Maryland's Taste of Cambridge Crab Cook-Off is July 13, 2013
Downtown Cambridge's biggest and crabbiest street festival of the year is the Taste of Cambridge Crab Cook-Off and Festival! The 2013 edition of the event will be held on Saturday, July 13. Details to come! In the meantime, check out our Facebook photo album from the 2012 Taste of Cambridge!
The Crab Cook-Off has local chefs prepare crab dishes and compete for top honors from ticket holders and from a panel of celebrity judges. The street festival is free and open to all. Buy a ticket for the Crab-Cook-Off and you'll get a taste of each of the dishes, then you can cast your vote for your favorites. Tickets cost $25 per person, and will be on sale in early June. Only a limited number of tickets are sold, so buy yours early!
The street festival also includes a crab-picking competition, lots of non-crab food and drink, and kids' activities and contests. Taste of Cambridge happens rain or shine!
The festival benefits Cambridge Main Street, a nonprofit that works on revitalizing the small historic downtown.
WHEN: The next Taste of Cambridge is slated for Saturday, July 13, 2013. It'll run 5-10pm (Crab Cook-Off tasting happens 5-7:30pm ONLY)
WHERE: 400 and 500 blocks of Race Street, 500 block of Poplar Street. Plenty of free parking available. Directions.
HIGHLIGHTS:
CRAB COOK-OFF!
Buy a ticket to the Crab Cook-Off and you'll be sampling crabcakes, crab dip, crab soup, and crab specialty items prepared by top local chefs. After you sample the crab dishes, you can cast your vote for winners of the People's Choice Awards. A panel of celebrity judges will also be choosing the best dishes for the Judges Choice Awards. Tickets are required to taste the crab dishes; tasting happens 5-7:30pm ONLY, so get there on time!
HOW TO BUY TICKETS:
Entry to the festival is free. Tickets for the Crab Cook-Off cost $25. Tickets, which are non-refundable, will go on sale in June, both online and in local businesses. To reserve your ticket in advance, please send an e-mail to Cambridge Main Street or call 443.477.0843.
ENTERTAINMENT and FUN!
MUSIC: Live music at the 2012 Taste of Cambridge included the Wes Davis Group, Drink Drank Drunk, Josh Woodard, and Evan Button, a teenaged guitarist from Virginia Beach who has become a crowd favorite at Taste since making his debut at the event at the age of 9. Stay tuned for the 2013 line-up.
CRAB-PICKING! Professional crab-picking contest—-see how fast pickers from local crab houses can pick a dozen crabs!
CONTESTS and FUN FOR THE KIDS! Last year the festival included a Kids' Area with watermelon-eating, hula-hooping, and Lego-building contests; plus juggling, crafts, fishing pond, ring toss, magic, face painting, and more!
FOOD AND DRINK! Lots of non-crab food and cold drinks.
SHOPPING & ART: PLUS, downtown shops and galleries will be open all day and throughout the event. Galleries will be hosting free receptions; see the descriptions of current exhibits.
DIRECTIONS
Downtown Cambridge is on Maryland's Eastern Shore, just five minutes off of Route 50. Map and directions.
PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS:
Ten local restaurants participated in 2012, and they prepared 14 crab dishes (plus a bonus dish). Stay tuned for the list of 2013 participating restaurants.
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!
The Taste of Cambridge is organized by Cambridge Main Street and happens only with the help of about 100 volunteers. If you're interested in volunteering, send a note to office@CambridgeMainStreet.com.
FOR VENDORS:
If you are interested in being a vendor at the 2013 Taste of Cambridge, send an e-mail to Cambridge Main Street or call 443.477.0843.
WHY WE DO THIS:
This area is home to hundreds of watermen who have been crabbing for generations. Taste of Cambridge celebrates their hard work -- and the delicious bounty they harvest. Proceeds from the event go to the nonprofit Cambridge Main Street and downtown revitalization.
THANKS TO OUR 2012 TASTE OF CAMBRIDGE SPONSORS:
Coors Light, for sponsoring the Taste of Cambridge
The Banner, for being the Taste of Cambridge media sponsor
Coastal Hospice, for sponsoring the Kids' Area
J.M. Clayton's, for sponsoring the Crab-Picking Contest
If you'd like information about becoming a 2013 sponsor, send an e-mail to Cambridge Main Street or call 443.477.0843.
PHOTOS
See photos of last year's Taste of Cambridge in our Facebook photo album. Watch some Taste video highlights on YouTube!
PAST WINNERS:
See the past winners of the Taste of Cambridge's Crab Cook-Off.
