ST. MICHAELS, MD
The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is proud to partner with Maryland Public Television (MPT) to host the second annual Chesapeake Bay Week Film Festival with a series of four screening events in the Van Lennep Auditorium next month.
This edition of the film festival will feature a family-friendly screening, a film-inspired tasting event, and showings of two films premiering on MPT during this year’s Chesapeake Bay Week.
In sharing these films alongside panel discussions, expert talks, and related programming, the events are designed to offer a deeper look at these important Bay stories while inspiring a passion for this treasured waterway. All five featured films will be shown during MPT’s 21st annual Chesapeake Bay Week, which runs April 20-26, 2025.
To learn more and buy tickets, including a package ticket option that offers a $5 savings, visit cbmm.org/SpeakerSeries.
“We are delighted to continue our partnership with Maryland Public Television to celebrate Chesapeake Bay Week” CBMM’s Vice President of Education & Interpretation Jill Ferris said. “We had a great response from our community last spring. We’ve grown the film festival to four events this time, and we’re excited to share some new ways to experience and explore these tremendous films.”
The Chesapeake Bay Week Film Festival begins Saturday, April 5, at 2pm with a family screening of the MPT documentary “Creatures of the Chesapeake.”
This fast-paced, half-hour film offers an intimate look at some of the most fascinating species in the Bay, making it a must-see for kids, adults, and anyone with an innate curiosity about life in the deep. After the film, guests will get an up-close look at some Miles River oysters and the critters that live with them.
This event is free for CBMM members and general admission guests. Learn more and register at cbmm.org/CreaturesOfTheChesapeake.
On Monday, April 7, at 5:30pm, Chesapeake cuisine will be in the spotlight during the “Eatin’ the Chesapeake” Film Screenings and Tasting. Participants will watch MPT’s films “Eatin’ Blue Catfish: Chesapeake Style” and “Eatin’ the Chesapeake: The Five Feasts” while enjoying a film-inspired tasting plate from local caterers Garden & Garnish.
It’s a chance to explore new and time-honored Chesapeake food traditions on screen and on your plate with a tasty menu that includes Oysters Rockefeller Dip with French bread croutons, baked blue catfish cakes with okra, scallions, & roasted red peppers, and ham rolls stuffed with cabbage, kale & onions.
The cost is $45 per participant with a 20% discount for CBMM members. Learn more and buy tickets at cbmm.org/ChesapeakeTasting.
The Chesapeake Bay Week Film Festival continues Thursday, April 10, at 5:30pm, with a “Resurrecting Poplar Island” film screening and discussion with MPT Producer/Director Sarah Sampson and scientists from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.
Poplar Island, like so many other islands in the Chesapeake Bay, was steadily sinking into ever-rising water before its resurrection through an ambitious environmental engineering project involving extraordinary collaboration among state and federal agencies.
This new film, which has its MPT premiere on Sunday, April 20, at 7:30pm, explores the island’s past and present—and what its successful restoration could mean for the future of the other disappearing islands in the Bay and beyond.
The cost to join the screening and discussion is $10. Learn more and register at cbmm.org/ResurrectingPoplarIsland.
The festival wraps Wednesday, April 16, at 5:30pm, with a “Chesapeake Rhythms” film screening and discussion with filmmakers Tom Horton, Dave Harp, and Sandy Cannon-Brown.
“Chesapeake Rhythms” conveys the beauty and mystery of the Bay by chronicling its essential rhythm: wind, tides, and migrations of tundra swans, monarch butterflies, shorebirds, and eels. After the screening, the celebrated filmmakers will share the inspirations for their latest project and offer insight into its production.
The cost is $10 per participant to join screening and discussion of “Chesapeake Rhythms,” which debuts on MPT on Tuesday, April 22, at 8pm. Learn more and register at cbmm.org/ChesapeakeRhythms.
With its Chesapeake Bay Week, MPT invites viewers to discover the unique ecosystems and culture of our nation’s largest estuary. CBMM has long supported MPT in the creation of this programming by sharing its campus, collections, and staff expertise.
This year, Chesapeake Bay Week features more than 18 hours of Bay-focused programming, with even more compelling content available for streaming through the free PBS App. There are four new programs in total debuting during this edition. More information, including a full schedule, is available at mpt.org/bayweek.
For the latest on upcoming CBMM programming, stay tuned to the calendar at cbmm.org/events.
#####