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Blessing of the Fleet keeps a St. Mary's tradition alive
Colton's Point, St. Clement's Island to host 42nd annual event
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo File photos by REID SILVERMAN
Phillip Tayac of the Piscataway Indian Nation will perform along with Mark Wild Turkey Tayac on Oct. 4 during the 42nd annual Blessing of the Fleet in Colton's Point.
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Those who make a point never to miss the annual Blessing of the Fleet at St. Clement's Island every fall are helping to carry on a tradition that began 42 years ago in St. Mary's County.
According to Robert Steele Pogue of the 7th District Optimist Club, which sponsors the event, it got its start when a local priest, the Rev. John J. Madigan, pastor of Holy Angels Church in Avenue, suggested the idea to the Optimist Club.
"Back when this first got started, the oyster industry was a very big business here in St. Mary's County," said Pogue, the chairman of this year's festival, "and this has always been the beginning of the oyster harvesting season."
Pogue said Madigan thought it would not only be a way to bless the oyster boats as they began the harvest season, but also a way to celebrate the history of Maryland's birthplace.
The purpose of the Optimist Club, according to Pogue, is to support youth activities so there will be games and shows for children, including a kids' tractor pull, magic shows, pony rides, petting zoo, reptile shows and bike giveaways. Several other local Optimist Clubs and American Legion Posts are also involved in the event.
Pogue said that funds raised from the festival help Optimist Clubs focus on the youth of the community.
"We hold Christmas parties for kids of all ages and we sponsor baseball and soccer teams," he said. "We do a lot of other work in the community to help young people."
There will be free boat rides from St. Clement's Island to the Blackistone Lighthouse and free admission to the St. Clement's Island Museum and to the lighthouse. There will be wine tastings for adults as well as an arts and crafts show.
Other attractions include a presentation of "The History of St. Mary's County in 23 minutes" at 1:45 p.m. and again at 3 p.m. on Saturday by the Newtowne Players; a K-9 demonstration by the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Department at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and performances by bands throughout the weekend.
The Blessing of the Fleet will take place on the main stage at 7 p.m. Saturday by
the Rev. William Gurnee, pastor of Holy Angels Church, followed by a fireworks display starting at 8 p.m.
On Sunday, there will be a flag-raising at 11:15 a.m. followed by the presentation of the 14th annual award of the "Ancient Order of the Waterman" to Bert Hayden of Avenue by Del. John F. Wood Jr. (D-St. Mary's, Charles).
At 2 p.m. on Sunday there will be a prayer service and Blessing of the Boats at the Waterfront Stage followed by a Roman Catholic Mass at 3 p.m. celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Barry C. Knestout, the first person from Prince George's County to become a bishop for the Washington Archdiocese.
All weekend, festival attendees can visit a Civil War encampment, with the James H. Harris Camp #38 of Union Veterans and the Sons of the Confederate Veterans, Pvt. Wallace Bowling Camp #1400; view classic cars; oyster boats and Wayne Mast and his Clydesdale horses.
Last year, more than 7,500 people attended.
If you go
The 42nd annual Blessing of the Fleet will be held this year on Oct. 3 and 4 at St. Clement's Island, Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Admission is $7 per person, with free admission for children 12 and younger.
Parking is free and visitors will be shuttled from the parking lots to the event.
Free boat rides to St. Clement's Island will be offered both days.
