Nestled along the wild and scenic Maurice River in Commercial Township, the quiet fishing village of Port Norris is getting ready to make some noise.

On June 14 and 15 Bayshore Discovery Project (BDP) will host its 16th annual Delaware Bay Days Folklife Festival, the largest free event in the region that celebrates the area’s rich maritime history, vibrant culture, and outstanding natural resources. Encompassing Bivalve, Port Norris, Shellpile and the East Point Lighthouse in Heislerville, Delaware Bay Days attracts thousands of people who come to experience the unique offerings of local artisans, historians, entertainers, food vendors, and naturalists.

The festival begins Saturday at 11:00 am with a street parade through the historic oyster town of Port Norris. The celebration continues with a bicycle rodeo scheduled for 12:30 to 2:30 pm presented by New Jersey State Police Explorer Post 846. Other activities include live multi-cultural music and dance, tours of New Jersey’s official tall ship AJ MEERWALD, guided wetlands walks, art and craft demonstrations, paint-a-landscape opportunities and hourly river boat tours sponsored by Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc. (CU). Later in the day, contestants from near and far gather for an oyster shucking contest where cash prizes and bragging rights go to winners representing professional, amateur, and neighborhood participants. Saturday closes with a fantastic firework display, made possible this year through a special sponsorship from Century Savings Bank and Vineland Fireworks Co.

Children’s activities abound throughout the two-day event with blue crab races, miniature golf, arts and crafts tables, a touch-tank, and much more. And to celebrate Father’s Day, additional custom crafts and a fishing derby were developed to make the day extra special. New activities are slated to highlight the Sunday schedule including the addition of a nearby Wildlife and Watercraft site that appeals to outdoor sportsmen.

“After losing our local funding for the festival this year, we reached out to our community partners for support and we were met with a truly positive response.” beamed Meghan Wren, BDP executive director. “The financial support of sponsors such as Century Bank and Vineland Fireworks facilitates the success of Bay Days and validates the festival’s continuation.”

Sponsorship for Bay Days this year includes Cumberland County Cultural and Heritage Commission, CU, Commercial Township’s Clean Communities Program, Cumberland County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Vineland Rotary, Vineland Sir Speedy, County Woman Publications, and several other local businesses. Individuals have also stepped up to support the celebration with donations to a newly formed Bay Days Booster Club.

“The festival was conceived as a communication venue for engaging the South Jersey community in acknowledging, celebrating, and helping to champion the cultural, historic and environmental resources of the Delaware Bay,” explained Wren. “Success here is achieved when the event engages large numbers of community members and visitors in both event planning and execution, providing a representative cross section of the region’s cultural diversity.”

BDP furthers its mission by motivating people to take care of the environment, the history, and the culture of New Jersey’s Bayshore region. It provides education and preservation with diverse shipboard programs onboard the restored oyster schooner AJ MEERWALD. The nonprofit organization utilizes the ship as an educational platform and a living history tool that helps build stewardship for the Delaware Bay by teaching people young and old about the fascinating maritime heritage and fragile ecology of New Jersey’s Bayshore region. The MEERWALD’s expertly developed floating classroom initiative serves educators from the Tri-State region by providing memorable, hands-on lessons that are informative as well as just plain fun.

“You can see it on their faces,” explained Jesse Briggs, BDP’s director of marine operations and AJ MEERWALD captain. “You can lecture for hours and still not always get your point across. But when the kids become part of the experience, the knowledge transfer is physically evident.”

Besides private charters and education sails, the ship maintains a rigorous public schedule throughout the season at several ports-of-call. Docked at her home port in Bivalve through June 17, available sail options on the MEERWALD include an extended lighthouse cruise on June 1, a pirate-themed sail on June 7, and a Bay Days firework sail on June 14. The schooner departs Bivalve on June 18 with a three-day, all-age schooner camp that ends in Cape May where the ship will be part of the town’s Harbor Fest celebration on June 21.

Maritime Camp for teens aged 13 to 16, begins on June 23 and spans five days. Campers learn to hoist the sails, navigate the ship, tie nautical knots, swab the deck, trawl for, observe, and analyze marine life, assess the condition of the water and more. Originating in Cape May at Utsch’s Marina, the camp ends with a family sail in Jersey City at Liberty State Park where campers show off their newfound skills. After spending July in Jersey City, the MEERWALD continues its summer journey with more than 50 public sails scheduled in Cape May during August, including the popular Sailor-for-a-Day camps.