If it's fall, it must be time again for (drum roll, please)...  

THE ANNUAL SAILBOAT SHOW AT THE ANNAPOLIS HARBOR - A tradition since 1970, when it opened as the first in-water sailboat show.  The boats are all new, and all "sail" - power boats will have their own exclusive show a week later. 

Annapolis is known as "Sailing Capitol of the World" - and you'll see why October 4-8, as the city is overtaken by sailors and those of us who just like to soak in the ambiance.

Boat show schedule and tickets:

• Thursday, Oct. 4 - Press/Trade/V.I.P.  (Tickets $30)
• Friday-Sunday -  Oct. 5, 6 and 7, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

You can order your tickets online, or purchase them on-site:  Adults $15 and Children under 12 $8.  Parking is available at the U.S. Naval Academy stadium, off Rowe Boulevard, with shuttle buses to downtown Annapolis.

Here's what to expect, if you've never been to this event before:

• The "hottest new racing and cruising boats"
• Boats of all sizes, ranging from dinghies and inflatables to trailerable day-sailors and yachts fit for a king
• The world's largest multi-hull displays
• How-to seminars, Thursday-Sunday
• Sailing equipment, rigging, accessories and maintenance products/services

Weekend days are when you'll really feel "electricity" in the air, but Friday and Monday are good days for serious shoppers.  In fact, we bought our first sailboat on a Monday, a small day-sailor that the vendor just didn't want to haul back home, so we got a GREAT deal.

The Sailboat Show is a no-brainer, if you're already a sailor or interested in becoming one.  But even if you're NOT, this is a fun way to spend a fall day... mingling with the sailors while you visit Annapolis restaurants, scenic Main Street, and the historic colonial sites of Maryland's state capitol.

For more information and photos of past boat shows, visit the official website of the Annapolis Boat Shows - and be sure to mark your calendar.  This is one of those things that you just won't experience in most other parts of the country, so come and enjoy!

Live near the water! 

There are 435 waterfront homes for sale in Anne Arundel County as of 9/23/07, ranging from an Annapolis condo for $275,000 to a $16 million dollar 8-year old home on 45 acres, and everything in between.  If you would like to check out some of them while you're visiting Annapolis for the Boat Show, Contact Margaret Woda for a list of homes and condos on the market, including detailed descriptions, prices and maps.