On summer Tuesdays in Annapolis, Back Creek becomes the setting for something a little different: a floating concert surrounded by boats, kayaks, paddleboards, and people watching from the docks.
Tunesday, hosted by Chronic Sailing, brings live music directly to the water. What started as a small experiment during COVID has grown into a community event that many people now describe as “the most Annapolis thing they can think of.”
How Tunesday Started
Tunesday began during COVID, when live music events had to look a little different. The first version featured musicians performing from a small floating dock in partnership with Capital SUP. There was no PA system or major production, but people came out to listen, and the response showed there was real interest in live music on the water.
The event later moved to a catamaran docked at Pusser’s in downtown Annapolis. When the team worked through approvals to use Ego Alley, Tuesday was the only day available, which is how Tunesday got its name.
Eventually, keeping the event tied to the dock became difficult. When Chronic Sailing moved offices, the team relocated Tunesday to Back Creek, where it has continued to grow.
The Foulk family enjoying a trip with Chronic Sailing.
Who Is Chronic Sailing?
Chronic Sailing is an Annapolis-based sailing and charter company that offers sailing experiences on the Chesapeake Bay. The company is also the team behind Tunesday, bringing together its connection to the local boating community with founder Shawn Owen’s background in music.
Tunesday has become one of the ways Chronic Sailing combines those two parts of its identity, creating an event centered around live music, time on the water, and the Annapolis community.
How Tunesday Comes Together
Back Creek gives Tunesday room to work both on and off the water. Boaters can anchor nearby, while kayakers and paddleboarders can launch close to the concert area. People coming by land can also watch from nearby docks, with parking and facilities available through the Annapolis Maritime Museum.
The location also helps from a production standpoint because it is close to Chronic Sailing’s home base. Even so, putting on a floating concert takes a significant amount of work.
Each week, volunteers spend about two hours transforming the boat into a stage. Sound equipment, lighting, cameras, banners, flags, and other gear all have to be loaded and set up before the musicians arrive. Once the band gets its equipment onboard, the team runs sound check and gets ready for the show.
Choosing the performers is another important part of the process. Owen has spent about 25 years as a professional musician, giving him strong ties to the local music scene and a good sense of which artists will fit the event.
As Tunesday has grown, bands have increasingly started reaching out directly about performing. The team generally looks for original music but is open to different styles. More than genre, the goal is to find artists who fit the relaxed atmosphere of an evening on the water.
The Community Around Tunesday
Once Tunesday is underway, one of the most noticeable parts of the event is how much the Annapolis community has made it their own.
Attendees regularly share feedback about what they like, what they would change, and what they hope to see next. For Owen, that level of involvement has been one of the more surprising parts of watching the event grow.
Some of his favorite moments happen away from Back Creek altogether. He will hear people around town talking about Tunesday without realizing they are speaking to one of the people behind it. In some cases, the event has become more recognizable than the company that created it.
One concert in particular stands out.
A rain squall moved through Back Creek and lasted for about 30 minutes, but the crowd stayed. People continued listening through the rain, and when the weather cleared, the sun came back out, and a rainbow appeared just outside the creek.
For Owen, that night captured what Tunesday had become: people choosing to stay on the water, listen to music, and enjoy the experience together even when the weather did not cooperate.
The Partners Behind Tunesday
Tunesday may take place on one boat, but it depends on a much larger group of local businesses, organizations, sponsors, and volunteers.
Sponsors help cover production costs and promote the event. Capital SUP helps people get onto the water, while local charter companies give guests another option for attending by boat. The Annapolis Maritime Museum helps make Tunesday accessible from land through parking, docks, launch access, and onsite facilities.
Food and drink partners help provide meals and refreshments for the musicians, and local vendors have also offered food options for attendees.
Argo is another Tunesday partner. A dedicated Tunesday Point of Interest (POI) is available in the Argo app, helping boaters locate the concert area on Back Creek and plan their route before heading out.
Those partnerships help make Tunesday easier to attend while also supporting the work that goes into putting on the event each week.
How to find Tunesday within Argo!
How to Attend Tunesday
You do not need a boat to attend Tunesday.
People coming by land can watch from the floating dock at the Annapolis Maritime Museum – Ellen Moyer Nature Park Pavilion. Bringing a chair, snacks, and drinks is recommended.
Those who want to watch from the water can rent a kayak or paddleboard from Capital SUP, charter a boat through Chronic Sailing or another local company, or bring their own boat.
Boaters can use the Tunesday POI in Argo to find the concert location and plan their trip into Back Creek.
If you are attending by boat or paddlecraft, it is also worth bringing a waterproof phone case, along with some cash to tip the band.
What Comes Next
The long-term vision for Tunesday goes beyond Back Creek.
Owen would like to develop a Chesapeake Floating Concert Series that could bring similar events to other waterfront communities around the Bay. The team is already exploring pop-up concerts in new locations as a way to test the idea.
Eventually, the goal is to grow the concept into a larger on-the-water music festival while keeping the same community-focused feel that helped Tunesday take off in Annapolis.
For upcoming performances and information about attending, volunteering, donating, or supporting Tunesday, visit chronicsailing.com/tunesday.
