Guest Author - Darling Poor

Thinking about a Preakness Party? Why not do it in style?

• Celebrate the gifts of Chesapeake Bay, one of the finest ports in America, with seafood delights for your guests such as crab cakes, steamed blue crab, lobster, and clam chowder.

• One famous Baltimore food is the "chicken box," fried chicken wings served with a starch such as mashed potatoes, rice or french fries.

• A popular drink to go with the chicken box is the Half and Half – a mix of iced tea and lemonade (aka the "Arnold Palmer"). For adults, serve the official drink of the Preakness, the Black-Eyed Susan.

• Game ideas: Maryland is one of the original 13 colonies of America. Have a fastest-to-write-down-all-13-original-colonies game. Whoever wins gets to be "Lord Baltimore" for the day, founder of the Maryland Colony.

• Edgar Allen Poe House is located in Baltimore. See who can recite the most Poe story titles. You could do the same with other Maryland natives, such as Nora Roberts (for the ladies) or Tom Clancy (for the gentlemen).

• What famous poem was composed after a grueling battle in Baltimore? (Hint: It is now our national anthem.)

• Party decorating ideas: Black and yellow are the state’s official colors, as well as the color of the state flower. Go wild with black streamers and yellow balloons along with matching dinnerware and flatware. Brighten your table with sunflowers and daisies.

• Pass out the words to Maryland, My Maryland so everyone can sing along. Note: only the third verse is sung, to the tune of "O Tannenbaum."

• Hand out coloring pages for the kids (yes, that means the adults too!) to color in while the weather vane is being painted at the end of the race, or before, as a way to place your bets on the winner. Visit the free coloring pages here, here, and here, or purchase a horsey coloring book from Amazon below.

• Obtain a full cadre of official Preakness Party supplies here.

Your party will proceed smoothly if you have these essential tools:

36 Qt. Crab and Lobster Pot w/ Steamer Rack


Bamboo Crab Steamer Plate


A Craving for Crab Cookbook (Paperback)


Best of the Best from the Mid-Atlantic Cookbook


Keep the kids (and adults!) entertained with these fun activities:

Gallop Home (Coloring Book)


Horses of the World Coloring Book (more detailed coloring book for bigger kids or adults)


Breyer Horse Game (keep the little ones entertained while the big kids play)