Whether you’ve got a competitive streak yourself or love watching those who have, there’s a whole lot of competition going on in Maryland at the moment. We’ve rounded up some of the fiercest tests of endurance, the toughest battles of the brains, and a handful of competitions that will suit those with more unusual talents. So, if you fancy testing out your skills in a tournament without even having to leave the state then you’ve come to the right place. This is the rundown of the fiercest and the funniest competitions going on in Maryland soon.
NOTE: The event below, Arts Alive 25, was held on September 8, 2023.
Frederick Showdown: 23rd August
If you’ve ever thought yourself a cut above the rest when it comes to intelligence then you might want to book your spot in the next Frederick Showdown Chess Tournament. These regularly occur at Hood College in Frederick and cost just $20 to enter. There will be four rounds in this USCF-rated tournament to determine who will be the overall winner. If you’ve never played chess before, or if you have but your skills are a little rusty, then getting in some practice beforehand is going to be necessary. There are plenty of online chess sites to choose from, but chess.com is a good place to start. Here you can enter your level and be matched either with a real opponent of the same level, or an AI one. This means you’ll always be challenged, but hopefully not absolutely flattened! Once you’ve got your skills up to scratch you can test them out at the Frederick Showdown.
Chick and Ruth’s Colossal Challenge: Ongoing
If your skills lay more in your hunger for food rather than your hunger for knowledge then competing in one of the food challenges at Chick and Ruth’s could be your competitive calling. This beloved cafe in Annapolis has been serving up colossal plates of delicious homestyle cooking for more than half a century, and they’ve got competitions where you can prove you’ve got the mightiest stomach in the city. Their Colossal Challenges include polishing off a 3 lb. Colossal Sandwich and a 3 lb. Colossal Shake. If you manage to complete the challenge, then you’ll receive a t-shirt, your picture on social media, and most importantly, your face on their wall next to the one and only Adam Scott of Man vs. Food fame, who came here as part of his television show to compete in a Colossal Challenge. This competition isn’t for the faint of heart, so be sure to arrive hungry and determined.
Poker Tournaments at Live! Casino Hotel: Now
Poker games are always fun tournaments to enter because even if you don’t walk away the tournament winner, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll leave empty-handed. The Live! Casino Hotel in Hanover is a great venue for those who’ve never played a live poker tournament. Everybody there is very welcoming, and they hold regular tournaments with varying buy-ins so that you can choose the level that suits you best. If you need to brush up on your skills then you can play at the poker tables there whenever there isn’t a tournament taking place, or you can head online instead. It’s possible to get your hands on a casino welcome bonus if you’re newly signing up to a site, so this can be a cost-effective way to brush up on your poker knowledge. Once you feel confident that you can hold your own at the table for real, you can sign up to one of the regular tournaments at Live! Casino Hotel.
Western Maryland Rail Trail Marathon: October 15th
Our final competition is a pretty serious one, the Western Maryland Rail Trail Marathon. This marathon qualifies for the Boston Marathon, so if you have dreams of running in that, you can get them off to a good start in your very own state. The cut-off date for entries is the 14th of October, with a place in the marathon costing $75 per person. The course follows the beautiful WMRT, a stunning track that runs right along the canal towpath for its entirety. This means that even if you’re finding the pace challenging, you’ll have plenty of beautiful scenery to take your mind off things. To keep cool it kicks off at 7:30 am, so sleep well, eat your carbs, and get ready to run!
