The Deep Creek Blog

Autumn Glory Festival!

Well, it's that time of year again.  For a complete listing of all of the Autumn Glory Festival events, visit www.autumnglory.com. 

Clear Mountain Bank Sponsors the 44th Annual Autumn Glory Festival Kick-Off Reception

 

Clear Mountain Bank presents the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce with a check for the 44th Annual Autumn Glory Festival Kick- Off Reception Sponsorship. Pictured are Nicole Christian of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce,  Rob Flockvich of Clear Mountain Bank, Jonna Frazee of Clear Mountain Bank and Brian Thomas of Clear Mountain Bank. The Bank is sponsoring the Chamber’s Annual Kick-Off Reception to be held at the Lodge at Wisp on Wednesday, October 12.

 

Deadline Extended for 44th Annual Autumn Glory Festival Kick-Off Reception Tickets

The deadline for tickets for the 44th annual Autumn Glory Festival Kick-Off Reception, presented by the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, has been extended until Friday, October 7th.

Along with the annual announcement of this year’s Golden Ambassador, the reception on October 12th at the Lodge at Wisp Resort, includes the coronation of the Autumn Glory King and Queen and recognizes the festival sponsors. Clear Mountain Bank is the official sponsor of the Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception. Local music group, The Remedy, will be the evening’s entertainment, sponsored by Wisp Resort.

Each attendee to the Kick-Off Reception receives  a 44th Annual Autumn Glory Commemorative Poster, and a collectible Autumn Glory pin that entitles the holder to priority seating on the bleachers near the reviewing stand for the Grand Feature Parade on Saturday, October 15th.

The evening begins with a 6 pm social hour featuring complimentary beer & wine and a cash bar available. The sit-down dinner begins at 7 pm with the program following at 8 pm. The reception ticket includes hors d’oeuvres, sit-down dinner, and first-class entertainment. Admission to the event is $195 per couple and $100 per individual. Tables with reserved seating for 8 are available at a discounted price of $750. To purchase tickets, please call 301.387.6171.

Autumn Glory Grand Marshal Tobi Stoner to Hold Meet & Greet on Sunday October 16th

The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce will be holding a Meet & Greet with the Autumn Glory Grand Feature Parade Grand Marshal, professional baseball player, Tobi Stoner. The Meet & Greet will be held 11 am - noon during the Autumn Glory Craft & Gift Sale at the Exhibit Hall at the Garrett County Fairgrounds on Sunday, October 16th. The Autumn Glory Craft & Gift Sale is sponsored by Susquehanna Bank. Black Bear Tavern is the sponsor of the 44th annual Autumn Glory Grand Marshal position. 

A native of Garrett County, Tobi Stoner attended Southern High School where he was a first-team All-Area infielder and pitcher. During his tenure at Southern, the Rams won back-to-back Area titles and had a 43-4 record over Stoner’s last two seasons. Stoner played at Garrett College before attending  Davis & Elkins College, where he was the Male Athlete of the Year in 2006.  In 2006, Stoner was drafted by the New York Mets in the 16th round and played in Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Buffalo. Stoner was called up to the New York Mets in 2009. Since 2009, Stoner has played in Triple-A Buffalo.

As Grand Marshal, Tobi will be featured in the annual Autumn Glory Grand Feature parade which begins at 1 pm in Oakland on Saturday, October 15th.



 

Autumn Glory!

The big story this week in Garrett County is, of course, the annual Autumn Glory Festival.  Visit www.autumngloryfestival.com for a complete listing of events and news surrounding this great event.  

2010 Autumn Glory King & Queen Applications Due April 30, 2010

Applications for the 2010 Autumn Glory King & Queen are currently available at both Northern and Southern High Schools.
 
Students may pick up an Autumn Glory application in the Main Office of both schools.  Along with the application, students are required to submit a 300 word essay detailing why he or she should be selected as the 2010 Autumn Glory King or Queen. If selected, the Autumn Glory King & Queen must be able to attend the following events: The Buckwheat Festival Parade and from October 2: the Autumn Glory Kick-off Dinner Rehearsal on Oct. 4 , Kick-Off Dinner on Oct. 6, Fireman’s Parade on Oct. 7, Banjo Championship on Oct. 8, Breakfast at Towne Restaurant on Oct. 9, Parade on Oct. 9, Fiddle Contest on Oct. 9, Craft and Car Shows on Oct. 10, Sundae Eating Contest on Oct. 10 and various other events as needed.
 
Applicants must currently be Garrett County high school juniors who will be entering their senior year in the fall of 2010. Two applicants will be chosen and each will receive a $250 educational contribution. Completed applications must be submitted by April 30, 2009.
 
For further information about the Autumn Glory King & Queen, please contact Katie Kimmel at the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce at 301.387.4386 ext. 10 or katie@garrettchamber.com. For more information about Autumn Glory, please visit www.autumngloryfestival.com
 

Autumn Glory Festival Starts Today

The 42nd Autumn Glory Festival starts with tonight's kick-off reception.  For details on Garrett County's famous festival, visit www.autumgloryfestival.com.  ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Parade Road Closings Announced for 42nd Annual Autumn Glory Festival

Several Oakland roads will be closed before and during the 42nd Autumn Glory Grand Feature parade, which begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, October 10.

“We are grateful to the town of Oakland for working with us to provide these terrific events for our 42nd Annual Autumn Glory Festival,” said Joyce Bishoff, Interim President of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce. “To prepare for the parade and to allow people to move freely around town for the entertainment, several roads will be closed temporarily on Saturday.”

Second Street will be closed to traffic from Liberty Street to Center Street at 9:30 am. Both Second and Third Streets, from Omar Street to Alder Street, will be closed to all vehicles at 11:00 a.m. Traffic needing to bypass Oakland will be directed to detour along Fourth Street until the parade ends. Center Street will remain open until 12:45 p.m.

Memorial Drive also will be closed to through traffic from Fourth to Eighth Street. No one will be able to turn onto Fourth Street from Memorial Drive. Barricades and police officers will prevent access onto Memorial Drive from Fourth to Eighth streets. Emergency vehicles should use Kings Run or Eighth Street to Memorial Drive.

Parking along the parade route, which includes parts of Second, Third and Alder streets, is prohibited prior to and during the parade. Business owners or employees should contact City Hall at 301.334.2691, Oakland Police Department at 301.334.2100 or the Chamber of Commerce at 301.387.4386 in advance to obtain a pass to gain access inside the parade route, this includes the handicapped parking at the Masonic Lodge on First Street.

The Pleasant View Baptist Church will present music, puppetry, and drama in front of the Oakland Post Office on Second Street at 11:30 am. Food vendors will be set up on Green Street by the M&T Bank area by 9:30 a.m. and the Holy Fire Music group from Loch Lynn Church will be performing from 10 am until noon on the Front Page Stage, followed by the a performance by Brenda’s Body Shop at noon. The Still Kickin’ Cloggers will be performing from 10:30 am – 11 am at the Box Car Stage near the 1884 B&O Train Station followed by the Country Plus Line Dancers from 11:15 am – 12:15 pm.

Garrett County Deputies, Maryland State Troopers and State Highway employees will be assisting the Oakland Police Department with traffic control during the Autumn Glory parade and Thursday’s Fireman’s Parade to make this a safe festival for everyone.

Oakland Police Chief John Sines encourages anyone coming to the festival and parade to come early to find a good parking space and enjoy the food and entertainment.

“The Oakland Mayor & Town Council love to welcome visitors to Oakland during Autumn Glory. The festival is the perfect time to showcase all that Oakland and Garrett County have to offer for guests to the area.” said Sines.

Free parking will be available in the town parking lot at the end of Second Street across the railroad tracks. For questions or concerns please free to contact Chief Sines at Oakland Police Department or Oakland City Hall between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Garrett County’s annual Autumn Glory Festival landed in the international spotlight last fall, when the popular travel website, MSN.com listed it tops among fall festivals in the world. To the delight of locals and visitors alike, Autumn Glory in Oakland, Maryland, beat out Paris’ Festival d’Automne (#5) and Munich’s Oktoberfest (#7) – in addition to a bevy of domestic celebrations, including San Francisco’s Dias De los Muertos. “Music, parades and awesome colors are at the center of this festival,” noted the site, plugging in particular the Grand Feature Parade, the Maryland State Banjo & Fiddle Championships and the Tournament of Bands.

For more details about Autumn Glory including a complete listing of Autumn Glory events, please visit www.autumngloryfestival.com or contact the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce at 301.387.4386.



 

Maryland Fall Foliage Hotline Reactivated

Toll-free Recording Tracks Peak Foliage Color and Lists Fall Events

As autumn arrives and leaves begin to change color, travelers planning to tour Maryland’s scenic countryside can call the toll-free Maryland Fall Foliage Hotline to discover when and where the leaves will be at their peak and to learn about fall festivals happening throughout the state.

The foliage hotline is a joint project of the Maryland Office of Tourism (OTD) and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “This hotline is an excellent example of State agencies working together to provide services to Maryland’s working families and visitors,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “OTD provides information on fairs and festivals from the Maryland Calendar of Events while DNR tracks the progression of color changes in foliage from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore and updates the hotline on a weekly basis.”

Callers can dial 1-800-LEAVES-1 (1-800-532-8371) to hear a five-minute recorded summary of where the brightest red, orange, scarlet and gold foliage will be in Maryland.

In addition to the 19 designated Maryland Scenic Byways meandering through Maryland’s five regions, “There is at least one State Park or Forest within an easy 30-minute drive of most Maryland residents,” said Nita Settina, superintendent of the Maryland Park Service. “Each park in our system provides an excellent opportunity for quality leaf-peeping.”

To receive a free Maryland travel kit (which includes Destination Maryland, 2009 Maryland Calendar of Events and a state highway map) by mail, call 800-719-5900. The Outdoors Maryland section of Destination Maryland lists all state parks, forest and natural resources management areas. Tourism information and order forms for a Maryland Scenic Byways Map may also be found at www.visitmaryland.org. Natural Resources information is available at www.dnr.maryland.gov.

Deadline for Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception Tickets is Thursday October 1st

The Garrett County Chamber of Commercehas tickets available for the 42nd Annual Autumn Glory Festival Kick-Off reception on Wednesday, October 7th at the Lodge at Wisp Resort. The deadline to purchase tickets for the reception is Thursday, October 1st.

Along with the annual announcement of this year’s Golden Ambassador, the evening includes the Autumn Glory King and Queen and recognizes the festival sponsors. This year’s entertainment will be presented by local music group, The Remedy. Clear Mountain Bank is the official sponsor of the Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception.

“This prestigious fund-raising event provides an elegant, yet lively atmosphere to kick-off the Autumn Glory festivities,” said Joyce Bishoff, Interim President of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce.

Each attendee to the kick-off reception receives a collectible Autumn Glory pin and Golden Ambassador pass. The pass entitles the holder to priority seating on the bleachers near the reviewing stand for the Grand Feature Parade on Saturday, October 10th.

The evening starts with a 6 p.m. cocktail hour. The sit-down dinner begins at 7 p.m. The reception ticket includes an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, sit-down dinner, and first-class entertainment. Admission to the event is $100 for a single ticket or $195 for a couple.

To purchase tickets, please RSVP by October 1, 2009 by calling 301.387.4386 ext. 16 or via email at jessica@garrettchamber.com.

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WTAE-TV's Michelle Wright to be Honorary Ambassador at Autumn Glory Parade

WTAE-TV’s Michelle Wright will be the Honorary Ambassador of the 42nd Annual Autumn Glory Festival’s Grand Feature Parade on Saturday, October 10. Michelle Wright is the anchor of WTAE Channel 4 Action News weekdays at 6 p.m.
 
A native of Lynchburg, Va., Wright graduated from Liberty University with a bachelor's degree in political science and a double minor in journalism and television. She arrived at WTAE in 1994 after leaving WSET in Lynchburg.
 
Wright has won three Emmy Awards, a National Headliners Award, and an Edward R. Murrow Award. She has also been honored by the Associated Press and the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasting, among other groups. Wright says the best part of her job is "meeting people and knowing the information I'm able to pass along can improve lives."
 
Wright has volunteered with many organizations, including the Leukemia Society, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Project Bundle-Up, Race For The Cure and the Special Olympics. Wright is married with two children. Her hobbies include reading ("Angela's Ashes," Psalms, anything by Poet Laureate Billy Collins), watching movies (favorites include "The Wizard Of Oz," "Life Is Beautiful," "The Shawshank Redemption"), shopping for antiques, taking her kids out for ice cream, gardening and Pilates.
 
Autumn Glory Festival runs from October 7 – 11 in Garrett County, Maryland with a kick-off reception at Wisp Resort, two large parades, concerts, Oktoberfest celebration, the Maryland State Banjo & Fiddle band Championships, art exhibits, the Western Maryland Tournament of Bands, antique and craft shows and much more.
 
Garrett County’s annual Autumn Glory Festival landed in the international spotlight two years ago, when the popular travel website, MSN.com listed it tops among fall festivals in the world. To the delight of locals and visitors alike, Autumn Glory in Oakland, Maryland, beat out Paris’ Festival d’Automne (#5) and Munich’s Oktoberfest (#7) – in addition to a bevy of domestic celebrations, including San Francisco’s Dias De los Muertos. “Music, parades and awesome colors are at the center of this festival,” noted the site, plugging in particular the Grand Feature Parade, the Maryland State Banjo & Fiddle Championships and the Tournament of Bands.
 

Art Rooney, Jr. Slated as Grand Marshal for Autumn Glory

Steeler Nation will be happy to hear that Art Rooney, Jr. will be this year's Autumn Glory Grand Marshal. 

42nd Annual Autumn Glory Grand Feature Parade Applications Due September 18

The Garrett County Chamber of Commercehas sent out the applications for the 42nd Annual Autumn Glory Grand Feature Parade to last year’s parade participants. To participate in the 1 pm parade on Saturday, October 10, all parade applications are due back to the Chamber by September 18. Participant applications received after the deadline will be placed at the end of the parade lineup. If you are interested in participating in this year’s parade and did not receive the application, please contact Jessica Stullenbarger at 301.387.4386 extension 16.

For additional information about the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, please visit http://www.garrettchamber.com/ or call 301.387.4386.

 

Fall Foliage Photos

If you were in town for Autumn Glory you know that the leaves in Garrett County this year truly are spectacular.  I have photos to post from the weekend, but for now take a look at the Camera Totin' Idiot blog post from yesterday for some beautiful photography. 

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Record Number of Guests Attend Chamber's Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception

The annual Garrett County Chamber of Commerce Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception, held Wednesday, October 8, enjoyed a record number of attendees this year at the Lodge at Wisp Resort. With entertainment by local favorite, Boathouse, the 320 attendees enjoyed dinner and saw the crowning of this year’s Golden Ambassador, Royalty Court King & Queen, and saw the Teacher of the Year and Garrett County ’s Most Beautiful Person recognized.

Patricia Kittle Hoffman won the 2008 Garrett County Honorary Golden Ambassador award. Patricia was a member/director of Garrett County ’s first Tourism Council, along with Helmuth Heise, Art Naylor, and others. She also helped start the annual Autumn Glory Festival (formerly known as the Turkey Festival). Winners of the Golden Ambassador have contributed to tourism in Garrett County and the Autumn Glory Festival and nominations are made by the entire Chamber membership. Past honorees include Helmuth “Ace” Heise, Johnny Marple, Elaine McDonald, Karen Myers, Judy Devlin and more. Last year’s recipient, Ruth Beitzel presented the award to Patricia Kittle Hoffman.

Jeffrey Rush, a senior at Southern High School was named the 41st Annual Autumn Glory King and Kara Savage, a senior at Northern High School was named the 41st Annual Autumn Glory Queen. The prince is Aaron Newman, a senior at Northern and the princesses are Grace Herpel, a senior at Northern, Joanna Guy, a senior at Southern, and Kimberly Stephens, a senior at Southern.

Jenny Neville, a first grade Math and Technology Resource teacher at Broadford Elementary school , was honored as Teacher of the Year while Maxine Broadwater Beachy was honored as Garrett County ’s Most Beautiful Person.

Long & Foster Realtors is the official sponsor of the Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception and Clear Mountain Bank is the official sponsor of the Kick-Off Reception Entertainment by Boathouse.  Maryland Special Olympics is the main sponsor of the Autumn Glory Festival.

“This prestigious fund-raising event provides an elegant, yet lively atmosphere to kick-off the Autumn Glory festivities,” said Charlie Ross, President/CEO of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce.  “The Chamber is honored to host this reception every year to celebrate Autumn Glory.”

The Autumn Glory Festival activities continue through Sunday, October 12 with the Oktoberfest Celebration and Fireman’s Parade, The Official Maryland State Banjo Championship featuring The Hillbilly Gypsies, the Grand Feature Parade, the Western Maryland Tournament of Bands and the Official Maryland State Fiddle and Mandolin Championship.

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