First, on June 11, the Kent Narrows Racing Association will host a Vintage Race Boat Regatta, then on August 6 and 7, be prepared for a magnificent time during the 15 th annual Thunder on the Narrows powerboat races.

Why is this year so special? 2005 marks the 50th anniversary of powerboat racing in the Kent Narrows area. According to the KNRA, there will be photographs and various types of racing memorabilia on display “as well as a large field of beautifully restored race boats from near and far” at the June 11 event. For those who enjoy following the development of various types of watercraft over time, this event is sure to be a spectacular trip through racing history.

In August, the Narrows will roar back into the future with the latest custom-built hydroplanes competing for this year's crowns in various categories. For information on both events, be sure to contact the Queen Anne's County Department of Tourism.

Luckily, there are so many well-appointed marinas with attentive staffs waiting to take care of you and your boat that you should have no problem finding somewhere to tie up for a few days of relaxation on Kent Island, the oldest permanent settlement on Maryland's Eastern Shore. If it's quieter times you're looking for, the region offers a wide selection of public parks from which to view the beauty of Chesapeake Bay. Time-honored traditional local recipes for anything related to crab meat – crab cakes, crab bisque, you name it – work their way into almost every menu around town, meaning you won't go far without finding what you want.

Ecotourists will find serenity at several spots on the island and elsewhere in Queen Anne's County, like the Terrapin Nature Area in Stevensville. Shoppers can get their fix at the major factory outlet stores in nearby Queenstown, and if it's a land-based hop across the Bay you're looking for, you're in luck. The bridge connecting the Eastern and Western Shores runs across the bay from here, headed for Annapolis. Take the bridge at least once. Then you can proudly add “shore-hopper” to your growing list of epithets.

The fun on Kent Island continues from the day into the evening, as it offers some of the most enjoyable nightlife venues on the bay. But don't forget to mark your calendars now and make your way into the action this summer. For on those two days in August, Kent Island roars like nowhere else on the Chesapeake.

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