Our Story & Mission
Our Mission
Waterfowl Festival, Inc. is dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of Chesapeake waterfowl and wildlife conservation; we promote community, education, and awareness by celebrating Eastern Shore heritage, sporting traditions, and artistic expression.
It Started with an Idea
Around 1970, Eastern Shore sportsmen and women were watching their region change. Increased access to the Shore following the opening of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge had brought new development, raising concerns about the future of the area’s wildlife, habitat, and traditional way of life.
Founders including Harry Walsh, Bill Perry, and Susie Carpenter envisioned an event that could celebrate and preserve Eastern Shore heritage while raising money to protect the wildlife and habitats at the heart of it.
That idea became the Waterfowl Festival. The first Festival was held in November 1971, timed with the opening of goose hunting season, bringing together art, sporting heritage, conservation, and community in a tradition that continues today.
From Three Exhibits to an Eastern Shore Tradition
What began with just three small exhibits in downtown Easton grew into a Festival spanning more than a dozen venues throughout town. Over the decades, Waterfowl Festival has welcomed generations of artists, sportsmen and women, conservationists, volunteers, residents, and visitors while helping inspire similar events around the country.
A Legacy of Impact
For more than five decades, Waterfowl Festival has turned a celebration of Eastern Shore heritage into lasting support for conservation, education, and the next generation. Through the generosity of our supporters, volunteers, partners, and Festival community, that legacy continues to grow.
$6 Million+
Donated to conservation, education, and community initiatives since 1971
$337,035
Awarded in scholarships to Talbot County students
55 Years
Celebrating the wildlife, traditions, and communities of the Eastern Shore
Our Impact on the Eastern Shore
The impact of Waterfowl Festival extends well beyond Festival weekend. Each November, visitors from across Maryland and around the country come to Easton to experience the Festival, supporting local businesses, restaurants, accommodations, and the broader Eastern Shore economy along the way.
The 2025 Economic Impact Study demonstrates the reach of that activity:
32,400
Festival attendees
Nearly 2 in 3
Visitors from outside Talbot County
25%+
Visitors from outside Maryland
$9 Million
Estimated statewide economic impact