⭐ FEATURED THIS WEEK
CASTING FOR A CURE FISHING TOURNAMENT
Saturday, August 22 | 6:00 AM to 1:00 PM 📍 Brick House Cove Marina, 16310 Cobb Island Road, Cobb Island 💵 See link
White perch only. That's the whole format, and it tells you something about this tournament: it isn't built around trophy fish or big-money payouts. It's built around getting people on the water for a reason that matters.
The tournament raises awareness and funds for rhabdomyosarcoma research in memory of Peyton Greer. Proceeds go to Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C., and to Clements Cuties, which supports local families whose children are in treatment for childhood cancer right now, here in Southern Maryland.
Lines go in early. Doors at the marina open at 6 a.m. and the tournament wraps at 1 p.m., so this is a get-up-before-the-sun kind of Saturday. Cobb Island is about 45 minutes from Waldorf down Route 257, and if you've never made that drive, the morning light on the Wicomico alone is worth it.
You don't have to fish to show up. Marinas on tournament day are their own kind of event, and this one is putting every dollar toward kids who need it.
🏘️ COMMUNITY & SEASONAL PICKS
Eight ways to spend the last week of summer break, and not one of them is a screen.
SUMMER FRIDAY SPECIAL AT SOUTHERN MARYLAND PAINTBALL
Friday, August 21 | 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM 📍 Southern Maryland Paintball, 11272 Edge Hill Road, Newburg 💵 Ticket required
One of the last Friday specials of the season. The package covers a rental marker, mask, 400 paintballs, and all-day play, which is a lot of value for an afternoon. If your kid has energy to burn before school starts, this is where to send it.
FRIDAY NIGHT MAGIC AT RALLYPOINT GAMES
Friday, August 21 | Evening 📍 RallyPoint Games, 8132 Old Leonardtown Road, Hughesville 💵 Free admission
Weekly Magic: The Gathering night with open play for board games and trading cards running alongside it. All skill levels are genuinely welcome here, and if you've never played, someone will teach you. It's one of the friendlier rooms in the county.
ECM COMMUNITY DAY
Saturday, August 22 | 10:00 AM 📍 11818 Park Waldorf Lane, Suite 516, Waldorf 💵 Free
A free community day right in Waldorf with activities, resources, and neighbors you probably haven't met yet. Low commitment, no ticket, easy Saturday morning stop before the farmers market.
BACK TO SCHOOL COMMUNITY DAY
Saturday, August 22 | 11:00 AM 📍 The All American Steakhouse, 35 St. Patricks Drive, Waldorf 💵 Free
With the first day of school four days out, the timing on this one is perfect. Family activities, back-to-school energy, and one of the bigger turnouts on the calendar this week. Go early if parking matters to you.
NOPI DRAG RACE AT MARYLAND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
Sunday, August 23 | 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM 📍 Maryland International Raceway, 27861 Budds Creek Road, Mechanicsville 💵 $35 to $65
A full day of drag racing at Budds Creek, just over the county line. Nine hours of it, so bring sun protection and ear protection, in that order. If you've been meaning to take somebody to their first race, a Sunday card like this is the right introduction.
MT. AVENTINE OPEN HOUSE
Sunday, August 23 | 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM 📍 Historic Mt. Aventine, 3452 Ferry Place, Indian Head 💵 See link
The Friends of Chapman State Park open the historic Mt. Aventine house for self-guided and guided tours. The view over the Potomac from that property is one of the best in the county, and the house is only open on select days, so this is worth putting on the calendar.
REPRESENTATION MATTERS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION FAIR
Sunday, August 23 | 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM 📍 Paint N Sip, Waldorf 💵 $49
Hosted by the Lambda Chapter of Lambda Sigma Sigma Lupus Sorority Inc., this one is aimed at organizations, entrepreneurs, and small businesses who want to build relationships instead of just handing out cards. If you run something local and you've been meaning to connect with other people doing the same, this is the room.
🎵 LIVE MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE
Six shows in two nights, from a free lawn concert to go-go at 9 p.m.
A NIGHT OF MIRACLES
Friday, August 21 | 6:30 PM 📍 Waldorf Jaycees Event Center, 3090 Crain Highway, Waldorf 💵 From $75
An evening event at the Jaycees center. Tickets sit at the higher end for a Friday in Waldorf, so read the listing carefully to see what's included before you commit.
LA PLATA SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
Friday, August 21 | 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM 📍 Town Hall Concert Lawn, 305 Queen Anne Street, La Plata 💵 Free
Second to last show of the season, and it's free. Bring blankets, lawn chairs, and a cooler. Food vendors are on site, no pets or tents, and it runs rain or shine unless the weather turns hazardous. Check the town's page for who's playing.
RYAN ZIMMERMAN AT THE GREENE TURTLE
Friday, August 21 | 7:00 PM 📍 The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille, 6 St. Marys Avenue, Suite 104, La Plata 💵 See link
Live music at the La Plata Greene Turtle on a Friday night. If the concert lawn feels too warm and you'd rather have air conditioning and a burger with your music, this is your alternative two minutes down the road.
FDL TOUR AT SHARK BAR
Friday, August 21 | 8:00 PM 📍 Shark Bar and Seafood House, Crain Highway, Waldorf 💵 From $40
A tour stop at Waldorf's Shark Bar. If you like your Friday nights loud and local, this is the one to grab.
JUSTIN TAYLOR AT PORT TOBACCO MARINA
Saturday, August 22 | 6:00 PM 📍 Port Tobacco Marina, 7610 Shirley Boulevard, Port Tobacco 💵 See link
Live music on the water at Port Tobacco Marina and Restaurant. Six o'clock on a Saturday in late August at a waterfront spot is about as good as the calendar gets around here.
LEO'S VS. VIRGO'S BIRTHDAY BASH FEATURING DCVYBE
Saturday, August 22 | 9:00 PM 📍 Shark Bar and Seafood House, Crain Highway, Waldorf 💵 From $33.85
DCVYBE brings the go-go to Waldorf for a Leo and Virgo season birthday party. Nine o'clock start, so this is a proper night out, not a quick stop. Plan your ride accordingly.
🎨 ARTS, WELLNESS & CREATIVE EXPERIENCES
Make something, decorate something for Dad, or just settle in for a good game night.
GLASS WINE AND DECORATIVE BOTTLE PAINTING
Tuesday, August 18 | 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM 📍 AR Workshop La Plata, 317 Charles Street, La Plata 💵 Ticket required
Turn a plain glass bottle into something you'd actually put on a shelf. Ninety minutes, low pressure, and a good first workshop if you've been curious about AR but didn't want to commit a whole evening.
YOU PICK: ALL WOOD WORKSHOP
Wednesday, August 19 | 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM 📍 AR Workshop La Plata, 317 Charles Street, La Plata 💵 Ticket required
Pick any wood project off AR's full menu: signs, trays, shelves, whatever you've had saved on your phone for six months. Youth project options are available too, so kids can build at the table next to you.
SUPERWOMAN PAINT NIGHT
Friday, August 21 | 7:00 PM 📍 Paint N Sip, Waldorf 💵 $33
Paint N Sip runs their sessions more like a party than an art class, which is exactly why people keep going back. Music, encouragement, no art-exam energy, and a canvas you'll actually hang.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS EXPO
Saturday, August 22 | 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM 📍 Velocity Center at Indian Head, 4465 Indian Head Highway, Indian Head 💵 Free, registration required
Free entry, but you have to register in advance. Breakout sessions, exhibitor tables, hands-on activities, and wellness resources, all built specifically around quality of life in Charles County. If you've been putting off finding a new provider or figuring out what's actually available locally, four hours here will save you weeks of searching.
CRANK N PAINT
Saturday, August 22 | 6:00 PM 📍 Paint N Sip, Waldorf 💵 $49
Paint N Sip's louder Saturday night session, heavier on the music. Walk-ins are welcome but a Saturday is a risky night to test that, so grab a ticket.
👨👩👧 KIDS & FAMILY
Last call on summer programming. The library and the Town of La Plata are both closing out strong.
MOBILE LIBRARY: AVENGERS ASSEMBLE
Monday, August 17 | 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM 📍 White Plains Park, White Plains 💵 Free
The Mobile Library rolls into White Plains Park with a superhero theme, plus Wi-Fi, library card services, crafts to go, and materials you can check out on the spot. Registration is requested.
LIBRARY: BEHIND THE SCENES, TWEEN EDITION
Monday, August 17 | 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM 📍 P.D. Brown Memorial Branch, 50 Village Street, Waldorf 💵 Free
Tweens get a look at how a library actually runs, including the parts patrons never see. Registration required.
LIBRARY: BEHIND THE SCENES, TEEN EDITION
Monday, August 17 | 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM 📍 P.D. Brown Memorial Branch, 50 Village Street, Waldorf 💵 Free
Same idea, teen version, running right after the tween session. If your teen has ever mentioned wanting to work at a library, this is a good nudge in that direction.
MOBILE LIBRARY: AUTUMN HILLS, DIY SHELL NECKLACE
Tuesday, August 18 | 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM 📍 Autumn Hills, Waldorf 💵 Free
The Mobile Library stops by Autumn Hills so kids can make their own shell necklace. All ages, free, no registration, just show up.
KIDS' SUMMER SHOW: SUMMER CLOSING PARTY
Thursday, August 20 | 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM 📍 Town Hall Concert Lawn, 305 Queen Anne Street, La Plata 💵 Free
The last Kids' Summer Show of the season, and they're sending summer off with a closing party. Splash pad opens right after at 11. If you only make one of these all year, make it this one.
TEEN MACHINE SEWING
Thursday, August 20 | 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM 📍 Waldorf West Branch Library, 10405 O'Donnell Place, Waldorf 💵 Free
Teens learn the basics of machine sewing and walk out with a custom bookmark they made. A real skill, taught free, in one hour. Registration required.
TEEN GAME NIGHT
Friday, August 21 | 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM 📍 Waldorf West Branch Library, 10405 O'Donnell Place, Waldorf 💵 Free
A teens-only after-hours event at Waldorf West. Games, gaming, and the run of the library after it closes to everybody else, which is most of the appeal. Registration required.
FARMER SHARON PRESENTS: WILD ABOUT WORMS
Saturday, August 22 | 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM 📍 Potomac Branch Library, 3225 Ruth B. Swann Drive, Indian Head 💵 Free
Farmer Sharon brings the worms. Kids get hands-on with composting critters and learn why the wiggly ones matter more than anybody gives them credit for. Registration required.
TEEN TIDAL WAVE
Saturday, August 22 | 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM 📍 Thomas Stone High School Outdoor Pool, 3785 Leonardtown Road, Waldorf 💵 $15 to $20
Charles County Rec's end-of-summer pool party for teens, with music, games, and three hours of pool before the water closes for the year. School starts four days later, so this is the last real blowout of the break. Send them with a towel and low expectations of a quiet ride home.
📚 LIBRARY & LEARNING
A scam-awareness webinar, a wreath class, and two certifications you can actually put on a resume.
OUTREACH VAN: CLARK SENIOR CENTER
Tuesday, August 18 | 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM 📍 Richard R. Clark Senior Center, Waldorf 💵 Free
The library's outreach van brings Wi-Fi, library card services, crafts to go, and checkout materials right to the senior center. Open to all ages, not just members.
CPR AND BLS CERTIFICATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
Tuesday, August 18 | 10:00 AM 📍 All CPR Training Waldorf, Waldorf 💵 Ticket required
American Heart Association Basic Life Support certification, taught locally. Sales were closing soon when we checked, so if you need this credential renewed, register today rather than Monday.
SAFE: ILLEGAL ROBOCALLS, TEXTS, AND SPOOFING
Wednesday, August 19 | 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM 📍 Virtual, hosted by Charles County Public Library 💵 Free
A lunch hour scam awareness webinar run with the Maryland Department of Labor. If you've been getting a suspicious number of "your package is delayed" texts lately, this is one hour that will pay for itself. Registration required.
CRAFTER'S CORNER: RADICAL RAG WREATHS
Wednesday, August 19 | 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM 📍 Waldorf West Branch Library, 10405 O'Donnell Place, Waldorf 💵 Free
This month's Crafter's Corner is rag wreaths, made from fabric strips and genuinely nice-looking on a front door. Popular program, currently wait-listed, so add your name.
MARYLAND HQL: BASIC HANDGUN SAFETY COURSE
Saturday, August 22 | 8:00 AM 📍 Citadel Training Solutions, LLC, Waldorf 💵 Ticket required
The state-required Handgun Qualification License training course, taught here in Waldorf instead of an hour up the road. Full-day format, so check the listing for what's included before you book.
🏛️ LOCAL GOVERNMENT & CIVIC MEETINGS
Five meetings this week, and one of them decides what gets built where.
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING (HYBRID)
Monday, August 17 | 6:00 PM 📍 Charles County Government Building, 200 Baltimore Street, La Plata, and online 💵 Free
The Planning Commission takes up development and land-use items. This is where most of the "why is that going up there?" answers actually come from, and it's hybrid, so you can watch from your couch.
ANIMAL MATTERS HEARING BOARD
Tuesday, August 18 | 6:00 PM 📍 Charles County Government Building, 200 Baltimore Street, La Plata 💵 Free
The county board that hears animal control appeals and related matters. Open to the public.
LA PLATA TOWN COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
Tuesday, August 18 | 6:00 PM 📍 La Plata Town Hall, 305 Queen Anne Street, La Plata 💵 Free
A special session of the La Plata Town Council. The agenda posts on the town's calendar page, and "special meeting" usually means something specific is on the table, so it's worth a look if you live in town.
BOARD OF ELECTRICAL EXAMINERS AND SUPERVISORS (HYBRID)
Wednesday, August 19 | 4:00 PM 📍 Charles County Government Building, 200 Baltimore Street, La Plata, and online 💵 Free
The county board overseeing electrical licensing and examinations. Hybrid attendance available if you're in the trade and can't get off a job site by four.
BOARD OF FIRE AND RESCUE
Thursday, August 20 | 7:00 PM 📍 Charles County 💵 Free
The county's fire and rescue board. Relevant if you follow volunteer fire department funding, staffing, or station issues, all of which have been live conversations around here.
How to Watch: Can't make it in person? Charles County Government TV (CCGTV) streams most public meetings live and archives them afterward. Check charlescountymd.gov for the viewing schedule.
🛍️ SHOP LOCAL & POP-UPS
Peak tomato and corn season, and the Wednesday market only has one week left.
LA PLATA FARMERS MARKET (WEDNESDAY)
Wednesday, August 19 | 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM 📍 209 Washington Avenue, behind the Charles County Courthouse, La Plata 💵 Free to browse
The midweek market has exactly one more Wednesday after this one before it closes for the season on August 26. Bonus this week: the CCPL Mobile Library will be on site with a DIY shell necklace craft for all ages.
LA PLATA FARMERS MARKET (SATURDAY)
Saturday, August 22 | 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM 📍 209 Washington Avenue, behind the Charles County Courthouse, La Plata 💵 Free to browse
The bigger of the two weekly markets, with produce, baked goods, meats, and local makers. Saturdays run all the way through November 28, but late August is when the tomatoes and corn are worth planning your morning around.
WALDORF FARMERS' MARKET
Saturday, August 22 | 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM 📍 2935 Crain Highway, next to Burn Box Pizza, Waldorf 💵 Free to browse
Waldorf's Saturday market at its spot next to Burn Box Pizza. Local produce, vendors, and prepared foods, running May through November. Closest market to most of us, and an easy walk-and-browse before the afternoon heat sets in.
BRYANS ROAD FARMERS MARKET
Sunday, August 23 | 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM 📍 Ace Hardware, 3060 Livingston Road at Route 210, Bryans Road 💵 Free to browse
The Sunday morning market on the north end of the county, running through October 25. If you're already headed up 210, it's an easy stop and a good excuse to make the drive.
🧠 Quick Reminders
🎣 Casting for a Cure starts at 6 a.m. Saturday on Cobb Island. Early, but the cause is worth the alarm.
💙 Health and Wellness Expo is free but registration is required. Don't just show up Saturday morning.
🎪 Thursday is the last Kids' Summer Show of the year in La Plata. Splash pad opens right after.
🏊 Teen Tidal Wave is Saturday, 4 to 7 p.m. at Thomas Stone. Last pool party before school.
🌽 Wednesday's La Plata market has one week left after this. The Saturday market runs through November.
🎵 Friday's La Plata concert is free, and there's only one more after it.
📅 School starts Wednesday, August 26. This is the last full week of break.
Know a hidden local business?
Got a favorite spot that deserves more love? A new restaurant, boutique, artist, or service that your neighbors should know about? → Here
That’s it for this week.
Before you go,
If you make it out to Cobb Island Saturday morning or you're at Thomas Stone for the pool party, hit reply and tell me how it went. And if there's something happening next week that I missed, send it my way. The best stuff in this newsletter usually comes from you.
That's the week.
From one local to another
— Candace