers, and plants.

  • Pier450 Flea Market: Vintage Treasures Await | 9 AM | Pier450, Ridge: The waterfront flea market features vintage finds and local vendors.

  • Free Beginner Skateboard Clinic | 10 AM to 11 AM | Nicolet Skatepark, Lexington Park: SOMD Skate is hosting a free introductory skateboard clinic for beginners.

  • Juneteenth Open House at Drayden African American Schoolhouse | 11 AM to 2 PM | Drayden African American Schoolhouse: One of the nation's best-preserved one-room African American schoolhouses opens for free tours.

  • Lavender Nights Summer Series | 6 PM to 9 PM | Dixon Family Farm, Mechanicsville: The farm dinner includes live music, candlelight, and blooming lavender fields along the Patuxent River.

  • PBR All American Mechanical Bull Night | 9 PM | The Rex Theatre, Leonardtown: The Rex is hosting mechanical bull rides and an All American first-responder tribute.

🟢 Sunday, June 7

🤝Trusted Local Partners

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That’s your Insider for this week.

Do a public service and forward this to that one friend who always texts you "sooo what's the move this weekend?" at 9 PM on a Friday.

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See you next Tuesday. ✌️

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