News Release

Annapolis Maritime Museum / 723 Second St / Annapolis, MD 21403
Contacts: Jeff Holland / 410 295-0104 / director@amaritime.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 7, 2008

Celebrate 300 years of stories and songs at the second annual Grand ole Osprey
at Maryland Hall on Saturday, November 22, 2008

Jefferson Holland and Kevin Brooks, also known as Them Eastport Oyster Boys, lead the musical fun at the first annual Grand ole Osprey last year at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. (Photo credit: John Bildahl)

More than 120 performing artists donated their time and talent to the Museum for the first annual Grand ole Osprey, including the Annapolis Chorale, the Mt. Zion U.M. Church Gospel Choir, the Annapolis Youth Chorus, the George Fox Middle School Ukulele Ensemble and Select Chorus. (Photo credit: John Bildahl)

Come take a “magical history tour” of Annapolis and Eastport with an evening of songs, stories, photographs and fun for the whole family at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts on Saturday, November 22, beginning at 7 p.m. The second annual “Grand ole Osprey” features the music of Them Eastport Oyster Boys, the Annapolis Chorale Chamber Singers, the George Fox Middle School Ukulele Ensemble and Select Chorus, the Mt. Zion U.M. Church Gospel Choir, and actors from Remember, Inc., under the direction of Sharie Valerio, portraying characters from our historic past, plus photographs of Dan Beigel and historic images from Ginger Doyel’s new book, Over the Bridge: a History of Eastport at Annapolis.

“Proceeds from the evening’s event will help keep the Museum running full steam ahead,” says event organizer Mary Ostrye. Last year’s event raised $30,000 for the Museum’s programs, events, and public service projects, including environmental education programs for more than 1,500 area students, a maritime heritage seminar series for adults, and the popular Summertime Maritime Concert series.

The Grand ole Osprey runs from 7 to 9 p.m. in Maryland Hall’s 800-seat theatre. It’s preceded by a VIP Reception which runs from 5 to 7 p.m. with an open wine and beer bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres donated by restaurants, gourmet food markets and caterers, including Phillips Seafood Restaurant, Whole Foods, Davis’ Pub, Main Ingredient, Palate Pleasers, Tasting’s Gourmet Market, Wine Cellars, Patisseries, and oyster shooters from Federal House.

Live and silent auctions include dozens of items donated by local businesses, artists, and organizations. Highlights include a personally guided tour of Eastport with author Ginger Doyel aboard a charming trolley from Discover Annapolis Tours for 20 guests; a catered sunset cruise for 20 aboard the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s skipjack Stanley Norman; a five-day golf package at the Arizona Canoa Ranch; a fully catered Mardi Gras dinner for 12 at your home; a Waterfowl Eastern Shore Hunt Package; a Ravens Indoor Tailgater for four; and the rare and authentic Chesapeake Bay experience: hand-tonging for oysters on the Bay with a Western Shore waterman; plus fine art by John Barber and Eastport artist Cindy Fletcher Holden, a wooden kayak kit with boat-building instructions from renowned Annapolis sailor and sailmaker Scott Allen, and other fun and unique opportunities.

The Mt. Zion U.M. Church Gospel Choir sang the spirituals “Wade in the Water” and “Storm out on the Ocean,” like the many sung by the oyster shuckers at McNasby’s to make the hard work a little more bearable. (Photo credit: John Bildahl)

Sculptor Allan Lopez with the yet-to-be-finished original carving of an osprey which he will donate to the Annapolis Maritime Museum for the live auction at the VIP reception before the program. This an all the other auction items are available for bid now on line. Log on to the online auction at www.cmarket.com and get a preview of all the great travel packages, jewelry, entertainment & fine art. (Photo credit: Annapolis Maritime Museum)

The auction items will be available for bid on line as of October 15. Log on to the online auction at www.annapolismaritime.cmarket.com and get a preview of all the great travel packages, jewelry, entertainment & fine art. The signature item is an original, hand-carved osprey by renowned sculptor Allen Lopez, who has been carving for 14 years, drawing his inspiration from his home, Maryland’s, Eastern Shore. Allen loved carving from the beginning and finds it to be a relaxing passion. Allen has gone on to introduce and teach carving to others, and has written for Wildfowl Carving magazine.

Allen has received numerous blue ribbons at prestigious competitions, including the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition, Havre De Grace Decoy Wildlife Festival and Tom’s River Wildlife Arts Festival. He has shown at the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Maryland. His wildfowl sculpture, including commissions, is in the homes of collectors throughout the United States, and in Canada, England, Australia, and Japan. He also ran his own gallery for four years in Kent Narrows, Md.

Allen and his wife, Jean, built a studio next to their home that has a panoramic view of bay waters and the small cove behind their home. The cove has an osprey nest and is also a safe haven for ducks, swan, herons, egrets, shore birds, and geese. His studio is the perfect haven for a wildfowl sculptor: the osprey in the nest outside his window is the model for the carving being auctioned at the Grand ole Osprey.

VIP admission including the reception and program is $100. General admission for the program is $25. To order general admission tickets, log on to www.marylandhall.org and click “purchase tickets,” or call the Maryland Hall box office at 410-280-5640. For VIP tickets, email Mary Ostrye at Annapolis Maritime Museum, office@amaritime.org, or call 410-295-0104.

The Grand ole Osprey is an official Annapolis Alive! event celebrating three amazing centuries, and sponsored by WYPR, City of Annapolis, City of Annapolis Department of Economic Development, Weems & Plath, Davis’ Pub, Anston House Press, Kirby Mehrhof Architects, and the members of the Annapolis Maritime Museum.

###

Photo editors: Click on each images for a hi res version.

---