LEONARDTOWN, Md. – Leonardtown residents enjoyed a day full of Independence Day festivities at the Wharf on Thursday, July 4th including a watermelon eating contest, a hula hoop contest, crab derby, a pet parade, and plenty more.
The celebration was organized by The Town of Leonardtown, Leonardtown Business Association and the support of generous sponsors such as Jimmy Hayden, Mattingley Gardiner Funeral Home, Town Market and Earthwise Pet.
Despite the 90-degree weather, over 1,000 people attended the celebration throughout the day, according to the Public Relations and Events Coordinator of the Commissioners of Leonardtown Aris Nazarova.
The event featured various vendors such as “Did Someone Say Funnel Cake”, “Crabby Corn”, “Port of Leonardtown Winery” and “MADE by you studio.”
Some businesses such as The Rex and Frog Town Ice Cream even gave out gift cards at the event.
The watermelon eating contest was a crowd pleaser with people of all ages participating and cheering each other on, according to Nazarova.
“These free events encourage people to come out, support the community and make new connections and friends” Nazarova said.
There was a lot of positive feedback from attendees and vendors with the variety of activities the celebration offered and overall turnout, according to Nazarova.
She believes events like 4th at the Wharf bring awareness to the beautiful area of Leonardtown and all it has to offer; many vendors claimed they were unaware of the Wharf.
The event was veteran and pet friendly with no fireworks, according to Kristy Parker, a sponsor of the event. It included a pet parade with over 20 different dogs, dressed in fun costumes for attendees to enjoy.
Parker created the concept of 4th at the Wharf as a local resident of Leonardtown. She moved to there in 2020 and was shocked there weren’t any events or celebrations planned for Independence Day, she said.
As more time passed and there were still no events for the holiday, Parker was inspired to go to the town administrator and propose a partnership with Jimmy Hayden, the concert sponsor, who organizes the summer concert series at the Wharf, which finally came to fruition this year.
Parker describes Leonardtown as a Hallmark town and believes events like this develop a sense of community, she said.
The night ended with a concert performance from Midnight Sunset, according to Hayden.
“Events like this contribute to the community because it gives the community something to do where they could all come together,” Hayden said. “It also gives the vendors a chance to get out and meet people that aren’t from the area and expand their business.”
Due to the great turnout of the event, the 4th of July Committee is already planning for a continuation of the celebration for the following year, according to Parker. They hope to grow the event with more vendors, adding more activities, getting other businesses involved and getting more volunteers.
All photos are courtesy of the Town of Leonardtown
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