Chesapeake Wildfowl Expo October 22-24 at Ward Museum

SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, salutes the waterfowling traditions of the Eastern Shore during its 2004 Chesapeake Wildfowl Exposition Friday-Sunday, October 22-24, at the Ward Museum on the corner of South Schumaker Drive and Beaglin Park Drive. This year’s event features several new activities, including a Saturday decoy auction from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. hosted by professional auctioneer Zeb Barfield. A free viewing and reception of auction items is 5-7 p.m. Friday. Saturday evening features the Eastern Shore Pig Roast and Buffet from 4-6 p.m. Tickets for the dinner are $10 and should be bought in advance. Other festivities at the Ward museum start 10 a.m. Friday with a sale of decoys, hunting items, folk art and antiques that continue through Saturday. Appraisers are on hand through Saturday, as well, valuing decoys and other sporting collectibles brought by guests. The expo continues through 5 p.m. that day. Events pick up again at 9 a.m. Saturday with the “Chesapeake Challenge Shootin’ Stool” and “Old Birds” antique decoy display competitions. Chicken barbecue will be available all day. Demonstrations by The U.S. Kennels Search and Rescue Team and Dr. Marston Jones with his retriever dogs also are scheduled, along with the opening reception for the exhibit “Collector’s Choice: Antique Decoys from the Mid-Atlantic” in the museum’s LaMay Gallery. The exhibit features favorite traditional Mid-Atlantic antique hunting decoys from regional collections. Professional carver Ross Smoker conducts the weekend-long workshop “Carve and Paint a Loon.” Sunday’s events from noon-5 p.m. include an exhibit of winners from the “Chesapeake Challenge” and “Old Birds” competitions, as well as demonstrations by professional carver Josh Brewer. The expo takes place for the first time in conjunction with the Wicomico County Autumn Wine Festival. The event features wine from nearly a dozen wineries, as well as local cuisine, arts, crafts, live entertainment and decoy demonstrations by professional carver Al Scrivo. Admission to the Ward Museum is free all weekend, as part of the festivities. For information call 410-742-4988, ext. 106, or visit the Ward Museum Web site at www.wardmuseum.org.