Calling Contests: Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the contests held?

The contests are held in the Easton High School Auditorium, 720 Mecklenburg. Ave., Easton, Maryland.

Can I just watch the contest?

Absolutely! Preliminaries are free. To watch the finals, you must purchase a ticket ($10 per person, $5 per person with Festival ticket) at the door. If you arrive at either prelims or finals while a caller is competing, we ask that you politely wait outside the auditorium doors until he has finished his routine.

How do I get to Easton?

Click here.

What is the closest airport? Will I need to rent a car?

Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) is the closest airport. It's about a 90 minute drive from the airport. You will need a rental car as there is no public transportation to Easton.

Where can I stay?

Click here.

How can I get a copy of the rules?

Click here.

How do I register for a contest?

Complete a Registration Form and mail with payment to Waterfowl Festival, 40 S. Harrison St., Easton, MD 21601.

Do you have to pre-register? Is there an early registration fee? Can I register the day of prelims?

You are not required to pre-register. There is no early registration fee. You may register the day of prelims. Give yourself at least an hour before prelims as many callers wait until the day of prelims to register. There is an incentive to register early: register for two or more contests by October 15th and you will receive a free multi-day Festival ticket; register for one contest by October 15th and you will receive a single day ticket of your choice.

What does a Festival ticket let me do? How much do they cost?

A Festival ticket grants you entrance to all exhibits, art galleries, and demonstrations (excluding concerts and calling contest finals). Show your Festival ticket and receive a $5 discount at Concerts and Calling Contest Finals. Single day tickets are $12, Sunday tickets are $10, and multi-day passes are $24.

Must I qualify to register?

No. Anyone may register. See the rules for age restrictions for the junior contests.

What time to preliminaries begin? How long do they last?

Senior Preliminaries will begin at 3:00 pm Friday. Junior Prelims will begin at 12:00 noon Saturday. The length of prelims is directly effected by the number of registered callers. Senior Prelims includes four contests; you can expect them to go until at least 9:00 pm. Junior prelims includes only two contests and should be done by 3:00 pm.

When are finals? How long do they last?

Finals begin at 7:00 pm Saturday and generally run about 3 hours.

Where can I eat?

During Festival hours (10a-6p), the closest place to find food is at either end of the High School and across the street at the Elks Club. The are several fast food restaurants on Rt. 50 (within 2 miles).

What is the maximum age for the Junior Divisions?

16, anyone who has not attained his or her 17th birthday by the date of the contest will be considered a Junior. Proof of birth date may be required by judges.

Are there age restrictions for the Senior Divisions?

No.

How many callers go to the finals?

The top five callers per divisions proceed to finals. If there are any ties, there will be call-offs in order to achieve the top five.

Are recording devices allowed in the auditorium?

No recording devices of any kind are allowed in the auditorium for prelims or finals.

How do I get my prizes home if I flew to the contest?

The best way is to have a UPS account number prior to attending. Monday after the Festival, our volunteers take your prizes to the UPS office and ship them on your account. If you do not have an account, you will be asked to leave credit card information for the shipping purposes.

What is the Waterfowl Festival? Do I need a ticket to go to it?

The Waterfowl Festival, Inc. is a non-profit, volunteer organization that raises money for waterfowl and wildlife habitat preservation, conservation and education projects. To date, we have raised over $4.8 million! The majority of the funds are raised by hosting the Waterfowl Festival, an annual three day event that takes place the second weekend in November. You must have a Festival ticket in order to enter any exhibit. There are over 6 different exhibits in which you can view and purchase the best carving, sculpture, photography and paintings in North America. There are exhibits for the sportsman: the Sportsman's Pavilion, Artifacts, Buy-Sell-Swap, the Decoy Auction and, of course, the Calling Contests. The Retriever and Fly Fishing demonstrations add another dimension. The Wildlife Emporium features every aspect of wildlife art and giftware. In the Wine Pavilion you may sample or purchase wine. This year we are very excited to have a DockDogs Competition at the Easton Middle School. There is probably more than you can see in one day and every person you speak with has a favorite exhibit.