October is National Seafood Month

Make your plans now to celebrate National Seafood Month in Maryland, the unofficial Seafood Capital of the Universe! Sample seafood all around the state at great events such as the 52nd annual U.S. Oyster Festival October 19-20 in St. Mary’s. Don’t miss the crowning of King Oyster, or the heated competition in the National Oyster Shucking Championships, plus seafood, beer tastings and more. But that’s not all: Fall Fest with Oysters in Rock Hall is October 12, Tilghman Island Day is October 19, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum hosts its annual OysterFest in St. Michaels October 26, Ocean City’s Fall Restaurant Week arrives, and lots more! Get details on seafood celebrations and events here.

Make Your Plans Now for Maryland Fall Fun, Foliage and the 52nd Annual Autumn Glory Festival

Fall has arrived, and there’s so much fall fun to be had in Maryland. Make your plans now for the 52nd Autumn Glory Festival, October 9-13 in Deep Creek, Catoctin Colorfest, October 12-13 in Thurmont, and for a change of pace, catch the fall foliage from on the Chesapeake, where St. Michaels was named one of America’s Top 10 places for “Leaf Peeping by Boat.” And check out our list of fall farm fun for great ideas along the way to your autumn adventure.

Hit the High Seas at the 50th Annual US Sailboat Show and More Nifty Nautical Events

For 50 years, the United States Sailboat Show (October 10-14) has made Annapolis its port of call, and now this Chesapeake tradition has grown to become the largest in-water boat show on the planet. But October has even more for boat lovers with the United States Powerboat Show (October 3-6), the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival (October 4-5) in St. Michaels, and the Blessing of the Fleet (October 5-6) on St. Clement’s Island.

Harrowing Halloween Haunts

Halloween is almost here, and whether you prefer your scares from ghost stories and legends, high-tech haunts, kid-friendly fun, or just want to wear your Wonder Woman costume while riding the Lasso of Truth ride, Maryland has plenty to offer. With ghost tours, haunted houses and hay rides, Six Flags America’s Fright Fest, and other frightful happenings, our Halloween page has enough spooky fun to keep you screaming all the way through Thanksgiving.

Maryland Celebrates the Anniversary of Emancipation

November 1 marks the anniversary of Emancipation in Maryland, and commemoration events are occurring across the state. Travel the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway and see the new Tubman short film at the Tubman Visitor Center. Visit important sites from the fight for freedom and equality across the state, and discover why Maryland is the most powerful Underground Railroad storytelling destination in the world.

Raise a Glass to Oktoberfests and Fall Craft Beer Events

Maryland is quickly becoming an American craft beer capital, and there’s no better time to sample the flavors of the season a pint at a time than now! With big Oktoberfest celebrations in Berlin, Baltimore, Frederick and across the state, and fall craft beer events like the Good Beer Festival in Salisbury, Howard County Hops & Harvest in Columbia, and more, there’s something on tap for you at our beer and wine festivals page.

Free Fall into Brilliant Baltimore

It's always a great time to travel to Charm City, but fall is an extra special time to visit Baltimore as the city celebrates Free Fall, a citywide celebration with more than 300 free arts and cultural activities. You can’t beat the price! But that’s not the only great event Baltimore has put together to make the season special. For the first time ever, Maryland favorites the Baltimore Book Fair and Light City have combined into one fantastic new festival called Brilliant Baltimore. It kicks off November 1, get all the details here and put the charm in your fall.

Enter to Win on Maryland Mondays!

Don’t miss your chance at free tickets for amazing events across the state. Every Monday on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, the Maryland Office of Tourism is joining with our sponsors to give away great Maryland travel experiences. We call them Maryland Mondays, but you can enter all week. This week's contest is for a pair of tickets to the Autumn Wine Festival at Pemberton Historical Park in Salisbury on October 19-20. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to enter.