ST MICHAELS, MD – In celebration of Independence Day, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum on the Miles River in St. Michaels, Md. welcomes The Shades of Blue Orchestra for a live performance at its Saturday, July 6, 2019 Big Band Night. The St. Michaels fireworks are scheduled to launch after dusk that evening, with CBMM’s waterfront campus a great venue from which guests can enjoy the fireworks. The rain date for the concert and fireworks is Sunday, July 7.
Two vocalists will join the 18-piece Shades of Blue Orchestra as they perform from the historic Tolchester Beach Bandstand. The orchestra first played at CBMM’s 2014 Big Band Night, with numerous requests from patrons for return engagements.
The orchestra is set to begin at 7:00 p.m., with the public invited to bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets for an evening of music, dancing, and fireworks along the Miles River. Food, ice cream, and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase during the event, which is generously sponsored by Eastern Shore Tents & Events.
“This year, CBMM is working toward eliminating single-use plastics on campus,” said CBMM Sustainability Committee Co-Chair Allison Speight. “We are inviting Big Band Night guests to join us in this initiative by limiting the single-use plastics they bring to campus.”
Mixing together popular standards, a variety of musical styles, and dance-able rhythms, the Shades of Blue Orchestra combines brass, woodwind, and rhythm instruments to bring music from the 1930s to present to the Miles River. Established in 1976, this 18-piece Big Band consists of a well-balanced complement of brass, woodwind, and rhythm instruments, as well as two of the finest Big Band vocalists anywhere.
The Orchestra’s repertoire of music includes swing, rock, standard and popular ballads, Latin, retro, waltzes, and other selections. The Baltimore-based orchestra has performed at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, M&T Bank Stadium, Camden Yards, the Smithsonian Institution, Ocean City’s Sunfest, and more. Music samples and more information can be found at shades-of-blue.com.
CBMM’s Welcome Center will open at 6:00pm for Big Band Night guests to enter the campus for the event. Admission to Big Band Night is $6 for CBMM members and $10 for non-members, with children ages 5 and under free. After 8:45 p.m., admission will be reduced to $2 for those watching the fireworks only. Advanced tickets and more information are at cbmm.org/bigband.
Proceeds benefit the children and adults served by CBMM’s education, exhibition, and restoration programs.
For safety reasons, non-service dogs are prohibited on CBMM’s campus during Big Band Night, and other festivals. Leashed dogs are permitted during regular operating hours. For more information, call 410-745-2916 or visit cbmm.org.
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~ Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum