4-16-2024 4:20am

MPT CELEBRATES 20

One of the films airing for MPT's 20th Chesapeake Bay Week spotlights the still-thriving tradition of log canoe racing.

MPT’s Chesapeake Bay Week Celebrates 20th Year

Back for its 20th year, Chesapeake Bay Week presented by Maryland Public Television offers some of the best Bay-related programming available. From bridges to bivalves, critters to cuisine, Bay history, art, and culture gets its due on the small screen for an entire week.

MPT’s lineup of features for the milestone year brings something for everyone. The 22 hours of programming highlight the beauty, significance, and fragility of the watershed, and reaffirm the TV network’s ongoing commitment to celebrating the Bay and examining critical issues faced by the communities that support it.

This year, eight new programs will be introduced to the lineup. There’s Racing Rivals: Log Canoes of the Chesapeake Bay, which focuses on the restoration and racing of the Eastern Shore’s preferred mode of transportation; Eroding History sheds light on the Deal Island Peninsula Community in Somerset County, a Black community that is losing its land due to the intersection of climate change and racism.

A River Called Home follows the journey of four female paddlers as they travel the James River to the Bay; Rob and the Litter Bug profiles filmmaker Rob Simmons as he collects litter in Caroline County, picking up more than he bargained for. Salted Earth considers the work of modern-day climate strategies and its effectiveness; A Passion for Oysters looks at the challenges for protecting and restoring the Bay’s favorite bivalve. And the Chesapeake Bay Summit 2024 and Reviving the Forgotten River take a close look at conservation efforts and where we can expect growth (we can soon swim in the Anacostia!) and setbacks.

For those who don’t have local television or won’t be around for the week, don’t fear: MPT has uploaded its content onto an online video player and videos are currently online so you can watch at your leisure. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is also showing two of the films, Racing Rivals and Water’s Edge, at their campus in St. Michaels.

For more information on the Chesapeake Bay Week, and to watch all films now, visit mpt.org/bayweek/schedule/.