SOLOMONS, Md. – Visitors lined up in the heat outside the Calvert Marine Museum (CMM) for the museum’s annual Sharkfest last Saturday, one of their largest events of the year. The life-size jaws of a Megalodon shark at the entrance to the museum were just the beginning of what was to come at the event.
The museum was infested with shark-themed exhibits. There were shark teeth, fossils and information about the marine apex predator scattered throughout the building. A Sharkfest mascot roamed the museum taking photos with guests and entertaining kids. Guests came together from all over the area to learn about sharks and see what else the museum had to offer.
“I never knew this was here, I’ve been here since 2012,” Ali Iddeen, an attendee of the event, said. “It was nice though, the kids enjoyed it.”
The most popular attraction at Sharkfest was the shark tanks at CMM’s Corbin Nature Pavilion where guests had the opportunity to look at and pet sharks. The line quickly lengthened as more people came to the museum and waited in the summer heat for their turn at the shark tanks.
Lining the pathway from the shark tank pavilion back to the museum were signs with shark facts, such as how a 9-foot-long bull shark can swim in just 2 feet of water and that the American pocket shark can squirt glowing liquid from “pockets” near its front fin.
“They (sharks) are pretty interesting,” a young volunteer said. “They’re all specifically adapted to different things.”
Other attractions to the event included making a craft shark hat, testing a person’s sense of smell versus a shark’s and presentations on shark predation and shark tagging by Dr. Stephen Godfrey, Curator of Paleontology at CMM.
Food at the event included Dan D’s Catering and Concessions food truck and a stand for Rita’s Italian ice.
The museum offers daily programs, such as a stingray pool and touring the Drum Point Lighthouse, according to Kevin Allor, a staff member in the education department at CMM. During the school year, the museum also holds field trips for schools to learn more about the marine world.
“July is peak tourism season,” said staff member, Kevin Allor. “But this is our busiest day of the year, at Sharkfest.”
The Calvert Marine Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $11 for adults, $9 for seniors, military with valid I.D. and AAA, and $6 for children ages 5 – 12. Museum members and children under 5 can always visit for free.
For more information, including opportunities to volunteer, visit their website at https://www.calvertmarinemuseum.com.
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