The legendary Allman Brothers Band is booked to play the Calvert Marine Museum on July 2, and tickets are disappearing fast.

The booking of the Allmans continues a trend of the Museum attracting some of the biggest names in music to play their concert fundraisers.

“The Allmans are quite a catch for us … they’re quite talented, and they’re not a flash in the pan, said Vanessa Gill, development director for the Museum.

“They are fundraisers, and for the most part they work,” Gill said. “So we just cross our fingers and hope everybody likes who we chose.”

“Without this the museum wouldn’t be what it is,” Gill continued, adding the organizers try to keep the other costs down. “There’s $2 dollar parking and the beer is about as affordable as you can get it … it’s a perk of living in Southern Maryland.”

Tickets for the 2.5 hour show are $40 for general admission and $50 for premium seats.

It’s an up close atmosphere by the Museum’s stage, with only 5,000 tickets made available for each of their summer shows. The Allmans have already sold 3,500 tickets as of this weekend.

“It makes it feel intimate and close,” Gill said. “We encourage it to be a community event, there is room for people to stand and mingle.”

Having first-rate performers headline the Museum’s annual fundraising efforts has paid off for the organization, and enabled them to continue bringing huge names in entertainment to Southern Maryland.

A couple years ago the Museum started marketing to its paid members, giving them the first opportunity to buy concert tickets, and the Museum membership has shot up 50 percent in three years, from 2,250 members to 3,500 – a huge jump considering the Museum has been in existence for 30 years.

Gill said the Museum started having concerts about 20 years ago, when they were doing “sea chanting” and other nautical-themed shows.

“We actually started to make a profit on it, so we started booking larger shows,” Gill said.

The stage was upgraded to its current state in 1998, and christened by BB King.

Through the years the stage has been occupied by Los Lobos, Martina McBride, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Bob Dylan, Merl Haggard, Smokey Robinson, James Brown, Travis Tritt, Trace Adkins, Montgomery Gentry, Chicago and Willie Nelson.

“We do shoot for almost legendary performers,” Gill said.

For the Allman Brothers show, the Museum is for the third year putting on the Ultimate Fan Cabana Experience.

Concertgoers who want an up close and personal experience with the Allman Brothers can bid on the ultimate VIP package.

The package includes: 10 Front Row Seats, a private VIP Tent for a party of up to 10 people, $200 bar credits and a VIP credit line, and 30 minutes early access to the venue.

“If you’re in the front row, your about as close as you can get to the band,” Gill said, adding that VIPs may have a chance to meet the band, but the Museum can’t advertise that or guarantee it, because it is entirely up to the band if they want to have a meet and greet with fans.