Chestertown Tea Party Festival

This summer, my husband, three daughters and I have decided it will be a Summer of History. We will try to do something historical every weekend, with a minimum of twice a month. We kicked off our Summer of History this Memorial Day weekend with visit to Chestertown, MD and their annual Tea Party Festival. In May of 1774, the citizens of Chestertown MD, did in fact protest the British Parliaments closing of the port of Boston, and marched on the town and decided they too would forbid the import of tea. The townspeople marched down High Street, airing their grievances, fighting through brigades, toward the British ship, the Geddes, which happened to be anchored in their port, they rowed out to the ship, overcame the crew and tossed the tea overboard.

The reenactment was done very well and we had a blast! Below you'll find the pics I took of the reenactment along with a few descriptions.

A carriage with some colonials started off the parade.
(The blonde head is my oldest daughter.)

Here come some soldiers!

Here come the Pipers!

The militia! They were firing (blanks) right in the street--loading one at a time.

The Rough Riders

This is part of the 18th Century Chestertown street we were on for the parade.
I just love the tops of the buildings and the individual character given to each.

Punch and Judy!  A very funny but very macabre puppet show.

My girls with a couple of the militia men. We had to tell them we
were time travelers and our camera would not hurt them, lol



My husband and my daughter fighting a duel with wooden rubber-band guns.



The men in the row boat--after marching down High Street and fending off British forces so they could attack the ship--asked my oldest if she would hold their rope until they were all boarded!  I was praying she wouldn't somehow get yanked into the water!  All was well and she was psyched they asked her.

There were two row boats filled with militia and Colonials, and I thought I'd captured both in my pic but obviously I am missing one...

Now you see the two row boats... They've reached the British ship and will attempt to board!

Boarding...

Tea tossing, along with a British soldier!!! Yes, that man is being tossed into the water!

A few tossed soldiers with boxes of tea...



This was not at the festival, but it was on the way to my parent's house where we stopped on our way home--isn't it a beautiful tribute to the men and women who serve?  There are rows and rows of crosses on this family's property--each with a flag on top. Those "men" standing are manequins dressed as different service men throughout history, and by the flagpole, there is a woman dressed in black, holding the hand of a child, in mourning. People were pulled over up and down the street to take pics (and I have no idea who that guy is hup front... he stepped into my shot.)


Happy Memorial Day! And thank you to all those who serve on U.S. soil and abroad. America would not be what it is without you.

Cheers!
Eliza

Eliza Knight is a multi-published author of historical romance and erotic romance. Visit her at http://www.elizaknight.com/ and look for A PIRATE'S BOUNTY, releasing June 22, 2011 with Ellora's Cave.