Celebrate Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week

Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week is an annual event that celebrates the culture, history and natural beauty of the nation’s largest estuary.

Two people paddle a shared kayak out of a marina and toward a wide open river, which is bordered on both sides by tree-covered hills.
(Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)

Join us from June 1 to 10, 2024, for Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week! Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week is a time to celebrate the cultures, history and natural beauty of the nation's largest estuary. The week will include a wide variety of online and in-person events, volunteer opportunities and social media conversations so everyone can take part in celebrating the Chesapeake Bay.

History and purpose

In 2016, the Chesapeake Bay Commission worked with their legislative partners to formally designate nine days each June as Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week. This timing was chosen to correspond with two long-running Bay events: Clean the Bay Day in Virginia and the Patuxent River Wade-In in Maryland. Each year, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia pass official proclamations in honor of Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week. Several local county and city governments have followed suit. Organizations and business are also encouraged to hold events, activities and volunteer opportunities during this time.

The Chesapeake Bay Program is honored to coordinate this annual event, and will share more information about our 2024 plans as Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week approaches.