Wildfowl Expo 
Annual Chesapeake Wildfowl Expo
October 7 & 8, 2011
A bright fall sun warmed the chilly morning air and set the stage for a weekend of excitement and competition as the 14th annual Chesapeake Wildfowl Expo got under way. Expo celebrates the “old decoy” carving traditions while encouraging the public to participate in the carving of new decoys. Whether browsing the vendor’s wares, taking in one of the educational exhibits or just meeting other carvers, collectors and competitors, there was something for everyone.
Eastern Shore Pig Roast and Accreditation Celebration
Friday evening featured a celebration of the recent accreditation of the Ward Museum by the American Association of Museums (AAM). AAM Accreditation is widely recognized as a seal of approval which brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. Guests gathered under the pavilion for a traditional pig roast catered by Whitey’s Catering and Barbeque. In addition to great food, everyone was treated to the tropical sounds of steel drums played by Dr. Augustine DiGiovanna.
Exciting Marketplace
On Friday and Saturday, the front parking lot was transformed into a festive marketplace. More than 35 vendors gathered to participate in the Buy, Sell and Trade. The crowds were welcomed with an impressive array of antique decoys, collectible hunting items, paintings and folk art.
Weekend of Competition
The weekend’s main attraction was the 350 carvings entered by more than 175 contemporary carvers into the Chesapeake Challenge. The judges spent several hours in the “blind” choosing the winning birds in each of the different categories and divisions. At the end of the day, William Belote, of Lewes, DE once again took the honor of best of show, floating division with his Black Scoter. One of this year’s NEA sponsored students; Jake Ringbom of Longview, WA won best of show, youth, with his Greater Scaup drake. Competition within the shorebird and woodpecker divisions was also tough. Local Princess Anne carver, Jerry Wheatley won best of shorebirds with his Tricolored Heron, while NEA instructor, Laurie J. McNeil of Browerville, MN placed first in the woodpecker division with her Northern Flicker
Backyard Activities
Saturday saw the backyard full of action. The morning began with a Master Carvers Forum in which this year’s 16 instructors from the “Carving Out Future Decoy Makers” program shared their experiences of teaching students the art of decoy carving. The group of instructors represented contemporary decoy carvers from Maine to California including carvers from each of the four major US Flyways.
Additional backyard activities included carving demonstrations by George Williams and William Belote – one using modern power tools and the other carving with traditional gouges, chisels and knives. The youngsters were kept busy at the kid’s corner building bird feeders and carving silhouette chickadees. Additionally, a total of eight carvers participated in the pintail drake duck head carving contest, which was won by Walter Gaskill, who made the long drive from North Carolina to participate in the weekend’s competitions.
Exploring Tradition
Henry Stansbury drew a nice audience to the Habitat Theater for his lecture on Market Hunting. Guests also had the opportunity to view the Back from the Brink exhibit in the LaMay Gallery and the Regional Carving Exhibit Series: Carroll County Carvers in the Welcome Gallery.