Saturday's Festival Celebrates Untold Annapolis History

By Allie Aylward

Even self-proclaimed history buffs may be unfamiliar with Annapolis’ involvement in national politics during the four years following the Treaty of Paris, which formally ended the Revolutionary War.

For residents who may have slept through that part of history class, Mark Croatti, an adjunct political science professor at George Washington University and American University, hopes a new festival will educate and entertain attendees.

The first Treaty of Paris Festival kicks off Saturday, Sept.6, to celebrate Annapolis’ role in American history. The day will feature lectures, walking tours, plays, film-screenings, and meal and drink specials.

The Treaty of Paris Period lasted from the end of the Revolutionary War to the Constitutional Convention, a period when American leaders were faced with debt and organizing a unified nation.

During this time, Annapolis hosted a four-day conference where a dozen state delegates reworked the Articles of Confederation, a deliberation that would build the foundation for The Constitution. The city even served as the nation’s capital for nine months.

Kicking off the festivities is a pay-as-you-go breakfast at The Treaty of Paris Period restaurant at the Maryland Inn, 16 Church Circle, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Next is a series of free lectures and film screenings at 9 a.m., 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Festivities wrap up with a performance of “The Treaty of Paris Period” at 8:30 p.m. by a cast of colonial actors.

There will also be multiple daytime and evening walking tours, which are reservation-only. The “Forgotten Annapolis” tour will visit the Old Senate Chamber in the Maryland State House, where George Washington resigned from the U.S. Army, as well as the “America’s 14 Forgotten Presidents of Congress before Washington” exhibit at the Maryland Inn’s Crown and Crab Room.

Brave attendees can opt for “the Spirits of Mann’s Tavern” tour, a nighttime tour of the site where the haunted Mann’s Tavern once stood.

More details about the upcoming festival, including schedules, promotions, and official festival ice cream flavors, can be found on the event webpage.

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