49th Annual Essex Day Festival

Essex Day Main Stage (Taylor Avenue):

12 – 1 pm: Sons of Pirates (Beach music party band)

1:30 – 2:30 pm: Experience (Classic rock band)

*2:30 pm: Pie Eating Contest hosted by Ravens Super Fan Captain DEE-FENSE*

3 – 4 pm: AREA 52 (Rock/dance/party band)

4:30 – 5:30 pm: Twenty Dollar Prophet (Classic/alternative rock party band)

Community Stage (400 Block Eastern Blvd. near Mace.)

Head to the Community Stage for some family-friendly fun from 11 – 5 pm!

FESTIVAL MAP

Click to enlarge

ESSEX DAY EVENTS

12:00–12:45 Wislanie Polish Folk Song and Dance Ensemble: A local 501c3 non-profit organization performing traditional Eastern European songs and dances in authentic folk costumes.

12:45–1:00 Middle River Victory Stars: A performance by the Middle River Rec Dance program, which offers classes for age 3 – adults in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip-Hop and Pointe.

1:00–1:30 Tecuanis De Riverdale – This group originated from Puebla Mexico with a mission to promote Mexican culture. The dance of the Tecuanis portrays the legend of a wild, man-eating beast.

1:30–2:00 Danza Folklorica Latina – A group with a mission to disseminate and preserve Latino cultural traditions through music and dance.

2:00–2:30 Miss Dee the Clown: A crowd favorite, Miss Dee will keep the kids entertained with her specialty balloon animals and magic show.

2:30–3:00 Symmetry Arts: Symmetry Arts students will be performing two lively dances that showcase the bright energy of this dance studio. This group of young talented dancers will perform leaps, turns, pops, kicks and more at the Essex Day Festival!

3:00–3:30 Rare Form: Enjoy the performance by this marching band with youth from Baltimore City and County.

3:30–4:00 Middle River Renegades DREAM CATCHERS!: This special needs cheer team will perform a Cheerleading Competition Routine & Spirit Chants. Music, dancing, stunts and more! Come out to see the team that CAN – the Middle River Renegades DREAM CATCHERS!

4-4:45 Breath of Life
Breath of Life is a Christian bilingual band composed of four siblings whose mission is to reach their community with a positive message.

Kids’ Activities

Butterfly Safari – interactive live butterfly exhibit, Mace Ave. area (FREE)

9-Hole Putt Putt – mini golf on an inflatable course, Mace Ave. area (FREE)

Dino Safari – Dinosaurs are returning! Experience the thrill of exploration and learning through an interactive, educational, and all-inclusive journey, featuring hands-on ‘fossil’ excavation and photo ops, Mace Ave. area (FREE)

Tree House Slide – inflatable slide fun, Mace Ave. area (FREE)

Pony Rides by Mystic Moon Farm – Fee charged by vendor, located near Dollar General

Miss Dee the Clown – FREE show at Community Stage

Fun for Adults

Mechanical Bull – Fee charged by vendor, located near Museum

Bungee Run – Three people race to win, kids can participate too! Mace Ave. area (FREE)

Essex Day Car Show (Mace Avenue end)
Sponsored by Smith’s Lawncare & Landscaping

10 am to 2 pm

$15 registration fee, proceeds benefit Essex community organizations. Dash plaques for the first 50 vehicles registered. 15 Trophies will be awarded!

Note: Cars must arrive between 8 am – 10 am. Entry cut off at 12:30 pm. Winners announced at 2 pm. Enter the Car Show by turning right on Riverside and first left into metered lot.

For questions, call Scott Smith at (410) 978-3529 or email essexdayfestival@gmail.com.

Beer Garden (Across from Main Stage)

Essex Day is partnering with Dundalk’s Key Brewing this year! We will have a sampling of Key Brewing’s high-quality American craft ales and lagers along with some of your other favorite brews and seltzers. Must be 21 with ID to enter the Beer Garden.

Charm City Ghostbusters (Near the Car Show)

The Charm City Ghostbusters are a Ghostbusters cosplay group servicing all of Maryland, established in 2015 and recognized by GhostCorps. They will be on hand at Essex Day with interactive fun for the family! Come visit them and get photos with the Ecto-1. They will be raising money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Movie Time with Baltimore County Recreation and Parks (Margaret Ave. area)

Join us for Baltimore County Recreation and Parks’ “Screen on the Green.” They will be bringing their outdoor screen to show Sing 2 throughout the day! Sing 2 is a 2021 animated musical comedy film about Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) and his all-star cast of performers who dream of putting on their most dazzling show yet in Redshore City. However, they must first convince the world’s most reclusive rock star, Clay Calloway (Bono), to join them. The film is a sequel to Sing (2016). It also features new characters played by Pharrell Williams, Halsey, Letitia Wright, Eric Andre, and Chelsea Peretti. RATED PG

Pie Eating Contest (Main Stage)

Hosted by Baltimore Ravens Super Fan Captain DEE-Fense, the Pie Eating Contest will be held at 2:30 pm at the Main Stage. Sign up for the Pie Eating Contest at the Essex Day Information Booth located near the Main Stage. Participants will feast on Dangerously Delicious Pies as they eat to win the coveted pie-shaped “Essex Day Pie Eating Contest Winner” plaque. Participants must be 18 years or older and sign a waiver.

Information/T-Shirt Booth (Main Stage area)

The Information and T-Shirt booth is your resource for all things Essex Day! If you need help finding vendors or activities, have Lost and Found items, want to sign up for the Pie Eating Contest or buy a festival t-shirt, be sure to stop by. If you have an emergency, please call 911 and/or contact the Police officers on duty at the festival.

Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River, Inc.

The entire family will enjoy stepping back in time while visiting the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River, or as it’s better known, the Essex Museum. The Heritage Society is a non-profit organization staffed by volunteers whose goal is the preservation of the history of Essex and Middle River, Maryland. The first meeting was held at Essex Elementary on Sept. 26, 1968, and the Museum opened exactly seven years later on Sept. 26, 1975 in the 1920 Fire/Police Station which also served as a court house. In addition to Police and Fire memorabilia, visitors will find the Avenue of Shops, a replica old-time school room and pharmacy, and a wide variety of all things historic and sometimes quirky, such as the Moaning Statue. The Essex Museum is now home to the Essex Cube. For more information, go to www.essexmuseum.com.

This spaceship needs no introduction! We are so excited that Lisa Alder will be bringing her father’s spaceship back to the Festival! We miss you, Ron “Daddy Kool” Alder, and we hope you like this year’s t-shirts!