Annie Arnest
Annie Arnest and niece Stasia Arnest promoting Kinsale as a destination at a boat show in Washington DC.
All of those summer happenings are supported by the Kinsale Waterfront Fund (KWF), a year-old nonprofit established to further cultural, educational and charitable initiatives that help preserve the village’s rich history and marine heritage.
Kinsale Waterfront Fund was founded by Annie Arnest, owner of The Slips marina since 2020, and a board of directors with four other members. KWF was created to build off community-wide events run by The Slips and the Yeocomico Club, an active social group based at the marina.
Kinsale dates back to its 1706 founding on a deep-water tidal tributary that feeds the Potomac River. The village became a key 18th-century customs port and then a bustling steamboat stop in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Helping all generations connect more to the water is a key focus for KWF. The Slips is running five weeklong camps this summer, three Camp Kinsale river programs for ages 6 to 12 and two Sailing Camps for ages 7 to 14.
The new scholarship fund under KWF was designed to help more local families participate, alongside the many kids and teenagers already enrolled with parents who own second homes or grandparents who have property on the Northern Neck. KWF hopes to award up to 15 scholarships this year.
Annie Arnest
KWF is providing scholarships for local children to attend these camps, with three sessions of River Camp and two sessions of Sailing Camp being offered this summer. Sailing Camp is an introduction to sailing for ages 7-14. Primarily using small Sunfish, campers take these out solo or with a partner as they build their confidence on the river.
Annie Arnest
During Camp Kinsale, campers learn to build an oyster float with members of TOGA (Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association).
Camp Kinsale teaches kids about river life, boating, sailing, kayaking, crabbing, fishing and oystering. Activities include building oyster cages, checking crab pots, baiting and casting fishing lines, navigating basic sailboats, touring the Kinsale Museum and local historic landmarks, identifying area wildlife and meeting rescued owls, possums and turtles. Sailing Camp participants get an introduction to the sport using basic Sunfish and Hobie Cat boats.
One of KWF’s goals is to add similar weekend camps throughout the year. “Some of these activities, like sailing, are becoming lost arts,” Arnest noted.
“We had kids catch their first-ever fish last summer, mostly little perch, and you could see how that sparked such joy.”
The KWF also has taken over planning and fundraising for the community’s riverside July 4th celebration, which always features a magnificent fireworks show run by the fire department. This year’s event will mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The 2026 party will include plenty of music, food and drinks and carnival-style games on the Kinsale bridge, such as a tomato toss with contestants aiming at a bin floating out in the river. (Kinsale was home to several tomato canneries a century ago.)
Annie Arnest
Every year the Cople District Volunteer Fire Department, based in Kinsale, puts on a fabulous fireworks show over the river to cap off the town’s 4th of July celebration. A big crowd comes out for music, food, vendors, and fun. KWF helps with the fundraising and planning for this great community event.
The inaugural Northern Neck Writing Contest, meanwhile, challenges local students of all ages to submit a 700- to 800-word essay by July 4 that links America’s past and present. Entrants must take a statement or speech from the late 1700s, apply it to a current problem or conflict and propose solutions.
Annie Arnest
Annie Arnest
The Watermans Market, like a river version of a Farmers Market, features local vendors, seafood, live music, and a boat bar. Two more are being held this summer, on June 20th and August 15th at The Slips marina. KWF hopes to strengthen the networks between producers and buyers within the community through these events.
Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
KWF will be helping to host the Jamestown Settlement’s Godspeed in Kinsale this Fall, where it will be open to the public on October 31st and November 1st.
Winners will receive cash prizes of between $50 and $500.
The competition, which could become an annual event, is part of the KWF’s emphasis on education, according to Michael Shank, a board member.
“Pivoting off the Northern Neck’s instrumental role in the founding of the United States, this competition is all about supporting our local students—who are the leaders of tomorrow—in articulating a vision for a thriving Northern Neck and country,” Shank said.
Hicks’ specialty grocery store hosts a popular five-part “Rockin’ the Porch” music series—a nod to live concerts and street dances held there in the past—with wine tastings, an annual 5K race and “Historic Hayrides” through town on Kinsale Day in September.
“Having a new group focused on the betterment of our community is a big plus,” Hicks said. “They’re projecting a very positive image of what we have here, and I’m looking forward to hearing where they go with it next.”
The KWF’s fall and winter calendar includes a two-day river workshop on October 3 and 4, a summer send-off party on September 19, a Halloween weekend visit from Jamestown’s 17th-century replica tall ship Godspeed and a fundraising auction set for November 27.
In the future, KWF would like to further engage the community with riverside activities such as showing educational documentaries and films, organizing more local waterway cleanups and partnering with river-related organizations and businesses on educational workshops.
“We’re all looking forward to another busy summer in Kinsale,” Arnest said, “and sharing the many treasures we have here is the highlight.”
To learn more about KWF’s events and upcoming activities in Kinsale, visit kinsalewaterfrontfund.org, yeocomicoclub.com, nnkwrites.org and kinsalemarket.com.
