Owings Mills, MD, United States, April 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Maryland Public Television celebrates the Chesapeake Bay region once again in April with its 22nd annual Chesapeake Bay Week®, a slate of more than 30 documentaries highlighting the beauty, importance, and fragility of the nation’s largest estuary. A video preview and more information about the 2026 lineup are available at mpt.org/bayweek.
During the week of April 19-25, MPT will offer more than 20 hours of content focusing on the Chesapeake Bay’s history, heritage, and resources, as well as efforts to protect its diverse ecosystem. Programs will air on MPT and the MPT livestream, with additional content available to stream live and on demand using the free PBS app and MPT’s online video player.
This year’s lineup features five programs that viewers will see on MPT for the first time. The cornerstone MPT production, Lifeblood: Chesapeake River Stories, will premiere on Sunday, April 19, at 7:00 p.m. The one-hour documentary invites viewers to discover how rivers connect, sustain, and inspire through engaging tales from around the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Other programs premiering throughout the week are Saving Chesapeake Bay: A Cleaner Future, Unfiltered, Moon Crab, and Bay to Baltimore.
MPT’s annual Chesapeake Bay Week® is a unique programming initiative and part of the statewide public TV network’s ongoing commitment to celebrating the Bay and examining critical environmental issues faced by communities throughout the Chesapeake region.
New programs for Chesapeake Bay Week® 2026
Lifeblood: Chesapeake River Stories – Sunday, April 19 at 7:00 p.m.
Experience the waterways that shape and sustain the Bay’s landscapes and communities through the perspectives of those who live, work, and play in the watershed. Watch expert whitewater kayakers navigate the Great Falls of the Potomac, follow a pair of acclaimed driftwood artists as they search for inspiration along the Patuxent River, and join prospectors panning for gold in the Susquehanna River. Major funding for Lifeblood: Chesapeake River Stories is provided by The Nature Conservancy. Additional funding is provided by Watermark and MPT’s Chesapeake Circle.
Saving Chesapeake Bay: A Cleaner Future – Monday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Is the Chesapeake Bay actually getting cleaner? After a 40-year commitment to restore the Bay, many wonder whether it’s really on track to recover. What still needs to be done to make the Bay’s waters noticeably better so its fisheries can thrive for years to come? Saving Chesapeake Bay: A Cleaner Future explores that question and more.
Unfiltered – Monday, April 20 at 9:00 p.m.
Oyster farming is spreading across the Eastern Shore, but farmers and environmentalists fear new challenges presented by the Bay’s changing tides. Join an exploration of how conservation, culture, and industry are mingling in the region to create new hurdles and opportunities for farmers new and old.
Moon Crab – Monday, April 20 at 9:20 p.m.
The horseshoe crab, one of Earth’s oldest living species, is now struggling with extreme population decline. This film reflects on nature’s cycles utilizing archival, experimental visuals, including footage shot on analog film that is eco-processed with seaweed. The viewer is invited into the horseshoe crab’s subaquatic world.
Bay to Baltimore – Tuesday, April 21 at 8:30 p.m.
Ultramarathon open water swimmer and painter Katie Pumphrey hopes to become the first person to swim 24 miles from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to Baltimore’s newly swimmable Inner Harbor. As she trains for and promotes this difficult swim, Pumphrey must face a public who thinks she’s crazy to swim in the historically polluted waters.
About Maryland Public Television
Maryland Public Television is a statewide, public-supported TV network and Public Broadcasting Service member offering entertaining and educational content delivered by traditional broadcasting and streaming on TVs, computers, and mobile devices via its online video player and the free PBS app. A state agency operating under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission, MPT also produces local, regional, and national programming and frequently earns regional Emmy® awards for its work. MPT’s commitment to educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through its Maryland Center for Media Literacy & Education and Thinkport.org. MPT’s year-round community engagement activities connect viewers with resources covering a wide range of topics. More information is available at mpt.org.
- Lifeblood: Chesapeake River Stories
- MPT logo