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Preparing for Annual Chincoteague Pony Swim

It’s that time of year for the annual pony swim from Assateague Island to Chincoteague.

Next Wednesday thousands of visitors are expected to see the ponies cross the Assateague Channel sometime between high and low tide.

There will be private touring companies that provide the opportunity to view the crossing from the water.

Visitors can also see the ponies for free from Memorial Park.

Tourists are encouraged to use the local shuttle to get to the event since the only nearby parking will be reserved for those who are handicapped.

On Thursday the ponies will be up for auction at the fairgrounds with the proceeds going to the Chincoteague Fire Department.

Those not sold or returned after the auction will go back to Assateague Island for another year.

The event was memorialized in the novel Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.