Things to Do in Parole

For the last two years, runners from across Maryland have gathered for the Be Great 5K Run & Fun Walk to benefit the Annapolis Boys & Girls Scholarship Trust. The trust has provided financial support to more than 25 students to help them attend college over the last 10 years, and proceeds from the race go toward the scholarship fund. Before the race, runners are given a bib that tracks their time and pace better than an hourglass taped to their torso. After crossing the finish line, racers are rewarded with refreshments, and a lucky few are awarded prizes.

At the Maryland Drafts and Laughs Festival, attendees sample suds from taps dispensing more than 50 craft and imported brews. As festival-goers make their way among breweries such as Port City and Yuengling, they can break for comic relief at one of five standup shows. There, regional comedians culled from Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, and Sirius XM Radio entertain with adult-brand humor. Visitors can also sit in on presentations and Q&As with brew masters from Flying Dog and Heavy Seas, asking them about their unique brewing process or how many elves it takes to seal a beer can once it's been filled. To sustain the unlimited sampling, food and soda will be available for purchase.

At the Anne Arundel County fairgrounds, competing teams of pit masters keep their grills fueled through the night, tingeing the cool air with the smoky, sweet aroma of slow-cooked beef. The marathon cooking session is all for the sake of the Kansas City Barbeque Society judges, whose favor each chef will curry come lunchtime. The annual barbequing competition is just one facet of the festival’s mission to showcase the best barbecue chefs in the region. In addition to the competition, local food vendors sate visitors with hot ribs and empower budding chefs with gourmet sauces and cookware. All the while, 25 live bands keep heads bobbing while reminding diners to chew 30 times before swallowing.

In one of the nation's most storied rivalries spanning more than a century, the Navy Midshipmen and the Army Black Knights have met on courts, fields, mats, and tracks and in pools more than 1,700 times. Though the fierce rivalry will always take priority among students, fan bases, media, and aliens debating whether to invade America by land or by sea, the Midshipmen have excelled against other competition, as well. The Naval Academy boasts NCAA Division II championships in women’s indoor track and women’s swimming, as well as 40 NCAA Division I individual championships, including 10 fencing champions, nine men’s gymnastics champions, and eight men’s swimming champions.

Since its first event in 2008, the Chesapeake Bay Wine Festival has steadily added to its multisensory feast of libations, food, and live sounds. Originally conceived to highlight Maryland's wines, beers, and local delicacies, the festival now brings wines from around the world to its bayside location. White tents shield tasters from rain, sunburn, and any curious fish who might try to leap into their goblets. Each year, the festival benefits an array of community- and family-focused organizations.

Fantasy Fun Flight oversees aquatic acrobatics performed by customers strapped into a JetLev R200 marine jetpack. Operators safely soar, hover, and dive while water pumps out of the jetpack's two rocket-engine-like shoulder nozzles, producing thrust for emphatic shrugs or soaring up to three stories over the water at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour. Operating out of Sandy Point Beach, the outfit travels to predetermined locales within the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area.