The TriState Festival, Auction & Cruise-In is a great 2 day family affair to be held at the Garrett County Fairgrounds. Local volunteers of Mennonite and Brethren churches have been working year-round to create items for the auctions and craft tables. Celebrate the spirit of helping others as you enjoy the homemade specialty food items, browse the shopping and take a relaxing ride in a horse-drawn surrey operated by local Amish.
Beginning on Friday, July 16, a giant Silent Auction will be on hand to greet enthusiastic buyers. One-of-a-kind items including handcrafted wood and craft items, artwork, chain saw, gift certificates for local entertainment and B & B stays will be offered.
A market place will offer fair-trade handicrafts from around the world at the Ten Thousand Villages table, baked goods, plants, woven rugs, crib quilts, Amish-made half-moon pies (dried apple schnitz) and books - both new and used. There will be craft and cooking magazines available if you are a collector or looking for a great bargain.
Saturday July 17 will begin with a delicious pancake and sausage breakfast and will follow with chicken BBQ, homemade doughnuts, strawberry shortcake and more. Hayrides will be a lot of fun. A classic auto cruise-in will be held on the grounds for your viewing pleasure. The cruise-in is sponsored by the Oakland, MD car club and is lending a hand to help the less fortunate in the United States and around the world. The first 50 entries will receive a free dash plaque.
At 10:00 a.m. the benefit auction will begin - Over 100 beautiful quilts and wall hangings, handmade by local Mennonites and Amish, Feed Sack wall hangings and handcrafted furniture including children’s furniture. Pedal bikes including John Deere bike, tractor and wagon. Husqvarna chain saws (brand new) and a special antique section.
Also many pieces of beautiful one-of-a-kind art created especially for the auction - items from Spruce Forest Artisans – pottery and handcrafted stained glass items. Vacation lovers will wish to bid on the six vacation opportunities from Washington, DC, Laurel Highlands and Amish country.
Train excursion tickets for the Potomac Eagle and Mountain Thunder runs will be available. Local naturalist and Garrett College professor Kevin Dodge will offer a guided nature walk in Garrett County.
There will be plenty of kid’s activities including an auction just for them at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, hands-on creating comforters and hayrides. Everyone can bring their pennies and small coin to help make a difference for this year’s Penny Power project which will help the hungry feed themselves around the world.
All proceeds benefit victims of hunger, famine and war, both worldwide and in the United States through Mennonite Central Committee, the relief and development arm of Mennonite and Brethren churches, based in Akron, PA (www.mcc.org). The American Institute of Philanthropy’s Charity Watch gives MCC an “A” rating.
The benefit will be held at the Garrett County Fairgrounds on Rt. 219S in McHenry, MD (Deep Creek Lake) 13 miles south I-68 exit 14A, 28 miles west of Cumberland, MD. For further information or to obtain a schedule of the Saturday auction, call (814) 442-4594 or go to www.tristatesale.org for a preview of sale items which will be continually updated.
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