Sultana Projects, Inc.

Latest News:

PRESS RELEASE – Freedom Schooner AMISTAD to join Downrigging Weekend Fleet

October 6, 2008

Chestertown, Maryland: Sultana Projects announced today that the freedom schooner AMISTAD based in New Haven, Connecticut, will be participating its annual Downrigging Weekend festival in Chestertown, Maryland on October 30 – November 2. AMISTAD will join an already impressive fleet of Tall Ships and schooners, including the KALMAR NYCKEL, PRIDE OF BALTIMORE, II, VIRGINIA, LADY MARYLAND and SULTANA. AMISTAD is a recreation of LA AMISTAD, a vessel that was commandeered by Africans who had been captured in 1839. Led by a 25-year-old Mende rice farmer named Sengbe Pieh, or “Cinque” to his Spanish captors, the Africans seized the LA AMISTAD, killed the captain and the cook, and ordered the crew to sail back to Africa. After 63 days, LA AMISTAD and her “cargo” were seized as salvage by USS Washington near Montauk Point, Long Island, and towed to New London harbor. The Africans were held in a New Haven jail on charges of murder. The case took on historic proportions when former President John Quincy Adams successfully argued before the United States Supreme Court on behalf of the captives. In 1841, the 35 surviving Africans were returned to Africa. The Amistad incident received renewed attention in 1997 with the release of the Stephen Spielberg film of the same name.

Sultana Projects is currently working with Amistad America, Inc. to incorporate AMISTAD into the schedule of events for its annual Downrigging Weekend festival scheduled for October 30-November 2, 2008 in Chestertown. A free, public open house on AMISTAD has tentatively been scheduled for 3:00pm-6:00pm on Sunday, November 2, 2008 at the Cannon Street Pier in Chestertown.

For upcoming news about AMISTAD’s visit to Chestertown and detailed information about Downrigging Weekend visit www.sultanaprojects.org and www.sultanaprojects.org/downrigging.htm. For additional information about AMISTAD and Amistad America, Inc. please visit, www.amistadamerica.org

Downrigging Weekend Sails – Don’t Wait Until it’s Too Late

October 3, 2008

Each year people call us the day before our annual Downrigging Weekend Tall Ship festival to reserve a sailing spot on one of the visiting ships only to find that the event is completely sold out. Don’t let this happen to you! The schooner Sultana is already sold-out for its Downrigging Weekend sails, and some of the large visiting ships like the Pride of Baltimore, II, Kalmar Nyckel, and A.J. Meerwald are filling up quickly. During Downrigging Weekend (October 30 – November 2), we will offer public sails on six different visiting ships on both Saturday, November 1 and Sunday, November 2. Click here to see a full schedule for Downrigging Weekend and click here to see all of the incredible ships you can tour and sail on. To make reservations for any Downrigging Weekend sail or event please call the Sultana Projects’ office at 410-778-5954 (M-F).

Time is Running Out for Sultana’s “Smart Car” Raffle

October 2, 2008

Time is running out to purchase a chance to win a brand new, 2008 “Smart Car” as part of Sultana Projects’ Smart Car Raffle. If you haven’t heard about the 42mpg, Smart Car click here. The Smart Car is so popular that there is a year-long waiting list at most dealers so Sultana’s Smart Car Raffle might be your only chance to get your hands on one of these cool little cars anytime soon. To learn more about Sultana’s Smart Car Raffle click here. Tickets are $30 each or $100 for a packet of four and proceeds go to support Sultana’s award-winning educational programs. And if you don’t want a Smart Car, you can elect to receive $7,500 in cash instead! Tickets can be purchased online here, or by calling the Sultana office at 410-778-5954 (M-F). The drawing for the Smart Car will be at 8:00pm on November 1 as part of the Downrigging Weekend Concert for Sultana.

Sultana’s Stormy Ride to Cambridge

September 28, 2008

Riding winds from this past weekend’s Nor’easter, Sultana made record time from Chestertown to Annapolis this past Friday, and then from Annapolis to Cambridge on Saturday. Captain Brittain and the crew will spend the next week in Cambridge where they will be hosting educational programs for four elementary schools in Dorchester County.

John Smith Shallop vs. Washington College Crew

September 27, 2008

Sultana’s John Smith shallop had a heated race this past weekend vs. the men’s and women’s Washington College crew teams. The race was part of Washington College’s second annual Waterfront Festival sponsored by the Center for Environment and Society. While the 8,000-pound shallop had a little difficulty keeping up with the 200-pound crew shells, the 400-year contrast in technology was fun for everyone.

Chestertown and Sudlersville Middle Schools on Radcliffe Creek

September 25, 2008

We had a great time yesterday with Chestertown Middle School and Sudlersvillle Middle School paddling the proposed route of the Radcliffe Creek Water Trail in Chestertown. Click here to see the photos from the Chestertown Middle School Trip and click here to see the photos from the Sudlersville Trip.

“Chestertown By Candlelight” Draws a Big Crowd to Support Sultana Projects

September 22, 2008

More than 150 people attended Sultana’s eleventh annual gala, “Chestertown by Candlelight,” this past Saturday and raised over $20,000 to support Sultana Projects’ educational programs. Guests dined at one of more than a dozen private homes in the Chestertown area before attending a champagne and dessert reception at Washington College’s Hynson-Ringgold House. Sultana would like to thank all of the guests who attended this event, the hosts who graciously opened their homes, the donors of items to the live auction, Magnolia Catering for donating their services, Washington College and President & Mrs. Tipson, and particularly our sponsors for the evening, Wye Financial & Trust and Centreville National Bank.

Sultana Set to Depart on September 26^th for Annual Fall Tour of The Chesapeake

September 22, 2008

After spending the month of September in Chestertown sailing with students from Kent and Queen Anne’s counties public schools, the schooner Sultana will depart on September 26th for her annual Fall tour of the Chesapeake Bay. Sultana’s first stop will be Cambridge, Maryland, (Sept 27-Oct. 4) where she will spend a week providing programs for the Dorchester County Public Schools. From Cambridge, Sultana will sail to Solomons, Maryland, and the Calvert Marine Museum to spend a week (Oct 5 – 11) sailing with the Calvert County public schools. Departing Solomons on October 12, Sultana will stop briefly in Baltimore to work with several city schools before participating in the annual Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race from Annapolis to Norfolk (Oct. 16-20). Sultana will finish her Fall tour with a week in Salisbury, Maryland, (October 21-24) before returning to Chestertown for her last week of school programs and Downrigging Weekend.

Tickets on Sale for the “Concert for Sultana” Featuring the “Two Man Gentlemen Band”

September 22, 2008

Interested in a evening of great entertainment at a reasonable price? Then join us on November 1, 2008 at The Prince Theatre for the “Concert for Sultana.” Now a fixture of Sultana’s annual “Downrigging Weekend” Tall Ship Festival, this year’s Concert for Sultana will feature the “Two Man Gentlemen Band.” Hailing from New York City, The Two Man Gentlemen Band combines hot jazz, old-time country, tin pan alley, and vaudevillian swing to create a joyous two-man sound that is all their own. Performing with plectrum banjo, string bass, kazoos, and foot percussion, The Gentlemen whip themselves into a frenzy that is unlike any other band you have ever seen. They are also very, very funny! Click here, or here if you want to see some great short videos of the “Gentlemen” in action. The show starts at 8:00pm on November 1 at the Prince Theatre in Chestertown. Tickets are $10 per person and are available by calling the Sultana Office at 410-778-5954 or by visiting The Prince Theatre box office.

Sultana Projects and Chestertown Wildlife Weekend Collaborate for New School Curriculum

September 22, 2008

Sultana Projects is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $25,000 grant by the Chestertown Wildlife Weekend and Exhibit to develop a “Delmarva Wildlife Curriculum” for use by elementary and middle school students on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The goals of the new “Wildlife Curriculum” are to introduce students to the incredible variety of plants and animals that call the Delmarva Peninsula home while encouraging them to get outdoors to observe local wildlife in its natural habitat. The curriculum will have four separate, independent components: Birds and Waterfowl; Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians; Fish and Aquatic Organisms; and Native Plants. The official presentation of the grant will take place on October 16 during Wildlife Weekend’s premier of the film, “Ribbon of Sand,” at The Prince Theatre. To learn more about this event and to reserve tickets visit the Wildlife Weekend Website.

Sultana and Local Students Paddle to Help Establish New Radcliffe Creek Water Trail

September 22, 2008

Students from Chestertown Middle School and Sudlersville Middle School will be paddling on Radcliffe Creek this Wednesday as part of Sultana Projects’ John Smith Trail Expeditions program. These particular programs will also have a special purpose of promoting a new canoe and kayak trail for Chestertown and Kent County. The proposed “Radcliffe Creek Stream Valley Park” would provide residents and visitors to Chestertown with increased public access to the Chester River and one of its most pristine tributaries, Radcliffe Creek. Chestertown Middle School and Sudlersville Middle School approached Sultana Projects earlier this fall to see what their students could do to help establish the new Radcliffe Creek Stream Valley Park. During their paddle this Wednesday, students will be clearing debris and trash at the upper reaches of Radcliffe Creek to improve access for canoes and kayaks at the top of the proposed trail.