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Friday night sights
Food, family and fun are great way to end week
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by EMILY BARNES
William Lee, 1, offers some crab to his mother, Rebecca, as dad, Clint, watches at Capt. Billy's crabhouse.
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After what seemed to be nonstop rain throughout June, Charles County residents were out Friday night enjoying the warm weather and relaxing after a long week of work.
"It feels good to be out enjoying the night, and what better place to be than Capt. Billy's," said Jason Peer of La Plata.
Many people got their hard-crab fix at the popular crabhouse in Popes Creek.
Peer was celebrating his birthday with friends.
Tanya Redding was also celebrating at Capt. Billy's, but not a birthday. Redding was with her brother and sister-in-law celebrating their wedding anniversary. At the party were family and friends, some hailing from Germany.
Redding said eating crabs is more than just a summer event for her family.
"Any time we can eat crabs, we eat crabs in this family."
Michael Zinn of La Plata said he enjoys going to restaurants like Captain Billy's at the end of a work week to "chill out and relax."
While relaxing with a Southern Maryland tradition like crabs sounds ideal, some prefer the more home-style feel. This feeling often comes along with a night at the American Legion.
At the Harry White Wilmer American Legion Post 82 in La Plata, the monthly roast beef dinner Friday drew in nearly 200 hungry diners.
"It's a way to keep up with the news and keep up with the town," Attie Ward of La Plata said.
Ward said at the post "everybody knows everybody basically."
"It's not anything to see a commissioner or the mayor [at a post event]," she said.
The post hosts a roast beef dinner or a rib dinner on the third Friday of every month. However, the dinners will be coming to an end for a brief time as the building undergoes renovations.
Ward said she and friend Kathy Rineaman will need to find a new place to go and relax while the work continues.
Ward said one place she has in mind is the town hall in La Plata where a summer concert series is ongoing until September. Every Friday night in the summer the town hosts various musical acts where participants can sit outside and enjoy an evening of free musical entertainment.
Ward and Rineaman said they enjoy parking around the town hall, putting the top down on the car and reading a book while listening to music.
Listening from the comfort of a car or even a back patio is suitable for some, but for many others, claiming a small piece of the town hall lawn to spread out a blanket and some chairs while the kids are running around playing is just as nice.
Craig Allem had chairs set up for his two children to enjoy Road House perform Friday night. Allem said it's a good opportunity for the kids to get out of the house and to spend quality time with family.
"My son loves the music," said Kim Dye of La Plata.
Dye said as soon as her 4-year-old hears the music from his home across the street from the town hall, it is time for them to come over.
Dye said her son, T, likes to play with the other children, and it gives her a chance to get out and meet other people in the community.
Friday night, people on the town hall from young to old were enjoying themselves whether it was listening to the band play or throwing a football around with dad.
Looking around, it was plain to see, it was Friday night and Charles County residents were feeling all right.
