March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 51 F

Fourth of July festivities kick off with First Sunday Arts Festival

First SundayThe perfect place to start celebrating America’s birthday is to spend the afternoon of July 2nd at the First Sunday Arts festival in downtown Annapolis, Maryland. This festivals gives you the opportunity to shop and buy American made from local and regional artisans, listen to great local band and eat at the food trucks and cafes along West and Calvert Streets.

The popular First Sunday Arts festival brings thousands of locals and visitors out on the town to shop directly from local artisans in historic downtown Annapolis, Maryland.  The festival provides shopping opportunities from over 130 local and regional artists and crafters selling their artwork from 11am to 5pm.  You will find  artisans selling handcrafted jewelry, pottery, glass, clothing, handbags, wood-turnings, furniture, sculpture, photography, paintings, garden art, and more.  This is the easiest and largest place to shop in the area for items hand made and made in the USA.

Performers throughout the festival will be showcasing live music at four free performance stages including, Weisman Park near the Visitors Center which is a good spot to relax in the shade, the main stage next to Stan and Joe’s Saloon, City Gate Park on the second block of West Street, and on Calvert Street in Whitmore Park. The bands for July 2nd include Naked Jungle, Alex Peters, Dean Rosenthal, The Coteries,  Mike Heuer and Priddy Music Academy Bands. Plus take a moment and make your own art hat as Tattered Hatters returns to the festival in Whitmore Park.

All the restaurants in the festival area will be setting up relaxing outdoor cafes along West Street and food trucks are on hand in Whitmore Park.  Several of the restaurants also host entertainment indoors during and after the festival including Rams Head Tavern, 49 West Coffeehouse and Gallery, Tsunami, and Reynolds Tavern.

For those wishing to spend the night in town for the First Sunday Arts festival we invite you to continue celebrating with the locals on Tuesday July 4th with a patriotic parade on West Street and fireworks downtown and on Wednesday July 5th with Dinner Under the Stars on West Street. There are three hotels in the Annapolis Arts District to enjoy (Loews, O’Callaghan and Westin).

The First Sunday Arts festivals are conveniently located in downtown Annapolis on West Street and Calvert Streets where parking is a breeze. There are several parking garages next to the festival and events including Whitmore Parking Garage and Gott’s Court Parking Garage both located along Calvert Street, and the Loews Hotel Parking Garage and Knighton Parking Garage located on West Street  The Calvert Street Parking garage located at 19 St Johns Street has free parking all weekend and is located within a two block stroll from the First Sunday Arts festival.
Admission to the First Sunday Arts festivals is free, so bring your friends and family to spend a day out on the town. First Sunday Arts festivals for the 2017 season are on Sunday July 2, August 11, September 3, October 1, November 5 and a special bonus festival on Sunday December 3rd called the Annapolis Chocolate Binge Festival.

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