I should have listened to you all!

[KMPaddy2255]

My cousin Melissa DiGiulian was Miss Maryland 2006.
She went on to compete in Miss Usa, and didn't make the cut!
It's a good experience, but man she was always on the go.



Melissa DiGiulian - Miss Maryland USA 2006

[Uncle Charlie]

I was at the Crab Festival and thought it was much improved from years past. Did you know that this was the 23rd Crab Festival put on solely by the Leonardtown Lions Club for their charitable works? It used to be held at the Governmental Center but was moved to the fairgrounds this year. In future years, they hope to grow like the Oyster Festival, thus the move. With moving to a new location, you are going to have some "growing pains" and they did, but they need the support for all that they do.

There is and always has been one Steamed Crab vendor, Wayne Copsey, and the crabs were $36 a dozen. As most restaurants are in the $42 - $45 range for crabs, that was a good deal and the crabs were good. He had plenty of full crabs there. With all the problems people are having even getting crabs, $36 a dozen wasn't bad.

There were several other food vendors; Bailey's Catering, Sunshine Catering, Sandgates Inn, Scrumptious Entrees, a snow cone stand, an ice cream stand and a kettle corn stand. They offered everything from hamburgers, hot dogs, crab cakes, pit beef, pit pork, soft crabs, chicken tenders, lots of different foods at reasonable prices, especially considering the vendors donate part of their earnings to the Lions Club. In addition, there was cold beer and wine and water and soft drinks.

Entertainment included A Karate Demonstration, Country Line Dancers, a moon bounce, a boxing game, a petting zoo, pony rides, a donkey ride and for the first time ever in Southern Maryland, Crab Races which were fun to watch and do. The Leonardtown Vol Rescue Squad and Fire Department were also there with their vehicles on display. The Health Connections bus was there from the hospital too. And throughout the afternoon Southbound (the band) played live music. Bell Motor Company had 5 or 8 cars on display. They had two 50-50 drawings and gave away 8 or 10 "gate" prizes including a fully cooked stuffed ham donated by Bailey's Olde Breton Inn.

Miss Maryland was there for the first time and did a nice performance with her singing. There were 43 arts and crafters present and about 57 cars on display. Generally, there are more cars but many said it was too hot to come.
Last year they had over 100 and hopefully, they will have that many again next year.

Unfortunately, the 98 degree temperature hurt attendance. The average temperature for early June is 82. Oh well, you can't control Mother Nature. Considering that most of the "activities" such as the moon bounce, petting zoo, etc were free, the $5 entry fee was pretty good. Sorry that some of you thought it was lame. Maybe if we all support them, next years will be bigger and better and the year after that even better. And lets hope Mother Nature is nicer next year too!

For your first time at the Fairgrounds, I think you guys did one heck of a job!