Okay, so last weekend I hit up the Annapolis Seafood Festival, and man, was it a day. Let me break down how it all went down.
First off, woke up early-ish, around 9 AM. Knew this thing was gonna be packed, plus parking in Annapolis is always a pain. Grabbed a quick coffee and a bagel, then hopped in the car. The drive wasn’t too bad, about an hour, but the closer I got to Annapolis, the more cars I saw with the same idea. Started getting hyped!
Finally found parking – like, a mile away from the actual festival. Seriously considered taking an Uber from there, but decided to walk it off. Needed to prep my stomach for all the seafood anyway. Got to the entrance, paid the fee (cash only, of course!), and BOOM – sensory overload.
Smell of Old Bay everywhere, music blasting, people chowing down on crab cakes… it was intense. I immediately started plotting my eating strategy. Walked around once just to scope out all the vendors. Saw the usual suspects: oyster bars, shrimp skewers, crab soups… but also some more unique stuff like seafood mac and cheese and lobster rolls. I even saw a guy deep-frying soft shell crabs right in front of me!
First stop: crab cake. Had to. Got one from a place that claimed to be “award-winning” or something. It was pretty good – mostly crab meat, not too much filler. Could’ve used a little more Old Bay for my taste, but overall a solid start. I’d rate it a 7/10.
Next up, I saw this HUGE line for lobster rolls. Figured it had to be good. Waited like 20 minutes, but it was worth it. The lobster was fresh and sweet, the roll was buttery and toasted… seriously amazing. Ate the whole thing in like five bites. That was probably the highlight of the day. Definite 9/10.
After that, I wandered around some more, trying different little things. Had some oyster shooters (always a fun experience), a cup of creamy crab soup (hit the spot), and even some fried shrimp (a little greasy, but still tasty). Started getting full, but I knew I had to keep going.
I saw one place selling steamed crabs, but the line was insane. Plus, I didn’t really want to deal with cracking crabs and getting Old Bay all over my hands. Maybe next time. Instead, I opted for a shrimp and grits bowl. It was a bit heavy, to be honest, but the grits were perfectly cooked and the shrimp had a nice kick to it.
By this point, I was officially stuffed. Like, couldn’t-eat-another-bite stuffed. Grabbed a lemonade to wash everything down and just sat for a bit, listening to the music and people-watching. The band was actually pretty decent, playing some classic rock covers. Watched a couple try to shuck oysters for a competition (they were terrible).
Finally, around 4 PM, I decided to call it a day. The sun was starting to go down, and I was ready for a nap. The walk back to the car felt like a marathon, but I made it. The drive home was surprisingly smooth, probably because everyone else was already home passed out in a seafood coma. Got home, took a shower (to get rid of the lingering Old Bay smell), and crashed.
All in all, the Annapolis Seafood Festival was a blast. Definitely worth the trip. If you’re a seafood lover, it’s a must-do. Just be prepared for crowds, parking nightmares, and a serious case of the food sweats. I’ll be back next year, that’s for sure!
- Tip 1: Bring cash! Most vendors don’t take cards.
- Tip 2: Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be doing a lot of walking.
- Tip 3: Pace yourself. Don’t try to eat everything at once!
Until next time, happy eating!
