FAQ

Most events are held at the Chestertown Marina, 207 South Water Street, Chestertown, MD. Additional events are held throughout the Town of Chestertown. Please refer to the festival schedule for specific location information.

Sultana Downrigging is a waterfront event and visitors, especially those with children, need to be mindful of their surroundings. Please do not let young children roam the waterfront unattended.

Parking is available on the street and in several marked public parking lots. If you are going sailing on one of the Tall Ships, please leave sufficient time to park and make it down to the waterfront. THE SHIPS WILL NOT WAIT!

Pets and non-service animals are not permitted in the Music Village, on the Tall Ships, or at the Sultana Education Foundation’ s Holt Center. Service animals trained for a specific function related to a qualifying disability are permitted in the Music Village and Holt Center so long as the animal is housebroken, leashed, and under direct control of their handler at all times. If any handler does not adhere to these conditions, or if the Sultana Education Foundation believes that a service animal’s conduct poses a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals or service animals, the handler will be asked to remove the animal from the venue. It is a crime to misrepresent a pet as a service animal. Please contact the Sultana Education Foundation in advance of Downrigging if you wish to bring a service animal on any of the Tall Ships. This decision is made on a case-by-case and vessel-by-vessel basis.

If you are coming with your wooden boat and are interested in reserving docking space and being part of the festival please email dmcmullen@sultanaeducation.org for more information. If you have a non-wooden boat, please contact the Chestertown Marina (410-778-3616) to inquire about slip space. There is plenty of room to anchor in the river and a dingy dock is available at the marina.

Food and drink are available in the Music Village (ticket required, see additional information below). Chestertown also features a good selection of restaurants.

Sorry, there is no camping available, but there is a good selection of local lodging.

Portable toilets are located at the waterfront and in the Festival Village.

Absent a hurricane or tropical storm, Sultana Downrigging will proceed as scheduled. Please check our website and social media for updates about specific events.

There will be a small first aid station at the information tent at the entrance to the Music Village.

Lost and found will be located in the information tent at the Music Village.

Tickets to sail on the Tall Ships are available online though this website.   If you need assistance, please call 410-778-5954. Any remaining tickets will be available to purchase at the Information Tent at the entrance to the Music Village on the day of the sail, however many sails sell out prior to the festival.

Sultana Downrigging Tall Ship Sail tickets for October 27, 28, and 29, 2023 are fully refundable through 11:59 pm on Wednesday, October 18 (minus a $5 per-ticket administrative fee). After October 18, 2023, Tall Ship Sail tickets may not be refunded for any reason, but can be transferred to another name(s) by accessing your eventbrite account or by calling 410-778-5954. Note, Tall Ship Sails are an outdoor activity, and will likely proceed in rain or colder weather. Passengers are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather! As a rule-of-thumb, if the weather conditions would permit an NFL team to play football, the Tall Ships will likely sail. Tall Ship Sails will only be cancelled if weather conditions are deemed dangerous by the licensed captain of each individual participating vessel. The decision to cancel may not be uniform among the fleet – some vessels may cancel while others will sail. In the event of a cancellation, ticket holders will be informed as far in advance as possible and will automatically receive a full refund.

We encourage you to arrive at the dock at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time for your sail. Remember to leave time to park your car and navigate the waterfront.

Please dress for the weather and remember it will generally be colder and windier on the water. Here are a few hints:

• Wear layers so you can put on or take off clothes if/when necessary.
• Wear boots/shoes that will keep your feet warm and dry in the event of rain.
• If there is a threat of rain bring a poncho or rain jacket with a hood. Rain pants are great too. Please do not bring umbrellas!
• Bring a backpack to store your extra layers.

Children under five are not permitted to sail on the Tall Ships.

Yes, but we recommend that you use the facilities prior to boarding.

A small snack or a bottle of water are fine. Please refrain from bringing a meal or any glass containers. No alcohol is permitted on the ships.

Open houses on the Tall Ship are free. Please wear soft soled shoes. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

The Music Village is an enclosed area at the Chestertown Marina featuring performance stages, multiple food and drink vendors, seating, games, and other entertainment. If you aren’t on a Tall Ship, the Music Village is the place to be for Downrigging.

Tickets are required to enter the Music Village on Friday and Saturday. Entrance to the Village is free on Sunday.  Children 12 and under are admitted free.

Pass holders/purchasers for Friday and Saturday will receive a bracelet that allows unlimited exits and reentry into the Music Village.

Check our Music Village page for details, menus, and prices.

On Friday and Saturday, yes.

The performance tents in the Music Village are heated, but we still recommend that you dress for the weather. Here are a few hints:

• Wear layers so you can put on or take off clothes if/when necessary.
• Wear boots/shoes that will keep your feet warm and dry in the event of rain.
• If there is a threat of rain bring a poncho or rain jacket with a hood. Rain pants are great too. Please do not bring umbrellas!
• Bring a backpack to store your extra layers.

So long as the festival is held, Music Village passes are not refundable once purchased.