Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-01-17 Origin: https://www.facebook.com/EastonWaterfowlFestival
The Waterfowl Festival is an iconic annual cultural event held every November in historic Easton, Maryland, on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. It has grown over more than 50 years into one of the nation’s most cherished outdoor traditions, blending wildlife art, sporting heritage, family activities, conservation awareness, and local community celebration across multiple venues throughout the town.
Originally founded in 1971 by Eastern Shore sportsmen and women seeking to share their unique cultural heritage and protect native habitat, the Waterfowl Festival has become far more than a regional gathering — it’s now a nationally recognized celebration of waterfowl culture and environmental stewardship. The founders timed the first event to coincide with the opening of goose hunting season, setting a precedent that links the festival intimately with waterfowl migration patterns and the annual rhythm of the Chesapeake Bay region.
�� November 13–15, 2026
�� Downtown Easton, Talbot County, Maryland, USA
Over three packed days in mid-November, the town of Easton becomes a vibrant hub of art, music, food, demonstrations, competitions, and family-oriented activities — drawing visitors from across the United States and around the world.
The Waterfowl Festival is unique in the way it enriches outdoor culture and community life. Rather than focusing solely on hunting gear or competitive sport, it brings together:
World-class wildlife art and artists
Sportsmanship and sporting heritage
Live demonstrations and competitions
Conservation education and awareness
Family-friendly entertainment
Local food, music, and culture
This combination makes the festival appealing not only to hunters and collectors, but also to families, art enthusiasts, conservation advocates, and cultural travelers — offering something meaningful for just about every visitor profile.
One of the defining aspects of the Waterfowl Festival is its exceptional wildlife art exhibition. Over 300 artists and vendors converge on Easton each November, representing disciplines such as:
Painting
Sculpture
Carving
Photography
Mixed media and fine craft
Festival venues — including galleries, historic buildings, pop-up pavilions, and outdoor spaces — are filled with works that capture the beauty of waterfowl, wetlands, landscapes, sporting life, and natural history. Collectors and casual visitors alike can meet the artists, explore artwork firsthand, and acquire original pieces that reflect a deep connection to the natural world.
The art exhibition is not merely a marketplace — it’s a cultural tribute to a way of life shaped by the rhythms of waterfowl migration, Chesapeake Bay landscapes, and outdoor heritage. Many artworks on display speak to wildlife conservation, hunting traditions, and the splendor of natural habitats.
Across the festival grounds, visitors can enjoy an array of interactive demonstrations and competitive events, such as:
One of the most anticipated competitions each year — the calling contest celebrates the skill and craft of imitating real waterfowl sounds. Competitors from across the country vie for titles in duck and goose calling, thrilling crowds with their ability to mimic nature.
Working dog enthusiasts can watch retriever demonstrations where skilled dogs showcase obedience, fieldwork, and water retrieves — a favorite for families and hunters alike.
One of the most popular festival attractions, the Dock Dogs competition features canines launching themselves off docks into water — judged on distance and style. This high-energy entertainment appeals to all ages.
Birds of prey demonstrations, fly-fishing clinics, outdoor survival tips, and even kids’ fishing derbies are woven throughout the festival schedule, ensuring educational and engaging experiences for every member of the family.
No celebration is complete without good food and music. The Waterfowl Festival spotlights Eastern Shore cuisine, with regional favorites including oysters, crab cakes, local seafood, craft beer, and seasonal comfort foods available at various vendors and tasting pavilions. Music stages run across multiple venues, showcasing local and regional performers that keep the weekend spirit lively long after sunset.
Local nonprofits often partner with the festival to host special food tasting events, fundraising dinners, craft beer showcases, and community gatherings that highlight talent, culinary heritage, and small-town hospitality.
The festival is designed with families in mind, offering:
Children’s art activities and storytelling sessions
Kids’ waterfowl calling clinics
Interactive nature experiences like the Phillips Wharf Fishmobile
Hands-on wildlife education and conservation learning stations
These experiences make the Waterfowl Festival not only an adult destination, but a multi-generational event that inspires curiosity, creativity, and outdoor appreciation among young visitors.
The festival typically begins with a "Premiere Night" (often the evening before the official opening for general admission). This special event — available through VIP ticket packages — invites attendees to:
Be among the first to explore artist exhibits
Enjoy a curated reception with art previews
Meet featured artists and creators
Sample local food & drink in an elevated festival setting
Premier Night adds an element of exclusivity and excitement for early arrivals and long-time festival supporters.
Beyond art and entertainment, the Waterfowl Festival carries a powerful conservation mission. For over 50 years, the event has worked to support wildlife habitat preservation, environmental education, and community engagement around the region’s natural resources. Through ticket sales, sponsorships, donations, and fundraising efforts, the festival has contributed more than $6 million to conservation, research, educational initiatives, and scholarships benefiting students and young conservationists.
Proceeds help fund:
Environmental and habitat conservation projects
Scholarship programs for student volunteers
Educational outreach and research partnerships
Programs that preserve both natural landscapes and cultural heritage
Each year, thousands of geese and ducks that pass through the Chesapeake Bay region during fall migration become living reminders of why conservation matters — and why the festival has become such a meaningful tradition for visitors who care about wildlife and the outdoor heritage.
The Waterfowl Festival is truly a community-driven event, relying on hundreds of volunteers who donate their time year-round to ensure its success. Volunteers help with logistics, event hosting, crowd management, and festival operations — many returning year after year. Local businesses, corporate partners, and community organizations also contribute through sponsorships, services, and collaborative programming, fostering a deep sense of local pride and shared purpose.
Location:
Historic downtown Easton, Maryland — a charming small town with walkable streets that connect multiple festival venues, galleries, food vendors, and entertainment stages throughout the weekend.
Accessibility:
Free parking and continuous shuttle service for ticket holders make navigating the event easy and enjoyable, especially for first-time visitors.
Admission:
General admission tickets are offered for individual days or the full weekend, and children under a certain age often enter free with a guardian. VIP and Premiere Night packages are also available for an enhanced experience.
Best Time to Visit:
The festival is held during mid-November, a picturesque time when fall colors are still present and waterfowl migrations create dramatic skies and rich natural backdrops — making it a perfect destination for outdoor enthusiasts, photographers, art collectors, and families alike.
The Waterfowl Festival is much more than an outdoor art fair — it’s a living celebration of community, culture, conservation, and outdoor heritage. For over five decades, it has brought together people of all ages and interests to appreciate the wonder of waterfowl and the natural environment they inhabit. Whether you’re drawn by the art, the competitions, the history, or the conservation mission, the festival leaves a lasting impression and inspires visitors to value the outdoors and the traditions that connect us to it.
