Where: Havre de Grace, Maryland
When: year-round
If you like: arts and culture, history, the sporting life
Why you should go: For nearly forty years, this Susquehanna Flats landmark has drawn hunters and folk-art aficionados to the waterfront of historic Havre de Grace, which proclaims itself the Decoy Capital of the World. It can back up the boast. The upper Chesapeake Bay was a centerpiece of market hunting for waterfowl in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and its heritage of hand-carved wooden decoys is unmatched on the East Coast. The biggest draw of the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum is likely its complete reassembly of R. Madison Mitchell’s carving shop; Mitchell made wooden decoys for half a century, and his shop was a training ground for many recognized artisans. Scholarship also plays a significant role in the museum’s efforts, evidenced by the permanent exhibition Influences of African Americans on Decoy Making. But there’s plenty of fun and games here. The forty-third anniversary of the Havre de Grace Decoy & Wildlife Art Festival will host carving demonstrations and tons of artists and vendors on May 3 and 4.
G&G tip: Regional decoy-collecting associations regularly head to Havre de Grace for pop-up events with living carvers, food, and impromptu shows. Contact the museum for dates.
