Sail250 Maryland & Airshow Baltimore Opens Entries for Crab Soup and Apple Pie Competitions

Three food competitions are part of the larger Sail250 celebration scheduled for June 24-30 in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 8:06pm

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Applications are now open for three food competitions tied to Sail250 Maryland & Airshow Baltimore 2026, with organizers inviting professional chefs, home cooks, and bakers from across Maryland to enter before the April 20 deadline. The competitions are part of the larger Sail250 celebration scheduled for June 24-30 in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, which will include tall ships, naval vessels, free public ship tours, aviation demonstrations, waterfront festivals, STEM activities, and living history programming.

Why it matters

The Sail250 event is part of Maryland's celebration of the nation's 250th anniversary, bringing together the community to showcase the state's culinary talents and maritime heritage through these food competitions.

The details

The festival programming June 26-28 will include a professional Crab Soup Cook-off, a home cook Crab Soup Cook-off, and Baltimore's Big Apple Pie Bake-off. The professional crab soup contest is scheduled for Friday, June 26, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Inner Harbor Festival and is open to professional chefs working at Maryland restaurants, bars, taverns, caterers, or hotels. The home cook edition of the Crab Soup Cook-off will take place Sunday, June 28, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Inner Harbor Festival, open to nonprofessional home cooks who live in Maryland. Also on June 28, Baltimore's Big Apple Pie Bake-off will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Fells Point Festival, open to bakers who live or work in Maryland.

  • Applications are due by Monday, April 20.
  • The professional Crab Soup Cook-off is scheduled for Friday, June 26, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • The home cook Crab Soup Cook-off is scheduled for Sunday, June 28, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  • The Baltimore's Big Apple Pie Bake-off is scheduled for Sunday, June 28, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The players

Living Classrooms Foundation's Historic Ships in Baltimore

The organization producing the Sail250 Maryland & Airshow Baltimore event, in partnership with the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, Sail Baltimore, Martin State Airport, Baltimore Peninsula Partnership, and other public and private partners.

Northrop Grumman

The presenting sponsor of the Sail250 Maryland & Airshow Baltimore event.

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The takeaway

The Sail250 Maryland & Airshow Baltimore event is an opportunity for Maryland's culinary talents to showcase their skills and celebrate the state's maritime heritage as part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebration.