Rock Hall Crab Basket Tree: Your Guide to the 2026 Build
"A very emotional evening that brings the whole community out." That's how Rock Hall Mayor Brian Jones described the Crab Basket Tree lighting to Chesapeake Bay Magazine in December 2018. The evening he meant is one night in December. The tree itself takes about a month to come together, and this year that month starts on a Wednesday morning in November at the Town Office.
Crab baskets go to the Town Office on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, starting at 8 a.m., and construction starts the week of November 9. The finished tree is lit on Saturday, December 5. Rock Hall's tree is built from donated baskets, so each year's tree depends on what people bring in that first week of November.
Mayor Jones told Chesapeake Bay Magazine that the tradition began in 2016, after several residents saw the crab basket tree in Cambridge, Maryland, and wanted one for Rock Hall. By the tree's third year, the magazine said, it had become "two tree towers, made up of more than 200 crab baskets," painted to honor loved ones and local businesses and to remember people who had died.
The magazine wrote that the tree celebrates the town's seafood heritage, and it noted that watermen are among the people who design and build the tree. Each basket on the tower carries a name, a business or a memory, and each one is painted by request.
After several friends suggested to the Town of Rock Hall and Mayor Brian Jones that a Community Crab Basket Christmas Tree be constructed for the holiday season, a master plan was quickly put in to motion for a new Rock Hall tradition.
Mayor Jones contacted Sheila Strong Lingerman, owner of Chester River Seafood, to help undertake the project. Sheila's sister-in-law, Nikki Strong, is owner of the crafting business Shore Goose. With friend Beth Collins Councell, the three came up with a concept to offer memory baskets for sale to decorate the tree with proceeds going to Rock Hall Parks & Recreation.
Soon the word spread of the memory baskets, and the basket crew began to paint and decorate 88 baskets.
Sheila enlisted her husband, Chris Lingerman, her parents Betty Ann and Buffalo Strong, her brother Jaimie Strong, children Brody and Brianna Pierce and cousins Becky Hill Marshall and Holly Elburn VanDyke to help Nikki with the basket painting.
Rock Hall resident and carpenter, Ziggy Carter, was brought on board to help. The construction of the rings and structure that supported the framework and baskets to form the tree was managed and built by Ziggy with help from Kevin Middleton, Troy White and David Olsen.
Helping set the tree in place were Bobby Kelley and Robert Strasser.
Some people painted and decorated their own baskets. Plain baskets were set to fill the 15 tiered over 25 foot tall tree complete with crab topper constructed by Buffalo Strong.
The basket crew and the construction team worked many hours over a 12 day period to make the tree come to life.
The tree grew fast. Kent County News described the first tree on Main Street as 25 feet tall with more than 150 baskets. That first lighting raised enough to send $1,665 to the Rock Hall Parks and Recreation Board for a children's program. By the end of the third year, Chesapeake Bay Magazine reported, the tree had raised $8,900 in total, with all proceeds going to the children's programs at Rock Hall Parks and Recreation. That's more than five times the first year's gift, raised over three seasons. Over the same stretch, the basket count went from more than 150 to more than 200.
This year's dates, all from the Town of Rock Hall's event calendar:
The lighting night has followed the same plan for at least three years. In 2024, the town listed the lighting for Saturday, December 7, at 6 p.m. Before Santa's arrival by boat, there was a photo opportunity with a "Green Christmas" character in the Main Street lot in front of the tree, with proceeds going to the dog park. The December 2025 calendar had Santa arriving at the Rock Hall Bulkhead at 6 p.m. and reaching Main Street around 6:30 p.m. for the lighting, with a cookie walk at Raum Chapel. Last year's half hour between the bulkhead and Main Street is a good guide to the timing on December 5. The 2026 listing gives only the 6 p.m. start, though.
· Step 1: Get the Form: You can download the printable form directly on the Rock Hall Maryland Official Website.
· Step 2: Choose Your Basket Option:
o New Designed Basket ($40): The basket is supplied and painted for you by the Kent County High School (KCHS) Art Honor Society. You just pick a color, design preference, and the name you want featured.
o Paint Your Own Basket ($30): You supply or pick up a basket, customize it yourself, and submit it.
o Renewing an Existing Basket ($20): If your basket is already safely stored from previous years, you pay a lower annual fee to have it included in the new tree build.
· Step 3: Mail or Drop Off Your Form & Payment: Complete the contact fields Mail the form along with your payment check to:
Rock Hall Parks and Rec
PO Box 614
Rock Hall, MD 21661
The basket drop-off lands right when Rock Hall's calendar turns toward events that serve the town itself. The town lists Sunday, October 25, as the last day of service for RH Rides. Ten days later the baskets come in. Here's what the calendar holds before and after that week.
Late October. Chesapeake Weaving Collective holds its ribbon cutting on Friday, October 23, at 3 p.m., and the town invites the public to come welcome the new business. The town's business directory lists the studio at 5761 N. Main Street, with Jennifer Frank Rhodes as founder and owner. It offers classes and workshops, private lessons, studio and equipment rental, natural-fiber yarns, weaving books and supplies, and community events. That same evening, Rock Hall Witches Weekend opens from 5 to 7 p.m. with music, fire pits, a paddle, games and activities. On Saturday, October 24, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., it continues with a group photo at the beach, shopping around town, food and drinks, photo spots and a witches dance. The same Saturday also has Dirt Drags at the Elks at 10 a.m., a Halloween costume contest at 6 p.m. and the Rock Hall Volunteer Fire Company Trunk or Treat from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
November. The Blessing Bag Program runs Tuesday afternoons from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. on November 3, 10 and 24. According to the town's listing, visitors bring a bag to fill with food at the food pantry, everyone is welcome, and parking is in the church lot. Questions go to 410-639-2926. The baskets come in the next morning. On Saturday, November 7, the Veterans Parade steps off at noon, followed by a chili cook-off at the Legion at 1 p.m. The Veterans Day Dinner at the Legion is Wednesday, November 11, at 6 p.m. That dinner falls in the week construction is set to start on Main Street.
Thanksgiving week. The Kent County Family YMCA Turkey Trot starts at 8:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, November 26. On Saturday, November 28, Shop Small, Rock Hall runs all day, with carriage rides and an invitation to support local vendors. That's nearly three weeks after construction is scheduled to start.
Into December. The Mainstay keeps a weekly calendar of live performing arts year-round. Its Thursday Pub Nites run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. through December 17, Open Mic Nite falls on December 9, and the Mainstay Christmas Show is Saturday, December 19, at 7:30 p.m. That's two weeks after the tree is lit.
The tree began in 2016 with more than 150 baskets, and the 2018 coverage counted more than 200. This year's baskets are due at the Town Office on November 4, and the tree is lit after Santa's boat reaches the public bulkhead on December 5.
If you've been meaning to add a basket for someone and want help figuring out who to call, or you're new to town and wondering how to join in, Jody Baker grew up in Chestertown and is glad to point you to the right local contacts. Let's Connect, and maybe I'll see you on Main Street on December 5.
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