This week local organizations are coming together to celebrate Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week.
This year's theme highlights how people enjoy the bay in their free time.
Events will take place June 5-13. There will be educational webinars, socially distanced events and volunteer opportunities.
This is the sixth annual event focused on preserving The Bay for future generations and it comes after a week-long "clean the bay" event in Virginia last week.
While this week has been officially designated in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, events will take place throughout the entire watershed to raise awareness about the Chesapeake Bay.
This year’s activities—which can be found on the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Attend an Events calendar.
Here are some of the notable activities that will be held during the nine day celebration:
- Clean the Bay Day: Join the Chesapeake Bay Foundation from May 31 to June 5 for a virtual version of this Virginia tradition! This annual event encourages families, businesses, and civic and church groups to get out and give back to local waterways.
- Lancaster Water Week: Celebrate the unique waterways of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania through volunteer events, online courses and various outdoor activities from June 4-12.
- Bernie Fowler Wade-In: Join former Senator Bernie Fowler and other dignitaries on June 5 as they wade into Otter Point Creek. Mr. Fowler started the “white sneaker” test as a means of checking water clarity. With a $5 entrance fee, the event will include live music and family-friendly entertainment.
- Virginia Free Fishing Days: Enjoy a day of fishing with friends and family without having to purchase a fishing license from June 4-6.
- Maryland Free Fishing Days: Participate in Maryland’s Free Fishing Days on June 5 and 12.
- National Trails Day: Lace up your boots for a day of service and advocacy for local hiking trails on June 5. Promote your favorite outdoor spaces and pledge to take action in 2021 to care for trails, and advocate for equitable, safe access to quality green spaces.
- The Bay is for Play! Recreation in the Watershed: The Chesapeake Bay Program will hold a webinar at 12 p.m. on June 8 to discuss all the ways one can recreate throughout the watershed.
This year’s theme highlights the various ways people spend their free time enjoying the Bay watershed. Each day will focus on a different category of recreation, including on the water, parks and trails, in your neighborhood, in your home, connecting with food, community science, museums and historic locations, and volunteering and community engagement.
Follow #BayAwarenessWeek on social media to celebrate the recreational value of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers.
