Kashmir to Headline 8th Annual Edgestock Music Festival

The British are coming to Fort Howard.

But unlike the treatment the British navy  received at the hands of American soldiers upon landing at Fort Howard in 1814, these visitors will be welcomed with open arms.

Kashmir, a Led Zeppelin tribute band, is the headlining act at the 8th annual Edgestock Music Festival, set for Saturday at the waterfront park at the tip of the North Point peninsula.

The high energy band known for its dead-on portrayals of original Led Zeppelin band members, including Robert Plant, will play from 7 to 10 p.m. to close out the nine-hour music fest.

"They're definitely a high-energy group, that's for sure," event co-chair Barb Darr said Thursday. "They all wear '70s clothes, and the one guy has Robert Plant's long hair and his mannerisms down to a T."

Four bands will play throughout the day at the shaded waterfront park that provides what Darr called a "perfect venue" for the family-oriented event.

While musicians take the stage, spectators not content with just relaxing and enjoying the music will be able to play a few games of corn hole and participate in a horseshoes tournament.

A children's area will provide crafts, coloring books and crayons and a sand box with toys.

The event has grown over the years, with about 500 people attending last year's festival. Darr said she and husband Dave, the event's chairman, expect the crowd to be even bigger this year.

"And we're going to have great weather," she said. "It's always a plus when people know it's going to be a great day—there's no worrying about if it's going to rain."

Tickets for the event, which benefits the Edgemere-Sparrows Point Recreation Council, cost $10 for visitors ages 6 and older. Children 5 and younger will be admitted free of charge.

Advance tickets are available Thursday and Friday at the Full House Saloon, 2311 Sparrows Point Road. Tickets will be sold at the gate from 12:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Food, including pit beef, ham and turkey and hot dogs and hamburgers will be sold, as well as soft drinks and bottled water.

Alcoholic beverages, including beer, frozen wine, wine by the glass and Twisted Tea, will be sold to adults with proper ID.

Festival goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, toys for the kids (and for the adults, if you want).

Coolers with outside food and beverages and pets are not welcome at Edgestock, and ticket refunds will not be offered, Darr said.

"We've lowered the price of admission twice over the years because of the economy and the state of jobs in this area," Darr said. "We keep our food and beverage prices affordable—we're not out to gouge anyone— and we hope people will buy their food and drinks from us.

"We want people to come out and have a good time, enjoy the music, have a sandwich and a cold beverage of their choice and support the kids."

Money raised by the event is dedicated to two purposes, Darr said: Building a fund that will help create new athletic fields on a plot of land behind Food Lion known as the Karll property, as well as helping to maintain current fields.

"The county has cut our budgets so much, and everything is expensive," Darr said. "It really costs a lot to maintain fields and get them playable after a lot of rain, so we pay for a lot of that upkeep."

Edgestock is a labor of love for the Darr family and a dedicated team of volunteers that supported the Haunted Dungeons (a Halloween-time fundraiser) and then responded to the plea for help when Dave Darr came up with the idea for Edgestock.

"I'd say 99 percent of these volunteers have been with us from eight to 18 years," Barb Darr said. "We couldn't do any of this without them."

Event Details:

What: 8th Annual Edgestock Music Festival

Where: Fort Howard Park, at the end of North Point Road in Edgemere

When: Saturday, June 22

Time: Gates open at 12:30 p.m. Tickets available at the gate from 12:30 to 9 pm.; music from 1 to 10 p.m.

Horseshoes Tournament: Entry fee is $5 per person. Registration will be held from 1 to 2 p.m.; play begins at 2:30 p.m.

Cost: $10 for ages 6 and older; children 5 and younger admitted free of charge.

Music Schedule:

1 p.m. Anoxia
3 p.m. Outbreak
5:15 p.m. Faded Image
7 p.m. Kashmir

Other Activities: Childrens' play area includes a sand box with toys; crafts and coloring books and crayons. Corn hole will be available throughout the day, and free horseshoes play will be available after the tournament is finished. The park also has a beach (swimming is not allowed) and plenty of walking trails.

Information: Dave or Barb Darr, 410-477-5565.