The Annual Crawfish Boil & Muskrat Stew Fest brings muskrats, crawfish, blues music and fun to Dorchester County on Saturday, May 7, from noon to 7 p.m. at Long Wharf Park at the end of High Street in Cambridge.

The event will also feature the fan-favorite Muskrat Leg Eating World Championship, which welcomes any aspiring or established competitive eaters confident enough to tackle this unique Eastern Shore specialty. 

“Muskrat legs are an interesting challenge, because the meat isn’t easy to get to like a chicken wing,” said defending world champion Chuckie “Love” Hayward. “To finish a muskrat leg, you’ve got to navigate a number of small bones. And it’s a pound of them, which is a lot of food in just a few minutes. If you want to be a champion, you have to beat the champion. And that’s me!”

The competition kicks off around 6 p.m. with contestants competing to see who can eat the most muskrat legs. Register to be part of the competition by going to the calendar of events at DorchesterChamber.org.

The musical entertainment kicks off at noon with the Uncle Ward Show. Fresh off a winter stint in Puerto Rico, Uncle Ward’s entertaining show will leave you in stitches.

Blues Legend Jimmy Cole will close the show with amazing musical entertainment with his band which includes Ron Holloway (Dizzy Gillespie) on sax, Sam Paladino on the organ, Baltimore Jon on fiddle and local legends The Road Kings rounding out the band.

Guiness Book of World record-holding juggler Carlos Mir, from Delmar, will also be on hand. Earlier this year, Mir set the world record in helicopter spins with devil sticks and also holds the record for the highest diabolo throw at more than 78 feet high.

Beer, orange crushes and other libations will be available, as well as non-alcoholic options. Palm Beach Willies will be preparing muskrat in multiple ways in addition to other choices for those not so adventurous. And, of course, there will also be crawfish from Louisiana.

Craft vendors will also be on hand again for the event this year. This is a family friendly event with plenty of children’s activities.

Admission is $5 and supports the Dorchester Chamber Foundation Scholarship Fund.

“We’ve crafted a unique event that still manages to be authentic to Eastern Shore living,” said event organizer Keith Graffius. “Cambridge has carved out a reputation as one of the most entertaining communities on the shore. This is a great opportunity to experience the best of it – food, drink, music and a family-friendly atmosphere.”

For more information about the 11th Crawfish Boil & Muskrat Stew Fest, visit dorchesterchamber.org or the Facebook event page, call 410-228-3575 or email info@dorchesterchamber.org. To purchase tickets, go to crawfishmuskratfest2022.eventbrite.com.