County fairs

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has released information on fairs scheduled throughout the year, including the following events this summer on the Eastern Shore.

Talbot County Fair​  July 13-15
Talbot County Fairgrounds
10659 Hiners Lane, Easton MD 21601
talbotcountyfair.org, Sean Clougherty, 302-382-2722, info@talbotcountyfair.org

Spring in the Ring​  July 13-14
Talbot County Fairgrounds
10659 Hiners Lane, Easton MD 21601
talbotcountyfair.org/spring-in-the-ring, Trisha Boyce, 717-873-8408, springinthering@gmail.com

Kent County 4-H Fair ​ July 19-22
Kent Ag Center
21349 Tolchester Beach Road, Chestertown, MD 21620
kentcountyfair.org, Elizabeth Hill, 410-778-1661, emshill@umd.edu

Cecil County Fair​   July 21-29
Fair Hill Fairgrounds
4640 Telegraph Road, Elkton, MD 21921
cecilcountyfair.org, Debbie Harris, 410-392-3440, generalinfo@cecilcountyfair.org

Somerset County Fair​  July 28-30
Somerset County Fairgrounds
30512 Prince William Street, Princess Anne, MD 21853
somersetcountyfairmd.org, Ronnie Haymaker, 443-735-6606, rhaymaker68@hotmail.com

Caroline-Dorchester County Fair​  Aug 2-5
8230 Detour Road, Denton, MD 21629
carolinedorchestercountyfair.com, Charlotte Brown, 410-310-6558, 4h.fairboard@gmail.com

Queen Anne's County Fair​  Aug 7-12
Queen Anne's County 4-H Park
100 Dulin Clark Road, Centreville, MD 21617
qacfair.com, Laura Leager, 410-708-1645, qacfairpromotions@gmail.com

Great Pocomoke Fair​  Aug 11-13
2037 Broad Street Pocomoke City, MD 21851
thegreatpocomokefair.org, Alice Jean Ennis, 410-422-9195, ajennis36@yahoo.com

Wicomico County Fair​  Aug 18-20
Winterplace Park
6737 Blue Ribbon Road, Salisbury, MD 21804
wicomicofair.com, Tri Townsend, 410-603-9598, cgmobilecafe@comcast.net

Maryland State Fair​  Aug 24-27, Aug 31- Sept 4, Sept 7 - Sept​ 10
Maryland State Fairgrounds
2200 York Road, Lutherville-Timonium, MD 21093
MarylandStateFair.com, Rebecca Williams, 410-252-0200, msfair@msn.com

Cannabis funding

The Maryland Department of Commerce announced that applications will open Aug. 1 for the second round of funding available through the state’s Cannabis Business Assistance Fund. The $40 million in this round of funding will help support social equity licensees who held a stage one pre-approval for a license before Oct. 1, and are not yet operational by Aug. 1. 

As part of the application process, applicants must provide a detailed description of how the funding will be used as well as a timeline for when they plan to become operational. In addition, applicants can choose to receive the funding in a grant paid as a lump sum, or as a no-interest loan with a term of five years with payments starting a year after disbursement and due on a quarterly basis. Up to $5 million is available for each awardee.

Applications will be accepted through Sept. 1. For more information, visit the Maryland Department of Commerce Cannabis Business Assistance Fund website. 

Questions may be directed to cannabis.financing@maryland.gov. 

Hay and Straw Directory

The Maryland Department of Agriculture is encouraging farmers looking for markets for their hay and straw to provide their contact information for a new state Hay and Straw Directory. 

“This directory will be a valuable tool for farmers marketing their hay and straw and for their potential customers,” said MDA Secretary Kevin Atticks. “I encourage farmers to take advantage of this promotional tool.”

To view the current directory list, visit mda.maryland.gov/maryland_products/Pages/Hay-and-Straw-directory.aspx

To include hay and straw for sale in the directory, contact Agricultural Marketing Specialist Audrey Broomfield at 410-260-9349 or by email at Audrey.Broomfield@maryland.gov.