Sultana Downrigging Festival

01/22/2026

Check this AWESOME video by Peter Slack! 😍

The Sultana Downrigging Festival is one of the most unique wooden boat festivals in the country. The organizers had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Coa...

11/13/2025

if anyone is going to beat this EPIC group costume, you may have to start planning now. We’re still humming the muppets song around the office two weeks later!!nyckel

11/04/2025

Downrigging Weekend, as photographed by Chris Cerino. We had an amazing time! thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy the ships, music, lectures, food, activities, and community!!

11/03/2025

11/02/2025

Saturday was beautiful, don’t miss the last day. We’re here until 3pm and the village is free.


📷: Michael Wooton

11/02/2025

Due to the government shutdown the US Navy Band Country Current is stuck in port today. Filling in at at 2:00pm on the Downrigging Main Stage will be the Folk Villains - a group of three up-and-commers that caught our eye at the International Bluegrass Music Assocation convention in September. Come out and support the next generation of Bluegrass Artists! Also playing today are Midshore Voices United (12:00pm) and Flatland Drive (1:00pm). The Music Village is free today!

11/01/2025

Good morning Tallships! Despite the breeze we had a beautiful opening day of Downrigging Weekend.

All today’s events will proceed as scheduled, the fireworks are TONIGHT at 8pm


📷: Michael Wooton

10/31/2025

Festival Updates due to high winds
1)ALL SAILS for Friday October 31 are cancelled. Ticket holders will receive an email with details.
2)DECK TOURS are extended on all ships from 12pm-3pm. Some ships may choose to remain open longer if possible
3)FIREWORKS are postponed until 8:00pm Saturday November 1

All Village events will proceed as scheduled this evening. We appreciate your understanding and hope to see you at the Halloween Party as we wait out this big breeze!

10/30/2025

THREE QUICK UPDATES: 1) Fireworks have been moved back to 8:15pm Friday and may be postponed to 8:00pm Saturday if the winds are high tomorrow, 2) We are evaluating Friday's Tall Ship Sails in light of the wind forecast, 3) All other Friday events - including musical performances and the Halloween Party are 100% on. LOOK FOR UPDATES TO BE POSTED HERE.

10/30/2025

Even more to do this Downrigging Weekend!

Chestertown Lions Club-sponsored Halloween parade is Nov. 1
CHESTERTOWN — The Lions Club here will host its annual Halloween parade on Saturday, Nov. 1, stepping off at 1:30 p.m. The Chestertown Lions Club-sponsored...
Read more - https://theeveningenterprise.com/chestertown-lions-club-sponsored-halloween-parade-is-nov-1/

10/30/2025

MUSIC SPOTLIGHT - Saturday's lineup features two returners to Sultana's Downrigging Festival:

Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass
Set 1 – 12:005 PM | Set 2 – 5:40PM
Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass play powerful, unadorned, and intense traditional bluegrass. There is no hybrid or genre-bending music here. Their combination of instrumentation and vocals convey the energy and emotion of classic bluegrass and country music. Danny’s lead vocals will captivate your senses, so much so that many prominent musicians, including Alison Krauss, have considered Danny as one of their favorite singers. His voice combines powerful range and soulful blues with a sound like no one else in bluegrass today.

Unspoken Tradition Set 1 -1:10 PM | Set 2 – 4:35 PM
Inspired by their own influences and the roots of traditional and newgrass music, this North Carolina based quintet brings a sound that is both impassioned and nostalgic, hard-driving and sincere. Their debut recording, Simple Little Town (2013), saw quick success in radio and with tastemakers. Their follow-up release, Miles Between, was featured on the nationally syndicated NPR show The World Cafe. Represented by Advance Artist Support, Unspoken Tradition plays nationwide.

https://downrigging.org/music-village/