In an area known for boating—Annapolis is, after all, the Sailing Capital—jousting is Maryland’s official state sport. Who’d a thunk it? While the Maryland Jousting Tournament Association has been promoting the world’s oldest equestrian sport here since 1950, jousting has been a Maryland fixture since the early settlers arrived in St. Mary’s County in the 1630s.
For sheer pageantry and skill, jousting is hard to top as an exciting spectator sport. Setting the tone, modern-day knights and maids in Medieval garb parade on a flag-festooned field until a trumpet blares, heralding the start of the joust. A rider gallops down an 80-yard track. Passing beneath three archways, he (or she) brandishes a lance and with it tries to spear a metal ring suspended from each arch. (The largest ring is only 1 ¾†in diameter.) Ties are resolved with increasingly smaller rings.
Jousting tournaments are held throughout the state from March through October. We’ve selected the following which take place in or close to Annapolis. For more info, see www.marylandjousting.com.
St. Margaret’s Church Joust, usually the second Saturday of July. 1601 Pleasant Plains Rd., Annapolis. www.st-margarets.org
Queen Anne’s County Fair Joust, mid-August, 100 Dulin Clark Rd., Centerville. www.queenannescofair.com
144 Calvert County Jousting Tournament, Aug. 28, 2010, noon, Christ Church, 3100 Broomes Island Rd. (MD 264), Port Republic. www.christchurchcalvert.org
Maryland State Fair Joust, Sept. 4, 2010, 6pm, Timonium Fairgrounds, 2200 York Rd., Timonium. www.marylandstatefair.com
Saddle Friends Joust, Sept. 12, 2010, 1pm, Easton VFW, 355 Glebe Rd., Easton. www.marylandjousting.com
St. Mary’s County Fair Joust, Sept. 25, 2010, noon, St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds, 42455 Leonardtown Rd., Leonardtown. www.smcfair.somd.com
Renaissance Festival, Aug. 28-Oct. 24 (days and hours vary), Revel Grove, 1821 Crownsville Rd., Crownsville. www.rennfest.com
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