Updated September 7, 2010—The September 11 Second Saturday festivities promise an evening of great shopping, dining, and gallery hopping starting at 5pm. Downtown’s shops will be open late, showcasing new fall merchandise and offering great closeout deals on summer fashions. Retail shops and galleries will also be offering a drawing for free pairs of tickets to screenings at the Chesapeake Film Festival on Sept. 25 and 26. Just fill in your e-mail address for your chance to win—no purchase necessary! Plus receptions in the galleries, and more. Click "more" to find out all the details.

August 23, 2010—Make the most of the end of the summer during the sixth annual Summer Send-Off in downtown Cambridge 5-10 p.m., Saturday, September 18. This year, it's all about Blues, Brews & BBQ! Enjoy barbeque (and other foods) cooked up by Dorchester County firehouses. Wash it down with a variety of brews. Listen to great live music and entertainment, and browse the sidewalk sales. Live music by Virginia bluesman Jimmy Cole and his band, the local Blackwater Refugees, 12-year-old guitar prodigy Evan Button, and other musicians. The event also features the wacky and fun Main Street Mile, where teams from local businesses and organizations do a relay race on tricycles, wearing snorkel flippers, etc. On the 400 block of Race Street in downtown Cambridge. Find out more.

August 21, 2010—The Chesapeake Film Festival is expanding to Cambridge! Now in its third year, the festival showcases the finest in narrative, documentary and short film. More than 30 films, everything from a Polish documentary to animation to an Eastern Shore tribute, will be shown in four towns on the Eastern Shore on Sept. 25-26 — Cambridge, as well as Easton, Oxford, and St. Michaels. In Cambridge, seven films will be shown at Gallery 447 at 447 Race Street. The festival is open to the public. On Saturday, Gallery 447 will show Secret of Kells (10:30am, a great animated film for kids and all ages), Mars (1pm), Freedom Riders (3:30pm), and Quick Gun Murugan (7:30pm). On Sunday, Sept. 26, Gallery 447 will show Bilal's Stand (10:30am), UrFRENZ (1pm), Basquiat (4pm). For descriptions of the movies, click "more." For details on the festival and trailers/descriptions of all 30+ films, go to the Chesapeake Film Festival website.

In all their glittering and sparkling and colorful glory,  mosaics are delighting people of all ages during the third annual "Pieces of the Path: Exploring the Art of Mosaic." One of the most popular art shows of the year, it includes not only unusual decorative pieces, but also a variety of functional art, from small vases to substantial tables. The exhibit is anchored at the Main Street Gallery, 413 Muir Street, with dozens of mosaics on display. The mosaic show extends to a mosaic “path” down Race Street, encompassing several galleries, shops, and a number of large-scale outdoor permanent installations. Mosaic sites include: Main Street Gallery (413 Muir Street), Cannery Way outdoor mural (400 block of Race Street), LunaChick (430 Race Street), 447 Gallery (447 Race Street), Joie de Vivre Gallery (410 Race Street), Avé Salon Spa (501 Poplar Street), Sunnyside (500 Poplar Street), Dorchester Center for the Arts (321 High Street), and GiGi’s Trattoria (305 High Street). The show at the Main Street Gallery runs August 6–September 25, 2010. Meet the artists during a free reception on Second Saturday, September 11, 5-8pm, at the Main Street Gallery.

Downtown is still alive and well while the Cambridge Creek drawbridge is closed for repairs and repainting for three months, from August through October. Plan to take Cedar St. to Race St. to get to downtown shops and restaurants. Boat traffic won’t be affected, since the 1938 drawbridge will remain in an upright, open position for most of the three months. Detour signs on Route 50 direct motorists to Cedar Street.

Updated August 30, 2010—SORRY, THE FARMERS' MARKET DINNER IS SOLD OUT! Enjoy a farm-to-table feast as Chef Ian Campbell cooks up a special dinner with bounty from the Main Street Farmers' Market at 6:30pm, Monday, Sept. 13 at the award-winning Bistro Poplar, 535 Poplar Street in Cambridge. Bistro Poplar has earned many accolades, including being named "Best Seasonally Inspired Menu" by What's Up Eastern Shore magazine. Tickets cost $45 per person. [Photo by Jane Thomas]

July 14, 2010—Here are the winners of the 2010 Taste of Cambridge Crab Cook-Off! Remember, we have two categories of winners: Judge's Choice (determined by a panel of judges that included Elise Kolaja of  ChesapeakeFoodie.com, Suzanne Loudermilk of Baltimore magazine, and Ron “R.L.” Butler of Fat Tuesday’s N’awlins Saloon) and People's Choice (voted by Taste ticket holders).

JUDGE'S CHOICE WINNERS:

Cream of Crab Soup: Jimmie & Sook's Raw Bar and Grill

Crab Soup: Clearview at Horn Point

Crab Dip: Kay's at the Airport

Crab Cake: Kay's at the Airport

Crab Specialty: Ocean Odyssey (for Oyster Crabafeller)

PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINNERS:

Cream of Crab Soup
1st Place:  Jimmie & Sook's Raw Bar and Grill
2nd Place: Paul's Subs

Crab Soup
1st Place: Blue Point Provision Company
2nd Place: Kay's at the Airport
3rd Place: Clearview at Horns Point

Crab Dip
1st Place: Jimmie & Sook's Raw Bar and Grill
2nd Place: Portside Seafood Restaurant
3rd Place: Kay's at the Airport

Crab Cake
1st Place: Bistro Poplar
2nd Place: Clearview at Horns Point
3rd Place: Kay's at the Airport


Crab Specialty
1st Place: Water's Edge (for spicy crab tacos)
2nd Place: Ocean Odyssey (for oyster crabafeller)

Congratulations to all the winners! The top winner of the professional crab-picking competition was Aouy Aone of Kool Ice Seafood. Second place went to Socorro Herrera of Lindy's Seafood. Thanks to the hundreds and hundreds of crab lovers, visitors, volunteers, restaurants, vendors, and others—who came out despite the soggy weather to make a terrific Taste of Cambridge! [Photo by Dave Harp.]

June 24, 2010—Stock up on fresh and local produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods, flowers, and more — now on Tuesdays as well as Thursdays! That's right, the Main Street Farmers Market is growing! Starting Tuesday, June 29, stop by the market at Academy and Muir Streets, 8am-12pm. The market also continues on Thursdays, 3-6pm, in the same location.

June 14, 2010—Hundreds of people joined Cambridge native author John Barth on June 12 to unveil a historic marker in his honor. The marker, as well as a brochure with a walking tour of spots in Cambridge related to Barth's life, were developed by the Dorchester County Friends of Library. The marker is located on library grounds at 303 Gay Street in Cambridge. Winner of the National Book Award and F. Scott Fitzgerald Award for Outstanding Achievement in American Fiction, Barth was born and raised in Cambridge. The Barth sign is the first in Dorchester County to honor a literary figure. During the ceremony, Barth was also presented a key to the city of Cambridge by Mayor Victoria Jackson-Stanley. “Cambridge, the rivershore, and the great down county salt marshes were my life’s coordinates from birth through high school through college and my first efforts as a writer of fiction, and they remain as touchstones of my imagination," he told the crowd. Read more about Barth's life here on a page created by the Dorchester County Public Library.

June 14, 2010—More than 2,000 triathletes, along with their family and friends, descended on Cambridge this past weekend for the Eagleman Ironman 70.3 triathlon. The triathletes—and the 800 community volunteers who were on hand to make the event happen and keep the athletes safe—battled high heat and humidity throughout the day June 13. The athletes, who came from 41 states and eight countries, were a mix of professional athletes, everyday folks from teenagers to 70+, and those who have come back after cancer, car accidents, loss of limbs, and more. The winner in the men's division was Torenzo Bozzone from New Zealand; from women, it was Samantha Warriner, also from New Zealand. The race also saw several finishers from Cambridge, including Joe Brooks and David Brohawn of Cambridge Multi-Sport, shown here, posing for a photo right after crossing the finish line. Congratulations to all the finishers! For more on Eagleman, go to the Columbia Triathlon Association.

June 7, 2010—It takes a village, that’s how! The beautiful flowerpots and hanging baskets that showed up along Race and Poplar streets recently are the result of first-rate teamwork in our community. Cambridge Main Street is in the lead here. Our organization pays the biggest chunk of the bill (something we can do only because of our generous annual donors—thank you!), and our volunteers handle the logistics of soliciting flowerpot “sponsors” as partners. Those sponsors are a mix of downtown shops, galleries, restaurants, and offices—as well as everyday Cambridge citizens looking to do their part. Click for the full list of sponsors.

June 2, 2010—Four downtown Cambridge businesses were named "2010 Best of the Eastern Shore" by What's Up Eastern Shore magazine. Stop in and experience them for yourself! Congratulations to Bistro Poplar (for Best French Restaurant and Best Seasonally Inspired Menu), Jimmie & Sook’s Raw Bar and Grill (Best Raw Bar), Sunnyside (Best Women’s Clothing Boutique) and Joie de Vivre Gallery (Best Artisan Jewelry). 

May 21, 2010—Actress Cicely Tyson helped celebrate the dedication of the newly renovated Harriet Tubman Educational Center and Museum on May 20. Mayor Victoria Jackson-Stanley presented her with a ceremonial key to the city of Cambridge. Tyson and others ate a lunch provided by Jimmie & Sook's. Tyson, who played Harriet Tubman in the 1978 NBC television movie, A Woman Called Moses, was able to meet some of Tubman's descendants who live in Cambridge. The Tubman Museum is located at 424 Race Street and recently finished a building renovation.

Updated May 19, 2010—Gallery 447 re-opened May 15 after several months of renovation. The new space is beautiful—airy, open, light-filled. Even more impressive is the art in the spring show, "The Marks of Six Painters." These painters—Deborah Kahn, Jo Smail, Steven Cushner, Tom Green, William Willis, and W.C. Richardson—have had solo shows in galleries in New York, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and other big cities. Their work is part of collections at such places as the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Guggenheim, the Hirshhorn Museum, and the National Gallery of South Africa. And their work has been reviewed in publications including Artforum, Art in America, the Washington Post, and others. The  panel discussion with the artists originally scheduled for May 22 has been rescheduled for 7pm, Saturday, June 19. The gallery is located at 447 Race Street, second floor.

May 14, 2010—And the winner is . . . Amy Craig! Volunteers Sally Jellett and Lisa Hochreiner pulled Amy's name out of the bucket as the winner of the Mother's Night Out Second Saturday drawing for $100 in Retail Therapy at cool shops in downtown Cambridge. Have fun shopping, Amy!

Updated May 8, 2010—The Main Street Farmers Market is back, bringing local farmers into our downtown every Thursday afternoon through October from 3 to 6 pm. Please note: That’s half an hour earlier than previous years! At this time of year, look for spinach, lettuces, asparagus, beets, turnip, kale, and more. A mix of familiar and new vendors will be at the market this year, and manager Beth Ann Lynch is planning a number of special twists, from occasional music to crafts displays and events and other surprises. Keep up to date by checking the Farmers Market page and on the Main Street Facebook page. Or send an e-mail to office@cambridgemainstreet.com to get on the list to receive a weekly e-mail about market highlights.

April 4, 2010—Whether you’ve got guests visiting or just want to learn more about historic Cambridge, join a Colonial-costumed guide for a walking tour of beautiful, historic High Street. The walking tours started again for the season in early April. They continue every Saturday at 11am through October. Meet at Long Wharf at the end of High Street. $8 for adults; 12 and under free. Reserve at 410.901.1000.

April 3, 2010—A great big Cambridge welcome to Paul’s Subs, which opened for business April 1 and promptly drew a slew of customers on day one. Located near the drawbridge where El Torito used to be, the shop is the work of Cambridge resident Paul Baiers, who ran a similar shop a while back when he lived in the DC suburbs. eaturing cold and hot subs, burgers, specialty clubs, sandwiches, soups and salads, wings, and more. Delivery available. Stop in soon and try it out! Open daily. 400 Academy St., 410.901.1004 (phone), 410.901.1139 (fax).

March 18, 2010—Gigi’s Trattoria, a casual Italian restaurant and wine bar, is now open in downtown Cambridge. With an emphasis on comfort food at reasonable prices, the restaurant offers everything from pizza, pasta, and paninis to burgers and salads, as well as a range of wines by the glass or the bottle.

February 17, 2010—Are the businesses in historic downtowns worth extra loyalty from customers? A new study of the recovery in New Orleans says yes. Two groups, the Urban Conservancy and Civic Economics, compared stores in an old downtown area with chain stores in shopping malls. This is what they found:

• Small, locally owned shops generated twice the annual sales per square foot.

• Local shops recirculated revenue within the community at twice the rate.

• Local shops had 4 times more local economic impact in wages, profits, procurement of goods, charitable giving, and other categories.

• Plus, the researchers estimated that if consumers in the study area shifted just 10 percent of their spending from chains to locals, they’d put $60 million into the local economy that otherwise disappears and goes elsewhere.

February 15, 2010—Thanks to everyone who came out to the Visionary Valentine event at the Main Street Gallery Feb. 13. This second annual event, a fundraiser for the nonprofit Main Street Gallery, featured champagne, desserts, and a silent auction of artworks created especially for the event. There was also a lively performance by professional Elvis impersonator Bilvis, shown here in a photo by Dave Harp. Thanks also to all our volunteers and to everyone who donated their talents or items.

January 22, 2010—Tom Brokaw's hourlong documentary on Route 50, which opens with a segment on Cambridge, is now viewable online through the USA Network. The documentary premiered on Jan. 18. That's also when a huge crowd gathered at Jimmie & Sook's, which is featured in the program, to watch the documentary and to celebrate the restaurant's first anniversary. In the documentary, Tom Brokaw says of Jimmie & Sook's owner Amanda Bramble (pictured here with her mother): "Her fight is indicative of a kind of American spirit that seems alive and well in Cambridge." Watch the documentary here.

January 7, 2010—Gov. Martin O'Malley popped into our downtown today and brought news of up to $1 million headed this way. During a "Business Roundtable" with business owners from around the region, he made the announcement that funds through three different grant applications submitted by the city would be available in the near future to (1) build new green, energy-efficient houses; (2) help homeowners weatherize and improve older houses; and (3) fix up some streets and gutters.
 

January 7, 2010—Three Cambridge residents—all involved in one way or another with making downtown a better place—were named "People to Watch" by What's Up Eastern Shore magazine. Congratulations to Ian Campbell, chef at Bistro Poplar; Jermaine Anderson, co-chair of the Cambridge Lives! revitalization program; and Amanda Fenstermaker, director of Dorchester County Tourism. They are three of nine people under 40 across the Eastern Shore selected as people who are making a difference in the January issue of the magazine. Congrats to all!

December 16, 2009—Welcome to the newest retail shop in downtown Cambridge! Race Beauty Supply, which opened just before Christmas at 620 Race St., is the work of Sue and Kim Yong (pictured here). The Yongs have another successful store on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and Kim says the two often scouted locations while en route up the Eastern Shore to trade shows in Baltimore. Stop in to check out the shop’s extensive array of hair products and beauty supplies—including wigs, soaps, hair coloring, and much more.

December 13, 2009—The Danny Doughty Gallery had its grand opening on Dec. 12. Dozens of visitors stopped by to step into another time and place at this gallery, which features the work of folk artist Danny Doughty. (Note how he's transformed the usual starkness of a gallery from floor to ceiling!) Stop by the gallery at 410 Race St. (in the back of Joie de Vivre Gallery). The evening included a drawing for one of Doughty's paintings, which he donated to be raffled off as a benefit for the Dorchester Humane Society. Congratulations to Lex Lowe, who won the painting, Cat of Many Colors.

December 3, 2009—Downtown Cambridge welcomes its newest restaurant, J&J Banquet Hall, which opened for business Dec. 1 at 504 Poplar St. J&J serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

December 13, 2009—Wave of the Future, a dramatic piece of public sculpture created to mark Cambridge's 325th anniversary, was unveiled and officially presented to the city during the Christmas on the Choptank celebration Dec. 11. The 6-foot-tall stainless steel sculpture was designed by artist Marty Hughes and fabricated by welders at Cambridge International. The final site for the sculpture has not yet been finalized.

December 13, 2009—The enormously popular Art-cessories Holiday Show at the Main Street Gallery has been the gallery's most successful show this year.  The exhibit  features a special installation of wearable and functional artworks, from jewelry to objets d’art, from feathers to furniture, from the fine to the funky. Prices range from $15 to $3,000. The display continues through the end of December. The gallery is open extended hours this month: daily 12-4pm, Sunday 1-4pm, closed Tuesday.

November 8, 2009—The Cambridge Lives! project took a major step forward on Nov. 6-7, when more than 50 community residents, stakeholders, and leaders gathered over two days to discuss ways to spark a revitalization process along Pine and nearby streets.

October 18, 2009—Dedicated Cambridge Main Street volunteers braved rain and soggy conditions to plant 22 trees downtown. The trees will provide more shade and complement the existing street trees. Thanks to the Chesapeake Bay Trust for grant funds to get this project done. Trees were planted on Race, Poplar, High, and Gay Streets. See a map showing where the trees have been planted.

October 15, 2009—We’re guessing that if you do line dancing, you’ve never danced surrounded by beautiful works of art. Now you can. The Main Street Gallery, 413 Muir Street, is the site for Phoenix Line Dance, new line dancing classes for experienced dancers. Word has it that the floor is amazing to dance on.