Maryland Crabcake Festival attracts restaurateurs and foodies both near and far

BALTIMORE — The Maryland Crabcake Festival started with an idea and a love for Maryland crab cakes.

WJZ is a proud sponsor of the festival, which kicked off at 11 a.m. on Oct. 28.

“After COVID, all of the crab cake festivals that had been going on for a long time were gone, and we thought: You know what? It’s time to revive a crab cake festival,” Steve Huber, the host of 100.7 The Bay, said.

So, Carroll County Farm Museum transformed into a crab cake wonderland for the first-ever Maryland Crab Cake Festival.

Restaurateurs and crab cake experts from near and far flocked to the event on Saturday.

Liz Diaz haled from Koco’s Pub in Lauraville.

“It’s a hike up here for us,” she said. “We are about an hour away.” 

Many restauranteurs showed up to show off their version of Maryland’s crab cakes. For Diaz, the day was particularly special because it was the pub’s first time participating in the event.

“It’s a huge deal for us,” she said. “We are a very small family-owned local restaurant in Baltimore. . . . This is a production.”

In the end, Koco’s Pub won over the celebrity judges and was declared the winner of Maryland’s Best Crabcake for 2023.

Beer, wine, artisans and other vendors topped off the festival by showing off their Maryland Pride.